This week I wanted to show you the French Pyrenees and give you an idea of how to get here and what it is like to ride in this stunning but challenging terrain | .Subscribe to Cycling Weekly here: https://www.youtube.com/user/CyclingWeekly1?sub_confirmation=1
TdF Stage 17 max effort: https://www.strava.com/activities/1586680717
Welcome to this weeks vlog. This week I wanted to show you the French Pyrenees and give you an idea of how to get here and what it is like to ride in this stunning but challenging terrain. We were visiting the region to make some preview content about the 2018 Tour de France stages which will be happening there and I decided this would be an ideal opportunity to show you guys the area too. A company called Bikecation (www.bikecation.co.uk) who are specialists in organising cycling trips, very kindly offered to help us with the logistics of the trip. Cheers Bikecation and recommend you check out their site. Hope you enjoy the vlog and if you have any questions, fire them below in the comments.
Pyrenees Insta post: https://www.instagram.com/p/BjIPYHdhjZL/?hl=en&taken-by=dr_oliverb
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45 Comments
Awesome video 👍🚴! Thanks for mentioning vegan options when reviewing the local food options, quite important!!
Try flying to Lourdes, we then stayed in Argelès-Gazost, Hautacam, Tourmalet, Soulor and Aubisque literally on your doorstep. 6 says of pure bliss 😀
Great video! I actually went to this area to cycle 2 years a go. The tourmalet is fantastic. But in the middle of summer there are lots of cyclist and cars so not as quite as it looks on the video
Cheers Ollie! Alps this year but you've put the Pyrenees firmly on my bucket list 👍
Bears and wolves? Sounds iffy. How about mountain lions? They like cyclists to much.
A year ago, a friend and I bike toured through the Pyrenees, including many of the cols you mentioned (aubisque, aspin, peyresourde etc). It was our first bike tour, and we were using pretty basic road bikes. I was very wrongly advised by someone at a bike shop that my 12-26T chainset would be more than enough to take me and two bike bags up col d'Aubisque. Just about managed it at about 30 rpm, though it was the toughest thing I've ever done, so really could have done with this video back in 2017!!
The way we went through the Pyrenees was cycling from town to town and staying in Air bnb's, and had an incredible time! Great video here, loved seeing all the places that I recognised!
You can’t outrun a bear unless you’re going down hill. They can run at 30mph!
Are there places to camp if you’re Bikepacking?
You were smiling the entire time. Looked like a lot of fun
Stayed in the Ariege a few years ago , in the town of Bompas , and had the best holiday ever with some great riding and food
Bears make you ride faster so it’s all good! 😀
Point of order….. 90% of the cyclists in Mallorca ride on the same few hills on the North of the island. It's perfectly possible to find quiet roads, even in the busy season.
What’s with all that grinding Ollie:((
You went up from arreau didnt you. Aspin was the first "col" i did
This was good to watch, I’m heading there in August for the haute route and now Im Anticipating it even more!
Love these travel style Vlogs 🖒 It's always great to see all the different cycling locations.
Are you a rapha ambassador?
Awesome video!!!
Good way to improve you Max Wattage…. get a Bear 🐻 to chase you.
The scenery is stunning and it looks like you had a great time. Thankfully you didn't have to grin and bear it…
Sorta not worth commenting when there's no Competition Time, but this dispatch from the Pyrenees, Ollie, was truly outstanding. Thanks for giving us a tour of those climbs draped all over those mountains. And c'mon, the comment by a rider who saw Brian May deserved a prize. That was quite a sighting and a funny comment. Send him some consolation socks or something.
ever look back on some of the old magazines? the 30's -40 50 If you have access to them
The bear thing is true. I saw on on a descent. Scared the life out of me in all honesty. I went a little faster from then on…
Some great tips here on what gearing choice to take plus endless travel tips. Great helpful video thanks for the helpful video. All the best Andy
Awesome climbs here in the Wild West
Nevada , Utah , Colorado
Thanks for showing us a bit of the Pyrenees. If it weren't for having to blog about it so often, you'd have an incredible lifestyle! Thanks for being willing to share it with us!
Weather looks colder too Ollie 🤔 or it depend on the time of year😀
The quality of these videos, particularly this one, that are so well researched and informative and the fact that they're just on here for free is insane. Genuinely thank you so much. A whole (€30) travel guide summarised in an easier format for free. You are great at your job Ollie
Ollie, what was the lake at 12:20? I'll be spending 4 weeks riding in the Pyrénées in September, and was wondering if that lake is on my itinerary! 🙂 I've ridden in the Pyrénées briefly last year and the year before, but can't quite place that lake.
Ollie, are we going to see you at the red hook London as you make good on your bet with Alec Briggs.
There are some awesome circuits available in the central Pyrenees for anyone who doesn’t to go back on yourself, although the Tourmalet is definitely worth doing that very different climbs either side.
Anyhow the first can be either 50k or 100K (if you take in the col de Mente and Ares extension). This begins at Bagnieres de Luchon, head south through St Mamet towards the Col de Portillion. Take the D618A out of Luchon, this turns left shortly after the thermal baths, if you were to continue you'd head towards Superbagniere which is a terrific climb, but not a circuit. The climb of the postillion is a terrific opener, 10 to 12k's with a bit of recovery in the middle, the descent into Spain is lovely, on the whole roads on the Spanish side are better than the French, have a break about two thirds of the way down there’s view point with a cycling monument, the views are amazing. At the bottom of the climb is a roundabout take a left here into Bossost, and continue back into France (N230 in Spain, N124 in France) all the way to Saint Béat, here you can choose to take return to Luchon for a 50k circuit. Follow the D44 from St Béat to the Junction with the D125 and go left for Luchon. Alternatively you could go right on the D44 at the office de Tourisme, to tackle the Col de Mente (often used in TdF though seldom from this the west side), this is a pretty stiff climb of 12K, but a gorgeous valley. Descend the other side towards the three way junction of the road to Sengouagnet and the Col du Portet d’Aspet. For this circuit take the left here. That way winds back towards the Col d’Ares, an easier climb, good given what you’d have done so far, and the last one of this circuit. the right turn goes up the Col de Portet d'Aspet save that for another day the ascent is a brute from the west, comparatively short but really steep. Anyhow En route to the Arès, there’s a junction just before Sengouagnet take the sharp left up the hill here and you’ll be good for all the way back to St Beat.
At St Béat, just follow the D44, to the right once you cross the stone bridge and follow the signs back to Luchon.
Hope this is clear enough.
did you bring 2 bikes? started on the Scott, but you were on specialized at the end.
Blatant attempt to win the comp following removed video re Carbon bike repair. 🙁 Epic gymnastic crash I still cannot believe I survived. Absolutely tanking it down a single track road around 7% with two mates on my fluorescent muddy fox MTB. Road was lined with rock walls and barbed wire to keep sheep at bay, I later noticed. On a sharp corner I realised it wasn’t one way going down as a car headed toward me and stopped instantly due to the incline. There was no way round and I simply couldn’t stop, I don’t think I even touched the brakes. Ramming into the car at a slight angle I was thrown forward but upward and over in a parkour style and I can still recall seeing into the car mid flight and the hands of the lady who was gripped to the steering wheel really tightly. Like an Olympic vaulter I seem to do one head over heels and some sort of barrel roll and landed feet first perfectly behind the car facing back up the hill. I had to grab the rear spoiler for balance I had such momentum! At that moment my two mates screeched around the corner to see my mangled bike on the bonnet, me starting at them from behind the car and a woman who had turned white. Unscathed I walked to the driver side, tapped on the window and this poor lady looked like she’d seen a ghost. It was over 30 years ago and I remember it like it was yesterday. Not a scratch!
What happened to the 'I broke my TT bike!' video that was up?
Where is your new Vlog?? It was there Tuesday!!!
Was the Vlog of the 12th deleted? I can not find it anymore… I do have a competition Story and because I can not add it under #35 currently here it comes, i hope you count that too?
So my story is not containing high speeds, exploding tires or failing breaks. Instead it is soaking in vanity and shame and if you are still reading it this point you are hopefully up for some moments making you think “I hate E-Bikes” anyway here is my story.
Last year in the beginning of the season I thought it is about time to change the pedals I was using indoors, after countless hours of sandblasting them with my sweat an tears. I bought a new pair of Dura-ace pedals and felt quite pro having upgraded from “just” ultegra.
The first ride instantly made me feel more efficient and so fast (!). Of course that is what you get of a pair of pedals which work exactly the same as the Ultegra Model just a couple grams lighter no collusion with the fact that I was using my Mountainbike for outdoor rides the whole Winter previously.
Disturbing my superman like feel, that’s the point it happened, I heard a electric noise just behind me and just as I realised that there is the possibility that someone overtakes me a E-Bike flew past me. The rider took the time to smile at me and roared on.
Disillusion and the feeling that my countless pain cave hours where for nothing struck through my head as my legs already went to battle mode and surged into his slipstream. He noticed my effort in his mirror and was putting his support to max (I assume) at 45 km/h.
I was preparing to go for it, put it all in one effort and try keeping 700+ W for, well lets say longer than 10 Seconds. My focus and preparation go interrupted by a red light an as he put down a leg to support his stand, I decided to play it “pro” to underline the coolness of my pedals and track stand…
As I noticed that I am tilting and that there is no way I will keep this upright, I threw one last desperate glimpse at the unforgiving red glow of the traffic light.
As I tried to clip out to avoid the not really pro looking “bike lean to the street” I was not able to. I slammed myself into the ground both feet still clipped in looking like an idiot. I forgot to set the firmness of the new pedals which where set to maximum, making it feel different then on my trusty old ultegra’s.
No Bike was harmed during this, but I broke some of my ego during the process. The E-Bike guy didn’t laugh which was nice. Even though it was 100% my fault, I hate E-Bikes 😀
Argeles-Gazost is the centre of the universe for cycling in the Pyrénées with "easy" access to Le Tourmalet, Soulor, Aubisque, Hautacam, Luz Ardidan and more. Lourdes airport 20 mins.
what's that area with the rolling terrain, "baranees" or something like that…? How do you spell it? What's the name of the town road sign in the background?
the very spot where Ollie is standing at 9:35, with the very same Land Rover still there! – https://www.google.com/maps/@42.7910117,0.5911304,3a,75y,193.78h,65.29t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1skn2TR6_yiRZ8jXGA89Lc4g!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
Looks like a gorgeous town.
"I'm going to have a massive crêpe" – hilarious. Fantastic location and great vlog. Thanks for making us aware of this stunning area
I suggest argeles gazost as it is in close proximity to a lot of famous cols if that's what you want.
Stay in Argeles Gazost well placed
Tremendous, thanks. Looking to retire to Girona next year.
The "bartenees" area you mentioned – – how do you spell it and where is it? It looked really nice.
Off to the Pyrenees in June, struggling to find the "Byreneese"? "Baronees" gizza clue mate.