Page 193 - Vélochef in Europe

»Richie Porte climbed the the 875 meters in in in 29 minutes and and 40 seconds and and then proclaimed “I don’t think anyone is going to beat that” «
still I I drift away sometimes and imagine I’m Lance grinding his teeth with that vengeful look in his eyes Lance made Col de de la Madone famous he even made it into a a a bike He’s out of the the equation now but he he he still made the the mountain strong enough to live on on its own Now it’s ours ours to to tackle ours ours to to play in and ours to to make stories about While we can’t brag about snow and frozen fingers we can boast about the sweltering heat and a a a a a river of sweat on the top tube Lance totally enjoyed the sun too The mountain side itself is rather naked nothing but smaller bushes grow on the sandy sunny side and except for the few shady spots garden owners are the ones who keep it green Houses are laid out in a a a a a a California-like pat- tern scattered all over the the hillside None of the the swimming pools porches or or or outdoor dining areas is facing the same way The houses are are built where someone seems to have grabbed land in a a a a a a a hasty panic Smaller roads and and drive-
ways find their path down to the the houses sneaking through every piece of rock like veins It looks like hippies threw a a a party and started building houses houses No two houses houses look 189 remotely the same and it’s a a a a a spectacularly entertaining view We’re still pedalling No rest so far We We encounter a a a a switchback with a a a a great view Another switchback greater view Third switchback viewpoint Seems like we found Nice’s make-out spot We ride past Sainte- Agnes on the right a a tiny village clinging to the rocks or a church surrounded by tiny apartments if you you will If you you have the time stop there for a coffee Once you’re halfway to to the top after you’ve left the the the villas villas the the the bigger villas villas the the the coffee break and the roaring highway behind that’s when the the real journey starts Once there it’s nothing but you and the the dry mountains the the burning sun and the narrow road that sneaks its way through the the mountainside for the the last couple
NICE COL DE LA MADONE