 |
 |
|
|
 |
|||||||||||||
|
|
Since Tour founder Henri Desgrange first decided to include 'serious mountains' in the Tour route in 1910, the high passes and mountaintop villages of the Pyrenees have been the spiritual home of 'the steep stuff' in the world's greatest bike race. So tough were the conditions in the early days that 1910 winner Octive Lapize called the organisers "assassins" as he crested the unmade road summit of the Aubisque that year. 1911 winner Gustave Garrigou won a special prize as the first man ever to climb the Tourmalet without getting off to walk! Since then, great names like Coppi, Bahamontes, Anquetil, Poulidor, Merckx, Van Impe, Hinault, Lemond, Indurain, Pantani and Armstrong have ridden their way to famous victories in the Pyrenees and the iconic climbs have become a mecca to Tour enthusiasts. There are few more stirring experiences for the knowledgeable Tour spectator than witnessing the great climbers go head-to-head in these magnificent mountains. Join PyrActif for a week of great riding and 'heart of the action' roadside spectating opportunities as the Tour comes to the Pyrenees between the 12th-16th July 2008.
|
