Tour de France 2024. Of course, we’re going!
A good number of us cycling friends headed to Nice last year (2024) for a week to witness the final stages of the Tour de France. While waiting for the grand finale, we also clocked in quite a few kilometers around Nice’s stunning surroundings.
Our "royal" stage was planned as a loop ride from the campsite—about 160 km with over 3,000 meters of elevation gain. The route included the famous Col de Braus and the challenging Col de Turini. We woke up early, fueled up with a good breakfast, packed plenty of gels, energy bars, and gummy candies. As usual, each of us started with two full bidons of water/electrolytes which we planned to refill along the way.
The Ride Begins
The morning was pleasant, and the heat hadn’t yet set in. We rode along the coast to Nice before gradually climbing toward the picturesque Col de Braus. As we pedaled up its famous switchbacks, the views were breathtaking—but so was the heat. My Garmin was already showing 35°C.
I saved my water, confident we’d find a refill station at the summit—or at worst, at our planned stop in the village of Sospel after the descent. Knowing we had a long and demanding ride ahead, I conserved my energy while some of the guys pushed ahead, reaching the top before me.
But when I arrived, I found them all huddled in a tiny patch of shade, looking defeated. Something was off. I started searching—water, water, water... but there was none.
No Water, No Way Down
We were all gathered at the summit, parched and desperate for hydration. I reassured the group that it was just a descent away to the next stop, where we could finally rest and refill.
Just then, two cyclists approached from the direction of our planned descent. We had crossed paths with them earlier on the climb, but now they looked even worse than us—completely pale and drained.
They broke the news: about a kilometer down the road, the entire descent was closed for roadwork. They were paving the road for the upcoming Tour de France stage, and there was no way through.
An Unplanned Detour
I quickly checked the map and found an alternative route. It involved another climb—shorter and easier than our original one but still another climb. We had no choice.
We dug deep and powered through the extra ascent, about 2 km long but mercifully shaded on the descent. When we reached the main road leading to Col de Turini, there was still no water in sight.
At this point, we had to decide: turn back toward Nice (mostly downhill, with several small villages along the way) or push forward. According to the map, a restaurant was about 7 km ahead. Three of our friends decided to return to Nice, while the rest of us pressed on.
42°C and Nowhere to Hide
That "easy" 7 km turned out to include a brutal 4 km climb—fully exposed to the sun. My Garmin now displayed 42°C.
One of our youngest riders, Žiga, was completely spent. As we crawled up the climb together, I felt like crying. My legs were heavy, my thighs felt frozen, and Žiga was so exhausted he was practically growling in frustration. But I kept encouraging him—if not for him, I might have given up myself.
At the top, our friends were waiting. We must have looked awful because they immediately offered whatever last drops of water were left in their bidons. We reached another crossroads—should we turn back down or push on?
Tilen looked at me, exhausted, and asked, “Should we go back?”
I replied, “If we’ve made it this far, we’re making it to that restaurant.”
Salvation in Peira Cava
And we did. I will never forget the name of that village: Peira Cava.
It had a charming café with delicious pastries, fantastic coffee, an ice-cold bathroom sink, and the kindest staff. After cooling off and refueling, we continued our journey to Col de Turini, which thankfully wasn’t far anymore.
The Final Push
We completed our planned route, riding through the stunning canyons of the Vesubie River and discovering breathtaking landscapes. In the end, we covered 150 km and 2,500 meters of elevation gain.
Back at the campsite, the others had been worried—we had arrived much later than expected, completely drained. But we recovered quickly: a massive bowl of pasta, lots of gummy candies, plenty of water, and of course, a well-deserved beer.
Lesson learned: Always, always carry extra water.
