Haute Route - first-class cycling experience
Haute Route – first-class cycling experience
When it comes to highly-organised, high-end and high-pain multi-day cycling rides for amateur riders, Haute Route are in the league of their own. Riders get excellent service, including marshalls, motorcycle escorts, Mavic support and a pasta party at the end of each day. As they write on their website: “The objective of the Haute Route is to deliver events that are the unparalleled ‘professional’ experience for amateur cyclists.” All stages are timed and ranked. Here are four of the organisation’s most mouth-watering events in 2019.
3-day Haute Route Oman
When? 1st to 3rd of March, 2019
How far? 238km with over 5,500m of climbing
How much? $875 (until 25th of February, 2019) this does not include flights or accommodation packages.
Route? This is the first edition of the Haute Route Oman. The route centres around the Al Hajar mountains and the iconic Green Mountain (Jebel Akhdar). These mountains offer challenges which can be considered just as tough as the Alps, Pyrenees or Rocky Mountains. The event takes place in March, when the weather is normally 20-25°C. This will be a great three-day ride for those who enjoy challenges in exotic locations. It is nice and early in the European cycling season, so presents an excellent opportunity to start as you mean to go on.
Interested? Here is more information.
7-day Haute Route Colorado Rockies
When? 22nd-28th of June, 2019
How far? 800km with over 15,000m of climbing, with five summits above 3,200m.
How much? $1,950 (early bird already sold out) not including flights or accommodation package.
Route? Seven days of timed and ranked stages in the Colorado Rockies, including climbs which feature in US Pro Challenge and Coors Classic races.
Andy Hampsten back in the day during the Coors Classic. Photograph: Cor Vos.
The host towns for the (officially-named Mavic Rockies 2019) event are Colorado Springs, Breckenridge, Avon, Steamboat Springs and Winter Park.
3-day Haute Route Stelvio
This is the second edition of this event. In 2019 it is for two-person-teams only. There will be three rankings per stage: male duo, female duo and mixed duo.
When? 20th-22nd of September, 2019
How far? 194km with over 8,000m of climbing
How much? €750 per person (early bird sold out) this does not include flights or accommodation package.
Route? Based in Bormio, the route will include climbs such as the Passo Mortirolo, Passo Gavia and two sides of the Passo Stelvio.
7-day Haute Route French Alps
This is the 9th Edition for this founding event of the Haute Route Cycling Series. It is also possibly the toughest of them all.
When? 25th-31st of August 2019
How far? 800km with over 20,000m of climbing. See “sporting difficulty” below.
How much? €1,700 (early bird sold out) this does not include flights or accommodation package.
Route? From the high Alps, with their iconic climbs, down to the coast in Nice. You start in Megève and other host towns are Courchevel, Alpe d’Huez, Serre Chevalier and Pra Loup.
Interested in other long-distance cycling challenges? Try: Seven of the greatest cyclosportives on the planet and 6 Cyclosportives in the Low Countries if you regularly ride large-scale cycling events, you may recognise these Five irritating types of rider on cyclosportives.
When it comes to highly-organised, high-end and high-pain multi-day cycling rides for amateur riders, Haute Route are in the league of their own. Riders get excellent service, including marshalls, motorcycle escorts, Mavic support and a pasta party at the end of each day. As they write on their website: “The objective of the Haute Route is to deliver events that are the unparalleled ‘professional’ experience for amateur cyclists.” All stages are timed and ranked. Here are four of the organisation’s most mouth-watering events in 2019.