This year I am taking part in the Haute Route - the toughest and highest cyclosportive in the world.  The 2nd edition takes place from the 19th to 25th August 2012, covering 780 km and 21,000 meters of ascent and featuring seven world-famous cities and mountain resorts: Geneva, Megève, Courchevel, Alpe d'Huez, Risoul, Auron and Nice.

19 mythical Alpine cols will challenge cyclists over the 7 timed stages, including Madeleine, Glandon, Izoard, Cime de la Bonette and the famous climb to Alpe d'Huez for an epic individual time trial. The Haute Route will continue to highlight the cols and ascents that have created the legend of cycling.

The organisers have limited the number to only 500 participants and last year 97% of the 300 cyclists were from 27 different countries.

I am riding with friends from Performance Cycles, my local cycling club and we were lucky that 7 of us got allocated places at the beginining of this year.  We have since been training both individually and together at weekends.

We start from the Jardin Anglais in Geneva on Sunday, 19th August and finishing on the famous Promenade des Anglais in Nice, France on Saturday 25th August.

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