17/12/2018

Three sensational courses revealed for the 7-day Haute Route events in 2019

Headlining the 2019 Haute Route Cycling Series, three breath-taking courses for the 7-day Haute Route Alps, Haute Route Pyrenees and Mavic Haute Route Rockies events were revealed today. Featuring an exceptional combination of iconic climbs, hidden gems and prestigious host towns, each course provides a unique challenge and promises memorable moments in the saddle.

Highlights include a stage around Megève designed by a previous Haute Route winner in the Alps, fewer host towns and a summit finish on Tourmalet in the Pyrenees and a revamped course in the Rockies starting in Colorado Springs and finishing in Boulder.

Throughout each event, riders will enjoy a premium level of both on and off-the-bike services. Ranging from course marshalling, rolling road closures, mechanical support and live tracking out on the road, to post-stage meals, massages and daily briefings off the bike, participants will be able to make the most of their experience and focus on enjoying the event and cycling to the best of their ability.

Click here to view the teaser for the 2019 Haute Route season.

Haute Route Alps
745km / 20,150M+

Created in 2011, the founding event of the Haute Route in the Alps returns for a 9th edition in 2019 featuring a demanding course linking Megève to Nice via Courchevel, Alpe d’Huez, Serre-Chevalier Briançon, Pra Loup and Saint-Etienne de Tinée.

Designed by 2017 Haute Route Alps winner, Nicolas Roux, a local to the region, the first stage around Megève features new climbs up Le Bettex and the Plateau d’Assy before a summit finish on Côte 2000. Finishing above Courchevel on the newly-paved Col de la Loze, the second stage also features a climb over the notorious Col des Saisies. The queen stage of the week promises to be the third stage linking Courchevel to Alpe d’Huez over 144km with 4600M+ of climbing. Featuring two Alpine giants in the Col de la Madeleine and Col du Glandon before taking on the infamous 21 hairpin bends to finish in Alpe d’Huez. The fourth stage will take riders to another summit finish on the Col du Granon before they take on the renowned Col d’Izoard in an individual time trial format on stage five. Setting off one by one down the ramp, riders will conquer the legendary Col d’Izoard in an individual battle against the clock. Following this memorable time trial, the sixth stage connects Briançon to a summit finish in Pra Loup via an ascent over the Col de Vars.

The seventh and final stage is split into two sections. Riders will first conquer the highest col of the week as they ride over the Cime de la Bonette (2802m) and will all regroup in Saint-Etienne de Tinée before being released for the second part of the stage where they will conquer two more cols before finishing on Mediterranean seafront in Nice.

Haute Route Pyrenees
720km / 18,320M+

Starting and finishing in Pau, riders of the 2019 Haute Route Pyrenees will discover the raw beauty and peaceful empty roads of the Pyrenees. Climbing legendary cols and the lesser known hidden gems inaccessible to pro races, the peloton will benefit from simplified logistics as they will stay in just three host towns, Pau, Bagnères-de-Luchon and Argelès-Gazost.

Starting from Pau, the first stage features two new cols in the Col de Bugalaran and Col d’Hourcère before a summit finish in La Pierre Saint Martin. The second and third stages will take riders into the heart of the Pyrenees with a first summit finish on Port de Balès followed by another summit finish at Hospice de France. A guaranteed highlight of the week will be the summit finish on the emblematic Col du Tourmalet; a memorable finish for the fourth stage, after ascents over the Col de Peyresourde and Hourquette Ancizan. The time trial on stage five will take riders up the winding forest road to the Col des Spandelles, another first for the Haute Route on this hidden gem of the French Pyrenees. The final two stages will take riders back to Pau and the front range of the Pyrenees, with ascents over the Col du Soulor and Col d’Aubisque on both days, allowing riders to conquer these two classic climbs from both directions in just 48 hours.

Mavic Haute Route Rockies
772km / 12,373M+

Returning for a third edition in 2019, the Mavic Haute Route Rockies will offer riders a revamped course, starting in Colorado Springs, and finishing in Boulder. Visiting the towns of Grant, Breckenridge, Avon, Steamboat Springs and Winter Park in-between, riders are guaranteed to experience the best of the Rocky Mountain Range thanks to the towns’ incomparable hospitality.

Revolving around Colorado Springs, the first stage of the week will take in the city’s best terrain and vistas, including the Garden of the Gods, Broadmoor Resort and Cheyenne Canyon. On stage two riders will make their way from the Rockies front range to heart of the Colorado Rockies via Guanella Pass and Loveland Pass, totalling over 2500M+ of climbing. Ascents over Fremont Pass and Tennessee Pass ensue on stage three as riders make their way to Avon for the now emblematic Time Trial on stage four. Following a shorter day on stage four, the fifth stage is the first of three consecutive 150km+ days with the route to Steamboat Springs featuring two long climbs and three shorter but sharper ascents on the final 50km approach to town. Climbing from the gun on stage six, riders will have to ascend Rabbit Ears Pass before making their way to the finish in Winter Park at the foot of Berthoud Pass. One final crossing of the continental divide awaits on stage seven as riders will conquer Berthoud Pass (3442M) and then the Peak to Peak Highway before making their way to the finish line in Boulder.