Ecstasy = Galibier

[jaysa]

Totally blown away by the beauty of the Galibier video, specially after the Lautaret, where the gradient kicks.

It gets wilder and more spectacular the higher you climb. Loved the left hand corner into the sun, where you almost feel like Pegasus riding into the sky!

I've ridden this a few times for real in Summer, when its sensible to watch camper vans and tourists who aren't happy with mountain roads and sometimes cut corners or pass too close, so it's a joy to ride safely.

Big thanks to whoever captured this sublime piece of road - with almost no cars either. Just amazing ...

[VeloReality Video]

Totally blown away by the beauty of the Galibier video, specially after the Lautaret, where the gradient kicks.

It gets wilder and more spectacular the higher you climb. Loved the left hand corner into the sun, where you almost feel like Pegasus riding into the sky!

I've ridden this a few times for real in Summer, when its sensible to watch camper vans and tourists who aren't happy with mountain roads and sometimes cut corners or pass too close, so it's a joy to ride safely.

Big thanks to whoever captured this sublime piece of road - with almost no cars either. Just amazing ...

Thanks for the nice review, your talking about the Briancon side of the Galibier which we filmed on the last day the road was open, we were lucky as we did not have to take the tunnel option..the following day the whole thing was closed. You can also do the climb filmed in June from the other direction with Veloreality software (Marmotte part 3) that has a lot more cyclists & a completely different feel with deep snow banks at the top, flowers & a lot greener. if your looking for another ride filmed the same period of this Autumn one check out the Col du Cenis, this was filmed just a day or two earlier. Its a really nice ride with two climbs that are not too hard, plenty of sun flare & fall colours!

[mfallon]

I also really like that one also. Particularly the snow banks at the top. Haven't ridden it in real life but would love the opportunity. How close did you feel the effort of the simulation was to the real thing taking weather and thin air into account of course?

[VeloReality Video]

I also really like that one also. Particularly the snow banks at the top. Haven't ridden it in real life but would love the opportunity. How close did you feel the effort of the simulation was to the real thing taking weather and thin air into account of course?

These rides filmed before this year were all filmed from a car (a very small sports roadster) with the cinema camera kit mounted on the hood. Ive done the Galibier though a fair number of times, Its tough to say if it replicates this particular climb as in real life you always have to do the Telegraphe & possibly also the Glandon by the time you hit the foot of it...your already going to be hurting & then you have the thin air that will make you feel generally weak as a kitten..Ive had some really bad moments on the thing....once I became very hungry, started to hit the wall & was so desperate for anything to eat that I purchased cheese at that hut half way up! (the thin air removes all logic also I discovered).

As for the simulation the grades are more or less perfect so your time will be accurate to real life if you can pump out the same power with the thin air..if you go again I would count on being a bit slower & always fit lower gears then you think you will need!

[jaysa]

I also really like that one also. Particularly the snow banks at the top. Haven't ridden it in real life but would love the opportunity. How close did you feel the effort of the simulation was to the real thing taking weather and thin air into account of course?

The times I've been up it recently, I've caught the train up the valley to Briancon and ridden that route exactly. I'd say the grades, efforts and speeds are closely similar. The differences are weather, traffic, cornering and descending - and whatever your legs have done before! On the way home, I've gone over the Izoard North, and my legs are telling me all about it then