The Col de la Loze has made a name for itself in Europe in a very short time. This new, completely car-free col is part of a larger project that aims to put the prosperous 3 Valleés ski area on the map in the summer by attracting cyclists. After all, the largest ski area in the world has nothing to gain from empty beds in summer.
Photo: Cyclingcols
First gran fondo
There are two news items to report. Firstly, and you probably saw this coming, the first gran fondo built around the Col de la Loze is born, the Col de la Loze by Brides-les-Bains. On September 13th it will take place. For the time being, the event will continue. The start and finish are in Brides les Bains. There are 3 routes, the longest one has 100 km with a whopping 3800m. Actually, the climbing time trial Eiffage du Col de la Loze would be the first event on the col in May, but the event was cancelled by the coronavirus.
Watch the video of the long distance:
But that's not all. The Col de la Loze connects the eastern valley (Vallée de Courchevel, known from the mundane and very expensive ski villages) with the valley in the middle, known from Méribel. But there is another valley in the west: the Vallée the Belleville (made famous by the ski villages of Val Thorens and Les Menuires). It is intended that there will be a road between the middle and western valley, the Col du Cherferie. The whole project listens to the name Via 3 Vallées. The Col de la Loze was only the first step.
According to the French newspaper Le Dauphiné, partly due to COVID-19, there are still some bumps, but the French remain positive. Reportedly, the amount of groundwork is not so bad, which would mean that the road can be finished relatively quickly.
The villages in this region have been looking jealously at the Bourg d'Oisans and Barcelonette, for example, where tourists are welcomed almost all year round. When the Via 3 Vallées becomes a reality, this autocracy may well be over. At CycloWorld we are especially looking forward to the course of a possible gran fondo. This could be a real killer event.
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