Mont Ventoux
1) Roubaix
Paris-Roubaix (commonly known as 'The Hell of the North') puts this French border town in the sport's spotlight every April. Its famous velodrome tries to subtract the focus from what is truly significant in this place: the sections of pavés (cobbled roads) that surround this town and that since 1896 have tortured the legs of the toughest cyclists. Those who imitate them are usually satisfied with not puncturing or losing their balance. Others prefer to dream of victory at the velodrome while enjoying the gray beauty of the second largest French city that is neither a district nor a department capital.
2)San Remo.
Apart from the famous song festival, come to lesser due to the 80s, the Bacalao and the Davidguetteras parties in Ibiza, San Remo is the finish line of the classic Milan-San Remo, the favorite of Italian sprinters. In his praise of pure cycling shines the route along the abrupt coast of Liguria and the vertiginous descent of the Poggio, which ends in a white and decorated city that is splashed by the shades of the multi-colored snake.
3)Oudenaarde.
The Tour of Flanders (a rogue race that mixes the pavés with the demanding Belgian ramps) celebrates 100 years in the next few days in which its route has varied a lot, always through Flemish lands. Since last year it has been established that Oudenaarde will become not only the finish line of the race, but also the epicenter of culture and religion that Belgians profess for their most important competition . For this, a kind of museum, the Centrum Ronde van Vlaanderen reflects its importance, in addition to encouraging the visitor to get on a simulator in which to climb mythical heights such as the Koppenberg more comfortably.
4)Liège.
The malicious speak of Liège as if it were the closest thing to Mordor on earth. But, nevertheless, between factories and futuristic buildings (with the impressive Guillemins train station in the lead) the epic beauty of its neighbor Ans stands out, the goal of the famous Liège-Bastogne-Liège with its mythical wall of Saint Nicholas. One often wonders how people can live on that steep slope...
5) Whoops.
Speaking of walls, this Belgian town with an onomatopoeic name has the honor of hosting the most electric climb on the international scene despite being only 204 meters above sea level. It is curious about the seven chapels that join in its ascent , a fact that does not hurt to know if one has to entrust oneself to divine help while facing ramps of up to 26% slope.
Alpe d'Huez
6)Jaizkibel.
The Basque Country is a land of cycling, there is no doubt. In fact, San Sebastián is the goal of the only classic of international relevance that is celebrated in our geography. But in its long journey the presence of this mountain shines, last foothill of the Pyrenees and that stands on the shores of the sea . Its hard ramps usually make the final selection of the race, although it is often difficult to attend to the race when in its gutters the green and the poor and charming architecture of Basque rural landscapes shine.
7)Mont Ventoux.
We start a tribute to the three most mythical ports of the Tour de France for this rare bird, located in the middle of nowhere and with a bare top where the wind has a great time bothering the cyclists (hence its name). But aside from serving as the setting for one of Marco Pantani's most remembered victories, is a mecca for cycle tourism, with races and challenges so hair-raising like uploading it as many times as possible in 24 hours. The record is held by a certain Jean-Pascal Roux, managing to promote it 11 times. Leg pain, a lot of pain...
8) Alpe d'Huez.
This ski resort has earned its fame for this other sport, things in life. The fact is that we are facing an ascent that in 2004 managed to gather almost a million people just to see Lance Armstrong win the Tour time trial. A record due, in large part, to the spectacular nature of its 21 curves, each of them named after the stage winners. Going up it, even if only by car, is quite a feat where you have to overcome gravity and disorientation caused by so much twist. Of course, the photo that illustrates the success is worth it.
9)Tourmalet.
The greatest contribution of cycling to language comes from this peak. Resorting to the term Tourmalet to refer to a hard, difficult, expensive time is very popular. Confirmed since it is a well-recognized destination It's time to visit it by motorcycle, motorhome or whatever . Obviously, doing it on 'the donkey' is an act typical of sports sadomasochists who only find happiness in agonizing kidney blows. For humans, it will always remain to be worthy in front of the statue of 'The Giant of the Tour', an epic tribute to all those who have crowned it.
Tourmalet: it's time to visit it anyway
10)Angliru.
Spain has never been much given to consolidating climbs or mediating ports. The numerous variations of the race routes and that eagerness to search, search and pave the unpaved makes the surprise factor is rewarded over the 'classic'. But the Angliru has earned a name in our hearts despite the fact that it premiered in 1999. Its media impact has been so strong that the city council of Reinosa will open a museum dedicated to cycling at its summit this summer . Come on, whoever wants to enjoy it will have to overcome as best they can the inhumane percentages of Cueña les Cabres. What bad milk!
11) In the footsteps of Marco Pantani: Cesenatico and Mortirolo.
Marco Pantani is the incarnation of romanticism applied to this sport, the story of victories, fame, birds and a tragic ending. 'The pirate' left such a mark on Italy that his hometown, Cesenatico, is a succession of memories, where the museum that his family set up to honor his memory shines. The town honors him with a statue that comes to immortalize his figure overcoming a hill. Italy, in general, remembers him in his port par excellence: Mortirolo. There, at kilometer 8 of ascent, a sculpture is placed in which he is shown left over, looking back looking for his pursuers.
12) Didi Senft Museum in Storkow, Germany.
Let's say goodbye to this tour of the cycling universe by visiting the home of the most famous fan in the world. Didi Senft has spent his entire life cheering on cyclists on the Tour dressed as a devil. He is already an icon. So much so that he has even been missed when he has been absent (he is already 61 years old...). The fact is that this honorable little man has set up a museum on the outskirts of Berlin in which he exhibits his bicycle designs and his memories of so many years on the road. Quirky but essential.