It's the last big climb of the Tour de France and promises to be decisive. Wild, tough, full of hairpin bends and challenging ramps. We're talking about the Col de Sarenne, The lesser-known side leading to Alpe d'Huez will be the backdrop for the Grande Boucle's grand finale. For two consecutive days, the Tour will reach the Alpe d'Huez: on Friday via the classic climb, and on Saturday via the Sarenne itself.
To tell us about this ascent is Fabio Arau, someone who knows those roads well. The Knight of the Four Moors was among the protagonists on June 10, 2017, when the Col de Sarenne was tackled in the penultimate stage of the then Dauphiné, now the Tour d'Auvregne-Rhône Alpes. That day the Sardinian finished just behind Alberto Contador and immediately ahead of Chris Froome, while in the lead Peter Kennaugh managed to get ahead of Romain Bardet.
"There was a huge battle every day. But that's how it was: the Dauphiné was a regular stage for the Tour, and there were so many big names," Aru recalls.
Before listening to Aru's memories, it's worth taking a closer look at the numbers behind this climb. We are in the heart of Oisans, in the French Alps of Savoie. On one side flow the waters of the Ferrand, on the other those of the Nou stream, both tributaries of the Romanche. A little further north, the Sarenne rises, fed by the Sarenne glacier, well known to skiers at Alpe d'Huez.
Hors Categorie without respite
The ascent starts from Lac du Chambon and measures 12,8 kilometers for a total elevation gain of 958 meters. The average gradient is 7,3 percent. but the data does not fully convey its harshness.
After a few kilometers, you'll encounter a 1,2-kilometer stretch at 11 percent, spread across three hairpin bends. A real climb that leads all the way to Mizoen. Here there is even a short descent of just over a kilometerA stretch that offers a moment's respite before the second, terrifying section of the climb begins, the one leading to the actual pass. But these first 1.200 meters will already tell athletes a lot, especially considering they're coming off the long descent of the Galibier. And, of course, from its climb.
This second segment is 10,6 kilometers long and features over 820 meters of elevation gain. Aside from a short, 1,4-kilometer-long, seemingly flat section at a 2 percent gradient between Clavans-le-Bas and Clavans-le-Haut, two tiny villages with stone houses and slate roofs, the road rarely drops below an average gradient of 7 percent and frequently climbs above 10 percent.
The final four kilometers represent the heart of the challenge. Ten hairpin bends follow one another relentlessly along a gradient of between 9 and 10 percent. A stretch that can be defined without exaggeration as Dante-esque, made even more spectacular by the views that open up over the Plateau d'Emparis and the peaks of the Écrins Massif.
The Col de Sarenne is reached at 1.999 metres above sea level, just one metre below the symbolic threshold of two thousand metres.. Among other things, there is also a dispute about its height: until a few years ago some said it was 2.009 meters, 10 meters more.
From a cycling point of view, the climb has a very particular characteristic: its irregularity. Along the route, there are constant changes in pace, short concrete dips, and sections where water crosses the road. The road is so minor that in some places it even lacks the small bridges typically found on mountain roads. It is precisely this rough and unpredictable nature that makes the Sarenne so fascinating.
A bit of history
The history of the Col de Sarenne road is also unique. The connection between Alpe d'Huez and the pass was built in the 60s, at the same time as the construction of the Pic Blanc Tunnel, also in the Alpe area. Originally, the road, or rather the mule track, crossed the archaeological site of Brandes, but in 1967 the route was modified thanks to the construction of the road to the Alpe d'Huez plateauThat same year, the Sarenne found its outlet thanks to the extension of its road right up to the altiport. Essentially, it was the undulating segment that leads from the pass to All'Alpe and winds through the Ferrand Valley. It was 1968, and the Col de Sarenne was thus completed.
Already then some adventurers started to pass through there with racing bikes and the news did not escape the ears of the then director of the Tour, Jacques Goddet. But the times were too early. It was the era when the transition to asphalt was finally underway. For certain dirt challenges, it was too early; after all, we were leaving the era of dirt roads behind, and bringing cycling to certain surfaces wasn't the goal. Quite the opposite... And the Sarenne itself was intended more as a service road than a true pass.
And speaking of asphalt, there's a curious story here too. Until the early 80s, several kilometers were still unpaved. The final transition to asphalt dates back to 1988. The curious thing is the color of the asphalt. Much of the slope leading down to Huez falls within the municipality of Le Freney d'Oisans. When it came time to authorize the work, the mayor demanded that the road be red. The request was granted, using gravel and bitumen of that shade. Even today, despite numerous repairs over the years, some traces of that characteristic coating can still be seen.
Aru speaks
And then there's Fabio Aru. He doesn't have particularly detailed memories of that day at the Dauphiné, mostly because he was completely focused on the race and his performance. And the Sarenne wasn't even a regular climb during his mountain training camps when he was in Sestriere.
«One thing I remember well, however – says Aru – is the great heat of that day. In those parts, especially during the Tour, the heat is really felt and can be a determining factor as much as the gradient. By the way, that climb was completely exposed to the sun.
I know that part of the Alps well. So does the Col du Galibier, which comes before it. And I also know it because I sometimes went there on vacation directly from Sardinia when I was little. I later returned for training camps in Sestriere and spent many races there. And I repeat, the heat can be an influence. They're long, important, historic climbs. And riding them is always a pleasure as well as a challenge.».
Finally, the technical analysis of the Sarenne: "It's an uneven climb, and this ends up favoring those with more energy. And it does so especially on the less difficult sections. Those are, in fact, the points where those with energy can gain the most speed. Often, on difficult climbs, the gaps are smaller than you might think. While on uneven or more pedal-friendly climbs, the gaps often become larger. A climb like this can change everything. Obviously, it will depend on the gaps, but it could also turn an entire Tour de France upside down., especially since it's the last day of real racing and everyone will be tired."
