This weekend I had the good fortune of having the great mountain sport photographer Dan Patittuci show me his favourite “local loop” in the hills just north of Interlaken.
No-one does tiny, high-altitude paved roads like the Swiss.
Ovronnaz is a little ski station in the Valais region of Switzerland that has featured recently in the Tour de Suisse. It’s a beautiful and steep 10 kilometre climb. Vineyards down low, south facing for plenty of sun on a cool November day, and dozens of amazing hairpins:
Whenever Verbier appears in a Tour de Suisse or Tour de France stage I predictably complain that the best part of the climb is above the village/finish.
Sanetsch is one of the biggest, most beautiful climbs that you may not have heard of.
Beautiful vineyards, a challenging climb, a long tunnel, military checkpoints, an alpine dam/lake, and a beautiful castle – this loop has it all. And most of it is virtually deserted!
The west side of Sustenpass is rarely too steep. But it is a giant climb – 27.5 kilometres long. And it’s beautiful.
Here is a lessor known, absolute gem of a hors categorie climb in central Switzerland.
After mocking this year’s Tour de Suisse route, I thought I’d better have a look first hand at the the two Hors Categorie climbs that will be raced this Sunday as part of the final 2012 Tour de Suisse stage.
Two absolutely stunning climbs – more examples that there are so many rides better than the more famous Verbier in this region.
