The 2014 ALPINE CHALLENGE

Charlotte Montague

The 2014 Apline Challenge – the toughest yet

The fifth edition of HotChillee’s Alpine Challenge finished this weekend in the Alps in glorious weather conditions, the best according to locals, of the entire summer. Based out of the beautiful lakeside town of Annecy there couldn’t have been more of a contrast between the peaceful setting and the brutal parcours.

A prologue and three stages, covering 350km and nearly 8,000m of climbing on slopes that were averaging 6-12% meant that riders at times did not think of stage times but started thinking about survival. The most testing day was Day 1, with the prologue (Col de la Forclaz at about 8%, peaking at 15%) and finishing on the top of Semnoz probably the most underrated mountain in Europe. The stage was 140km long and included 3,300m of climbing… Read More >