HIGH ROLLERS
As mountain passes go, the Col de Turini could be considered something of an anti-climax. There’s a car park serving a couple of hotels but no panoramic views and little to indicate that you’re 1600 metres above sea level in the heart of the Alpes-Maritime region of France.
The drama is on the way up. You have a choice of ascents, ranging from brief and punchy to long and meandering, that all carve paths through rugged gorges and are punctuated by spectacular sets of hairpins. It’s a favourite of many of the professional riders who live in nearby Monaco and will be featured in stage two of this year’s Tour de France – for the first time since 1973 – and L’Etape du Tour, the event for amateurs that mimics a stage of each year’s Tour.
I’ve been invited by cycling kit brand Café du Cycliste to join them on a challenge called the Zinzins de Turini.
