Col du Mont Cenis 2,083m France / Italy ★★★★★
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Ridden...
2006, 2011, 2015, 2017
Description...
From Lanslebourg-Mont-Cenis to Susa
Ridden four times and now one of firm favourites. The combination with Col de l'Iseran makes this one of the best runs in the Alps. Every time we've ridden this it has been the same direction.
A really fast road down low out of Lanslevillard with long sweeping bends, slightly tighter at the top but still very quick. At the summit, the huge lake, Lac du Mt Cenis, with the road, the D1006, running straight along side it. The pass here is very high speed with some spectaculars sweeping bends - you could spend hours riding them back and forth. Then down from the summit the road is different again - first, there is the France/Italy border and on the Italian side the road becomes the SS25, second it has tightly stacked passes, and a concrete bollard and wood fence. After 6 or so stacks, the road opens to a long straight by a hydro electricity station. After this is has much tighter bends, albeit some still 50 mph with vision up but no real straights. No stacked risers either though and in 2015 / 2017 a really good smooth road surface, for the main new, allowing a decent pace to Susa. The road has a solid white line though, and although quiet in 2015 / 2017 with no hold ups, it would be very tedious, as it was in 2006, if behind slow vehicles and lots of traffic coming the other way.
2006, 2011, 2015, 2017
Description...
From Lanslebourg-Mont-Cenis to Susa
Ridden four times and now one of firm favourites. The combination with Col de l'Iseran makes this one of the best runs in the Alps. Every time we've ridden this it has been the same direction.
A really fast road down low out of Lanslevillard with long sweeping bends, slightly tighter at the top but still very quick. At the summit, the huge lake, Lac du Mt Cenis, with the road, the D1006, running straight along side it. The pass here is very high speed with some spectaculars sweeping bends - you could spend hours riding them back and forth. Then down from the summit the road is different again - first, there is the France/Italy border and on the Italian side the road becomes the SS25, second it has tightly stacked passes, and a concrete bollard and wood fence. After 6 or so stacks, the road opens to a long straight by a hydro electricity station. After this is has much tighter bends, albeit some still 50 mph with vision up but no real straights. No stacked risers either though and in 2015 / 2017 a really good smooth road surface, for the main new, allowing a decent pace to Susa. The road has a solid white line though, and although quiet in 2015 / 2017 with no hold ups, it would be very tedious, as it was in 2006, if behind slow vehicles and lots of traffic coming the other way.
