High Five
When first presented with this challenge, I must confess that whilst I thought it was totally crazy, I was a little intrigued. Climbing five local cols in one ride would require a total distance of more than 200km and over 5000m of elevation…even reading it made me tired. But who doesn’t love a challenge?
Start time: 7am. I depart from the Café and ride along the peaceful beaches adjacent to Nice harbour, joined only by some of the early morning swimmers dotting the Mediterranean. The first climb on the list is something of a formality for any Nice cyclist; Col d’Eze. It rises to 507m of elevation and means a short, quite intense workout which is probably why it’s a favourite for a lunchtime hour ride. It is also famous as the time-trial stage of the Paris-Nice race and offers breathtaking panoramic views from the sea in the south to the Alps in the north. Not bad for 45 minutes of riding, and one badge already claimed!
Download the GPX file from Strava here.