Our first climb of the day was the Col de la Colombiere. It’s a tough but really pretty climb with some stunning views. The descent is amazing too. We then headed up to Megeve – though not as severe it’s much less pretty so you tend not to have so many distractions from the pain!

We dropped down a bit from Megeve after a shower and then the sting in the tail – a 7km climb up to (and slightly beyond) Crest-Voland. What made it all worth it though was the picture-postcard chalet hotel we’re staying in and have actually got all to ourselves.

A great start to this year’s trip. Tomorrow’s a massive day – 170km up and over the Col du Telegraph and Col du Galibier, but I think we’re all pretty fired up for it. Great to be back in the mountains again.

It barely seems a couple of months since Les Veloistes Gentils climbed Mont Ventoux and we’re just over a month from setting off on this year’s adventure.

I’ve had a fairly busy year, so early and ambitious plans to set off for Italy were shelved a while back and a more logistically-friendly return visit to the Alps has been planned. Five days again, starting in Geneva once again but with a finish on the Cote d’Azur in Antibes. Nice (no, Antibes).

The overall distance is actually shorter than in 2010 at about 625km to last year’s 725km. It isn’t going to be any easier though. Far from it in fact…I mean look at the profile below! Whereas our total vertical metres of climbing last year was a not unimpressive 11,000m, the mapping software is telling me that I’ve somehow managed to squeeze 18,000m uphill this year…

Looking at that, it’s pretty damn scary. There’s not a lot of flat is there?

The peaks from left to right are the Col de la Colombière, Megeve, Col du Télégraphe, Col du Galibier, Col d’Izoard, Col de Vars, Pra Loup (the climb to which in the 1975 Tour de France the career of the great Eddie Merckx faltered…brilliant video but very dodgy soundtrack here), Col de la Cayolle, Col de Valberg, Col de la Couillole, La Colmiane, Col de la Porte and the Col d’Eze.

It’s not unusual for members of Les Veloistes Gentils to be out and about on our bikes of a weekend, whether simply training or taking part in a sportive or triathlon, but it does seem that this coming weekend sees us spreading our wings further and wider than ever before.

Matt, Typo, Vosey, Toby, Dave, Gandhi’s Legs and Wee Man are all taking part in the Ride of the Falling Leaves which loops south out of London from Dulwich. Gabbi, Kelly, J-L, new boy Tom and me are heading off to the Pyrenees (ably supported by Howie) for a couple of days climbing cols (just the fine of them, as detailed here). Finally (I think) Bezza jets off to Italy with the classic Pug to tackle L’Erioca! I’m very jealous about that, but think that the Pyrenees will compensate nicely. The little section above – La Corniche du Cirque, which sits between the Col du Soulor and the Col d’Aubisque – is the bit I’m looking forward to most. I’m just hoping we get a decent view.

Bezza’s grown a period-authentic ‘tache for the L’Eroica. Splendid stuff.

Andy Hamsten rides the Gavia, 1988

Barely six weeks has passed since Les Veloistes Gentils swept into Avignon to complete the 2010 ride and already plans are well underway for next year’s little jaunt.

Discussing the options with the lads following the ride, the consensus was that as we’d been in the Pyrenees in 2009 and visited the Alps and climbed Mont Ventoux this year, the logical next step was to journey east towards the Dolomites. I wasn’t about to argue.

The sense of journey is important to the annual LVG ride: the idea that we’re travelling from one place to another with a good reason, taking in as much as we can on the way. We need to start and finish in places that are easy to get to and from out of the UK, and it’s also nice to finish in a location which is attractive for perhaps a few other halves to come to, see us finish and spend a couple of days visiting.

On that basis, and having perused the maps for a while, a route struck me for a number of reasons. In 2011 therefore, all things being equal and me getting it planned, Les Veloistes Gentils will be cycling from Zurich to Venice.

At first sketch the route is about 650km long with around 11,500m of climbing, so not dissimilar from this year’s totals (a little shorter in fact). We will be heading above 2,000m a little more though (and, indeed, 2,500m twice!). The profile looks like this:

I haven’t actually identified all of the peaks as yet, but I do know the route includes Italy’s highest mountain pass, the Passo dello Stelvio (with its 48 hairpins), the Passo Gavia and Monte Grappa, so it should be a worthy challenge. I must also say a massive thanks to Belinda at Condor Cycles (and her husband Adrian) for their help so far in route planning. Their local knowledge has been invaluable.

I’ve had quite a bit of additional interest in joining the ride in 2011. This year we had 22 riders which, to be honest, is about the limit that can be accommodated with a single support vehicle. So I need to decide whether to cap the ride numbers at this year’s level or try and find another Howie. But that ain’t gonna be easy, because he’s a legend. I’ll update on that decision soon I hope.

After we’d climbed the Col d’Izoard last week, I told the lads that I was going to look out for the Fausto Coppi memorial that I’d heard was a little way down the descent on the south side. I was wearing my La Gazzetta Della Bici jersey and knowing what a huge Coppi fan Simon is, I thought I’d have a picture wearing the jersey by the memorial taken to send him.

The Coppi memorial – which is also one to Louison Bobet – is situated on a corner about a kilometre below the col. You might think it’s a bit odd that it’s not on the col itself, but it’s the most perfect spot with an unbelievable view.

While I was having my photo taken, a few of the other lads stopped to see what it was all about. One of them, Toby, asked me what it was.

“It’s a memorial to Fausto Coppi,” I replied.

“Not much of a memorial, is it?” he said, “it’s just a lump of rock.”

I was outraged, and so was the spirit of Coppi as (and I kid you not) a split second later we heard a loud hissing noise as Toby’s front tyre deflated. You can see him changing his tube in the picture below. Spooky stuff.

Don’t diss the memory of Coppi.

Also known as “Model”. Never known to feature in a bad photograph. Cheeky chappy from up north. Can’t stop, won’t stop. Only man alive to have owned one Boardman bike and to have voluntarily bought another one.

As in “idiot”. Chatty, forthright…the man most likely to get either hugged or punched. Co-creator of the LVG concept and central to its cultural identity. Strong as an ox. Rides a Seven the same as Kelly’s because he “had a go and liked it”.

Real name Kieth (geddit?). Man mountain…6’5″, about 17st. Likes to pull wheelies going up Mont Ventoux. If you need a rest, tuck in behind Typo. Rides something massive and made of girders.

More cheerful than this photo would suggest, Toby’s lost weight over the past three years without shedding any of his immense power. Danced up to Col d’Izoard while chatting away about everything and nothing. Rides a very light Basso.