stage 3 les arcs to Serre Chavalier

Tuesday morning we left in the dark and rode with motorcycle escort down from Les Arcs 1800 to Les Arcs 1600 and rode the funicular down to the valley.  Then we rode via neutral start for about an hour before we started the race.  But it was the big day--up over the col de Madeline, then col de Telegraph then the big one: col de Galibier.  They took the bikes up on the road, not through the tunnel.  All  were long and hard and very pretty, and we again had perfect weather.  Total climbing:  13,200 feet, 109 miles.  It took me about 7  hours.  Again it was a wonderful day.