French Alps this evening

The weekends sporting events have been hit by snow down to 1400 meters today. The low snow and high winds caused a headache for the organisers of the Ultra-Trail Mont Blanc. The cols to Italy were covered with 20cm of snow and for safety grounds it was decided to shorten the event to 100km and avoid any high passes. The new circuit is entirely within France.

The Tour de l’Avenir bike race was unable to cross the col de la Madeleine with was snowbound. The stage was shortened 80k to just 44km. Summer snow is not unusual but temperatures have dropped 20C over the last couple of days.

My daughter is running the CCC which is as long as the utmb now they have altered the course of the utmb to 102km all in France. Plus the ccc is still going through Italy, Switzerland, and France. Right now she is running through the night in the rain and snow over Le Tour with 70 km of 100 km in the bag. Hardcore.

Conditions on the Gnd col Ferret
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xt6kuu_2012-ultratrailtv-ccc-grand-col-ferret_sport

Agghhh looks worse than Scotland!

I’ve been out on my bike today cycling rounds a course I’m doing tomorrow, even at 500 meters it is diabolical.

My daughter finished the CCC in 18hrs. She said the the conditions on the tops were horrendous.

Today in the Chablais, there was a strong E wind too!

Well done to your sister.

Here was the view from Grenoble this afternoon,

and this is what the snow looked like up close (not my photo)

http://www.skitour.fr/sorties/cretes-des-plagnes,42427.html#sortie

Chamrousse, yesterday