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The dVélos Lac d’Annecy, the flagship end-of-summer sportive, took place this weekend, August 24 and 25, in St Jorioz. A hot and summery day on Saturday, but cloudier and more autumnal weather on Sunday, leaving the peaks of the Bauges Massif well hidden. An unmissable event on the calendar, the thousand participants of the dVélos Lac d’Annecy turned out in force, lining up for the various events offered on Saturday and Sunday.
Source: Press Release
The weekend began this Saturday morning with the Grimpée du Semnoz, a must-do event to gauge oneself on an intense effort before the sportive the next day. With 24km of climbing and 1,200m of elevation gain to conquer, the Grimpée du Semnoz is a steep climb not to be taken lightly. Departures every 20 seconds from the town center of St Jorioz, and immediately the first elevation gains, quite gentle in the Pays du Laudon and much steeper towards the end from the Col de Leschaux. The reward for all these efforts: a marvelous panorama at the summit of Crêt de Chatillon. The Aravis mountain range, the Bauges Massif, Chartreuse, the Mont Blanc range—a 360-degree view appreciated by cyclists after giving their best and pushing their limits on this mythical segment. Congratulations to the Belgian Vince MATTENS, who was the fastest to reach the summit with an honorable time of 57m07s. The athlete from the Low Countries managed to tame the gradients of the Semnoz.
GRAVEL ROUTES
Discover the hidden side of the Bauges Massif and travel from the lake shores to the heart of the Bauges via trails and small roads—this is the promise of the Gravel event. With over 120 participants, the Gravel event brought together enthusiasts of the discipline on two routes, in touring or timed mode, this Saturday morning. Participants could choose between an accessible 35km route towards the Sources du Lac d’Annecy or a more challenging 75km route towards the Heart of the Bauges. Nestled between Arcalod and Trélod, two giants of the Bauges, the Col de Chérel revealed its beauty to participants and unveiled the mineral nature of the surrounding mountains. After a technical descent towards Jarsy and La Compote, participants crossed meadows and forests towards Chatelard and the turquoise blue of the Iles du Chéran ponds before returning by road, between the forest plots of La Motte en Bauges up to the Col de Leschaux, to cross the finish line. Congratulations to the Spaniard Josep TERMENS, who crossed the finish line first after 2h35m of effort, as well as to Marie Louise BIARD among the women, who won in 3h09.
SPORTIVE | TOURING & TIMED
With staggered starts between 9 am and 9:30 am this Sunday morning, participants had the choice of embarking on one of the three routes offered by the organization. Whether on the Tour du Châtelard (55KM / D+1,150m), the Parcours des Bauges (110KM / D+2,050m), or the Parcours du Semnoz (130KM / D+2,850m), cyclists were able to discover the charm of the Bauges and the tranquility of these beautiful mountain roads! In timed mode to embrace the spirit of competition, or in touring mode to enjoy the route and appreciate the scenery, all cyclists were welcome at the dVélos Lac d’Annecy!
HEADING TO THE HEART OF THE BAUGES MASSIF!
The 400 participants of the Semnoz Route (130km | D+ 2,850m) began their day with the ascent of Crêt de Chatillon, the famous Semnoz. Once descended into the valley towards Pont de Banges, they rejoined the 350 participants of the Bauges Route (110km | D+ 2,020m) and stayed with them until the finish. Together, they discovered the rolling roads of the Bauges Massif, heading towards Col de Plainpalais, Aillon-le Jeune, Châtelard, and La Motte en Bauges. At Châtelard, they shared the road with the touring riders of the Tour du Châtelard (55KM / D+1,150m) who enjoyed a more accessible and less demanding route. Between the alpine peaks, local producers, pastures, and alpine meadows, these three dVélos Lac d’Annecy routes had a strong territorial identity and allowed participants to discover the Bauges in all their splendor. The gloomy weather did not diminish the participants’ joy of being on their bikes and fully living their passion.
Results: HERE
WHAT’S NEXT?
Continue your road or gravel season by participating in the final round of the Gravel’Tour Cannondale and the Cyclo’Tour Classified on the weekend of October 19 & 20 at the Raid des Alpilles in Maussane-les-Alpilles.
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