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Outside Traveler 2004
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Take the Yellow Jersey Tour (cont.)

TRAINING PLAN
Maybe Alpe d'Huez doesn't have to be that tough. Chris Carmichael, coach to Lance Armstrong and head honcho at Carmichael Training Systems (www.trainright.com), shares three secrets. For his entire eight-weeks-to-Alpe-d'Huez plan, visit www.outsideonline.com/carmichael.

1. Pedal Quickly.
Maintaining momentum is the secret to climbing fast. A gear that keeps you spinning at a cadence of 90-95 rpm will prevent you from bogging down if the road pitch suddenly changes.
2. Choose Your Line.
Hugging the inside line through corners looks like a shortcut, but that's where the pitch is steepest. Stick to the middle or outside of each switchback, where the rise is shallower. True, it's added distance, but you'll preserve a steady climbing rhythm, which will save you at the finish.
3. Ease In. Starting fast is the biggest mistake racers make in uphill time trials. There's no place to let up, so if you go anaerobic from the get-go, you'll be cooked well before the finish.

GO WITH AN OUTFITTER
Many tour operators hit Alpe d'Huez during the race, affording you a ringside seat. An eight-day trip with VéloSport Vacations ($4,695–$5,995; 800-988-9833, www.velovacations.com) lets you ride Alpe d'Huez the day before the Tour, then watch the race at the finish. Warning: Everybody wants to see Lance chase win number six, and VéloSport stockpiles reservations 18 months in advance. Call now for possible cancellations or to book for 2005—according to Armstrong, likely his last go at the Tour de France.

ACCESS + RESOURCES
TGV bullet trains travel daily from Paris to Grenoble. Carrying on a bike is awkward, so send it ahead. For $61, the SNCF (France's Amtrak) will pick up your bike at your hotel and deliver it to Grenoble. Call baggage service at 011-33-825-845-845. In Grenoble, stay at Tulip Inn Hotel d'Angleterre (doubles, $109–$186; 011-33-476-87-37-21, www.hotel-angleterre.fr). The regal rooms have views of the mountains and the manicured Place Victor Hugo. Reserve a spot for your bike in the storage room. Just outside Grenoble, in Gières, Cycles Routens (011-33-476-89-43-15, www.routens.com) sells road-racing bikes, and the service department has a solid reputation.
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