Brig - Brig   

Every spring the farmers driving their cows among the high pastures notice an increase volume of traffic on the road up to the Passo San Giacomo and from experience they know that this is no holiday rush for the stunning lakes and vistas. Instead teams of cyclists arrive to study the route, one of the hardest and least well known in the OCM tour due to the snow that blocks the route for most of the year.Indeed, the cycling aut...

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Every spring the farmers driving their cows among the high pastures notice an increase volume of traffic on the road up to the Passo San Giacomo and from experience they know that this is no holiday rush for the stunning lakes and vistas. Instead teams of cyclists arrive to study the route, one of the hardest and least well known in the OCM tour due to the snow that blocks the route for most of the year.Indeed, the cycling authorities decided that the climb was so impressive that they would spend money on the tarmacing of the surface.The climb lies in the one day race of Brig-Brig and is one of the oldest races in Switzerland that has survived to this day.

In late summer, one of the last races of the season, the riders fill Brig and their hotels for days before the race. On the morning itself, the riders pray to wake up to blue skies, for wet roads and a fall could mean serious injury. They roll out of the old town of Brig to bands and large crowds. Outside Brig the flag will drop and the first breakaways will attempt to get going. The riders then face the first test of the day, the climb up to the top of the Simplon Pass. They will climb 1,400 meters and the supporting riders may find it tough to hold on to the peloton at the end. The wide descent though makes for an easy chase before they turn right, back towards Brig and towards the dreaded Passo San Giacamo. They will start the climb on the old road that begins with a sharp right across the river that has over the years carved out a highly impressive gorge. The following ten kilometers consist of ten switchback turns before arriving at the Lago di Morasco. With the stunning scenery behind them, the riders will continue their journey upwards with gradients reaching 15% as they complete a further 12 switchbacks. Once up, the road plateaus before suddenly dropping down towards the main road below that will take them back into Brig. The last kick up though breaks the peloton into many very small groups, a few of which may come back together. A team mate at this crucial stage is a requirement, but the autobus has already formed and without teammates, the favourites have to fend for themselves.

Now split into small groups, it is unlikely that the breakaway will be caught until the final climb, unless they have already been swept up. Within 20 kilometers of reaching the summit of the Passo San Giacamo, they riders will be back in Brig, ready for the showdown on the final climb. The final climb is only ten kilometers long, but as with the Passo San Giacamo, there is one very short sharp section to tackle. The break away can still succeed though as the favorites dance on their pedals playing games. The screes either side of the road show how steep it is, with the final two bends reaching gradients of 22% on the inside of the corner. However, if riders do not chase every attack down,once they reach the lip in the road where the serious climbing ends, there is no stopping the leader from crossing the finish line, now just 1.5km away, in first position. In some cases, the race is decided on the fastest sprinter in the leading group which provides further entertainment for the crowds.

The final run in is deceptively long, and riders that have not ridden the route have attacked too early and lost. For although the climb is not steep, the road keeps climbing to the very end and many have run out of steam with 100m to go. The winner though will be facing away from Brig, visible quite clearly in the valley below, where a few riders still have to pass. Finishing the race is an achievement, winning is writing a name into folklore. For in the winter months, the same farmers recount countless thrilling tales of epic battles, whilst outside the blizzard has covered the road in snow.