Grindelwald Fahrt   

The North Face of the Eiger is an intimidating sheet of rock and ice, and often gives a sense of foreboding to the riders that crowd the village days before the start of Grindlewald Fahrt.

It is not a long stage race as they roll down the valley through Interlaken and Thun towards Bern, the ancient capital of Switzerland and the start of the infamous Monta Rosa Tour. However, the riders will veer off the main road and...

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The North Face of the Eiger is an intimidating sheet of rock and ice, and often gives a sense of foreboding to the riders that crowd the village days before the start of Grindlewald Fahrt.

It is not a long stage race as they roll down the valley through Interlaken and Thun towards Bern, the ancient capital of Switzerland and the start of the infamous Monta Rosa Tour. However, the riders will veer off the main road and re-enter the imposing Alps. Along the valley floor they will race, through Gstaad and Gsteig, until the nightmare begins. The Col Du Pillon is broken only by the short descent into Les Diablerets before they attack Col De La Croix. The wooded land and spectacular backdrop makes for perfect viewing, but for the riders the switch back corners seem to go on for an age. There is no point at which the riders can see the top until they crest the summit of both climbs. The very long descent off the Col De La Croix gives some respite to the riders, but yet more tricky corners offer little compromise for those who fail to concentrate. Once in the Rhone valley they are almost at the finish, but the road once again kicks up on a long, but not the worst, climb up to the village of Gryon. At some 1,100 meters above the valley below it gives the best climbers fight for the stage win.

The winners will finish the race by the water spout in the centre of Gryon in mid afternoon, but the sprinters and the team mates of the winners who did the pace making will arrive as the sun begins to set over lake Geneva, hazy in the distance.