L’étape du Tour de France — a 170 km ride with 4500 m elevation gain to Alpe d’Huez through Col du Galibier — is perfect to accomplish this mission.
Deal done. That’s what he said about this epic ride:
“Once you ride up you can train whatever you want — low cadence/high power, high cadence/low power, intervals, and so on. The longer the uphill the better. Galibier is perfect — long and not super hard.
Enjoy long downhills afterward, but stay focused and equipped (with a jacket). Your speed limit is rather in your head. Breaks matter too. Disc breaks are now my favourites — they give safety, so you can actually ride faster.
Mass ride to Alpe d’Huez is like riding to Alpe du Zwift, you ride in a crowd of all types of cyclists but for real. No groups, no drafting, everyone is working on his/her own. Hard and fair.”
Mission accomplished. Alex is now fit and proper — at least for Ironman bike leg. Now it’s time to run 🏃🏽💨