Col du Glandon - Cycling Inspiration & Education

Once upon a time there was a guy who thought it would be fun to ride 677km non-stop from Évian-les-Bains to Nice across the heart of the Alps. 11 hours from the start and with 250km in the legs all seemed to be going ok, until he hit the latter slopes of the Glandon and suddenly beauty turned into the beast within. The wind funnels downs from the top of the mountain as the gradient kicks up and hangs above double figures for what seems like forever. However, don’t be put off by my lunacy the Glandon may have made me hurt so very much in the past but it’s also one of the most enchanting mountains I’ve ever experienced and for that reason I find myself continually coming back for more. There are moments when you’re barely moving and then suddenly, as you approach the summit, you can feel pure life being inhaled back into your lungs. It’s as if the mountain gods have taken a ribbon of tarmac and thrown it out of the sky from 2,000m to form a 20km playground of pure escapism. Now that’s the sign of a truly special climb.
Start: Saint-Étienne-de-Cuines
Length: 19.7km
Summit: 1,924m
Elevation gain: 1,441m
Average gradient: 7.3%
Max gradient: 11%
We hope you enjoyed this video. For more help and advice visit our website at thecolcollective.com and don't forget to sign up to our free newsletter to get the latest updates and become part of the col community.
If you like what you see and are able to help spread our message by sharing with your friends and fellow riders then that would be truly appreciated. Our goal is to try and help inspire and educate as many cyclists as we can and we hope you can become part of our mountain journey!
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Thanks for watching.
Ride safe.
Mike Cotty
The Col Collective
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[@cameronsmith3966]

Breathtaking scenery! You make it look easy

[@40mes]

Very nice. Thank you for making and posting this video!

[@EdwinDingjan]

Very nice video Mike...well done. Very inspiring.

[@salvadorromeromolina3719]

MY SECOND FAV , THE MONT VENTOUX IS MY TOP 1

[@leightondavies8884]

We had a week in Provence this summer and did Ventoux, then a few days in Orelle to do Telegraphe / Galibier and Alp duez. We drove over the Glandon on the way to Bourg' and it freaked me out!!! - We'll be spending 10 days in the Maurienne Valley next year and hope to do 5 or six climbs including the Glandon & Magdalene - What an amazing place - Gives me goose bumps just thinking about it....

[@petersames3097]

Pure escapism...love this kind of videos...great job!

[@TheColCollective]

Peter Sameš The Glandon is a special mountain, so hard but also so fulfilling. Thanks for your support! Mike

[@xquisiteluxury1944]

Greetings from Miami. Great Job Mike! Much Respect! Amazing Content! The drive needed to complete these amazing routes is fascinating. Let's embrace the Pain and Suffer! Thank you for sharing man. All the best.

[@weerawarakul1817]

love this

[@seanmcclintock2311]

Another great video. Well done.

[@jmmyucm1988]

woooooooooooooo!!! saludosss from Mexico!!!

[@staffane3648]

Just got back from a cold training ride, nice to warm up to a fantastic video like this!

[@TheColCollective]

Hope the training is going well Staffan!

[@timetakers64]

Thanks Mike, great vid. I love your stuff and keep coming back to this one to keep me buzzing for the 2015 etape du tour. Inspiration and education.

[@TheColCollective]

timetakers64 Fantastic to hear :-) The Glandon is such an amazing mountain. Good luck in the Etape!

[@oscargerardogalindomarquez5615]

Buenas tardes. Impresionante trepada. Hermosos paisajes. Muchas gracias y saludos desde México.

[@gavanquinlan]

Very nice - brings back 'happy' memories of the etape in 2012, you make it look very easy. Fantastic video.

[@MikeCotty]

Great work at the Etape Gavan!

[@garryadam66]

Excellent vid Mike - doing this bad boy in July and this has been a superb insight to the sufferage to come!

[@TheColCollective]

Garry Adam You are in for an absolute treat Garry. Such an incredible climb. Ride safe and enjoy!

[@boozacreeper]

We descended this twice- bloody great!

[@RobBastien]

Who the hell would give a thumbs down on this production. GREAT job guys!

[@MikeCotty]

Thank you for your support Rob. Very, very, much appreciated. Ride safe, Mike

[@Hemsley84]

Mike Cotty Why do you have a saddle, Mike, it's just weighing you down... ;)

[@MikeCotty]

Felix Hemsley Ha! I think you're right about that Felix!!

[@ruperthollom5034]

Hoping to ride the Glandon and Galibier next summer when I am staying in Bourg d'Oisans, so enjoying watching the videos to see what is in store...

[@TheColCollective]

Rupert Hollom You are in for an absolute treat next summer! The legendary Alpe d'Huez is still to come as is the Col de la Croix de Fer! Happy viewing :-)

[@DrCityGull]

Just discovered these videos after doing this years Marmotte (2017) it was cloudy and cool this year until we got over the Galiber so we didn't get the views in the videos and they're great to catch up on along with the highlights from this year stage 16 of the tdf. Really enjoyed watching.

[@bmstewart2004]

Hi Mike, the Glandon and Galibier videos bring back "happy" memories of stem staring and make me realise what I missed cycling up them on Etapes and Marmotte:-) Going to stay on Glandon for a few nights this year to catch the tour - will be awesome! May even have a gentle ride up it but the "easy way" from the South :-)

[@TheColCollective]

Once you've done them they are part of your soul, forever bringing back memories until you ride them again!

[@bmstewart2004]

The Col Collective You've been reading the Marketeers Language book again haven't you :-) One little thing - Maybe too late but could you finish the videos with a "View from the Top" The view from Galibier for example is just amazing....

[@TheColCollective]

bmstewart2004 We'll be working on this whenever possible with what we shot this year, definitely on the list of notes for the future too! #ShowMeTheSummit :-)

[@baptisteesclauze3566]

Bonjour Baptiste bonjour correzien 💕💓💞💌💞💕 j'aime beaucoup montagne fait rêver de fond de mon cœur 💓❤️💓❤️ vidéo très jolie adore boucoup ET sympa j'aime voyager fait rêver de fond de mon cœur 💓❤️ belles amitié pour tout sentiments distingués ET dévoués milles foix merci à bientôt Merci 💓

[@erikvanbommel9458]

What is particularly striking in these videos is the complete absence of vehicles either descending/descending or even far off in the distance. Is this testament to very clever editing or that these truly are the best roads to cycle on in the world?

[@simonrano8072]

pure editing its obvious is always out of the saddle just for style. There is not a lot of traffic on WE mornings but over the hour and half I took to climb I've seen +30 cars but they pay attention to cyclists.

[@gamma_dablam]

@@simonrano8072 Mike has commented that he has a significant bias to climbing out of the saddle

[@gamma_dablam]

So this is the side La Marmotte decided was a good idea to descend 😂

[@johnbellmore9236]

I rode 39t 28t both for Gladon and Ventoux best way to ride Ventoux sit and twiddle I have rode cols all over Europe I still think the Ventoux still the hardest of all Enjoy and treat with respect all best

[@gamma_dablam]

May the elements have mercy on your soul when you have to do Monte Crostis and Zoncolan in the same day 😒 The Angliru is up there as well

[@meveritt7]

Love the films, perfect viewing in readiness for our Tour next summer incl Galibier, Alpe d'Huez, Granon and Izoard. Are you doing Izoard? The scenery looks spectacular! And agree with views form each summit, and a bit moreinfo on pros/cons of routes to summit each Col would be great, huge thx!

[@TheColCollective]

Yep, we'll be bringing you the Izoard as part of Season One. Feedback welcome and duly noted so we'll be looking to incorporate that wherever we can and in the next season of videos. Thanks so much for your support. Enjoy your summer of cycling. Ride safe and don't forget to become a #ColCollector . We want to see you here thecolcollective.com/col-collectors :-)

[@83Vonarx]

Glandon is a Beauty. Just combind it with Alp D Huez this week

[@TheColCollective]

Legend!!!!! 👏🏼

[@JK-wl5bx]

Hi mike going in 2 weeks, climbing croux de fer from allemond and was going to do a detour off to the glandon. Watching this now im think of doing croux der fer and going around to st etaine to do the climb from there, will this be to difficult in a day do you think .

[@davegearing2941]

I too hope to ride this climb as well next summer, what gear is Mike riding?

[@MikeCotty]

Hi dave gearing I was using a 34 x 25 that day. To be honest with the wind and tough gradient a 28t or more would keep the legs turning even better. Good luck!

[@VavoVideo]

Hi Mike, me and a friend of mine want to climb this mountain or Col de la Croix de Fer this july when Tour will pass there. What would you recommend? Thanks. English isn’t my first language, so please excuse any mistakes.

[@TheColCollective]

VavoVideo Oooh, tough choice. I absolutely LOVE both climbs. I would say ride whatever is closest to where you are staying (if you only have time to do one that is) I can assure you whatever you choose you will be smiling by the summit. If you choose to ride the Glandon then you could carry on for another 2.5km and summit the Croix de Fer as well. Good luck and enjoy! Mike

[@rvjhering3721]

Even though the video has been uploaded quite a while ago, I want to thank you guys for this - once again - beautiful footage. Just have one question: had the road been closed during your shots? Or is it a rather abandoned road? Cheers!

[@MikeCotty]

Rv Jhering Thank you so much for your appreciation. The road was open as usual but we had a quiet day so could enjoy the mountain in its full. Ride safe and thanks for watching. Mike

[@rvjhering3721]

Thanks a lot for replying, Mike! I'll have to choose between the Monte Grappa and the Col du Glandon then. Hope you guys keep uploading amazing videos and enjoy your future rides!

[@MikeCotty]

Rv Jhering we've got loads more videos on the way so keep an eye out for them! 👍🏻

[@semwidjaja3520]

i found this the hardest in the region but the view is just killing so nice

[@derekbiggerstaff]

Agree, my son and I rode this recently. We have ridden the other well known cols in the area but at the top of this one Sean thought he really never wanted to ride a bike again. Didn't last though, two days later we rode the Telegraph-Galibier and both agreed that was easier, despite the altitude. Cheers

[@gamma_dablam]

@@derekbiggerstaff the marmotte participants should be thankful that they do the other easier side of this

[@Guoenyi]

Dat Lezyn cameo tho

[@WayneWBishop]

Absolutely love these videos, but why do we never see Mike crest any mountain summits? It would be an inspiration to see him reach the top!

[@MikeCotty]

Big thanks Wayne, so happy you're enjoying the vids! We'll be looking to get more summit shots in the future, just like everything in life there's always room for improvements. Thanks so much for your support. Mike

[@jpb13]

Did this last year with my dad dint make it till the top because we got caught in a heavy storm. But we are trying it again this year

[@TheColCollective]

Good luck Jelle!!!

[@TobiasDahlhaus]

What's the difference between this and croix de fer

[@TheColCollective]

Hi Tobias, if you're climbing the Glandon from Saint-Étienne-de-Cuines (same as in the video) once you crest the summit you then have a short downhill before you hit the D926 to join the Col de la Croix de Fer. Take a left when you meet this road and you have 2.5km to the summit of the Croix de Fer, so you basically climb the Glandon drop down for 1km and then climb up for another 2.5km. If you're not tackling the Glandon first then you can climb the Croix de Fer from the southwest which is a 27.5km climb at 4.7% (we rode in from this direction here and it's AMAZING! kzbin.info/www/bejne/l6KuaqZnmtV1p9k) or from the northeast which is just under 30km at 5.5%. So much to explore. Hope that helps. Ride safe and enjoy! Mike

[@TheColCollective]

Hi Tobias, if you're climbing the Glandon from Saint-Étienne-de-Cuines (same as in the video) once you crest the summit you then have a short downhill before you hit the D926 to join the Col de la Croix de Fer. Take a left when you meet this road and you have 2.5km to the summit of the Croix de Fer, so you basically climb the Glandon drop down for 1km and then climb up for another 2.5km. If you're not tackling the Glandon first then you can climb the Croix de Fer from the southwest which is a 27.5km climb at 4.7% (we rode in from this direction here and it's AMAZING! kzbin.info/www/bejne/l6KuaqZnmtV1p9k) or from the northeast which is just under 30km at 5.5%. So much to explore. Hope that helps. Ride safe and enjoy! Mike

[@jrnamida5470]

Where is the reward video? When climbing I always like the return to earth section. JR

[@TheColCollective]

Jr Namida We're working on some of that too! :-)

[@jrnamida5470]

The Col Collective The few climbs I have done will be remember forever, but the decent are always interesting and I still have these memories as blissful, dangerous and exhilarating moments.

[@routeyou]

Great video! Here is the track including the video: www.routeyou.com/en/route/view/1339020/race-cycle-route/climb-to-the-col-du-glandon-from-la-chambre.en

[@toyter6344]

Enjoyable action footage Mr. Cotty! Please do not use shitty dubstep for background music in your future videos!

[@MikeCotty]

Glad you enjoyed it John. That was our attempt at shifting the tempo to "watch out the Glandon is going to bite" before calming the nerves and settling the music back down for the awe inspiring summit. Well, that was the theory at least! Ha! Ride safe, Mike

[@ricardogallo21]

is no necessary yell out to give true motivation