Romandie Classic 2013
The Romandie Classic sportive in Switzerland gives riders the chance to ride in the tyre tracks of Lance Armstrong and Fabian Cancellara.
Test yourself against the clock as you take on the climb to the ski station of Verbier, following the same tortuous hairpin bends featured in in the 2009 Tour de France.
The Verbier-La Romandie Classic sportive start at the World Cycling Centre, the headquarters of the governing body of sport the Union Cycliste Internationale or International Cycling Union (UCI). The UCI choose to locate their headquarters in Aigle because of the fantastic riding in the local area with a great mixture of quiet lowland and Alpine roads for their year round training programmes.
Read our race report from the 2012 Romandie Classic.
Romandie Classic Event Details
- Date: Sunday 1st September 2013
- Distance: 56km (full route) or 48km if you skip the Verbier climb
- Established since: The Romandie Classic started in 2010 to celebrate the 2009 Tour de France stage to Verbier
- Start: World Cycling Centre, Aigle, Switzerland
- Finish: Verbier, Switzerland
- Nearest Airport: Geneva International Airport
- Accommodation: SwissRetreat’s Alpine base is just a 20 minute ride away from the
Romandie Classic Course Profile
Stage 15 of the 2009 Tour de France featured a mountain top finish in Verbier that saw Alberto Contador launch a blistering attack on Lance Armstrong. The profile below shows the route with the Romandie Classic starting in Aigle.
Stage 15 of the 2009 Tour de France to Verbier
The parcours takes riders along the floor of the Rhône valley through vineyards and apple orchards with Alpine peaks towering all around. When you turn the corner at Martigny all you can see in every direction are beautiful snow capped mountain including nearby Mont Blanc.
This challenging sportive finishes with a timed ascent from Châble to Verbier allowing you to compare your time against the Tour de France pro riders.
Course Recon Video
This film covers sections of the route and confirms the excellent organization skills that comes with this being a Swiss event organized by the same team who run the Tour de Romandie.
This flyover video gives you a good feel for the Romandie Classic route as it winds through the Rhône valley towards the summit finish in Verbier;
Training For La Romandie Classic
It’s pretty clear that a sportive that finishes with a climb to Verbier a ski station 1500m up in the Swiss Alps, requires specific training that will help you get used to a tough climb after a long ride.
The key to developing good climbing technique is consistent hill training and improving your climbing cadence. Ideally you should “spin up” the mountain in a low gear maintaining a high cadence of 80-100rpm. It’s easier said than done, but following a training plan that includes hill sessions will help a lot.
Romandie Classic Training Tips
- Get a group of friends together and make training dates or join a local cycling club
- Learn how to ride safely in a group and how to conserve energy before the final climb
- Follow a sportive training plan with hill climbs built in to the plan
Romandie Classic Entry
Entry costs CHF80 before the 15th August via the official website (100CHF after 15th August). It’s also possible to register on the Saturday afternoon in the start town of Aigle.
- “Verbier-La Romandie Classic” cycling jersey
- A time for your climb from Châble to Verbier
- Food stations on the course
- Pasta party in Verbier after the race
- Secure supervision throughout the course, provided by 100 motorcycles and 15 cars
- Changing rooms and showers in Verbier
- Mechanical and medical support
Useful websites for La Romandie Classic
- Official website: Romandie Classic
- Event organiser: Tour de Romandie
- Twitter feed: Follow @TourDeRomandie for updates on the Verbier-La Romandie Classic sportive
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Still searching for a sportive? Then check out our sportive calendar for the best handpicked cycling events in Switzerland.
Photo credits: All photos supplied by and credited to Tour de Romandie. Stage profile credited to Tour de France.
