There's hard and then there's TOUGH

Sure, the scenery is nice but as the team director, Brian told me, "You don't see much when you race. You have to retire then return to these places to appreciate what you were riding through."

So consider, as if the hors category climb wasn't enough,

throw in some bone-rattling cobbles.

Be sure there's enough barren switchbacks stacked on each other so you
can see the break away group just over your head but 2k away...

Get rid of any pansy-comforting guard-rails to keep the sketch factor
properly high.

Then throw in hot temps at the start of the race with snow & rain at the summit but
a finish line 80k away from that summit.


and you've got one TOUGH day in the saddle.
Compliments of Tour de Suisse.