After a very long pandemic pause the Haute Route series of multi-day gran fondo races resumed on Friday 11 June in the heart of the Valais Alps at the upscale Crans-Montana Resort in Switzerland.

The 3-day event kicked off Stage-1 with a 98 kilometre extreme climbing route that gained a massive 3617 metres of elevation for the 163 participants.

Riders were timed on the day’s three climbs with 38 year-old ex-pro Bourgeois Guillaume the fastest and first rider to pull on the Haute Route Leader’s Jersey with a time of 1:57:48. Next was ex-pro Raphael Addy at 1:59:56, followed by Loic Ruffaut in 2:03:23.

Stage-2 on Saturday is a 103 kilometre route with “only” 2911 metres climbing. The final stage on Sunday is a very difficult uphill, or more accurately up-Alp, individual time trial that covers only 16 kilometres, but climbs over 1260 metres.

PHOTOS: Haute Route

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