Cent cols approved routes: specifications

The routes approved by the Club des Cent Cols are governed by a strict specification in order to obtain a coherent and representative collection of routes by Club members.

Each route is to have a title composed of:

  • The two letter national code of the country, within which the route is situated.
  • The regional / departemental code
  • The route’s name, according to the author’s choice
  • Examples of titles : FR-74 Col de l’Iseran / DE-BW Oppennau / IT-CN Boucle des Intersile

The informations required of the author of the proposed route are:

  • The first name and second name of the route’s author (no pseudonyms allowed)
  • A descriptive summarythat encourages the reader to ride the route: two or three phrases on the interest, the cultural and heritage aspects, the beauty of the surroundings, etc
  • The list of colson the track with the name and the code of the cols with the visuGen link
  • The dateon which the route was ridden. The state of the roads and the list of cols can change over time. Each route must have been reconnoitred.
  • The starting pointwith a suitable parking space.
  • Some key words(5 maximum) to facilitate research on the route : the starting point and for example the name of the principal col, the name of the mountain range.
  • Useful information for those who will ride the route :
    For road routes, severe gradients, amount of traffic etc.

For MTB routes : the sectors where you have to push, and their lengths, the probable difficulties, the possible dangers, etc

All the itineraries approved by the Club-des-Cent-Cols are offered as an indication only. Their authors, the Club des Cent Cols accept no responsability for unforeseen circumstances owing to the cyclist himself, the equipment used, weather conditions, and everything concerning the roads, the tracks, their surroundings and other users.

The requirements to be met by the routes

The routes must not include access to prohibited cols, nor cross private property or enter  Natural Parks or any unauthorised place generally.

The road routes must

  • Include at least 1 col
  • Be no more than 100 km with no more than 2500 m of climbing*

The MTB routes must

  • Include at least 1 col 
  • Not include dangerous or ‘acrobatic’ sectors 
  • Indicate parts that may be discouraging (voids, bridges, vertigo…)
  • Accept short and easy sections of pushing , known qualitatively by the author
  • Be no more than 50 km with no more than 1500 / 2000 m of climbing*

The gravel routes must

  • Include at least 1 col 
  • Not exceed 70/80 km and 2000 m of climbing*
  • Only include cols that are 100% rideable with access of R1 and S1 grade.
  • Accept a few short sections of pushing (R2/S2 for an out and back for example)

* A departure from these conditions (to be discussed) is always possible according tro the interest of the route

Organisation

Members should send their routes to the following address :

A group of three persons will examine the acceptability of the proposed route according to the conditions above. They will publish it on the Club’s website, and in the Club’s account on Openrunner, and manage it.

Then, the routes will be listed on the Club’s site, in the menu « Cycle tours / Members’ rides / approved routes » and deach route can be opened on OpenRunner via a direct link in its name

This group consists of:

  • Bernard Giraudeau
  • Christophe Badonnel 
  • Enrico Alberini

The club account on OpenRunner

To find the official compilation of the Club’s routes

  • Go to Openrunner => https://www.openrunner.com/
  • Click on « search a route »
  • Indicate « club-des-cent-cols » in “Author” 
  • Adding key words, of your choice, can refine your search
  • Every one of the Club’s routes is easily identifiable by the presence of the Club logo.