Where stars earn their stripes

The Tour of California has turned these roads into the stuff of legend

The mountainous roads to the north-east of LA are one of the world’s best-kept cycling secrets, and in part have even prompted their own sarcastic hashtag – #Lasucksforcycling – in response to anyone who thinks riding in this part of Socal is a nerve-shredding, trafficdodging crashfest.

Beyond being locally famous, they’re also the roads on which the Tour of California has been decided, with Mount Baldy being used as a summit finish to the queen stage three times. The most recent was last May, when the stage parcours incorporated Glendora Mountain Road (known locally as GMR), Glendora Ridge Road, East Fork, and a final climb to the Baldy ski lifts.

On Stage 7 of the 2015 Tour, Julian Alaphilippe of Etixx-quick-step stamped his authority on the race, won the stage with a masterclass in mountain ascent attrition, and battered eventual race winner Peter Sagan into a retching heap by the end of the day as the Tinkoff-saxo rider struggled to rein in the Frenchman to lessen the time gap in the general classification. It was the win of Alaphilippe’s career, with the then 22-year-old later sealing second place in the GC and the white jersey for best young rider.

Mount Baldy was previously used in 2012, when Dutch rider Robert Gesink took the stage on his way to overall victory. In 2011 the stage was won by 37-year-old US pro Levi Leipheimer, who won the Tour of California three years running from 2007-2009, but who that year was supporting Radioshack teammate Chris Horner’s successful bid for victory.