To Alpe d'Huez or not to Alpe d'Huez - that is the question

Eyes will turn to France today for the unveiling of the 2006 route of the Tour de France, with the world waiting in anticipation to see who will suit the route to take over as Armstrong's successor. Starting in the eastern city of Strasbourg, the riders will first visit the Pyrenees before heading up to the Alps on the three week event. Alpe d'Huez should be on the route as the riders missed the climb on this year's route, and they seem to visit every couple of years.

Basso has already said he won't ride the Tour of Italy so that he can concentrate on the Tour, and the big question Basso and the rest of us concerns Jan Ullrich. Will he arrive lean and ready to take his second win. I certainly hope so.

The mountainsides above Grenoble have turned into a mass of colour from the green trees who are fighting the arrival of autumn to the beech and oak which have already turned light yellow, orange to dark reds. It's a beautiful time to be outside, be it cycling, driving or walking. The mountains have had their first coverings of snow that have been and gone.

It is also now the mushroom season and apparently the autumn of 2005 is a great year for finding mushrooms in the hills. People actaully come on holiday to the area at this time of year, just to find the various edible varietys the spring up in the woods and fields. Good mushroom spots are one of the most closely guarded secrets in France. The French will tell you they are going, they tell you know a fantastic place, but they won't let you know where it is or take you along. After last years 'mushroom' walk where we didn't collect one good one, it's something I leave to the locals.



Cycling arrives in Grenoble today with the start of the Grenoble Six Day. We have six evenings of track racing. This year, we don't seem to have such an international presence with the majority of riders from France, Belgium and Germany making up most of the professionals. There is plenty of action, with talented performers taking over the stage in between the racing, and all alongside the glamour of corportate entertaining with the middle of the velodrome turned into a restaurant.