You have to live it to believe it. In Gérardmer (Vosges), the expression takes on its full meaning from the start of the bike course of the international triathlon – which was disputed this Sunday, September 4 –, when the road stands in front of the competitors. The heart rate, already in the red after swimming in the lake, turns scarlet in the Côte de la Rayée and its terrible percentages. The locals compare it to the nearby “Planche des belles filles” climbed by the Tour de France peloton last July. An almost straight wall of 1.8 km leading to the ski resort of the town of 9,000 inhabitants with an average drop of 10.7%…
