Two weeks after registration opened, entries for the seven-day Haute Route Alps event have sold out. The team at Haute Route argue that this is… ‘proof that riders are well and truly ready to hit the road again’, after revealing its 2021 calendar on August 3rd.
Described by Cyclist magazine as ‘leg-shredding and life-changing in equal measure’, the Haute Route Alps event is billed as the crown jewel in the Haute Route cycling series calendar. Covering more than 800km and 21000m of elevation, the seven-stage race takes in ‘countless legendary cols’.
Celebrating its 10th anniversary edition in 2021, Haute Route Alps has earned a reputation as one of the toughest amateur cycling races in the world since its inception in 2011.
Despite next year’s course having yet to be revealed, riders snatched up the 500 places for the 2021 peloton in just two weeks.
The event was the founding event of the popular multi-day sportive series and the sole event for the Haute Route team for several years. Now part of a nine-race series… ‘the Haute Route Alps continues to enjoy platinum status and huge popularity in the cycling world.’
Haute Route CEO Julie Royer Coutts has seen the event surge in popularity over her 10 years at the company, but says the ethos of the Haute Route Alps remains the same. “When the Haute Route Alps first came to be, there was simply nothing else like it,” she said.
“While the Haute Route has continued to evolve and offer more destinations and more services to a higher standard than ever before, the Haute Route Alps is still beloved by riders for the reason it gained renown in the beginning: it’s the toughest amateur cycling race in the world.
“We’re so proud to celebrate the race’s 10th anniversary next year. After all these years, it still epitomises everything that the Haute Route stands for. It’s been a challenging few months for everyone, so it’s such a thrill to see all the places for the event sell out in just a couple of weeks.“It is proof that the cycling community’s passion is stronger than ever; and we can’t wait to see everyone come together again for this incredible event in 2021.”
The Haute Route is promising next year’s edition will be something special, with a new course to keep riders on their toes.
“For this special edition, we’re going to set the bar even higher, with the toughest course to date,” said Haute Route Race Director Jean-Francois Alcan.
“Finding new ways to challenge riders and keep the race exciting and fresh is always really important to us. But we really want this 10th edition to be something memorable.”
As part of the 2021 calendar launch, Haute Route has reaffirmed the Alps as the holy grail in its calendar, topping the pyramid of three- and five-day events in 2021. The August 22-28 event is flanked by the Dolomites and Pyrenees 5-Day events in a nod to the grand tours of France, Italy and Spain.
Also making an appearance on the 2021 series calendar are three-day events at Crans-Montana in Switzerland, Florianópolis in Brazil, Ventoux in France, Nizwa in Oman and Valle de Bravo in Mexico, as well as a virtual event on Zwift.
