After the climbing race of Marmotte Granfondo and Tour De France challenge, I did a biking tour around the "cycling paradise" in Lyon and Paris, the two major cities in France. 

I joined a local cycling group for sightseeing in Paris. The guide took us to the most authentic macaroon tasting. It tasted more delicious than those made anywhere else but it was not cheap. I also visited Versailles, which was far away from the city.

Notre Dame de Lyon is a must-see on the travel list. I was really shocked by the breathtaking scenery. And the happiest thing in Lyon was going to the fair on weekends.

After the two city trips, I started my challenge again.

The Alpe d'Huez Highland race was located in the sports center on the hilltop. I needed to return to the guesthouse and quickly prepare the equipment for tomorrow’s competition. It was a tough climb all the way, where the first station was only 70 kilometers away but a climb of 3000 kilometers.

The second slope was the hardest, undulating in the first 4 kilometers and the slope of the last 9 kilometers averages more than 10%, with an altitude over 2000 kilometers. The more you ride, the steeper the slope is. 

In order to provide the best service for the competitors, the number of participants was limited to 200 to 300 people. You can distinguish the riders’ nationality from the number plates. 

I ranked 30 in the first stage over 200 participants. I was proud of myself since athletes from other countries was surprised by such a good shot from a Chinese cyclist and wondered if cycling was becoming more and more popular in China.

A shower and massage service were offered at the final line. Athletes could make an appointment according to their needs. There’s also a maintenance team service just in case you burst your tire during the game.

The second day’s race started before 7 o 'clock. We passed through many small villages with distinctive features along the way.

I learned to climb a very long slope this time, which I was not good at, and my ranking dropped to 55. But I did my best and challenged myself so I’m satisfied with the result.

The last day's race was the Alpe d'Huez climb ITT. This a slope with 13 kilometers and a climb of 1100 kilometers, which was a famous HC grade climb. During the course of the first 10 kilometers, the slope was nearly 10% and there was no chance to take a break. The whole journey was about standing up and wagging the bicycle. And my final ranking was 53 while my category ranking was 22. ​

I did a training ride in Mont Ventoux after the race. Starting from Bedoin, I rode about 25.5 km with a climb of 1589 kilometers.