Sunday 30th August

450 riders prepare for Geneva departure on the final event of the 2015 Haute Route series

Seven stages, 900km and a selection of Europe’s most dramatic mountain passes lie between 450 riders in Geneva signing on to start the third and final edition of 2015’s Haute Route series, and the finish line in Venice.

The Haute Route Dolomites Swiss Alps runs from west to east for the first time featuring 12 breathtaking new ascents and a record amount of climbing. Giants of the Dolomites including the Passo dello Stelvio, Passo di Gavia and Passo Giau contribute to the formidable test while hidden gems of the Swiss Alps like the Furkapass and Oberalppass add to the drama of a breathtaking course.

More than 50 nationalities are represented in the cosmopolitan peloton and every rider – from former pro and Paris-Roubaix winner Magnus Backstedt, to challenge seekers new to taking part in their first major cycling event – can expect to stretch the limit of what they believe is physically possible in the week-long event billed as the world’s highest and toughest cyclosportive.

Julie Royer, the Haute Route’s project manager, said: “This year’s Dolomites Swiss Alps event will be a fitting climax to the Haute Route series as the peloton pits itself against climbs steeped in cycling history, renowned for both their challenge and breathtaking beauty.

“The first two weeks of the Haute Route series through the French Alps and Pyrenees has brought drama, emotion and feats of endurance and determination that a lot of competitors probably didn’t realise they were capable of. Reaching the finish in Venice will represent the biggest physical achievement in the lives of most of riders on the start line tomorrow.”

Among the 450-strong field, 28 riders will be attempting to complete the ‘triple crown’ – riding all three Haute Route events back to back, covering more than 2,500km and climbing the equivalent of seven accents of Mount Everest over 21 days. Double amputee Christian Haettich and cancer survivor James Golding are both on course to complete the staggering achievement.

James Golding said: “Taking part in this event is an emotional roller coaster. We still have a week to go but after the euphoria of finishing the Alps it’s so hard to keep a level head. There was such an outpouring of joy on the finish line in Geneva but now we need to focus on the road ahead. I can’t wait to get through the Dolomites but all of the Triple Crown riders are focused on taking each stage as it comes.”

At 2,758m, the Stelvio’s summit is the highest point of the entire Haute Route Dolomites Swiss Alps and provides the sting in the tale for stage four. Ranked as the hardest of the race, barely an inch of flat tarmac can be found on this stage featuring five summits above 2,000m. A total of 3,650 vertical metres of climbing is included in just 96km between St Moritz and Bormio.

While the event starts at sunrise tomorrow in the Jardin Anglais on the shore of Lake Geneva, today the peloton was able to shake off some of the pre-race nerves during a ceremonial parade through the heart of city.

Follow 2015’s Haute Route series though our live coverage at www.hauteroute.org. Multimedia content including video features, race reports and dispatches from inside the peloton will be online every day.

Haute Route Dolomites Swiss Alps 2015 – Stage by Stage:

Registration: Sunday 30th August: Race Village, Jardin Anglais, Geneva,
Stage 1: Monday 31st August: Geneva — Crans-Montana (176km, 4050m +)
Stage 2: Tuesday 1st September: Crans-Montana — Andermatt (144km, 3,150m +)
Stage 3: Wednesday 2nd September: Saint Moritz — Passo del Bernina ITT (22.5km, 550m +)
Stage 4: Thursday 3rd September: Saint Moritz — Bormio (96km, 3,250m +)
Stage 5: Friday 4th September: Bormio — Merano (148km, 3,550m +)
Stage 6: Saturday 5th September: Merano — Cortina d’Ampezzo (140km, 3,300m +)
Stage 7: Sunday 6th September: Cortina d’Ampezzo — Venice (174km, 1,850m +)