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Christchurch, Canterbury, NZ

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Route Overview

The Flahute

Mountain Bike Rides, Gravel Rides, Hilly Road Rides

80 mi.

9,629 ft.

This is my version of a Tour de France mountain stage, from Christchurch to Akaroa with some significant climbing and jaw dropping vistas. It's a tough but rewarding day in the saddle.

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Route Details

This is my take on the iconic Christchurch – Akaroa Race ([Le Race](http://www.lerace.co.nz/)) with a nod to a mountain stage of [Le Tour de France](https://www.letour.fr/en/).

130kms with some significant climbing and jaw dropping vistas. This is all on sealed road. A tough but rewarding day in the saddle. This ride can be completed any time of the year but be aware of ice, grit and @photo[snow](3686919) in Winter.

You start in the beachside suburb of Sumner, I recommend @poi[Joe’s Garage](6957785) as a meeting @photo[spot](3686963), which offers great coffee, a hearty selection of food and a toilet for a nervous one and then you are ready to go. From Sumner you @slice[climb Evans Pass](d,1706.24,8016.75), it’s a harder climb than you would think the gradient would allow for, so take your time and warm up, you continue to climb up over Mt Pleasant Scenic Reserve and then down and around Mt Cavendish Scenic Reserve which houses the Christchurch Gondola.

This is the start of a 5km section of the Summit Road that is closed to motor vehicles. This descent under the Christchurch Gondola was left @photo[unrepaired](3686961) after the 2011 Earthquakes and is narrow and roughly sealed, with lots of rock fall to dodge.

You then climb and descend and traverse along the Summit Road a ridge road that offers stunning views of Christchurch, the Canterbury Plains and the Southern Alps on one side and Lyttelton Harbour and Banks Peninsula on the other.

At the saddle of the Sign of the Kiwi Memorial, lies the @poi[Cafe](6957786) which is a good place for a pit stop, to top up bidons, have a delicious scone or @photo[coffee](3686956). You then continue along the Summit Road, climbing and descending until you reach Coopers Knob, which is the beginning of a @slice[technical 9km descent leading onto Gebbies Pass which is another short technical descent](d,26968.91,33397.19). Then it’s a fast haul down Gebbies Valley (depending on the wind direction) to the @poi[Gebbies Garden Cafe](6957794), which is another great place for @photo[food](3686957), drink and a pit stop.

From here to Little River you follow along at sea level on State Highway 75. This @slice[section ](d,37064.89,63585.02)can be the hardest part of the ride becuase of prevailing winds and unfriendly traffic. This busy highway has a lot of impatient road users and there is no verge for cyclists – be safe and seen. You pass Lake @poi[Ellesmere](6963323), a habitat for many birds and fauna and Lake @poi[Forsyth](6963324) which sadly is a dead lake. At the village of Little River, I recommend the @poi[Little River Diner](6957787) if you need food, drink or a pit stop.

Then the climbing begins again in earnest. An @slice[8km climb](d,64883.71,72860.58) to the @photo[Hilltop](3686966) gives the legs a wakeup call and it’s just the start. If you’ve had enough, you can wait for your friends at the @poi[Hilltop Tavern](6957788), which offers tasty food, alcohol and superb views of Akaroa Harbour.

The Summit Road of the Akaroa Harbour has sharper descents and climbs as you traverse to the Little @photo[Akaloa](3686930) @poi[intersection](6957789). If your legs are saying No No NO! by this stage, I recommend you continue along the Summit Road and catch up the course, if you descend down to Little Akaloa you commit to a long brutal climb no matter which way you go!

The descent is @slice[long, narrow and technical](d,82499.08,88722.89). The section from Little Akaloa which climbs and descends through Chorlton and on to Okains Bay is a magical one - quiet, @photo[beautiful](3686969), untouched, and tough. The final climb to the descent into Okains Bay is a brutal @slice[2km wall.](d,98639.4,99999.05) At Okains Bay, a popular summer @photo[holiday](3686937) spot, is the @poi[Okains Bay Store](6957791), which, at times, has limited stock. If you are heading over with a peloton, it would pay to contact them and warn them you are coming.

The @slice[climb out of Okains Bay](d,104075.45,111055.75) doesn’t seem too bad on first glance, it’s a 9km climb, but the climbing doesn’t really start until the last 3km and then it’s largely vertical, switch backing to the Summit Road, it’s tough and testing you will need to be tenancious. At the top, catch your breath and soak in the views. The climbing hasn’t finished, but the worst is over!

Only a few more climbs to go, but they will hurt now. Focus on the views and don’t count the corners! You will eventually pop out at the top of Long Bay Road and its all downhill from here! This is a @slice[fast, long, descent](d,120836.87,126928.39) that is very exposed to cross-winds, so take care and then suddenly you’re in Akaroa, the French village nestled in Banks Peninsula. Soak in the atmosphere as you do a circuit and finish by the beach.

Well done, pick a @photo[restaurant](3686951) and @photo[reflect](3686968) on a tough day in the saddle, chapeau! Then figure out how you will get home.

If you want to do this as a part of an organised event, join me each year at @photo[deTour leRace](3687181), which is run each February. We will guide you and take you home in style! Check out our [website](http://www.altocycletours.co.nz) for details.