Seven months after entries sold out, a record number or riders gathered in the race village in downtown Nice at the weekend, signing on to the start sheet for the most anticipated edition of the Haute Route yet. 

The peloton of amateur cyclists rolled off for the official depart of the Haute Route Alps from the Mediterranean seafront at dawn on Sunday. Giants of the Alps including Europe's second highest mountain pass, the Col de la Bonette (2715m) and Col du Galibier (2615m) are among the 21 summits the riders will tackle before reaching the finish line in Geneva. 

An atmosphere of excitement and anticipation filled the race village before a non-timed parade through the heart of the host city allowed riders to shake off some of the tension. Crowds lined the roadside to cheer the passing riders. 

Actor and TAG Heuer ambassador, Patrick Dempsey will add extra glamour to this year's event as the ceremonial starter of day three's time trial in Serre Chevalier on behalf of the event's official timekeeper. TAG Heuer will also mark the occasion by presenting a watch to the fastest male and female rider. 

French adventurer, Luc Alphand takes part in the race against the clock, as does Olympic medalist Emma Pooley from Great Britain. The former world time trial champion is competing in all seven stages of this year's Haute Route Alps from Nice to Geneva. 

Julie Royer, the Haute Route's project manager, said: "By every measure this is the most anticipated Haute Route event we have ever staged. The 650-strong peloton will face down some of the most iconic and formidable mountain passes in cycling, and even with our main partner Mavic providing a level of rider support usually reserved for the professionals, just making it to the finish line will require a monumental effort." 

Returning rider and Haute Route ambassador, David Cooper-Boileve said the pre-event nerves in the race village were palpable. "There's a feeling that this is the biggest and best Haute Route event yet. I don't think anyone gets to the start line feeling perfectly prepared but the nerves are excruciating," he said. 

"I found myself vicariously riding the Haute Route Pyrenees last week by watching it on the website and online. You could see how hard it was and how far people were going into reserves of energy, finding determination they never thought they had. And now it's our turn. The Alps awaits." 

The Haute Route Alps forms the second leg of three weeks of amateur racing across the Pyrenees, (French) Alps and Dolomites Swiss Alps. A select group of 28 riders are attempting the formidable triple crown, riding all three Haute Route events back-to-back. 

The final leg - the Haute Route Dolomites Swiss Alps - starts in Geneva on August 30th, finishing in Venice on September 6th. 

Haute Route Alps 2015, stage-by-stage:

Registration and rider parade: Saturday 22nd August, Nice
Stage 1, Sunday 23rd August: Nice - Auron (125km, 3,300m+)
Stage 2, Monday 24th August: Auron - Briançon (150km, 3,950m+)
Stage 3, Tuesday 25th August: ITT Serre Chevalier - Col du Granon (12km, 1,050m+)
Stage 4, Wednesday 26th August: Serre Chevalier - Les Deux Alpes (168km, 4,200m+)
Stage 5, Thursday 27th August: Les Deux Alpes - La Toussuire (115km, 3,550m+)
Stage 6, Friday 28th August: La Toussuire - Megève (156km, 3,800m+)
Stage 7, Saturday 29th August: Megève - Geneva (129km, 2,300m+) 

Follow live coverage of the 2015 Haute Route series at www.hauteroute.org.