24 June 2010
Stage 5 - Epernay to Montagris (194km)
Another glorious day on the bike that took us through the Champagne vineyards, the Fontainbleau Forest, through some very picturesque French countryside and villages and passing through the Brie region.
After a relatively easy day yesterday and a more relaxed evening the legs felt stronger despite the stage itself being slightly ‘lumpier’ and longer.
The England game was kicking off at 4pm local time and it was possible that we would arrive in Montargis in time to catch some of the game. This carrot meant that today was by far the fastest stage to date as we rattled along with an average speed pushing 29km/h and limiting the amount of time we spent at stops. So fast, in fact, that we again caught the van out ahead of us putting up the directions and had to wait at a roundabout to give them a head start.
The final 40km was done at a blistering pace and I and two others broke off the front and were flying along through a small village when we passed an old French guy out for a pedal on his velo. We flew past him at 42km/h, but when we turned round he had joined our train without even looking like he had tried, he then pedalled the remaining 20km into town just tapping the pedal and leading from the front. The guy was 72! (picture below) He seemed impressed with what we were attempting, but when we arrived at our hotel with him he was insistent that the stage finish was 2km further up the road and that we should ride that. He then offered us a lift to his house if we wanted to watch the football. Amazing.
Thankfully the rush to get back was worth it with England qualifying. Just.
Williams put an extra set of insoles in his shoes today and moved his cleats back a little and the toes didn’t start to hurt until 160km. Hopefully the moaning will stop soon....
The sun is giving me a rather silly tan....
The bad bit of news today was that Beard headed home... Understandably he was pretty down about the whole thing but felt that spending his days in the support vans wasn’t going to help his knee. He managed to get a lift all the way back to London and hopes to see his physio before trying to get back out for either the Alpine stages or in time for the big Pyrenees stages. Hopefully some time to recover will see him back here soon. Gutting!
We have been giving out two awards at the end of each day, one is the Tourmalet Pig given to someone who has performed an extraordinary act during that day and the other a set of handlebar tassels and a comedy horn given for.... well for anything. Today I got the tassels for being the ‘Prettiest Boy in the Peloton’; apparently taking photos of yourself whilst riding is frowned upon?
Longest stage of the tour to cover tomorrow, so the extra rest an early arrival has afforded us will be needed. The longest, but by no means the hardest.
Feeling good!
S
Time: 6hrs 43mins
Distance: 191km
Av Speed: 28.4km/h
Total Ascent: 1198m
Av HR: 133bpm
23 June 2010
Stage 4 - Camberai to Epernay (150km)
If you count cycling 160km a day of rest, then today was a rest day! Despite an early rise and a coach transfer to the beginning of the stage we were only on the bike for six and a half hours today. The extra three hours saved have made a massive difference!
The day itself was a relatively flat stage with a few rolling hills, so was a real opportunity to rest the legs. The route took us down through the Champagne region of France and the weather was absolutely glorious – sunny from the outset.
I spent the majority of the day on domestique duties for Williams (just about the right pace...) and listening to him talking about his toes all day! He is, apparently, in some discomfort...
I took the opportunity to ride in amongst the main group today and really took my time at the rest stations. After some bike admin (a proper clean and mechanical stuff) back at the hotel and a massage I feel fresh again for the first time in days!
Dinner is slightly earlier today, and there is no transfer in the morning, so will have the opportunity to get a good night’s sleep before tomorrow’s stage which is, again, one of the ‘easier’ ones.
We don’t know yet whether Beard will be leaving sandwich making duties and rejoining the peloton or not tomorrow.
Some nicknames being banded about. One for the rest day.
S
Distance: 159.4km
Av Speed: 24.9km/h
Total Ascent: 1604m
Av HR: 125bpm
