12 July 2010
11 July 2010
Stage 20 - Massey to Paris (49km)
The final day!
Another short day (we would not be doing the customary laps of the Champs-Elysees that the real Tour ends with) and the perfect way to end a three week odyssey.
Another late start (9am on the bikes) was a very welcome way to begin the day. We set off from our hotel in Massy and rode north-west up into the Foret de Verrieres up a small climb and passing through Sceaux, with its formal park and stunning Chateaux.
As we moved closer to the centre of Paris the amount of traffic lights increased exponentially and made progress slow as we followed the tree lined avenues to the Bois de Vicennes where we stopped for a long picnic lunch outside a Chateaux.
After around two hours, and plenty of photo opportunities we headed off for the final few kilometres with the Eiffel Tower looming over us in the distance. Soon we turned from the Place de Concorde onto the Champs-Elysees and savoured the moment as we pedalled towards the Arc du Triumph which we circled twice for good measure, fighting with the traffic all the way.
Once off the roundabout of death, all those that had ridden the whole Tour stopped for half an hour in a little cafe for a celebratory beer before rolling the last one kilometre to the Eiffel Tower where we were cheered in my all the supporters that had made the trip out and the other riders from today’s stage.
Quite an emotional moment that hasn’t really sunk in yet... will take a little while I imagine.
We have a celebratory party on a boat along the Siene this evening which will probably be worth a blog entry in itself...
S
Distance: 49.08km
Av Speed: 16.9km/h
Total Ascent: 323m
Av HR: 94bpm
10 July 2010
Stage 19 - Bordeaux to Pauillac (49km, ITT)
Today we did the only time trail stage of this year’s Tour. Usually there may be two individual time trials and one team time trial scattered amongst the stages which would have given us effectively a couple of additional ‘rest days’. This year the TT is saved until the end, giving us very little respite over the last few weeks.
A lot of additional people of all ages and abilities have come out for the final few days and the size of the group has swelled to 70+. A lot of families were out today also, leading to a great atmosphere.
The course was much shorter than our ordinary stages and took us along the Route des Chateaux of the Medoc, a great way to spend the penultimate day.
The route began in Bordeaux with a 4km ride on the cycle paths along the Garonne and past the most prestigious, elegant buildings that Bordeaux has to offer. That was then followed by around 10km through the ‘Commercial Zone’ of Bordeaux....slightly less charming.
Soon we joined the Route des Chateaux and things started to look up as we passed famous vineyards and chateaux under the baking sun. The chateaux themselves and the towns we passed through were immaculate, picture postcard perfect.
Before long we arrived along a tree lined boulevard by the Garonne in Pauillac and a slap-up lunch in a nice bar restaurant. A quick shower and a coach transfer all the way back to where we started and we were on the TGV heading for the suburbs of Paris.
Massy, where we are staying this evening, isn’t the liveliest of places and we really struggled to find a place that served both food and beer at the same time (after being kicked out of the hotel bar because we complained that €11 for a pint of shandy was a little pricey). We managed just and had to make do with pizza outside a bar on the tiny town high street.
Jake and Rick deserve a mention today for their sterling fancy dress efforts, riding the whole stage in retro 1980s skin suits and faux time trial helmets made from tin foil. Brilliant.
Final day tomorrow, riding into Paris is going to be something to remember for a long time...
S
Time: 2hrs 27mins
Distance: 53.32km
Av Speed: 21.8km/h
Total Ascent: 139m
Av HR: 98pm
9 July 2010
Etape 18
Stage 18 - Orthez to Bourdeaux (182km)
From the best to possibly the worst...
Today's stage, taking us from Orthez to Bordeaux, was a bit of an anticlimax.
Having been spoilt by four days riding in the majestic Pyrenees I guess 180km on the flat was always going to leave us just that... a little flat. Finishing on the top of the Tourmalet, for those that were attempting the whole Tour, really was the final major hurdle - the final three stages were now just 'easy' stages we could tick off...
The flatness was only heightened by four hours sleep the previous night, a headwind, temperatures on the bike that reached 45 Celsius (once you took into account the heat radiating back up off the roads), bad tarmac and a complete lack of visual stimuli (apparently we passed through the extensive man-made forest of Les Landes)... There was absolutely nothing to see, we faced endless straight roads seemingly in the middle of nowhere, with only the occasional logging truck rattling past us at silly speeds to keep us on our toes (the fact that I only took one photo all day, purely to illustrate the drabness, proves the point here). I don't remember ever feeling so bored on a bike.
I would like today's ride to being put on an exercise bike in a sauna and having a hairdryer blow in your face with only a poster of some pine trees to keep you amused.
Physically the distance was no challenge at all (I still find it strange that cycling 110 miles should trouble me so little...), but the mental challenge today, after the highs of yesterday, was one of the hardest things I have had to face over the past three weeks.
Having reached lunch, and by this time royally fed up, the day took a turn for the better as Williams, Jake and I had each had enough and decided to blitz the next 35km at break neck speed. We each took a turn pulling on the front until we reached Williams, who by his own admission is more of a carriage than a train, when it all slowed down. Luckily Jes, the time trail machine, whizzed past us and Jake and I could just about grab his coattails for a free ride until our final feed stop.
The last 35km after the final feed stop were rattled off at a similarly breakneck speed with Jes, Ryan rotating every km, and the stage was finished in no time. I saw little but tarmac or the wheel ahead of me in the peloton for the last 70km into Bordeaux....I don't think I missed much!
Back at the hotel at a decent time and now only two very short glory rides to complete before the knees up in Paris!
S
Time: 7hrs 5mins
Distance: 183.3km
Av Speed: 25.9km/h
Total Ascent: 884m
Av HR: 118pm
8 July 2010
Stage 17 - Pau to Tourmalet (174km)
The Climbs: Col de Marie-Blanque; Col du Soulor; Col du Tourmalet
Mercifully stages 16 and 17 were separated by the rest day as, with today’s stage is the choice for this year’s Etape du Tour, we were guaranteed for a tough time going back up the Col du Tourmalet from the other side for a mountain top finish.
Today was a day to really stretch the legs and see what I had left in them. I set off early (6.45am) with a group of good day trippers (with their fresh legs) and some less so. Out of Pau we headed west and took a rolling road through the woods of the Bois de Bager. This first 50km of the route, looking at the profile, would be considered ‘flat’, but the 15km section up to Oloron was quite undulating and before long some of the inexperienced day trippers had been spat out of the back, leaving four riders and myself. This group would stick together for the rest of the day.
The first of the three main climbs of the day was the Marie Blanque. I had been warned about the Marie Blanque by Williams and been told not to be lulled into a false sense of security by its relatively easy first few kilometres. Baring this in mind we resisted the temptation to go with a two French guys who shot past us at the foot of the hill. The final few kilometres really are back breaking and rarely drop below 10% with massive sections holding above 13%. We passed the afore mentioned French guys weaving all over the road in a right state...
From the top of the Marie Blanque the descent down to Bielle , with perfect tarmac almost the whole way, was a pure joy. One of the best descents in the Pyrenees.
After a decent drag along the valley floor, our next climb was up the Col du Solour. We had climbed the Solour on stage 16 on the way to the top of the Aubisque. This time we would be climbing the other side, a much more scenic climb that again put us atop of one of the most magnificent views looking towards the Aubisque.
After another superb descent from the Solour down to a brief lunch stop in Argeles we headed back up the road we followed two days previously all the way to the top of the Tourmalet; a long faux-plat to Luz-St Sauveur with Jes the time trial machine sat at the front cranking along, before a final 18km climb up to the summit of the Tourmalet.
This side of the Tormalet is definitely the tougher of the two and with the temperature reaching 35 Celsius by the time we started our ascent we were all in for a tough climb. With about 10km to go I really tried to empty the tank and moved up the road ahead of the others, digging deep to reach the top as quickly as my weary legs could muster. As I rolled over the summit I found no welcoming committee, just Sarah putting up the Tour de Force banner... The remainder of the front group of five rolled in at various points over the next 10 minutes. We then all grabbed a beer at the cafe and sat at the top waiting to cheer in the remainder of the group.
We arrived at the top at around 4pm and spent the next 4 hours sitting on the terrace cheering every one that came over the finish line, as more people came up the atmosphere grew and grew. For the people that were doing the whole thing, this really was the moment when the finish line moved into sight for others it was as equally a great achievement. Awesome.
By the time it reached 8pm most people were in, but a few stragglers remained. Due to timing issues we started to head down to La Mongie the ski station we had passed the previous day on the way up for a quick shower and some dinner. As we ate the last people rolled in, some on bikes and some, unfortunately, in the van. The heat today really took its toll on a lot of people. Riders were found hallucinating on the side of the road, people were cramping up, being sick.... all sorts! The core group made it though....
We were then transferred back to Pau at 10.30, not to arrive until after midnight making it an extremely long day for everyone involved, no matter what tie you finished up the mountain. The bus was like a furnace, and we had to stop several times as people that were already suffering fro heat related issues had to get out and be sick or just get fresh air. Not the best way to end the day!
It was always going to be hard to better Monday’s ride, but today came pretty close. Another epic day on the bike; it was great to get the chance to empty the tank, keeping the stops to a minimum and go for a big ride knowing that tomorrow we ‘only’ had a flat stage of 185km.
Just the best few days!
S
Time: 8hrs 7mins
Distance: 175.8km
Av Speed: 21.6km/h
Total Ascent: 4307m
Av HR: 141bpm
7 July 2010
Rest Day (Pau)
At last a rest day!
After constantly living out of a suitcase it was going to be bliss to be in the same hotel for three nights!
The second rest day of the Tour this year is in Pau, with the stage after the rest day starting there before the summit finish on the Col du Tourmalet.
To be honest I was expecting Pau to be any great shakes (particularly given the rout we had taken into the town at the end of the previous days stage) but it turned out to be quite a charming town with plenty of places to eat and drink.
Thankfully this rest day was far less eventful than the one at Morzine and after catching up on some much needed sleep and having a decent feed outside in a nice square my most strenuous activity of the day was giving my bike some much needed TLC on the square outside our hotel.
More food and then an early night before another big Pyrenees stage in the morning....
S
6 July 2010
Stage 16 - Luchon to Pau (196km)
The Climbs: Col de Peyresourde; Col d'Aspin; Col du Tourmalet; Col d'Aubisque
I have used the words ‘epic’, ‘awesome’ and the like quite a bit to describe the last few days but today’s ride was truly magnificent. Quite simply the best day I have ever spent sur mon vélo!
Today’s stage (and stage 17 to follow) has been designed to celebrate the centenary of the Col du Tourmalet’s inclusion in the Tour de France and paid homage to the original 326km long stage in 1910 when the Tourmalet was introduced by race director Henri Desgrange as the capstone to what would be referred to as the "Circle of Death": the Pyrenean foursome of the Col de Peyresourde, Col d'Aspin, Col du Tourmalet and the Col d'Aubisque. Aside from a 60km run in at the end of the day we would be tackling each of these legendary climbs one after another.
Straight out of the hotel at 6.45am, and with barely 2km in our legs, we hit the base of a mist shrouded Peyresourde, the first Cat 1 climb of the day. We all tackled this at a gentle place as we attempted to warm the legs up. Visibility was limited, but the 16km to the top was incredibly dramatic as we negotiated a classic series of hairpins towards the top of the climb with mist and fog rolling across the roads and the sound of cow bells all around us, even having to avoid sheep as the roamed across the roads.
Williams likes to put in some faux attacks early and shot up the mountain away from me – but alas, this was not to last long and we crested together along with Roly.
Then followed a long and enjoyable descent (if a little cold in the mist) into the charming village of Arreau before shooting immediately back up into the mist again for a 12km climb to the top of the Col de l’Aspin (Cat 1). The narrower roads here and the enclosed feeling the mist gave this climb a more intimate feel. As we hit the top there was a large herd of cows waiting for us, along with some coffee to warm us and our first feed stop of the day. I am told that the views here are outstanding, but visibility was limited to around 15m so we will definitely have to visit again on a slightly clearer day.
After another great descent (although slightly hairy given the total lack of visibility) we reached the village of St Marie de Campan, a small village I had been to one time before, sat at the base of the daddy of the Pyrenees: the Col du Tourmalet.
The Tourmalet (Hors Categorie) has its reputation for a reason and as I have ridden over it before I knew that after a steady incline for the first 5 or 6km we then faced around 12km of pretty relentless steepness to the summit at 2115m. I was at the base at around 11am and the sun was beginning to burn of the mist and cloud and the temperature was beginning to rise. As I climbed at a steady pace a found a rhythm and just took in the grandeur of the road, before rising above cloud level to the heat of the midday sun as I reached the small ski station called La Mongie around 4km from the top. The final 4km of switchbacks before the top are particularly steep but by this point I was enjoying it so much I barely even noticed as I reached the top under crystal clear blue skies.
The views from the top down the other side of the valley are breathtaking and I loitered at the top for around 45mins taking photos and welcoming each of the other riders as they cycled over the top. Then following a feed I dropped over the other side of the Tourmalet for one of the best (and longest) descents you will find in the Pyrenees. If you get a rush from speed then this one is for you! The only niggling thought at the back of my mind was that I knew that in two days time we would be coming back over the Tourmalet from this direction at the end of a long stage...36km downhill would be tough challenge the other way! All but the last 10km into a massive headwind was a total thrill.
Our lunch stop was on the village green of Argeles Gazost right at the base of the final climb of the day, the Col de l’Aubisque (via the Col du Solour), the second Hors Categorie climb of today. Knowing that this was the last real test of the day I stocked up on food and headed out with Williams and Roly. Within the first kilometre of the climb I felt so good I just went (note to Williams: this is how to execute an attack!) and glided up the climb. After a particular steep section up to the top of the Solour I paused briefly and got some hairy/dirty French motorcyclist to take a quick snap before heading down a brief descent before the final pitch up to the summit of the Aubisque. This little stretch of road, hugging the side of the cliff face, was just the most stunning section of road with a vista to rival anything. There really wasn’t enough time to take it all in.
I hit the summit on my own and well clear of the others, meeting up with the three guys that had been at the front of the peloton before heading down the final 60km descent of the day into Pau.
Cycling really does not get any better, an absolutely non-stop glory ride through the best the Pyrenees has to offer. Cycle Sport describes the stage “as aesthetically pleasing as a mountain stage can be”... spot on!
A totally unforgettable day and one I will hopefully repeat in the near future.
Tomorrow is a well earned rest day in Pau, before we finish once again atop the Tourmalet on Wednesday.
S
Time: 9hrs 29mins
Distance: 199.6km
Av Speed: 21km/h
Total Ascent: 4516m (note this is equivalent to pedalling over half way up Everest in a day!)
Av HR: 130pm
5 July 2010
Stage 15 - Pamiers to Luchon (187km)
The Climbs: Col de Portet-d'Aspet; Col des Ares; Port de Bales
Another day in the Pyrenees, and another great day on the bike.
The route started out along the valley of Cousterans to St Girons and provided a relatively flat start to the day with the exception of some very short climbs (including the Cote de Carla-Bayle which took us into a ‘free-thinking’ town; although the best they seemed to have managed was the occasional triangular window).
This first portion of the day was done in the driving rain and we feared that the rest of the day would remain the same, not a great prospect considering the mountain passes that loomed later in the day. However, as we passed through the Grotte du Mas d’Avil (a huge cave with a road through it...) the weather began to clear and the rain stopped. Not quite sunny, but a good temperature to cycle/climb in.
We passed through the valley of the Boulgane towards our first big climb of the day the Cat 2 Col de Portet-d’Aspet. Once atop this col we headed down a particular steep and dangerous descent, stopping to see the Casartali Memorial (a professional died on the descent here in 1995) on the way.
The simple Col des Ares (Cat 2....funny how these things are becoming inconsequential now) was negotiated before we arrived at the base of the Port de Bales the Hors Categorie climb of the day. Having saved by legs for the last few days I decided to give them a little stretch on the way up this final climb of the day and shot up. Still the climb was harder than I remember from my previous visit... very picturesque though and crazy cows everywhere.
A final long and fast descent into Bagners-de-Luchon and another stage was done!
Tomorrow is the hardest day of the Tour, the highlight being the Tourmalet. Can’t wait....
S
Time: 8hrs 5mins
Distance: 183.6km
Av Speed: 22.7km/h
Total Ascent: 3207m
Av HR: 121bpm
4 July 2010
Stage 14 - Revel to Ax-les-Thermes (184km)
The Climbs: Port de Pailheres; Ax-3-Domaines
We started the day leaving Revel with a welcome flat start of 50km took us to the foothills of the Pyrenees were some gentle climbing meet us before we passed into a huge gauge and approached the Giant of the day the Port to Pailheres.
The Pailheres is another Hors Categorie climb and would take us from 225m to 2001m, steadily at first but the steeper and steeper. As the steepness increased the scenery become more and more dramatic. Absolutely stunning!
The day had started a little more overcast then previous days and rain was forecast for later in the day, but what met us halfway up the Pailheres was a thunder storm of monumental proportions. As we climbed first it started to rain, then lash it down as thunder and lightning cracked all around us echoing around the mountains before arctic hail started to fall from the sky the size of sugar cubes. The hail hurt! Luckily for Williams and I a support van was a few hundred yards down the road as the worse of it hit and we managed to shelter there for a few minutes as it passed. The atmosphere with the mist, the rain and the thunder was brilliant!
Once to the top, what would have been a super fast descent became a dangerous one with the steepness and the rain and, as our tour leader Phil found out, the wild animals. As he was descending he passed a herd of cows crossing the road and tried to edge past them and was promptly headbutted off the road and into a ditch!
The last climb of the day too us up to Ax-3-Domaines, another relatively steep climb but thankfully I had a lot of gas left in the legs and was able to breeze up at a comfortable pace.
Another 170+km ride through the mountains done and I still feel good. It may be dangerous to say it, but it feels like I am getting more and more comfortable... we will see how I feel in a few days time. Am definitely riding well within my comfort zone.
We have a transfer in the morning, which will delay our start time and as a consequence our finish time...so it has the potential to be a long day!
S
Time: 9hrs 12mins
Distance: 185km
Av Speed: 20.1km/h
Total Ascent: 2833m
Av HR: 114bpm
3 July 2010
Stage 13 - Rodez to Revel (181km)
Today really was a day for ‘active recovery’! The real Tour follows a route from Rodez to Revel that covers 196km, but the last part is a loop on a big motorway. Not having the roads closed for us, and already being well in credit for additional kilometres our route was shortened to lose the loop and finish at 145km. Great news!
The stage was again hilly for the first half of the route (but nothing serious) before plunging down into the Tarn valley for a more rolling section to be negotiated.
Again, the countryside was fabulous and we passed through some picturesque villages, such as Senaux, along the way.
It was again an absolutely roasting day, and several of the ‘day trippers’ (people only out for a couple of stages, and often not fully prepared for the intensity of the days) found themselves dehydrated or suffering from heat exhaustion pretty early in the day. A few jumped in the van...
As we did yesterday Williams and I took it very easy with one eye on the next three days of punishment. We were really just out for a ‘walk on the bike’ keeping the heart rate right down. I like my stats and my heart rate seems to be staying a lot lower on average and I have found the last few days relatively easy. Strange when 145km on a bike over some decent hills no longer troubles you. That said, the next 72 hours are going to really deal out some pain...!
We arrived at our hotel in Soreze, a gorgeous old monastery, at a very respectable time finally allowing some free time to relax.
Tomorrow is the beginning of the end; the Tour arrives in the Pyrenees!
Blogs are likely to become shorter or be saved for the rest day over the coming evenings.
S
Time: 6hrs 25mins
Distance: 141.6km
Av Speed: 22.1km/h
Total Ascent: 1542m
Av HR: 108bpm
2 July 2010
Stage 12 - Bourg-les-Valence to Mende (209km)
Today we headed from the Drome to the Ardeche, via the southern Massif Central. We travelled through an area of France I had never visited before and it was stunning.
We cycled out alongside the Rhone first thing in the morning and knowing that three brutal days in the Pyrenees loomed in the near future I decided that today might be a good day to spend with the back markers of the peloton. A couple of members of the group were struggling and it was good to be back with them to pull them along.
The pace at the back is noticeably slower and gave me a chance to just spin the legs and take it easy, all the time taking in the scenery around. The pace at the back meant I was riding well within my comfort zone and I really enjoyed the first two-thirds of the day, however, as the back group began to tire the pace naturally dropped and I began to feel a little like a coiled spring. That said, what was supposed to be a relatively big day (210km with a decent number of hills) turned out to be a good opportunity to rest my legs and overall I had a great day of cycling.
There were a number of climbs throughout the day but the best was saved for last. The Cote de la Croix-Neuve Montee Laurent Jalabert up to Mende airport, the stage finish, can only be described as a wall. Ridiculously steep, but thankfully relatively short at only 4km. Glad I had a lot left in the legs for it. Will be interesting to see the Pros tackle it.
As well as the newly tarmaced roads we are encountering on our way (which often feel like they are meting under your wheels as you roll over them) a lot of the towns have various Tour related decorations adorning lampposts, roundabouts and the like. Some are just bikes, flower shaped bike or similar and some are just plain weird... dancing sheep wearing coloured cycling jerseys? It’s clear that a lot of the towns are really proud that the Tour passes through.
Tomorrow is a shorter day, so hopefully will have another chance to rest the legs... they will need it.
S
Time: 9hrs 45mins
Distance: 209.3km
Av Speed: 21.4km/h
Total Ascent: 2985m
Av HR: 114bpm
1 July 2010
Stage 11 - Sistron to Bourg-les-Valence (175km)
Today we headed from Sistron to Bourg-les-Valence, a route that took us out of the Alps and into the Drome region. One of the Tours ‘easier’ days, but as we are all fully aware of by this stage there really is no such thing as an easy day!
Williams and I study the route profiles (the gradient profiles in the pictures at the top of each of these posts) each night before turning in and we were definitely looking forward to today and had even started referring to it as the ‘Downhill Day’. One relatively flat section, a straight forward climb up the Col de Cabre and then downhill for the rest of the day.
The day started well, a quiet flat section of road surrounded by the mountains and the an initial short spell of climbing before a drag up the Cabre. The view of the Alps from the top were fab, and the descent down on newly paved roads (again in preparation for the Tour) was sublime. The general downhill nature of the stage continued and we rattled along at a good speed until around midday when we were confronted with a massive headwind that would stay with us for the rest of the day, turning what should have been an easy run in into something much more challenging.
Even though the roads were still either flat or generally downhill the headwind meant that we had to maintain a single file line all the way for the afternoon with the person at the front battling the wind whilst the others hid behind them. To do this effectively requires a lot of concentration as you need to be very close the rider in fronts rear wheel. Most of the afternoon was spent looking at tarmac and a rear wheel or fighting the wind at the front... the countryside passed us by. People were already tired and this type of riding is pretty mentally draining.
To compound this we faced temperatures of around 35 Celsius for the majority of the day. Again hydration was very important.
A stage to easily forget.
We did, however, manage to arrive back at our hotel in very good time (by 5pm) and found that we were staying in a villa complex that had a pool. Result!
After arriving back yesterday Beard pedalled out with us this morning. He hadn’t ridden a back since heading home last week and the doctor’s prognosis wasn’t promising. By the time we reached the first feed station he was already struggling and he attempted the Col de Cabre in a lot of pain. After a descent (no pedalling) he had to jump in the van. Poor guy has booked himself out on the first train home tomorrow morning. He has taken it remarkably well, but must be gutted.
Beards trip did mean that Williams got his replacement bike. A nice Specialized Tarmac a slightly more aggressive looking bike than his (stolen) Dutch style Roubaix. Looked good.
Tomorrow is (another) big day... no surprise there though.
S
Time: 6hrs 57mins
Distance: 177.7km
Av Speed: 25.6km/h
Total Ascent: 1208m
Av HR: 116bpm
