Le Loop 2023: Stage 2 Vitoria-Gasteiz – Saint Sebastien

Cycling summary

Breakfast: 05:30

Transfer: 1 hour

Start time: 08:08

Distance: 208.9 km (I did 170km)

Terrain: Hilly, 2,256 metres (out of 2,800 for the full route)

Climbs: 1 Cat 2, 2 Cat 3, 2 Cat 4

Finish: 17:30

Time in saddle: 7h23

Temp: cool first, 31 at midday and then mid 20s

Drinks: about 5 litres (plus evidence that I had drunk plenty yesterday …)

Suffer scores: 6

Local lowdown

We start in Vitoria, capital of the province of Alava and of the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country. Many words feature a common letter. Txakoli (wine), Goxua (custard cake) and Pintxos (tapas) are just some examples. Do you want any x with that – made me think of the Two Ronnies (FUNEX? SVFX – may not be obvious to all!). We pass by many historic sites before arriving at our destination, the “pearl of the Cantabrian Sea”. I’ll see this more tomorrow.

Tale from the Tour

Interesting discussion on the coach with Beat, a UK-based Swiss chap with whom I rode in 2017. He is about my age, just proving that I am not totally mad to be undertaking this adventure. Or maybe we are both mad! The question (driven by yesterday’s temperature) was would you rather be too hot or too cold on a ride? The only answer is, I think, neither. It’s impossible to choose because both extremes are dangerous. In either case you risk losing control of yourself. I have been both and shaking with cold makes it hard to control the bike and being too hot can make you light headed and dizzy and if you don’t unclip in time you’re in trouble. I’d rather be hot than cold I think, but I would not want to be at either end of that particular scale.

Today I started still a bit weary and beaten up from yesterday. However as we rode along a plateau first thing, I felt myself slowly getting back into it and my spirits lifted. I was now just a bit tired rather than physically and mentally fatigued. A case of being on the up yet plateauing at the same time!

I was very pleased to see a donkey on the route today. “‘Ee aw to know better than ride the whole route today” said the donkey. So I took his advice and took a short cut to the hotel, missing out about 30km or so, though we will do a good chunk of that route in reverse tomorrow so I’d rather have the extra time to rest and recuperate.

Much more of a rolling day today and nothing silly in terms of gradients – even the bit I missed out wouldn’t have been too bad.

Highlight of the day was towards the end of the ride when we were held up three times by an official race going through. It was quite exhilarating to watch – there must have been 200 riders and any number of support vehicles and police outriders. The speeds were insane. There is no way we could have ever lived with that pace – though some of my group jokingly asked whether we thought we could jump on the back and get a tow! The photo doesn’t do it justice, though I also took a video.

Arrived at the hotel for an early massage and a chance to get myself sorted. Hopefully a goo night’s sleep and I’ll be fine tomorrow.

Generally a good day, not especially taxing but a reasonable amount of climbing none the less. Legs felt strong on the climbs – just goes to show how not being at risk of sunstroke or heat exhaustion can help.