Le Loop 2023: Stage 5 Pau – Laruns

Cycling summary

Breakfast: 06:30

Transfer: 1h15 at the end of the ride

Start time: 07:34

Distance: 162.7 km

Terrain: Mountains (3,366 metres)

Climbs: 1 HC (Col du Souder), 1 Cat 1 (Col de Marie Blanque), 1 Cat 3

Finish: 17:43

Time in saddle: 8h38

Temp: Temperate, mostly around 20 degrees

Drinks: 5 litres, no beer!

Suffer scores: 7

Local lowdown

Pau again, and not for the first time as this is the most visited town on the Tour. Indeed, it is remarkable when the Tour doesn’t come here these days. We were here in 2019 and the memorial to all previous winners of the Tour de France is still in place.

Tale from the Tour

And so to the mountains. After a warm up on some rolling roads, we were onto the Col du Soudet. It’s 21.7 km at an average of 7% but it really was a climb of two halves. First half average gradient about 4 or 5% and second half more like 9 or 10%, so it got tougher. But it was truly a beautiful and enjoyable climb even if the top few km were obscured by mist. We could hear the cow bells to the left and sheep bleating to the right, but couldn’t see them!

Lovely descent too, then a small climb before the final one of the day, the Marie-Blanque. Some will know this climb and the fact that 8km at an average of 8.5% is tougher than it sounds (and it already sounds tough!). The first 4km are OK and then the average for the last four are 10%, 11%, 13% and 12%. Really hard going and a great achievement. I wasn’t sure whether I had ridden this climb once or twice before. On checking Strava I see that it was just once, in 2014. But this time I was a few minutes quicker, which took me by surprise especially given that 2014 was a shorter ride and the Marie Blanque came early on. There’s life in the old dog yet!

This was climb was followed by another beautiful descent, ultimately passing through a French equivalent of the New Forest, with plenty of horses, donkeys and cows.

Massage, then bus to the hotel for shower, change and heading off to a Moroccan restaurant for a buffet dinner. Three platefuls of tagine, lentils, chick peas, peppers, potatoes, spices sausages, lamb chop. Probably forgot something. Oh, and a plate of Moroccan pastries etc for dessert. The beer slid down quickly too.

Beautiful scenery all day today and I post some photos below.

Went for a different score of 7. Was thinly of a 6 because the first climb (the first HC climb of the tour) was so enjoyable and I felt fine. Also my feet didn’t hurt today – I think because it was cooler and I had my shoes a bit looser so they could cope with any foot swell better. On the other hand, the final 4km of the last climb was so tough that I had to mark it up. It’s been a very satisfying day. Another day of mountains tomorrow.