johnstourdeforce

By way of explanation I should say that the week has been organised by Marmot Tours. It’s like a mini TDF thing except there are two people doing all the work rather than a team of 15 or so. Also the distances are not as challenging, but we are doing 6 consecutive mountain days so there is a lot of climbing, which is, of course, my “thing”. I only decided yesterday that I would add this to my existing blog, hence a slightly different style – less stats and research beforehand – but still aiming to share some good photos and to find a humerous take where I can. And I am well aware that humour, like beauty, can be in the eye of the beholder!

Today started with a beautiful, gently downhill ride through a gorge to the town of Panes (gorge and gorgeous same root word?).

The weather was not a patch on yesterday’s – somewhat damp in the air but pleasant enough. Had the sun been out then I’m sure I would have taken more photos. The above is one of Graham’s as it was better than my effort – thanks Graham!

The plan today was to get something to eat at a cafe in Las Arenas rather than just before the day’s main climb which was the Lagos de Covadonga – another 20km special with a steep middle section. It’s a climb that features in the Vuelta a Espagna, so it’s a good one to tick off the list. We should be in good time for lunch at the top before coming back down to the hotel.

After leaving Arenas, we passed through some small villages, including this one.

Graham and I aren’t sure how many people on Marmot tours stop for a photo here or whether it is just us!

Anyhow, enough of that nonsense as we were soon into the serious business of the day. The road was getting steeper, but earlier in the day the general dampness had upset my Garmin which thought I was 150 metres below sea level. As it dried out, the Garmin rapidly started to correct itself to the point where I was gaining height rapidly on gradients of up to 150%! I should correct the stats on Strava I suppose, but since it also gave me a top speed of over 100mph I might leave it!

We did not get the benefit of the view because we were soon riding in heavy cloud and poor visibility. Thankfully the sides of the road (which had little in the way of protective barriers) were painted with strong white lines. As the visibility worsened, I was confused by what I thought were dotted white lines. Turns out it was a small flock of sheep being brought down the hill by a shepherdess!

Eventually I could see no more than 5 or 10 metres in front of me. The last 1km was on poor roads and once at the top I decided to forego lunch and head back down to grab something at the hotel instead. Going down took a long time – just too dangerous for me to come down with any kind of speed until I could see where I was going, which took a good 10km or so.

Eventually though, it did clear and I got a good shot of the church that was built to commemorate the site where the Catholic Church started to push back against the Moors. It’s an impressive site, though the area outside is typically touristy. It’s the Basilica de Santa Maria la Real de Covadonga.

The picture is my Pick of the Picos day 2 – yesterday’s Pick was the one I took of the stag. Sounds like a new feature and I shall have to choose one for each day!

On getting back to the hotel there was an optional extra to climb up to Riensena. Perhaps I would have seen some more beautiful mountain scenery had I done so, but given what is still in store I decided to give it a miss and rest up instead.

Oh, and the slow descent meant I never got any lunch. Never mind, dinner at 8:30pm which I shall probably demolish.

Stats today – 116km riding with something like 1,500 metres ascent. I’d ask my Garmin, but it’s still confused.

From terror to terrific

Before I left for six days in Spain I was feeling terrified that I was going to mess up my shiny new bike because I had to partly dismantle it to get in the box for transporting via Sleazy Jet. Only a few bits to worry about, but I am aware of my own incompetence! It was equally terrifying on arrival, putting the bike back together again.

Although I have slipped back into multi-day bike riding mode quite easily, there were a few faffy rough edges this morning. For example, I came back to my room to look for my Garmin when it was in my back pocket the whole time! Then I couldn’t find either of the multi-tools I had been using to reassemble my bike and had to borrow one in case I needed it on the ride. Turns out they were both in my day bag all along! I also managed to lose the first half of today’s ride on the Garmin and you know what they say – if it’s not on Garmin then it didn’t happen!

Well I did get to Piedrasluengas and here’s the proof:

After that it was time to descend back to Potes. It would have been possible to get some lunch here, but since there was another big climb this afternoon I decided to start the climb and have coffee part way up before pushing on. There would be time to get up and down before lunch service finished at 4pm. In total there are 19 riders on this trip and most stopped for lunch in Potes but my room mate Graham and also Clive and Doug had pressed on. Not to be first, but because it was hot and we wanted to get it done. In fact, at Piedrasluengas this time last week it was snowing but today it was 30 degrees!

Both the climbs today were about 25km, so that’s a long way up but two enjoyable descents too, when I could stop and take some photos.

These ones were taken on the descent off San Glorio:

I particularly like the last of the above. It made me think of a Sphinx-like nodding dog, except his head had fallen off!

Some great scenery, and I don’t think that one of the villages we passed through should be taken as a fair description!

So, not bad as a “warm up” day. All eyes are on Day 5 when the mighty Angliru is on the agenda. More of that another day. For now it is time to relax before dinner, which being Spain means 9pm! Tomorrow will start about 9:30 or so as it is not possible to get breakfast anywhere in this region before 8:30. Makes a nice change from last year and the 5:45 breakfasts and 6:30 transfers though and it’s a whole different mindset.

If “terror” and “terrific” have the same root word then it’s funny how contrasting they are! The bike held together and I held together and it’s been a great first day.

In fact it’s called a “blook”. Clever eh?

You know how, as soon as the final episode of a TV series has finished, they instantly start advertising the box set and you wonder “why would I bother, I’ve just seen it?”, well it’s the same here!

Actually I was wondering how to keep a permanent record of my blog and came across blookup.com which could do this for me. It might well be that the blog falls off the edge of the Internet at some point after all. A by-product of doing this was that an ebook was also produced and is available for sale on their site (in the “Blookshop” no less!). So if you would like a nicely formatted, tidied up, easier to read version then this is what you need. I’ve only corrected errors and inaccuracies but it is otherwise unchanged as I want this to remain a “warts and all” account of what I went through.

It could make an ideal gift for someone! A hard copy is available but expensive (the publishers want a lot for it) but the ebook is reasonable. Either way, I make a few Euro on each sale, all of which will ultimately find its way to the William Wates Memorial Trust.

The full title is “Rollercoaster: The highs and lows of the Tour de France” and charts both the physical and emotional journey that I have had. http://blookup.com/en/blookshop/blook/rollercoaster-28817

Happy reading!

 

 

I’ve been home for nearly a week now and I feel the time is right to wrap this all up in some way.

Cycling summary

Total distance: 2,270 miles (3,632 km)
Total climbing: 152,774 feet (46,565 metres), or 5.25 Everests
Total riding time: 161 hours (add approx. 2 hours per day to get elapsed time)
Average moving time: 14mph (22.6 kph)

What you will notice is that distance and climbing are of course the same as the pros, but the riding time is considerably less (Chris Froome finished in 86 hours). But as I am fond of saying, I am twice their age so I can take twice as long!

The return

Firstly, when I got home on Monday I burst out laughing when I opened the front door and saw this:

It brought home the point that we had not been following “yellow arrows” at all. We’ve been referring to our signs in this way for three weeks and it never occurred to me that the arrows should be described as black!

Nevertheless, I of course followed the arrow into the living room where this sight was waiting for me:

Cool huh? The evening got better as we were all together as a family for dinner in the garden – chilli con carne and champagne! Then my friend Pete came round with another bottle of champers. Hic!

The recovery

My week since then has consisted of sleeping, catching up on Tour de France highlights, snoozing and watching some live stages. I did get out of the house to collect my bike and also to clean it, but that was more or less it. On Friday I thought I was recovered, but a short ride to the pub where Babs was celebrating the end of term, plus a pint and a burger, meant that I was once again snoozing in front of the TV in the afternoon! I think I’m OK now – certainly I don’t want to sleep the summer away!

Route reflections

To Saturday then, and a warm welcome from club mates as I turned up for my first Bigfoot ride since coming home, which was much appreciated. The inevitable questions got me thinking how can I possible answer “how was it?” in a few short words. I was initially at a loss as to what to say as so much has happened!

I think my overall summary has to be that it was a rollercoaster of an experience. Pushed to the limits of physical and mental endurance one day, followed by some of the best-ever rides and great times on a bike the next.

I was asked “did I enjoy each part of every ride?”. No, I did not, but then it would have been unrealistic to think otherwise. I expected that some sections, or even whole days, would be a long slog and they were, especially into the wind and rain in the first week. But that just helps you appreciate the good days all the more. The same is true of the accommodation and to some extent the food provided by the hotels too. With a trip like this, if you can’t take the rough with the smooth then you shouldn’t take part.

Another common question was “would I do it again?”. The words that tumbled out of my mouth were “there’s no need”.  And there isn’t, though I know of people who have repeated the exercise years later.

“What’s next then John?”  I have no idea, though I will take part in Ride London 100 as part of a Bigfoot team next weekend. Cycling for pure enjoyment will be the order of the day for now though and I have no plans to ride across America or anything silly like that! Saturday’s club ride was great, smashing my PBs on some local climbs just for fun. In a few weeks’ time my fitness will have waned a bit, so I shall enjoy it while I can!

The events of the tour are all fused into one in my mind and I will have to go back to my blog and the photos in order to differentiate between many of the days. What has stayed in my mind are the following highlights and, for balance, low points.

The mountain stages obviously stand out favourably for me as one who prefers climbing to descending, particularly those which I knew from past experience or my recon mission in May – step forward Stages 5, 9 and 17. I really enjoyed Stage 17 (the Galibier) stage but what surprised me was how little I enjoyed the following day in the mountains – Stage 18 to the Izoard – despite it being one of the prettiest. I think cumulative fatigue played a part here, and particularly all the traffic, but the climb itself was a good one. Commentators have been saying how hard the Izoard climb is. That’s true, but it’s harder if you are racing it whereas I was just pacing myself, so in fact that climb was the best part of that particular day for me.

Other stages I really enjoyed were the short Stage 13 – not because it was short but because of the challenges, the Mur de Péguère in particular. Also the flat “holiday” ride in the Dordogne (Stage 10) stands out, as does the arrival in Le Puy-en-Velay (at the end of Stage 15) where we were treated to a magnificent view of the town before descending from the top of the final climb. And of course the last two rides in Marseille and Paris were pure pleasure.

On the other side, I mostly remember the first week as being a soggy, windy ordeal (except for Stage 5 and the Planche des Belles Filles and Stage 9 with its three HC climbs). Last year I rode the first 9 stages and I think that overall those who rode just the first 9 stages of the 2017 edition got a raw deal in comparison. The first “rest day” was also tricky because of the long transfer from east to west that we had to do, which put real pressure on us to get done all those things that we wanted and needed to do, such as getting clothes and bikes clean.

Rider reflections

I did not ride this in a vacuum of course. I was in the company of a great team of riders and support crew and the camaraderie we all enjoyed played a massive part in the success of the tour and I will be forever grateful for that. That, in fact, will probably be my abiding recollection, long after more painful memories of wind, rain, cold, heat, steep climbs, tricky descents, busy traffic, dull roads, tiredness and shortness of time have dissipated. Notice that I never mentioned hunger. I never went hungry! And I hope I never forget the beauty and majesty of God’s creation that I witnessed too. Some of the places we were privileged to ride through were truly spectacular.

Also, I did not ride this “blind” in the sense that I knew from previous experience on the Tour de Force what was coming. After riding half of the tour last year, I put into place all the various learning points that I had recorded. Notably, I did take care of myself during my training, going for massages and doing more stretching than I’ve ever done (which admittedly wasn’t difficult to achieve!). Taking a washing line and pegs helped deal with wet kit more efficiently and having two pairs of cycling shoes meant I never had to start with wet feet! This also helped on the day when my cleats failed and I was simply able to change shoes at the next feed stop, leaving cleat change faff to a more convenient time.  I was mentally prepared for late finishes, safe in the knowledge that Sarah does an excellent job of making sure there is food for everyone, no matter what. Consecutive late finishes still take their toll though and it’s great when the pattern is broken and there is time to enjoy the occasional dip in a pool before dinner.

I took less energy bars and gels because they were not needed (except for on a few mountain stages) and instead I took my winter jacket, which came into its own on Stage 9 (I should have had it in my day bag for Stage 8 too in retrospect). Taking a portable charger was very helpful and enabled me to maximise time on the coach for writing my blogs without the phone dying. It also meant I could get to sleep at a reasonable hour rather than staring at a screen late into the night.

One point I noted last year and which I ignored was that I still took a book – an easy to read biography rather than a complex novel, so it was easy to pick up and put down when I fancied, which admittedly wasn’t often.

Finally Stage 7 will be an abiding memory because this is when Dequane and Martyn visited from Westminster House Youth Club and rode with us in some horrible conditions. If you have heard the Team Dimension Data riders on the Tour de France speaking about how much they appreciate the strong link to the Qhubeka charity (changing people’s lives, mobilising them by providing bicycles), the cynic might think that they are contractually bound to say that. However, having had a close-up view of the good that the money raised by the Tour de Force does for the William Wates Memorial Trust and the charities that it in turn supports, then I can well imagine that this wider perspective is valuable to them. After all, and as I have already said, it is only a bike ride, albeit one that helps disadvantaged members of our society fulfil their potential.

I’m grateful for all those who have sponsored me so far and as I write I am just a little bit short of my target, so if you have enjoyed the blog and would like to add to the cause, then my page (below) is open until 31 August 2017.

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/JohnGriffiths5

Cycling summary

Breakfast: 08:00. Transfer: none. Start time: 09:00. Distance: 103km. Terrain: flat (some cobbles). Climbs: None, though there was still a bump or two – 700 metres! Finish: 16:00. Time in saddle: 4h30.

Suffer scores: John is missing spicy food. Alex is missing pizza!

Local lowdown

Just another Parisian suburb right? Well, it was in Montgeron that the first ever Tour de France started in 1903, so it’s a great place to start the last stage. Logistics mean that we start 11km away in Evry and don’t pass through Montgeron, but nevertheless I can feel the weight of history, just as much as passing the famous landmarks of the Arc de Triomphe and the Tour Eiffel. In those days each stage was around 400km, though there were only 6 of them and riders had a few days off between each one to recover. Always starting before dawn, one stage required them to start at 9pm the night before and ride through the night! We may have started at the crack of sparrows some days, but I’m pleased that’s where the similarities between this year’s tour and the 1903 version starts and finishes! Some may have preferred the flatter terrain of the original (only one significant mountain), but I do love the mountains.

To win any prize money in the 1903 Tour, a rider’s average speed had to be at least 20km/h (12.5mph) over the whole trip. In more recent times, the winner has been twice as fast as that. I’m not sure what my overall average speed has been. It has fluctuated, but definitely closer to the 1903 minimum! That I could do so is down to the quality of the bikes we have now compared with what they were riding back then, just in case anyone is thinking that I could have been a champion in an earlier age!

Tale from the Tour

A nice easy roll to Versailles this morning before heading in to Paris. Today’s stage is all about the Champs Elysées. We do only one circuit rather than 8 for some fairly obvious safety reasons (the Arc de Triomphe roundabout is legendary for its somewhat chaotic nature). What this means for us is that we make up the race distance by having a nicer ride into Paris via suburban and countryside routes.

 

OK so the above photo may have been rigged somewhat, as the champagne made it to the lunch stop in an ice bucket in the back of a van – not just for safety reasons but so that we don’t have to drink it warm!

Others had similar ideas, but I was the only one to have brought champagne flutes!

 

This was a great place to take some celebratory photos before completing the final kms into Paris.

On entering Paris itself, our group stopped to answer calls of nature at a bar. By the time we left (post beer and ice cream) the yellow arrows that we were following were being taken down. Turns out we should have gone direct to the Eiffel Tower before any mucking about. Oops!

Fortunately we were able to explain what had happened before the signs were taken down on the finishing circuit. We then rode up to the Arc de Triomphe before starting the complete lap that we were due to do before we would then peel off the roundabout and head towards the hotel. However, on heading up the Champs Elysées for the second time I realised that we had cut the circuit short and had not gone via the underpass at the bottom. I shouted out that I was going to carry on with another lap and do it properly this time. Rob came with me and we were very pleased that we did. Although we had already ridden further over the three weeks than the pros will, to have missed this little part out would have forever annoyed me!

More celebrations followed at the hotel and then on the Bateau Mouche where we had dinner on the Seine as we went up and down the river. It was a spectacular ending, with the Eiffel Tower all lit up and then flashing its lights for a few minutes every hour on the hour.

There, that’s it. Sarah and Gareth made sure the logistics and bike riding worked with incredible efficiency given the scale of the task and the support crew were as amazing as ever. All were rightly recognised for their hard work on tour and which made for a brilliant event. Together all the riders have raised nearly £350,000 on this trip so far which will really help the William Wates Memorial Trust support those who do not have the same privileges as us. What we have done is great, but it’s over. What the charities do is greater and continues day after day after day and is far more than a three week affair.

I have been blessed with a brilliant group of people with whom to ride and to share the experience.  Alex obviously who agreed to share a room with me throughout and I trust is not regretting it! Robin, Jenny and Andrew with whom we rode every day – truly a great little team – and others who were on our train from time to time, notably Warren (Wazza), Barry (Irish Gary), Gerard (always ready to leave before we were), and Jamie (you nailed it, better than “horseshoes and handgrenades” – US speak we think for “close but no cigar”).  Otherwise, Travis was a star in the face of adversity and has a very balanced view of life, Ulrich had to cope with getting his bike trashed, Deano completed unfinished business but may still yet come back for more. The Pauls and Jeff possibly made more café stops than we did and then there were those who practically rode the route solo. Huge respect to all the above and to those who I have not mentioned here.

My biggest thanks to my long suffering wife Babs of course. Not just the last six months of serious riding but the last 30 years! I’m on a train now, a proper one and not a cycle “train” and I can’t wait to be home and to spend the rest of the summer together.

Cycling summary

Breakfast: 06:30. Transfer: 1h00. Start time: 08:40. Distance: 22.5km time trial. Terrain: beside the seaside (200 metres climbing). Climbs: one bump. Finish: 10:40. Time in saddle: 1h20.

Cafe stops: 2 (including one at the train station). Photo stops: several.

Suffer scores: Really? This was the recovery ride to end all recovery rides.

Local lowdown

You need to spend a long time in Marseille to experience all that this city has to offer, with its ancient monuments, various sporting activities (2017 European Capital of Sport don’t you know) and interesting cuisine (sheep tripe anyone?). However, we are in the area for precisely 200km less than yesterday’s ride (in terms of official distance) before being whisked away to Paris on the TGV. We will see the Orange Velodrome though, where today’s stage starts and finishes.

Tale from the Tour

What a fantastic ride and a great way to lift the spirits! As much as the Düsseldorf time trial was a chore, so this was an absolute delight. Early morning in Marseille     meant that the traffic was light so even though we stopped at some red lights, these were photo opportunities!

It wasn’t too long before we had a coffee stop and were able to admire the view too.

After coffee, croissant and orange juice at a café on the marina, we headed up to Notre Dame de something or other and frankly marvelled at the fact that this route is a time trial. It’s  going to be a tough route and quite technical on the descent too. Look out for some fun and games on this one next week when the Tour comes through.

 

Great views of the Med too. Apparently the Tour has to visit the coast at least once in any year. Although I can’t confirm this, I was so glad it did.

Once the ride was done, we headed off to the train station. As I write, I am on the TGV to Paris. We have the whole carriage to ourselves and it is very noisy (at least in our section!). Is it euphoria, hysteria or the two large glasses of Affligem? Plus several bottles of wine!

We have nearly finished, but one of our main concerns is that we are all actually trapped in “Cycleworld” and that on Monday morning we will find that we have been reset and are back in Düsseldorf.  Noooooo!

 

Paris tomorrow. Should be some more fun and games!

Cycling summary

Breakfast: 05:45. Transfer: 1h00. Start time: 08:00. Distance: 222.5km. Terrain: trending downwards (still 2,700 metres climbing). Climbs: three Cat 3. Finish: 20:00. Time in saddle: 9h30.
Team punctures: 3

Suffer scores: John 6/10, Alex 6/10

Local lowdown

Embrun is apparently the driest and sunniest city in the area. It has certainly been one of the hottest! If you’re not an out-and-out roadie like me then there’s all sorts of very long distance triathlons and the like that you can do here. And of course if you get all hot and sweaty, then we end up among the “savon de Marseille” soap factories. The Patrouille de France are based here – French Red Arrows – I was hoping for a fly-past to celebrate our near-completion of the Tour but did get to hear one jet so I’ll take that! No categorised climbs after today so we’re on easy street now.

Tale from the Tour

Another long, hot day in the saddle today as we said goodbye to the mountains and headed south through Provence. Ultimately this was the third 8pm arrival on the trot, but at least this time there was time for a shower before dinner and it was good to feel human again!

We had a few punctures among the group today which put us towards the back of the pack. We’ve been fairly lucky on that score but that ran out today!

We actually rode 234km in the end. We have ridden more than the pros will and it’s tempting to skip a bit, but it will be all aboard the coach to Marseille tomorrow.

It was Bastille day, so as well as less commercial traffic I was expecting to go through towns and villages with holiday activity going on. Maybe more towns in bunting or little festivals. However, what was notable about this route was the almost complete lack of habitation! We did find one café that was open when we most needed it in the later afternoon though.

After the last feed stop I set off first from a group of 15 or so, expecting to be passed fairly soon as per usual on the initial downhill stretch. Somehow I stayed away. It would have made sense to sit up and let the others catch up to me, especially as it was really windy on the final flattish run in. But I sort of went into time trial mode and went for it! We have a time trial tomorrow, but that is going to be a “café ride” as there is no way we will be able to race that.

Not much else to say about today other than “job done” and there will be no more late finishes on the bikes which will be a welcome relief.

On that final run “home” to the hotel I got to thinking about going home properly. It’s been great on tour and the next couple of days will be good too and I wouldn’t want to miss them. But I’ll be ready to go home now, to be with Babs, to see my boys again, to sleep in my own bed, to not have to live out of a suitcase, to eat spicy food (chilli con carne for tea on Monday – woo-hoo) and to maybe clean my bike properly. I will go for a ride at some point, probably a club ride next Saturday but I’ll be in no rush. You never thought you would hear me say that now did you!

This was the longest stage of the Tour and with the heat and finally the wind, this made for a tough day that was tempered by lots of easy cycling.

Cycling summary

Breakfast: 06:30. Transfer: none. Start time: 07:40. Distance: 179.5km. Terrain: high mountains (3,700 metres climbing).  Climbs: one HC (Col d’Izoard), one Cat 1, one Cat 3. Finish: 20:10. Time in saddle: 9h35.

Suffer scores: John 8/10, Alex 7/10.

Local lowdown

Once upon a time I worked on a campsite for Eurocamp (that was a LONG time ago). A colleague was stationed in Briançon which he labelled “the highest town in Europe, the coldest town in Europe and the most boring town in Europe”. Now some of that he got from the tourist office I think, but probably not all of it….. Getting to the top of the Izoard is going to involve navigating our way past the numerous cheese producers in the area. There’s also a vibrant wood industry here, but I didn’t get to see that. Too many trees in the way.

Tale from the Tour

Not quite sure where to start.  Stressful but triumphant probably sums it up. Despite being a really pretty route and probably the best Etape du Tour for a while (though I did 2011/13/14/15), our rides are not ridden on closed roads so we had a lot of heavy traffic – lorries, many sports car enthusiasts and whole squadrons of motorcyclists. There were also quite a few tunnels which, though not long, are still a bit hairy when other vehicles are around.

Also I was keen to crack  on with completing the last hard climbs of the Tour, but had to be patient as these were not due until much later in the day. Ultimately of course, the job was done and although we have the Tour’s longest stage tomorrow, the end is nearly in sight even if not quite in touching distance yet. I also had a puncture which was caused by excessive heat building up in the tyres – a combination of high ambient temperature and my poor descending skills which means that I am on the brakes more than most. This seems to have caused the rim tape to be displaced and pop went the inner tube. That just added to the stress until the tape was replaced at feed stop 4. After that, it was a relief to be on the final HC climb, the Izoard (it’s not so ‘ard actually).

Despite the stress I felt, I have in fact been fortunate in that any health or mechanical issues I have experienced on this trip have been minimal so far.
The day in pictures then:

 

I must say that when passing the lake, which is massive and so took ages to ride alongside, a big part of me wanted to hire a camper van on the lake shore and then either sit under a tree or go for a bracing swim!

I don’t to be all doom and gloom though as that might just be tiredness talking anyway. The day certainly had its lighter moments:

Ultimately this was a day of triumph. As the kms to the top gradually ticked down, so we left the villages and cafés behind and saw the rocky slopes.

Then finally I had to allow myself this moment of celebration!

Sufferwise, it was the mental side of things that caused me most issues because of the traffic. So far on tour we have either had boring and busy roads or quiet and pretty ones, and these were pretty but busy. Maybe I am just more sensitive in my tired state. Alex is a good descender, so enjoyed that part of the day far more than I did!

Cycling summary

Breakfast: 06:30. Transfer: none. Start time: 07:30. Distance: 183km. Terrain: high mountains (climbing 4,700). Climbs: two HC (Croix de Fer, Galibier), one Cat 1, one Cat 2.  Finish: 20:10. Time in saddle: 11h10.

Gels consumed: 4 (normally none)

Actual distance covered: 202km (we often have to do more due to location of hotels).

Tan lines: sharp, but now looking very silly when just wearing pants!

Suffer scores: John 6/10, Alex 7/10

Local lowdown

An area I know well, as this stage follows a big chunk of La Marmotte, which I’ve ridden a couple of times, albeit Alpe d’Huez is not on the menu today, though Murçon (sausage flavoured with caraway) apparently is! We have more chance of seeing the hanging bridges in the Mure area than we do of experiencing the “altitude jazz festival” in Serre Chevalier (a famed ski resort), which is a shame because I like the high notes!

Tale from the Tour

I loved today. It was tough, yes, but these were familiar climbs and I was able to take some good photos. My first visit to these mountains was in 2010 when I suffered big time and stopped frequently on the Galibier. In 2014 I made a point of not stopping on that climb to prove that I could do it. Now my perspective has changed and I feel like I’ve got nothing to prove any more. If I want to stop and take a photo or eat something, then I do so.

The first climb to the Col d’Ornon was a simple affair and showed me some other routes that are available around Bourg d’Oisans and not just Alpe d’Huez.

The climb up to the Croix de Fer starts with the Glandon ascent for those who know the Marmotte but then goes right when approaching the top, not left. This is officially a 30km climb though the lower slopes are fairly easy. I took the opportunity to take photos of what I always remember from this climb, namely the many waterfalls that provide welcome relief from the heat.

Actually today was a good day for climbing, with the temperature in the mid 20s degrees in the valleys (and so cooler on the climbs) except for the flat road between the foot of the Croix de la Fer and the start of the Telegraphe, where it hit 33 degrees. That was not an especial problem as I made a better job of managing layers today than I did yesterday. The Galibier is over 2,600 metres, so the temperature dropped to 12 degrees at the top before warming up again on the descent to Briancon where we stay in the same hotel for two nights. Luxury! Less bag faff!

Sorry, train of thought diverted by waffle about temperature! I enjoyed the Telegraphe ascent because it has a fairly constant gradient and I got to pass the point where in 2010 I was so knackered that I had had to take a break. To me this meant that I was feeling at least as good as on my 2014 Marmotte, so that was a good sign. Not much else to report about that climb.

Galibier was next and not as hard as I remembered. Maybe I’m just stronger now and also I wasn’t pushing it. In fact I would rate the ride overall as being behind Stages 9 and 12 in the pecking order.

Tomorrow’s stage is designated the Etape du Tour, where around 14,000 people will ride stage 18 but on Sunday. At this point I would only rate this the fourth or fifth hardest of the Tour. The short stage 13 with its steep climbs is arguably tougher overall, but I can update you tomorrow to the extent that’s relevant to anything!

Again placement in the race and our probable improved fitness (despite fatigue) is likely to be relevant to our perceived suffer levels. Also relevant to me is that I knew what was coming and my legs and head were in totally the right place today.

Cycling  summary

Breakfast: 06:30. Transfer: 1h30 from the finish to the hotel. Start time: 08:00. Distance: 165km. Terrain: lumpy then flat (2,100 metres climbing). Climbs: one Cat 3, one Cat 4. Finish: 16:20. Time in saddle: 6h37.

Suffer scores: John 3/10, Alex 2.5/10

Local lowdown

We finish in a town renowned for its ravioles, so I expect some pasta for dinner. It’s also one of a number of towns I’ve been through in the past that sells chocolate shoes. Try getting a pair of cleats on them!

Tale from the Tour

I’m going to blame this on having relaxed too much on the rest day and not having got my cycling brain back into gear, but in truth the day started with a schoolboy error. The forecast was good, but we were still at altitude (1,000 metres) with variable reports and I headed off without arm warmers or waterproof jacket. After 2km it was raining and getting cold, but the van with my extra kit on would be at feed stop 1, so still 40km to go. A number of us seemed to be in the same position and fortunately Ian stopped the van at about 12km so that those who wanted to could get some more kit. Thanks Ian!

I found it a bit difficult getting going for the first two sessions. We talk about having “café legs” after a stop when everything seems to hurt for a bit, so this was probably a reaction to the rest day.

By the time we got to lunch at feed stop 3 things were going much better and then it was a flat 50km to the end, so all in all an easy day and passing through wine country.

We had an early finish at a bar with a lovely garden where beer and massage were available. I had both! Well, the beer was on the house, so it would have been rude not to!

It was very pleasant sitting in the garden until we were called to get on the bus to get to our next hotel. I’m pleased we are doing the transfer tonight rather than tomorrow morning because we have a big day ahead. It’s basically the Marmotte with a smaller col replacing Alpe d’Huez and will likely be another late finish. At least I know what’s coming, having done the climbs in previous  years. Having felt stronger on the latter part of today’s ride (40kph on the final flat, and I dread to think what the pros will be doing by then – 55-60kph?), I think I  am now back into it and ready to roll, if slowly and uphill for most of the day!

No real suffering today, just a slow start.