TdMB minus 56 days
Bike of choice : Kap
Distance : 170Km
metres climbed : +3500m
It's the third time I've set out to ride the full lap of this event ( formerly the Challenge Dauphine) ... my local Sportif in the Vercors, it's almost rude not to as it always passes through the village I live in.
At the first attempt 3yrs ago it was lashing with rain, the target was really the 120Km loop and I was riding with Robin who had flown over for the weekend, didn't have much riding in his legs and was probably going to be pushed by the 120. In the end it was lashing with rain, Robin was mildly hypothermic on the descent from the Col de Herboilly and I was relieved to hear his ask if we could cut it short and just do the 75Km.
Next attempt with Ali and Wendy of the Chant the weather was with us but the travel gods were most definately not. Two different flights coming into two different airports both being diverted to a third and fourth meant we finished building their bikes at 2am and headed off to the startline 5hrs later.
We might still have been OK if Ali hand't punctured on the way up to Bois Barbu and lost an hour trying to sort it ... to cut a long story short we rode the 120Km that year.
So the jinx had to be broken, I was riding alone with no-one else to blame if I didn't get round and this time I had a very different head on. It's "only" 158Km so I might as well ride over the Croix Perrin to get to the start line (10Km and +250m warm-up ride) I arrived in Autrans with just enough time to scoff a croixant and some fruit before the hooter sounded and the mass of 800 riders in front of me started moving back over the Croix Perrin towards Lans. There were a surprising number of Brits in the pack some of whom keep coming back to ride this event. Hardly surprising really as it's such a gorgeous place.
Autrans - Croix Perrin - Lans - Villard - col de Herbouilly .... almost a standard ride for me so far but then first the 70Km and the 120Km riders peel off to go their seperate ways and without any though or hesitation we descent down the Grand Goulets through the new tunnel towards the Drome and St Jean en Royans.
The temperature has risen fast and although I knew I had started way at the back of the pack I was surprised to find that there was no-one else in sight. I seemed to be dangling out on my own between packs and it pretty much stayed like that all the way round.
After St Jean came the (speak in booming voice) COL DE LA MACHINE ! A fantastic climb which ends with one of those classic clifftop roads passing through natural tunnels and arches, a wee wall on the left seperates you from a 500m vertical drop to the valley below. There are more riders around me now all struggling in the heat, every now and again one of them blows up and starts slipping backwards (me too) then finds some reserves and crawls back. Over the col at the 80Km mark I note that this is just 1/4 distance on the TdMB .... there's no rest as we immediately continue the climb towards the Col de Lachaud.
There were 4 guys 500m ahead of me on the road, working together up the climb but I couldn't bridge that gap until we reached the col and then they all sat up to coast the descent so I freewheeled away from them down past the Musee de la resistance and into Vassieux for what would be my last refuelling stop.
100Km down - not even a third of the TdMB and I'm knackered.
Over the Col de Alexis it started raining, huge globules, a welcome relief from the heat just at the point where the long straight run back across the Vercors starts. I was spinning along at 45Km grinning from ear to ear when I passed the final refuelling station, no way was I stopping to get cold when I knew there were still 2 grinding climbs to come. On the long haul up to St Julien en Vercors the organisers has put up signs saying "dos d'ane" (donkey's back) .... it felt very apt as I grovelled my way up - it's not meant to be hurting like this !
Down the other side into the Gorge de la Bourne and up the final climb - again a climb I usually relish as it's cool and the gradiend is light but yesterday it was tough - the final sting in the tail came as we turned up the valley to Meadre and Autrans ... a stiff headwind for the last 10Km to sap the little energy that was left.
Zipped up and sprinted across the line though ;o)
I was too hot and dehydrated but at the same time pleased to dip under the 7hr mark, 6hr 30mins in the saddle plus a bit of stoppage time for eating for a 158Km +3250m lap, all I've got to do is double that, throw in a bit more climbing and I'm there. I think I might have to borrow a triple chainset though.
8wks to go !!!
Monday, May 24, 2010
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Another lunchtime col ... and a fair old bonk !
TdMB minus 59 days
Bike of choice : Kap
Distance : 40Km
metres climbed : +1090m
todays offering was the Col de la Charmette, 40Km round trip in a straight out, straight up, down and back sort of way. A climb of +1090m over 11Km in 39x23 was in the end just a wee bit too hurty for someone who hadn't eaten enough this morning ....
Fred, Ludovic and I took a little too long getting away from the office but were soon on the lower slopes of the climb and peeling off the layers as the sun was shining once again. All was going OK if a bit on the difficult side until we passed a sign indicating 6Km's to the top and I suddenly had the impression that the road had tilted hard in the upward direction ... unfortunately it hadn't and I bonked proper like with 3Km to go to the summit, no food and out of water - it was a very long 3Km and the other guys were just stating to worry about what had happened to me when I finally rolled up to the viewpoint. I don't remember the view.
It was 10 to 2 ... and I had a team mtg at 2pm .... ooops that's cancelled then.
The descent was terrifying, my vision went all blurry, I couldn't focus on the road and was having problems steering round the corners, lips were tingling too. Thankfully it's a quiet road as I don't think I was holding my line too well. Even when we got back to the flat it was bizarre - legs were fine, I could spin along the road tucked in behind the others but I could barely see them.
Back at the office it was straight to the cafe on site to buy all the sugary cakes that were left and some coke to washed them down.
Great climb though :O)
Will go back next week with some fuel in the tank.
Bike of choice : Kap
Distance : 40Km
metres climbed : +1090m
todays offering was the Col de la Charmette, 40Km round trip in a straight out, straight up, down and back sort of way. A climb of +1090m over 11Km in 39x23 was in the end just a wee bit too hurty for someone who hadn't eaten enough this morning ....
Fred, Ludovic and I took a little too long getting away from the office but were soon on the lower slopes of the climb and peeling off the layers as the sun was shining once again. All was going OK if a bit on the difficult side until we passed a sign indicating 6Km's to the top and I suddenly had the impression that the road had tilted hard in the upward direction ... unfortunately it hadn't and I bonked proper like with 3Km to go to the summit, no food and out of water - it was a very long 3Km and the other guys were just stating to worry about what had happened to me when I finally rolled up to the viewpoint. I don't remember the view.
It was 10 to 2 ... and I had a team mtg at 2pm .... ooops that's cancelled then.
The descent was terrifying, my vision went all blurry, I couldn't focus on the road and was having problems steering round the corners, lips were tingling too. Thankfully it's a quiet road as I don't think I was holding my line too well. Even when we got back to the flat it was bizarre - legs were fine, I could spin along the road tucked in behind the others but I could barely see them.
Back at the office it was straight to the cafe on site to buy all the sugary cakes that were left and some coke to washed them down.
Great climb though :O)
Will go back next week with some fuel in the tank.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Breakfast ride ....
TdMB minus 60 days
Bike of choice : Kap
Distance : 39Km
metres climbed : +1002m
Breakfast rides in the normal sense require mates, an early start, a ride into the hills / woods, probably a fry-up, cake and whisky. Billy no-mates here sneaked in a sort-of breakfast ride today courtesy of a fantastical mis-alignment of organisation abilities leading to all sorts of things being in the wrong place requiring a ride to regroup them all in the right places .... and grab some breakfast from the boulangerie round the corner from the house.
... nice skies this morning.
Next week might well contain a looooooong commute.
I even put in the gratuitous extra grunt up to Col de la Croix Perrin to score the 1000m climb for wee Rob
Bike of choice : Kap
Distance : 39Km
metres climbed : +1002m
Breakfast rides in the normal sense require mates, an early start, a ride into the hills / woods, probably a fry-up, cake and whisky. Billy no-mates here sneaked in a sort-of breakfast ride today courtesy of a fantastical mis-alignment of organisation abilities leading to all sorts of things being in the wrong place requiring a ride to regroup them all in the right places .... and grab some breakfast from the boulangerie round the corner from the house.
... nice skies this morning.
Next week might well contain a looooooong commute.
I even put in the gratuitous extra grunt up to Col de la Croix Perrin to score the 1000m climb for wee Rob
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
a wee col for lunch !
TdMB minus 61 days
Bike of choice : Kap
Distance : 35Km
metres climbed : +1172m
I guess someone was listening then, the sun is out, there's a bit of energy flowing, the motivation is present and I didn't have any early afternoon meeting to attend.
So I casually mentioned a lunchtime ride to my colleague Fred knowing that his bike was moored next to Kap down in the bike racks.
The Col de la Porte in the Chartreuse was ready for it's first tasting of the season ... a 1Km warmup at best then straight up a relentless but fun, twisty climb in the trees to the top and back down, bit of chat along the way and into the canteen for lunch - after a shower of course !
It's one of the great advantages of working here in Grenoble, big climbs you can almost reach out and touch from the office window and a deep acceptance of the concept of a 1hr40 ride followed by a quick refeuling in the canteen.
I felt good !
I'm buzzing now I am :O)
Groof woof yip gruff awooooooooo
Bike of choice : Kap
Distance : 35Km
metres climbed : +1172m
I guess someone was listening then, the sun is out, there's a bit of energy flowing, the motivation is present and I didn't have any early afternoon meeting to attend.
So I casually mentioned a lunchtime ride to my colleague Fred knowing that his bike was moored next to Kap down in the bike racks.
The Col de la Porte in the Chartreuse was ready for it's first tasting of the season ... a 1Km warmup at best then straight up a relentless but fun, twisty climb in the trees to the top and back down, bit of chat along the way and into the canteen for lunch - after a shower of course !
It's one of the great advantages of working here in Grenoble, big climbs you can almost reach out and touch from the office window and a deep acceptance of the concept of a 1hr40 ride followed by a quick refeuling in the canteen.
I felt good !
I'm buzzing now I am :O)
Groof woof yip gruff awooooooooo
Sunday, May 16, 2010
TdMB minus 64 -at last a proper ride !
Bike of choice : Kap
Distance : 80Km
metres climbed : +2250m
Fuelled by yesterday's positive vibes I struck out again, heading in the same direction and with the intention of pressing deeper into Switzerland via the col de la Forclaz - to Martigny and back if the weather didn't progress beyond drizzle back into snow.
I made a bit of a schoolboy error before starting out, checked the distance OK and knew the heights of the 2 cols I was going to go over but for some un-explainable reason I didn't check the altitude of Martigny. I "assumed" it was around the same alt as Chamonix and so I'd be riding 4 climbs of 4-500m along the way with the option to turn back at the top of Forclaz if the weather was ugly or the energy levels low.
When I reached the Col though all was nicely lined up so I just went straight over and dropped into the trees on the other side. I must have been enjoying the road snaking through the trees as it took a long time before it occurred to me that I'd gone along way down ! But I was still in the clouds, my altimeter was reading 800m and I thought I'd push on just a bit further as I must be nearly down .... suddenly I was out of the clouds AND the tree's and shooting across a steeply terraced vineyard with a series of hairpins reaching down the the valley floor below ! It was still a long way down - and more to the point it was going to be along climb backout.!!!!!
Option 1 : drink coffee, eat chocolate and start riding back asap
Option 2 : find train / bus station and take the easy way back
(I hope you didn't for a second think option 2 was a serious contender ?)
I high-tailed it back up that hill with a big black cloud chasing me all the way ! Long and steady and hurty almost all the way up for 1hr15mins. There was no time to waste at the top as the weather was getting ugly and having setout on this ride late afternoon the sun that I hadn't seen was no longer heating the top side of the clouds. Once again I was feeling my way down the descents praying to the puncture gods to leave me alone today ... they did, and I passed the border without any dramas and soon found myself back in the warmth tucking into a huge plateful of couscous feeling good about the ride I just stole from the weather.
80Kms, +2250m in 4.5hrs ..... I just have to multiply that by 4 to get what's going to lie in front of me in 9wks time !
Here's hoping that the weathers going to be better and I'm going to have a bit more speed / energy in me by then. Right now I've no idea how I'm going to achieve that.
Distance : 80Km
metres climbed : +2250m
Fuelled by yesterday's positive vibes I struck out again, heading in the same direction and with the intention of pressing deeper into Switzerland via the col de la Forclaz - to Martigny and back if the weather didn't progress beyond drizzle back into snow.
I made a bit of a schoolboy error before starting out, checked the distance OK and knew the heights of the 2 cols I was going to go over but for some un-explainable reason I didn't check the altitude of Martigny. I "assumed" it was around the same alt as Chamonix and so I'd be riding 4 climbs of 4-500m along the way with the option to turn back at the top of Forclaz if the weather was ugly or the energy levels low.
When I reached the Col though all was nicely lined up so I just went straight over and dropped into the trees on the other side. I must have been enjoying the road snaking through the trees as it took a long time before it occurred to me that I'd gone along way down ! But I was still in the clouds, my altimeter was reading 800m and I thought I'd push on just a bit further as I must be nearly down .... suddenly I was out of the clouds AND the tree's and shooting across a steeply terraced vineyard with a series of hairpins reaching down the the valley floor below ! It was still a long way down - and more to the point it was going to be along climb backout.!!!!!
Option 1 : drink coffee, eat chocolate and start riding back asap
Option 2 : find train / bus station and take the easy way back
(I hope you didn't for a second think option 2 was a serious contender ?)
I high-tailed it back up that hill with a big black cloud chasing me all the way ! Long and steady and hurty almost all the way up for 1hr15mins. There was no time to waste at the top as the weather was getting ugly and having setout on this ride late afternoon the sun that I hadn't seen was no longer heating the top side of the clouds. Once again I was feeling my way down the descents praying to the puncture gods to leave me alone today ... they did, and I passed the border without any dramas and soon found myself back in the warmth tucking into a huge plateful of couscous feeling good about the ride I just stole from the weather.
80Kms, +2250m in 4.5hrs ..... I just have to multiply that by 4 to get what's going to lie in front of me in 9wks time !
Here's hoping that the weathers going to be better and I'm going to have a bit more speed / energy in me by then. Right now I've no idea how I'm going to achieve that.
TdMB minus 65days ... will it ever stop raining ?
Distance : 38Km
metres climbed : +750
This rain is getting tedious ! I went to Chamonix to "get in touch" with the mountain but the weather was just super oppressive and wet and of course all the high cols are still closed so I accepted this as an opportunity to do a bit of carbo loading and to drink some red Energy juice ;o)
The original plan had been to get a bus to Bourg Saint-Maurice and ride over the Cormet de Roseland and then follow the start of the TdMB route to get to Chamonix ... some other time eh !
On Friday I forced myself to get out in the rain and at least ride some of the route, nothing ambitious, up and over the Coldes Montets down to the Swiss border, buy somechocolate and then back.
I think it might have been the worst first 3Km'sof a ride ever, I nearly gave up straight away. not because of the rain but the state of my head. I somehow kept going and by the timeI reached the Col I was actually enjoying myself. Down to the border crossing, quick wave to the Gendarmes buy chocolate and start back up the hill .... it suddenly gets very cold and before I know it it's snowing hard. Aaaaaaaarrrrghhhhhhhh - but it woke me up. I was frozen rigid by the time I got back to the col and was forced to tiptoe back down the other side on skinny slick road tyres.
An hour later once the warmth returned courtesy of a hot drink and an open fire all was good again and this time I felt much better after the ride than I had at the start of it. If the stress monkeys can eat energy then riding can at least drive them away and let the batteries start to charge again.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Hurdles II
good point Dave ...
Well I went to edinburgh to work and although I set out with good intentions to ride whilst there it didn't really work out. Mtgs that dragged on, customers that needed entertained and rain created lethargy and before I knew it a week was gone and I was back in France knackered.
The demons are chewing my energy bars and it's still raining hard.
I did manage to get one plateau ride in over the weekend but the totaliser isn't spinning up in the way that it should.
Long weekend starts in a couple of hours, let's see what that brings !
Well I went to edinburgh to work and although I set out with good intentions to ride whilst there it didn't really work out. Mtgs that dragged on, customers that needed entertained and rain created lethargy and before I knew it a week was gone and I was back in France knackered.
The demons are chewing my energy bars and it's still raining hard.
I did manage to get one plateau ride in over the weekend but the totaliser isn't spinning up in the way that it should.
Long weekend starts in a couple of hours, let's see what that brings !
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