TdF Stage 8 Rennes to Mur de Bretagne

It was so hot in the hotel last night, so hot! I don't think anyone got any decent kip - there certainly wasn't much chat on the coach to the start line this morning, someone was 15mins late for the coach as well, which made him really popular as everyone else had managed to get there on time.

 

Todays route took us from Rennes to Mur de Bretagne, 117 miles all in, and over 7000ft of climbing (there is no such thing as a flat stage in the TdF...well, once we got out of The Netherlands)

 

 

They will put pictures of the TdF on anything...a decorated watertower anyone? 

The Fresh Prince's "alternative" Bel Air residence?

Simon wearing the colours on American independence day

This part of France was liberated by the Americans on 6th Aug 1944...seemed kinda apt to post this for our colonial cousins

 

 Todays route, and the topography of the Mur de Bretagne...Hmm, it says 10.1% is the steepest - I beg to differ, my Garmin was registering 15-16% for a while...after riding over 110miles before we got to this, it was a real sting in the tail! Its a straight road, so you can see the good news right ahead in front of you, the "wall" is well named! The only bonus was that to get to our hotel, we had to go back down the same way that we had just come up - cue a top speed today of 52mph

 

Todays stats du jour

Tomorrows stage is a relatively short stage, that the Pro's will complete as a team time trial, its only 28km, so will feel like a rest day for us! then comes a long transfer by coach and a REAL rest day, my knees and ar$e are thankful for that!