Rest day 2 - Bastille day

So today we had our 2nd (and final) rest day of the Tour, all of the "lifers" have been counting down to it for the last few days!

Before you start bleating on about why I need a rest day, bear in mind that ive now cycled over 1700 miles in just 16 days, thats the equivalent of riding from Lands End to John O'Groats..AND BACK AGAIN!!!!

It was an admin start to the day. Get up, have the usual continental/insufficient breakfast of bread and jam...milk? why would you want milk? with cereal and coffee..who would have thought they needed it in a hotel of 80 hungry cyclists?!

 Then it was a quick clean of the Tractor mobile, adjust the brakes so they actually stop me on the descents in the Alps over the next few days, and then chill!

Simon and I decided to head into Gap central, Gap is a pretty little town made up of many old squares and narrow alleyways.

A very random statue of a Gorilla, perhaps it was to honour Andre Greipel from the peleton?..although he is unlikely to feature in the top ten for this stage

Gap HQ - the town hall, very impressive for a small town

A lite bite to eat for our rest day lunch - needless to say this was quickly demolished and followed by a massive ice cream desert...but I've earnt it, right?

Nice big church, shame about the clock time...I sure there is a "fund" for its restoration going on somewhere

Its Bastille day in France today (The 1 day a year, when they all have a legitimate excuse to stop being on strike, and have a genuine reason for a day off!!), so the local forces were showing off their finery...not sure if they were "Snow Patrol" Army, or the local part time Pizza chefs, look at those Berets...super Mario anyone??

Not to be outdone by the local Army. Inspector Clouseau was lining up his men...no sign of Kato yet though? 

 

Have you heard the one about the Chief Inspectors wife???

 

No...say that again???

 

...And onto tomorrow - a bumpy day with more than a few "speed bumps" to negotiate

Tomorrows unofficial "Phil" stage

    

And the official TdF version... you can hardy tell the difference - really!

No stats du jour today, cos I only went out for a 3-4mile ride just to stretch the legs and see where everything in town was...Stage 17 is tomorrow, fingers crossed for a safe ride for everyone!

Mange tout!

TdF Stage 16 Bourg de Peage to Gap

Todays stage profile - generally uphill n'est pa? My legs felt pretty good today, maybe its cos they know we have a rest day coming up.

We were lucky to have a tailwind to start with and the 1st feed stop at 25miles came along pretty quickly - I was taking massive turns on the front as its good training for my Time Trials...plus I like to put the others in a bit of pain once in a while, when I can :-)   Top Tractoring!!

Just to give you an idea of roughly where we are in France - those lumpy brown bits on the right of the picture are the Alps...guess where we are heading next?!

Nice new "Tour" tarmac and long straight roads..how long can this last? We were heading along quite rapidly when there was a nasty accident in our group. Another rider is now out of the event with a broken collarbone, it shows how easily things can turn bad - heal well Jolyon!!

 

Dave also crashed and was lucky in some respect to get away with just a bit of road rash, but his bike was smashed to bits - literally! Luckily Jolyon's bike was still rideable, so Dave was set up on his bike instead and was able to carry on.

The terrain was starting to loom upwards in the distance - this is never a good thing!

Halfway up the 1st col of the day - the Col de Cabre

That lump in the distance is where we are heading

And here it is, a little bit closer up

 

A selfie, going downhill at 25mph - sure, why not?!

No, its not a postcard, this is the view from the top of the final Col of the day. The Col de Manse

Simon giving it the beans as he arrives at the summit of the Col de Manse

"I bet you cant get up on that haybale" - ha, you're wrong!

A rest day tomorrow, and then we get to take on some of these bad boys - The Alps, we're coming for you!

 

Stats du jour

 

Its a rest day for us tomorrow, so no biking apart from a little spin around town just to stretch the legs. Its also Bastille day here in France - Party time!...what could possibly go wrong?!

 

Au revoir

 

TdF Stage 15 Mende to Valence

Stage 15 profile

 

 

After the nightmarish steep finish to the day before stage up Montee Lauren Jalabert, it was relaxed start to the day...straight into another climb?!...Oh Good?! Luckily once we had got to the top it plateaued for a good few miles...happy days!

We were generally heading west today as we moved towards Valence, it was going well until the headwind of the last 20miles!

We are in the "transition" stages between Pyrenees and the Alps, and we were also at the mid point between the Atlantic and the Med

Another lovely sunny day...just the 35c seen today, brrrr its getting chilly?!

At the top of the plateau looking down on Jaujac as we head through the Ardeche region of France - Tres Jolly!

Yep, as per usual - we started down there in the distance, and then pedalled uphill for what felt like an age in the heat

The views from the top were worth it though

The view from the ascent of the Col de L'Escrinet

And finally we are now down to the flat levels again, heading over the Rhone river...the picture doesn't show the headwind though - that's all you need 180kms into the stage

 

The hotel managed to run out of glasses, were we happy to improvise...Mai Oui, but of course!

 

For todays stats click 'ere



TdF Stage 14 Rodez to Mende - Montee Laurent Jalabert

Stage 14 already, that's 2/3rds of the way through now, wow doesn't time fly when you are flogging your guts out every day!

 

 

Today was another "Interim" stage between the Pyrenees and Alps, it took us along and through the Tarn Valley which was amazing - if you have ever thought of visiting this part of the world, id recommend it.

A picture of a roundabout, you can take the boy out of MK, but you cant take MK out of the boy!

We started the day at the top of the plateau, which meant a speedy descent to the bottom of the valley, including overtaking a couple of slower moving cars

This village was cut right into the hillside - very picturesque

One of the key "sights" to be seen today was the Millau viaduct, the picture doesn't really do it justice - its mahoosive! and we ended up riding right underneath it. The French are obviously very proud of their bridge, as its mentioned everywhere (but was designed by a brit Norman Foster...ha ha)

A big lump...and an amazing piece of architecture

One of many fantastic views as we went through the Tarn Valley

Build the road round the mountain?...Non!

It really was one of the most picturesque stages we have  been through today, everyone in the peleton agreed on that.

 

Ok, so a few KMs ago, I started climbing from down there - a cheeky little Cat 2 climb of 9kms at 6%avg

A bit further up the same climb - fab views!

 

The real sting in the tail for todays stage was this little critter - 174kms into the stage when the temp had reached 35c, and they decide to put a really steep climb at the end of the stage ( the Course designers know how to get the best for TV coverage!)

 

Officially, its called the Cote de la Croix Neuve, although its known locally as Montee Laurent Jalabert after the famous French TdF rider who won the stage here years ago...win a stage, have a mountain named after you - seems reasonable right??

 

 

It really was a leg breaker after 175kms, it averages at 10%+ but there were long sections of 16+% (for those of you in MK, think Bow Brickhill hill for 3kms...ouch!) 

 

Another transition day across the Massif Central tomorrow - im hoping for another 120mile "easy day"

 

Je suis knackered!

 

Todays stats...an "easy day"...yeah right?!

 

Many thanks to everyone who has already donated so generously, but if you haven't had a chance to sponsor me yet, but are enjoying hearing about the suffering im going through,  

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TdF Stage 13 Muret to Rodez

A tres picturesque day today, lots of sunflowers and tree lined avenues early doors. There's no such thing as a "gimme" stage in the Tour de France, but this would be about as close as you could get to it, 121 Miles and 7800ft Climbing - compare that to your normal sportive event?!

Tres Jolly

At least its flat...makes a change!

The Peleton in action, Simon getting in touch with his feminine side, wearing Pink.

Dave giving it his best Tommy Voeckler impression..BTW Dave - you are on the wrong side of the road!

Seems like a great place to stop and get out of the 100f heat...so we did! Ice cold cokes all round...I know, I know, no beers -who would have thought it?!

 

We were in a group of 4 as we headed to the end of the stage, and everyone's legs were tired..or so we thought. We dropped Simon on a couple of short climbs before the end, so being a decent group we sat up and waited for him -only to see him catch up and then come flying past us and off on his own..the git!

 

All in all, it was day that we all needed after the sufferfest of the day before, and the bonus is that we start directly from the hotel, which means the alarm wont go off at 5:30am! Happy days, bring on tomorrow. Bon soir!

 

Todays stats