So today I was greeted with the most glorious Blue skies that Monet would have been proud to paint. I was going to attempt a super ride........put simple a double Hors Categorie endurance test.
On the menu was the giant of the Pyrenees the Col du Tormalet (2115 metres) and then to follow that with a climb to the ski station at Luz-Ardiden (1715 meters). Both these climbs will be completed at the back end of Stage 12 of this years TDF. I was going to ride the last 55 km of this stage to see where my cycling "Mojo" stood.
Before I could hit the climbs, I had to cycle about 30 km South of Lourdes arriving at the beautiful postcard Spa Resort town of Luz-Saint-Saveur (try saying that with a mouthful of peanuts)!!!
I had been warned about the Tourmalet and the sheer fact that this is a colossus of a climb stretching 18 km up at a thigh busting 7.5 % grade. Well in first few KMs the mountain threw everything at me, but today I had come to play ball. Aside from having some reasonable physical condition before undertaking this trip, the most important muscle for me is the 6 inches between the ears. A strong mind is needed when you know that the first climb was going to take the best part of 2 hours.
Anyhow I got into a good tempo and before too long was halfway up the hill. It was hot and I consuming vast quantities of water to stay hydrated. I estimate I would have drank around 6 liters of fluids today to try and replace the sweat that just keeps pouring out of you.
Once I hit the top I was as happy as a pig in the proverbial. I took some pics, drank some ice cold Coke and ate the Cherry pie from the Chalet (highly recommended). After refueling I then took off down the hill like a Pro and was back in Luz-Saint-Saveur in 25 mins.
From there I then started on the 13 km summit of Luz-Ardiden. This climb is pretty famous, as it is where Lance Armstrong crashed in 2003 when climbing the last part of the stage. He got his handlebars caught up in a spectators hand bag and hit the deck like a sack of spuds ( you can see on You Tube "Lance Crash Musette Bag").
Anyhow enough about the Texan, this blog is about a proud Victorian!! The 13 KMs took me a little over an hour, and I bad a quick rest at the top. I shot some video and pics and hopefully they covey the savage incline near the top.
The decent down is an absolute cracker, and it's fast, furious and require a little nerve ducking in and out of the multiple corners. Once at the base I continued on back to Lourdes. All up it was just under 130 KMs, in 6 hours and 25 mins of some of the best cycling I have even done. I am not sure what the French word is for exhausted and exhilarated, but that is how I felt upon completing this marathon day.
After a couple of beers I sauntered down to the local restaurant for some Paella. While not a culinary highlight on this trip, it was a decent serve to replenish the spent fuel from today........... as was the Banana Split!
Cycling Foodie