Average speed: 11.3 mph
Max speed: 35.6 mph
Time in saddle: 8 hours 56 min.
With four mountains (Cols) to climb today, it was going to be a tough day, didn't realise how bloody tough though. Leaving at 9am weather was already looking like it was going to be a hot one.
With our guide for the day hanging back to wait for a late starter, we (Dave and myself) decide the best option is to follow the four yanks in our group as one of them had done the tour before.
First big mistake of the day. The first col, which was the Col du Marie Blanc didn't really seem to be much of a climb, in actual fact just a bit of undulating road. After about 30 miles we all realised that we had in actual fact skirted around the col and therefore 'cheated'. The Yanks and Aussies in our group decided to stuff it and carry on regardless, but being English and daft, Dave and myself concluded we should back and complete the 12km climb, thus adding another 24km to the day. A canadian joined us for good measure. Still feeling fresh, seemed a great idea. Got to the top, photos taken to show the Yanks and Aussies they had only cheated themselves, we could then go back to where we were 90 minutes before.
Next climb of the day was the big Col d'Aubisque (1709). A long old climb, but managed to get into the middle of a group of Danish riders. Going really well till they explained to me that this was their last climb of the day and for them they could give it their all. At that point, I was out the back like a flash as I still had the monster to finish.
Getting to the top for lunch everything seemed fine, descending still slow as my new bike is for too fast for the speed of my brain.
Getting to the bottom of the Col du Tourmalet and just 18km to the top, there was just three of us, Dave, John (an aussie that skipped the first climb) and myself. We were a spent force. Around 8km to go and we could barely make headway, with me using the 'are we nearly there yet' helpful technique and wanting to stop whenever we could. Everyone kept telling us, last 3km are a killer. We got there, rebuilt our broken bodies and pushed hard. Actually, just the last 500m were really tough.
Made it to the top, everything shut as we were so damned late, just a 12km roll down the hill, which included having to miss sheep, cows, alpacas and various other assortment of animals.
Into the hotel and were told dinner was ready as we were late!
Without doubt, hardest physical day of my life. These little legs can't take much more of this punishment!
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