Once more into the breach....

Today we had our second rest day....and one that could not have been more welcome. The last three days have been incredibly tough as we entered into the Pyrenees and have just got tougher.

Yesterday was a day I will never forget. I basically climbed half the height of Everest...4,600 metres in 196km, in scenery that was quite unbelievably beautiful and became increasingly so with every pedal stroke. We seemed to climb and climb from just 3km out of our hotel. We had two category 1 climbs before noon which were tough enough but they were merely a warm up before the big one....and the one that the tour had been culminating towards.

The Col du Tourmalet

A Category HC (uncategorized....ie off the scale) this is 17km of constant uphill that varies in 8 to 12% and takes us up to 2115m above sea level. The view from the top was beyond spectacular and made doubly so by the effort of getting there. It was also the first day since stage 2 that I haven’t been in pain with my knees. For some reason climbing seems to help them and they have eased in the last couple of days and it has been my strongest ride todate.....joy!!





Photos don’t really do this place justice but thankfully (am I really saying this?) we are going back tomorrow for the final Pyrenean stage and this years Etape stage. The Tourmalet climb from the other side....I cant wait!