One thing that has always been special about the modern day coverage of the Tour de France is the amazing photography and scenic shots from the helicopters which follow the peloton as it weaves its way across France. Having spent many a happy summer’s holiday across the Channel, it is alway a thrill to catch a view of a familiar sight which brings back fond past memories. One year I am determined to combine the two!
Anyway yesterday the peloton was in Nîmes and memories of a steamy visit to the amphitheater flooded back. We were there last June, when gladiators were replaced by a music act rehearsing for an evening show.
The peloton was later seen crossing the Pont du Gard, the Roman aqueduct and the destination of another of last June’s holiday excursions. Amazing to think of the peloton crossing that narrow ancient structure just as we had, I wonder if they were in as much awe as us or was it just another road to traverse?
One attraction I did not see them passing or visiting, as we had on that day, was the Haribo museum! I’m sure they would have had they known they were so close, those little sugary morsels being such a good friend of the cyclist .. or is that just this one!?
It is just 35 days now until my Prudential charity ride and so was out for another training session with Jason, my RideLondon buddie. Today, it was back to Taunton, Jason's cycling ground, and he'd planned out a terrific circuit taking in a couple a good hills and some wonderful scenery. I had originally thought we were in for a relatively flat ride having viewed the profile and seen 1200 units of climb. On my system I use feet, so thought I was in for a gentle ride, but Jason uses metres!
This weekend also marks the start of the Tour de France and while we were out on our ride, the pros were departing Leeds on Stage 1 of their 3 week tour, for a 190.5 km race to Harrogate. We had 100 training ride planned but I was at least wearing my 2013 TdF commemorative Sky jersey and routing for a third victory. I would have loved for Cav to have secured the yellow jersey in Harrogate; such bad fortune to have crashed out with just 100m to go, but unexpectedly Froome crossed the line in 6th, so the jersey seemed to work for him!
Routing for a third Sky victory
Also in the news today is the call for the government to use more of our road tax to fix our potholed roads. Listening to the radio this morning en route to Taunton, I was amazed at how the presenter was so dismissive of the AA representative saying that riding on e.g. French roads was one of the joys of a European holiday .. he'd obviously only ever flown. And then when catching up on the TdF later in the evening, I saw one of the cyclists letting air out of his tyres to further dampen the impact of the uneven road surface. To top it all, my new Mavic wheels of just 6 weeks, have been pummelled out of alignment by, yes you've guessed it, our appalling roads! Now to find a bike workshop that I can a) trust to do the work and b) who can do it in quick time so I'm not kept off the road ... I need a second bike!
Back to today's ride. Having been uncomfortable battling with traffic on dual carriageways on my last Taunton outing, Jason had taken heed and picked out some very typical AVP styled lanes which really made for a highly enjoyable ride today. The weather did not look too promising at first as I drove through heavy rain crossing the Blackdown Hills but having to repeat the 45 minute journey, because I'd forgotten my cycling shoes, allowed for the rain to clear and sun to shine .. as they say, 'every cloud has a silver lining'.
We started out heading north and up our first climb from Monkton's junction to Pines Cafe. Jason has the KOM for this segment, but I think he told me too late for me to have a go at taking it from him .. next time, but then again, with my memory, he know's I'll forget!
Coffee stop at Pines Cafe
Although only 10 miles into the ride, the Cafe was too much of an attraction for me to pass by and we had what I hoped was to be our first coffee and cake stop.
From Pines Cafe we turned south climbing and then rapidly descending Cothlestone Hill into Bishop's Lydeard, Milverton and past Wellington, with a slight off road detour to visit his monument. It was here that we started our second and final big climb before the long and undulating descent through the Somerset Levels, which earlier this year had been under water. The evidence of such extensive and devastating flooding was still very clear, as every house through one village was gutted and undergoing renovation and large water pumps and river drainage excavations visible.
It was at this 40 mile point that I hit the wall .. or bonked as cyclists say. It was past lunch time, I'd eaten little and breakfast was a distant memory. I felt good to go on but my muscles had exhausted their fuel, they were going nowhere fast. After Jason shared his spare banana and a stop for a cereal bar at the next garage I was back to near normal. A good lesson was learned there .. keep eating! I now see why Froome needed that gel in the last few km on the TdF last year, even though it cost them a fine and time penalties. We finally returned to Taunton along a rather overgrown but picturesque canal towpath completing a very enjoyable and scenic ride.
During the ride, I took the opportunity to test out my new Gopro camera. This clip is a small one covering a short climb and long descent of Cothlestone Hill. Look out for the wide vehicle and a bit of a wobble on one of the corners. http://youtu.be/s_V6TCbq2jc
Today is the final stage of the Tour de France, when for a second year in succession, a British rider will cycle up the Champs-Elysées in the Yellow Jersey, Maillot Jaune. Today, all being well, Chris Froome will follow Wiggins on to the top step of the podium in Paris to win the biggest prize in cycling. Froome has had a fascinating journey from his African background to Britain's new cycling star and just as I revelled in reading about Wiggo's route to winning the Tour in 2012, I'm looking forward to reading what is bound to be the next cycling autobiography to be released later in the year, Froome's Time!
73 miles covered this week.
Meanwhile, 10 hours before the final stage start today at 16:00, I woke early and, after yesterday's longer than planned circuit, decided on a much more gentle, lazy Sunday morning ride and that it was. There was no time trialling down the Axe Valley straight nor speed climbing up hills, it really was a very relaxing 8 mile circuit, taking in the sights and using the easiest gear for every incline, just enough to keep me rolling along and aerobically stimulated. What's more, this short ride out this morning secured me my greatest distance travelled in one week, so far. After my 2 week holiday and 4 week break from the AVPs, I'm now back to my peak cycling fitness, with 73 miles covered this week alone.
Today is the 17th day of the Tour de France and with only 4 more days remaining until the final stage,Versailles to Paris Champs-Elysees, it is amazing to see how well Chris Froome is performing. He is now sitting over 4 minutes ahead of his nearest rival and this is even more outstanding considering there are only 2 minutes then between the times of the next 5. What surprises me about cycle racing at this level is how the whole team pull together for their lead rider. It is a team event with the one goal of getting their man to the front of the pack when they cross the line. It is fascinating to watch the strategies and tactics unfold over a 200+ km race.
In heady support of Team Sky, I could not resist using their Facebook Avatar Creator to create a vision of how my team jersey may look ...
For my circuit today, I felt I had to do more to make up for yesterday's lacklustre performance. So heading out up over my 3 hills, along the estuary and into Colyton, my plan was to get up to 10 miles and also reach my 500 mile marker. It was with great disappointment, therefore, to see on my return that I'd missed this by 0.2 miles! I could not leave this like that, a lunchtime ride would have to be squeezed into my busy schedule. Riding out at midday is a totally different prospect to that of an early morning one, the heat hit me as I left the office and built as I rode. What kept me going was the thought of a lovely cool pint at the end! As always, the homeward journey seemed quicker and I now have the measure of a lunchtime pint run, which when the mood takes me again, may very well be brought into play!
The heatwave continued through the weekend and I had the Yeovilton International Air Day on my agenda for Saturday, so any cycling would have to wait until Sunday. The heat on Saturday at the Air Day was incredible, 30+ degrees and no shade, and I feel I had a little too much.
Red Arrows at the Yeovil International Air Day
I had planned for a long cycle ride on Sunday morning but when it came to it, I was only up to a short ride. I did however take in the Hill and a bit of Beer so it was not a total washout .. the mild sunstroke of yesterday having taken its toll.
I am now looking forward to next week when I reach my first 500 miles and the Tour de France comes to its exciting finale.
Having an 8 am office call this morning put pay to my usual pre work circuit, however, spotting this 'scheduling error' yesterday afternoon resulted in a last minute plan change, a solo evening ride.
When I headed out at 6:30 pm the air was still a high 24 degrees and so it did not take too long for the body's 'water cooling' to come into play. I must say, however, that that new jersey performed admirably, it really does pay to have the right equipment.
I was a day ahead of myself when I stated yesterday that the TDF was running through Ducey, it is today's Stage 11 and 33km individual time-trial which follows the route to and along the french coast to end at Mont-St-Michel.
Yesterday's stage to Saint Malo was eventful one particularly in the closing sprint when Mark Cavendish and Tim Veelers had a coming together with Veelers falling to the ground at some speed. Controversy followed but I saw no malice in Cavendish's act of self preservation when confronted with Veeler's veering into his path!
Back to my evening circuit, I decided against the hill in favour of my three hills. Two reasons for this, first my legs were telling me we'd done enough of the hill for the moment and second, I wanted to ride more of the coast road and get closer to the sea, may be I thought that this would be cooler, but alas, no I think not!
With the exclusion of Tuesday and Thursday mornings, which due to work commitments, rain and a desire to have at least one rest day a week, I've kept this week to the 6.5 mile circuit I found myself completing on Monday. I've discovered it to be a very decent all round workout, with hills to build up my stamina for the Thursday evening AVP (Axe Valley Pedallers) meetings, stretches of some good level ground to work on my high speed straights and down hill runs to catch my breath and increase my confidence travelling at speed!
What has been interesting about this week's circuits is that in each one I have improved. Initially, very gradually. Day 115 was similar to 116, 118 was a little quicker and then on today's circuit I not only took 3 minutes of my previous quickest time, I added over 1 mph to my all time average speed, another new PB, and topped my earlier down hill speed for the route, I'm certainly beginning to feel the burn though! However, for some reason, Endo thinks my calories burned has been less each time - I think not! .. I love stats! This was also the week in which I completed another milestone, 400 miles in the saddle since starting out on this tour de fitness back in March.
I was disappointed, however, not to have made it out on Thursday evening with the AVP but again work kept me otherwise occupied. That said, there was an evening of rain, so I may very well have given it a miss and also, I had been a little concerned over my decline in fitness following my very lethargic two weeks holiday - not the way to approach an evening ride out with the AVP!
When not precipitating, the weather this week has been outstanding. Shorts were de rigueur at the start of the week and this morning I could have even done with a short sleeved top, the first for a morning ride out when previously the air temperature even in the sun has bee a little cool to say the least. The challenge with cycling, is that although I have any number of short sleeved sports tops, they lack any really useful pockets and in particular, those three pouches that you find in the back of all good cycling jerseys. I have been waiting on receiving my AVP membership pack so that I could then head off to Soanes, the local sponsoring cycle shop to procure my club jersey - yellow with short sleeves - which if I'd had it by now, would have been in perfect time for the start of the Tour de France! Alas, while AVP may be keen cyclists, administration is obviously not one of their fortés.
Talking of the Tour, what a first day it has been. How do you get a coach stuck under the finishing banner with 15 minutes of the race to go and who would have guessed that the top 3 sprinters would all be taken out of the race with just 4km to go! So sad for Cavendish. What also surprised me was how after 180km the majority of the pelliton was still so closely packed together, whilst after only 10 miles our AVP pelliton is quite spread out with some out front even having to stop to wait for back markers to catch up .. it has a creed of never leaving anyone behind - much like the US Marine Corps!
Oh my, it has been two full weeks without a ride and it was great to be back on the bike this afternoon completing a short circuit between the showers.
I've just returned from France, a week or so before the start of the greatest cycling race in the world, the Tour de France. While out there, I did not have to go far before evidence of the upcoming race was seen. First, while in Fontenay-le-Compte, I spied on a bridge over the river La Vendée the sign stating 'Course Cycliste' ..
and then in Ducey, a poster which I would have loved to have been able to have taken with me!
France is definitely a country where it is great to cycle. The roads are more often than not smooth and pothole free and the number of cars per square mile a fraction of what we have to contend with on our crowded isle. While out one morning, we waited for a peloton of a mile long if not more of school children to pass before continuing on our way .. amazing!
I read recently that my local cycling club, the Axe Valley Pedellers, had returned from a trip to Brittany and also saw on the ferry, to and from France, a group of cyclists with just their bikes and what they could carry and thought .. what fun! May be next year?
