Nick's Garmin stats

The Garmin is a great training aid and Nick and Matt both used one to record their Tour data.

Nick has downloaded his and done some geeky stuff with it. You might be interested? Distances are recorded in miles, not km.

Where are they now? New information.

Now the riders have returned some of the older posts will be updated with new information that has been withheld and the last few days of the trip will be added. New materials will be listed below.

Correction
Day 16 Stage 15
"flies were attracted by the scent of the seat of the riders" this should read "flies were attracted by the scent of the sweat of the riders".

Day 4 Additional information and pictures of Matt's knee withheld from Michelle has been inserted.
Day 16 Additional witheld material has been also inserted about the crash on descent from Mt Ventoux.

Day 1 22 June 2012 Porto-Vechio to Bastia 212 km with1x 4^th cat mountain climb

Day 2 23 June 2013 Bastia to Ajaccio 154 km 4 mountain climbs 3x3 cat and 1x2 cat

Day 3 24 June 2013 Ajaccio to Calvi 145 km 6 mountain climbs 1x2 1x3 and 4x4 cat

Day 4 25 June 2013 Nice to Nice 25km time-trial no mountain climbs

Day 5 26 June 2013 Cagnes-sur-Mer to Marseille219 km 4 mountains, 1xcat3, 3xcat4.

Day 6 27 June 2013 Aix en Prevence to Montpellier 176 km one cat 4 mountain

Day 7 28 June 2013 Montpellier to Albi 205 km 4 mountains 1xcat4,2xcat3,1xcat2.

Day 8 29 June 2013 Castres to Ax3 Domaines 194 km 3 mountain passes 1x4,1x1,1xHC

Day 9 30 June 2013 St-Girons to B’de Bigorre 165 km 5 mountains 1xcat2, 4xcat1

Day 10 1st July 2013 Rest day

Day 11 2 July 2013 St Gildas des Bois to St Malo 193 km 1 mountain pass

Day 12 3 July 2013 Avranches to Mont St Michel 33km time trial no mountain passes

Day 13 4 July 2013 Fougeres to Tours 218 km no mountain passes

Day 14 5 July 2013 Tours to St Amand-Montrod173 km 1 mountain climb category 4

Day 15 6 July 2013 St Pourcain sur Sioule to Lyon 191 km 7 climbs 5xcat4 and 2xcat3

Day 16 7 July 2013 Givors Mt Ventoux 242km with 3 x 4^th cat 1x 3 and 1HC climb.

Day 17 8 July 2013 Rest day

Day 18 9 July 2013 Vaison la Romaine to Gap 168 km 3 climbs 1x cat3, 2xcat2

Day 19 10 July 2013 Embrun to Chorges 32 km time trial. 2 climbs, both cat 2.

Day 20 11 July 2013 Gap to Alpe d’Huez 168 kilometers 6 mountains, 1xcat3, 3xcat2, 2xHC

Day 21 12 July Bourg d’Oisans to Le Grande Bornand 204 km 5 climbs 1xcat2, 2xcat1, 2xHC

Day 22 13 July Annecy to Semnoz 125 km 6 mountains 3x cat3, 1xcat2,1xcat1, 1xHC

Day 23 14^th July Versailles to Paris.

Back to Normal

I did four loads of washing yesterday and got it all dry in the baking heat now that summer has arrived with a vengeance. The only trouble is I now have a Mont Ventoux of ironing to do, again in the baking heat, and then it all has to be processed (socks paired, T shirts folded and aired etc) until it magically ends up back in the drawers and cupboards. I'm the house elf here and I suppose I'm lucky I am allowed to wear more than an old pillow case! (ref Dobby, Harry Potter)
When Sarah and I were whiling away time on Sunday morning waiting for the riders, we found a lovely French market selling everything really including fruit and vegetables, cheeses, patisserie etc so we decide to buy some food and find a park to sit and eat it. We didn't find a proper park but instead we sat on a bench on a pretty little island with trees between two roads, with tall buildings on either side. As we were eating our cherries and drinking the apple juice in the sun we noticed this little bit of graffiti on the back of the bench which just about sums up the ride and is a fitting finale even with the obvious spelling mistake (but maybe that adds to it).

I hope my comments have been an interesting aside to the ride itself. All the pain and those fantastic views might have got a bit tedious on their own!  

Bye, bye, until the next time.



Home at Last!

Sorry I couldn't put any detail of the last few days in because we were all away from home in Paris to meet them on the final day which was Sunday.
It was so exciting leaving here on Saturday morning with our best clothes packed to go down to London and get the Eurostar over. We were booked into the fantastic 4 star Pullman Montparnasse Hotel in the centre of Paris which was really beautiful, very shiny and modern with deep luxury mattresses on the beds and tasteful subdued decoration. Our room was on the 6th floor but despite the extremely comfortable beds with the crisp cotton sheets and air conditioning Sarah and I didn't sleep a wink on Saturday night. Maybe we were just too excited at the thought of the boys cycling into town the next day and it was all so strange (alarmingly a very small Toblerone chocolate bar in the refrigerated minibar in our room cost 10 euros!)
They were due to arrive at Place Joffre between the Military school and the Peace Wall in the grounds of the Eiffel Tower at 4pm having cycled in via the Palace of Versailles. We decided that we wouldn't risk meeting them at the first stop in case we couldn't get back to the Eiffel Tower in time so we were actually at Place Joffre by 3pm where we had been told that there would be a table and banner set up to meet the riders. It was very hot and sunny but by 3-30 there was still no meeting point set up on the big sandy square. We were checking and rechecking that we were in the right place. Yes, definitely right and by now we had a feeling that there were other people hovering around trying to find shade at the edges of the square. Eventually concern brought us all out in the open and we discovered that the riders were delayed and not expected for another 90minutes. We went off for a cold coke in a nearby bar while we waited with some of the others. At 4-15 we had a choice of another cold drink or go and wait in the hot sun and fortunately we decided to go back because as we got near we could see that there were cyclists there. Oh dearie me, (not my exact words) all that waiting and then we nearly missed them! I started running and yes, Matt had just arrived all hot and sweaty but looking tanned and fit and Nick arrived a few minutes later. It was actually quite difficult to recognise them in their helmets and riding glasses so we all had to peer closely at everyone arriving. 
It was really great to see them both after 3 weeks and they were certainly in great shape despite all the exertion of a 2,200mile bike ride. We all had a swig of the warm champagne Nick had in his back pocket and then took lots of photos with the Eiffel Tower in the background before heading off back to the hotel to get ready for the evening celebrations.

I think the first thing I said to Nick when he came into the hotel room was 'Don't touch anything in the minibar'!!!
The evening celebration was on the 56th floor at the top of the Montparnasse Tower which is possibly the tallest office building in Paris and as it was Bastille Day we expected a fantastic view of the fireworks going off over Paris.

 

 It was so nice to meet the other riders Nick and Matt have spent the last 3 weeks with and also the lovely Wates family whose sad loss has been the inspiration for this whole thing. It is amazing that they can organise an event like this that will enable fairly ordinary people to accomplish such a cycle ride - though make no mistake the cyclists had put in a huge amount of preparation (apart from Matt that is!) I would have liked to spend more time talking to them all and get to know them. They said how nice Matt was and how he hadn't moaned at all despite the terrible problems with his legs, I felt so proud.

Unfortunately, Nick and I missed the fireworks after all that, we were just too shattered to wait for 11pm but some of the others went on partying until 2 in the morning. Then it was back home the next day, all done and dusted. What next?

 

 

Day 23 July 14th. Versailles to Paris. A bitter, sweet moment.

Versailles to Paris.

Goodbye Autobus!

The riding was virtually over but it gave Nick and Matt one last opportunity to ride with the Autobus Eccosse. This smooth cycling machine eased its way through the open roads to Versailles but once nearer the capital, the traffic and a few minor category climbs disrupted the smooth organisation of the “bus” and riders finished the route in smaller groups. In front of the Eifel tower riders dismounted to pop corks from fizzy wine.
 

The ride was over, it was a bitter, sweet moment. A time to say goodbye to new friends, with whom the riders had become quite close, this soured the sense of elation generated by completion of a massive task. Just over 2 weeks ago it might have seemed that cycling the whole route without motorised support, walking or some form of injury seemed impossible. Today we will party and tomorrow and we escape from the bubble of the Tour de Force with a rude return to reality.

Artistic shot (courtesy of Mr B Irving)

 

Day 22 Stage 20. Sudocrem and good quality cycle shorts offer some protection.

Day 22. Stage 20, 13 July Annecy to Semnoz,125 km, 6 mountains 3x cat3, 1xcat2,1xcat1, 1xHC

Pretty churches are all over the place

Most readers will be bored with superlatives by now, perhaps the English language has too few. Today’s ride showcased the beautiful city of Annecy next to its lake which is the cleanest in Europe.

More OK views

The ride took a circular route over Mount Revard then on to a mountain top finish on Mount Semnoz. After the last 2 days our riders have taken this stage quite lightly - it includes only 125 km plus a supplementary hair raising descent to the lake and  hotel. 

They cycled from down there to up here.

Most riders had focused on the single 1^st category and one HC climbs but the route also included 4 other category 2 or 3 climbs. By the end of today all the riders would have climbed more than 13000 metres in 3 days, almost the equivalent of cycling from sea level to the top of Mont Blanc three times.

"Just step back a yard Dad, it will make it a better picture."

 The ride took a lot longer than most expected but the official stage finishes at the top, so the Tour de Force made full use of the available bar facilities. Here they chatted about various aspects of the ride and compared “insect events”. It is quite disconcerting when gasping for air or moving very fast to find a large insect in your helmet, behind your sunglasses or worse in your mouth! Matt commented that a he had felt a large insect disappear into the back of his throat but all he could do was swallow then hope and pray it was not a bee. 

Matt telling his "I swallowed a bee" story.

Nick was unusually quiet and restrained, after one small beer he set off as he needed his wits about him for the white knuckle ride to the bottom.



Nice bike, shame about the rider



As the Tour has gone on the injury toll has risen, Shen fractured his collar bone, Peigi had concussion, Janice had heat exhaustion. Steve (x2), Nick (x2), Andy Donald (x2), Trevor, and Matt all had crashes and there were many more. Andy fractured his left radius in a crash and rode for 10 days without knowing that it was broken. Road rash was common and by the end about quarter of the riders were sporting the characteristic three point: knee, hip and elbow rash. Riders' hands were usually OK because of almost universal use of cycling gloves. The weeping wounds must have made a terrible mess of the hotels’ sheets and a recent Cycling Weekly review attributed the poor performance of rising star Tejay Van Garderen in this year’s Tour to the lack of sleep caused by his road rash. So our riders were in good company.

Saddles sores were a problem too, Nick was OK, Matt has a small one but some of the other riders were in severe pain and seemed to be gritting their teeth after yesterday’s prolonged spell on the saddle. Surprisingly the lifers were not the worst affected, the prospect of carrying a saddle sore for 3 weeks had made most lifers meticulously careful. The Late arrivals to the Tour for the very long and difficult Alpine days were most severely affected. The intense heart, sweat and prolonged contact with the saddle for hours on end caused havoc for some riders. The liberal use of sudocrem and good quality cycle shorts seem to offer reasonable protection.

Day 22

Almost at the end now and it has been a real roller coaster but short of an accident they are going to make it now. Today's ride was surprisingly tough taking 8 hours in all and although the boys will be relieved when it is all over I'm sure they will be sad as well.
What will they do with themselves when they no longer have to spend hours every night on the turbo trainer? What will Nick's next crackpot idea be?!! (this one was actually Matt's though)
It is surprising to remember that their long distance cycling only started in 2010 when Chris came home from Uni for Christmas and said he would quite like to cycle from Land's End to John O'Groats. We all laughed when he went back and said he'll never do it but then Nick started thinking..........
Here we are 3 years later having done Land's End to John O'Groats followed by John O'Groats to Land's End in 2011, followed by the Etap (a single stage of the Tour de France route) in 2012, followed by the whole thing in 2013! What kind of a family of over achievers are we?!!! (quote from Chris after reading someone's Christmas round robin letter one year)

There will be lots of catching up over the next few days so please keep looking in.

Day 21 Stage 19. Two monsters and a few wild animals too

Day 21. Stage 19. 12 July Bourg d’Oisans to Le Grande Bornand, 204 km 5 climbs 1xcat2, 2xcat1, 2xHC.

A long hot day with many metres of climbing

Today the riders cycled to the start from Alpe D’Huez where they had spent the night. The route started with 2 classic climbs of the Tour. These monsters, Glandon and Madeleine were both tackled from their most difficult side though the other climbs were not monsters the could be considered to be as reassuring as wild animals! Nick considered today to be pretty similar to the Etape du Tour he did last year which was comfortingly labelled as the Circle of Death! Unfortunately Nick had been unable to get a replacement front mech so he needed to be very careful and gentle with his gear changes today.  

Col de Glandon

The weather was warm and hot with a cloudless sky. It goes without saying that the work was hard, the riders were hot and sweaty but at the top they were rewarded with stunning views as usual. Despite the sunshine as they descended from these peak at about 2000 metres they noticed surprising changes in temperature as moved through pockets of warm and then cold air. The sensation was similar to that of swimming in the sea through warm and cold currents. The colder air rolled down the mountain sides following the valleys.

Descents from around 2000 metres are often 15 to 20 km long and the riders hurtle downwards along gradients of up to 14%. The roadside barriers do very little to prevent traffic leaving the road. At one point Matt looked briefly to his right over the one foot high protective wall to see that there was absolutely nothing on the other side of the wall until about 200m below.

 

The day started with two massive mountain climbs. The early morning heat of the Glandon was fierce and the Madeleine was worse. Phil Deeker the head rider rated the Madeleine as the toughest ascent of the whole Tour this year.

 

It is unusual to get a shot of Matthew since he has speeded up quite nicely. He is faster uphill than Nick and since the Ventoux incident he is massively faster downhill but Nick spends less time in the feed stations, he fills his bottles puts food in his bar bag then sets off again.

Unfortunately one rider, Janice became severely dehydrated by the time she reached the top of the second climb. She was suffering with heat exhaustion and was unable to keep fluids down so Dr Col gave her IV fluid resuscitation but she was unable to continue and finished the stage in the support vehicle.

 

View of the peloton at the top of Glandon

Our riders expected today to be the greatest challenge as it started with 2 HC climbs after they finished on 2 HC climbs yesterday making it 4 consecutive “Hors Categorie” climbs each gaining more than a kilometer in altitude and all had section with gradients in excess of 10%. Matt finished before Nick and after over 12 hours Nick was about 15 minutes behind. Once the last climb was over there was a long descent to the Hotel in Le Grand Bornand. Long descents after 12 hours in the saddle are a real challenge. On the way up the hill the riders overheat and become sweat soaked and probably a little dehydrated. Once the summit has been reached they then plunge downwards, picking up speed,  the sweat dries and quickly they become cold. If  late in the day they may also move into shadows where at high altitude the air in the shade is remarkable cold.

Ascending the mountain is hard work but the descents produce little heat so riders very quickly become very cold. Descents from the HC and category 1 mountains may go on for 10-20 kilometers with steep downwards gradients of up to -14% in sections. These require huge concentration particularly when the light is poor or the road is wet. Nick was caught out in just this way on the descent from Ventoux when he crashed on a pitch of -10% in the rain.

Since the Ventoux crash Nick has taken a special interest in improving his descending ability. In order to descend safely speed must be controlled but braking has 2 major problems firstly it produces skidding or loss contact between tyres and the road leading to a crash and secondly going over the handlebars with the same result. Loss of adhesion to the road is more likely during braking than when not braking. The grip required to prevent skidding of a rolling wheel whilst cornering is minimal but if the brake is applied the road adhesion is tested and it is easier to skid. – it is so obvious but it needs to be remembered. Ideally there should be no braking on corners and absolutely no braking on loose grit or gravel. Light braking with the back wheel can slow the bike if this is essential and if the back wheel starts to go the brake lever can be released.

The front brake is most effective for controlling speed but a front wheel skid is more likely to result in a crash. When descending it is important to brake only when traveling in a straight line. The front brake should be applied before the corner to reduce speed then released as the rider rolls through the bends. If there is a steep downward bend the rear brake may be applied throughout the corner but no braking is the best way to avoid a slide. For speed control on fast descents speed needs to be controlled on the straight bits between corners. As mentioned previously the rider may be flipped over the handlebars if the front brake is applied too harshly. To avoid this scenario the rider’s weight must be as low on the bike as possible and therefore applied to the pedals and not the saddle. Many fast riders extend their arms and move their buttocks backwards past the end of the saddle whilst taking their body weight on the pedals. This lowers the centre of gravity and places the weight further back on the bike, making it possible to brake harder without going over the handlebars. Some riders take the idea of no braking to heart and Brian one of the other lifers has clocked up 96 kph (60 mph!).

 



•  

Day 21

Me again, just to let you know that they managed to finish today's ride but it took them 14 hours and they were eating their evening meal at 9pm rapidly followed by a kilo of peanuts trying to replace the 10,000 calories they reckon they have consumed.
 Matt said he feels like he's got the biggest hangover he's ever had (probably because he is still dehydrated) but he was on the beer nevertheless which is probably not such a good idea. Nick just feels overwhelmingly tired but his body is working pretty well so not much in the way of aches and pains. The same cannot be said for his bike however, the front gear mechanism broke yesterday and he has had to struggle with the chain keep coming off today. He's hoping it will be fixed by tomorrow as they have another big ride with not much time to recuperate. They have to be up at 5-30 tomorrow for another transfer.
Sadly, not everyone made it to the end today which is a real shame. I do feel for them, it's a bit tragic to go through all the training and the pain and then run out of time.
The end is in site now, not much more to go. After this I don't think Sandy Lane in in West Runton, where Nick did his hill training, will present much of a challenge! Maybe they'll enter the Gas Hill gasp (Norwich's answer to the mountain sections of the Tour de France) next year.

Nick has updated and added photos to some of the other entries recently so have a look back

Day 20

11 July 2013, Gap to Alpe d'Huez, 168km, 6 mountains, 1xcat3, 3xcat2, 2xHC

They made it!
 Haven't got much detail but I got a message late last night saying that it was done and although it was hard, it wasn't as bad as they thought it would be, plus there was a surprise when Bruce turned up to cheer them on which was a big boost especially as it is the biggest day today (day21) and they are very worried.
 They have got a very early start tomorrow because it is such a long way - 204km with more mountains than any other section involving over 5000m of climbing!  I can hardly believe I'm writing this, it just goes from bad to worse doesn't it?!! I'm glad I didn't know the detail when they started.
 Maybe they are making it up and secretly sitting by a pool somewhere eating peanuts? No, it would have to be a big challenge for Nick to miss The Apprentice!

Day 20 stage 18. Matt put in a burst of speed.

Day 20  stage 18. 11 July 2013 Gap to Alpe d’Huez 168 kilometers 6 mountains, 1xcat3, 3xcat2,  2xHC

Last night Nick and Matt were very keen to post the details of recent events but  the hotel internet was hopeless so at about 5pm they decided to go to MacDonalds where they have free wifi. On the way they met Andy, one of the TdF doctors and he joined them. They logged on, uploaded and all had a “Big Mac meal” This is not Nicks usual preference but it was right up Matt’s street, Andy seemed to be enjoying his too.

Cyclists at work

Then two strange things happened, firstly the internet was working and secondly they we still hungry so they all ordered the same again. It just goes to show the extreme lengths these riders will go to ensure the blog gets through! When all was eaten and the blog uploaded they set of back to the hotel but still had a reasonable appetite to polish off  their evening meal.


Phil Deeker's briefing

Phil gave his usual nightly briefing, he warned riders not to go off too fast too soon on the early climbs before Alpe D’Huez and to be careful on the descents from both the Alp the Sarenne. There is minimal protection against leaving the road and there is s steep valley recently four Dutch riders went off the edge descending from La Sarenne and all perished. The latter sets off fast but has a dangerous sections of up to 14% at the bottom just before the main road.

The winding descent from la Sarenne

The day did not start well. Nick left the camera memory card in the laptop computer and this was already on its way to the next hotel when he realized. So instead of using the camera he was trying to use his mobile phone. It was a shame not to have the camera as the views were simply unbelievable (this has become a rather tired daily statement) and it would be nice to have some proof! The pictures from the phone may become available later but don’t hold your breath!

 

The approach to the Alpe was beautiful, the ride started almost immediately with the Col de Manse to freshen the legs then and took in some lovely alpine valleys with some of the less challenging mountain passes including Col d’Ornon before reaching Bourg d’Oissans at the base of  the Alpe for the first ascent.  

 

Somewhat unbelievably Bruce Irving was at the side of the road halfway up Alpe D’Huez taking photos – what a shock! Bruce had really helped with the ride preparation and both Nick and Matt were very pleased to see him, though Nick was particularly relieved to see he was not wearing his Union flag onesie.

Bruce's snap of Nick ascending Alpe D'Huez

 

Bruce led the rest of the way up the Alpe ahead of the 2 Woodalls and did the descent from the Sarenne. The first of the 2 ascents of the world famous Alpe was roasting hot under the mid-day heat and the flies found  the cyclists most attractive. The climb of Alpe D’Huez is a real cycling classic and riders who win this stage commonly go on to glory and win the Tour. The 14 kilometre long climb of 1,112 vertical metres from the bottom of the valley consist of a series of hairpin bends, each is numbered starting in the valley at 21. Each hairpin is named after a previous Alpe D’Huez stage winner who has gone on to win the Tour. The Tour de Force riders hauled themselves up from the valley bottom, around each of the 21 numbered hairpins bends, mentally ticking each of them off in their head as they pass the signs. Imagine the exasperation as the riders pass bend 1 expecting to find the summit but instead they find instead there is actually a hairpin zero!

The hairpin bends of Alpe D'Huez seen from above

Lovely light rain on the 2^nd ascent cooled the riders but somewhat bizarrely, Matt put in a massive burst of speed and hurtled uphill at a desperate pace, Nick thought the boy had finally gone mad due to his persistent knee pains! Then equally quickly he almost collapsed into a breathless heap. It transpired that one of the more colorful insects was trying to bore into his leg.

The trip had gone largely unimpaired by any mechanical problems until Bruce asked Nick if there had been any mechanical problems. Nick declined to answer the question as this would tempt fate, nevertheless about 35 minutes later his front derailleur cracked and he could no longer change gear smoothly and the chain came off repeatedly.

To reach the top of Alpe D’Huez for the second and final time was a great relief but there was little time for any celebration. Matt went off to ice his knees and Nick went in search of a bike shop (not as unlikely as it sounds) as it will be an even bigger day tomorrow and to be able to change gear would be most helpful.

Summiteers

 

Day 19

They were laughing when they rang yesterday afternoon having completed the time trial with plenty of the day left for R and R. Matt was chuckling at Nick's attempts at texting as the predictive text seems to take over and it comes out as complete gobbledegook eg.......'Ese text cjrid phpne nbmber' which is of course 'Please text Chris's phone number' as he wants to wish him luck for his interview in San Fransisco. 
 Apparently the best place around for internet access is Macdonalds so they had been in there, had 2 Big Mac meals each and this is before their evening meal! How am I going to cope with providing all this food when they get home because their calorie requirements will still be high? Must go and get more supplies in tomorrow so my cupboards are full and some beer, wine ( I'm sure I only drank 3 bottles from the garage, where can the rest of it have gone?!) and a few kilos of peanuts of course.
For the past 6 days since Mont St Michel they have been cycling down through France towards the Alps which accounts for the change in terrain but yesterday they were back in the mountains and today they have another very big ride up Alpe d'Huez so we don't expect to hear from them as they will be late finishing.

Day 19, Stage 17. Embrun to Chorges 32 km time trial. 2 climbs, both cat 2.

Today was the mountain time trial which involved a transfer to a car park in Embrun and a transfer back to Gap from another car park in Chorges where the route finished. The scenery, and views were breathtaking (again) and the weather was kind. This stage (18) will make a great spectacle for those who view it on TV next Wednesday. The two climbs are not too demanding unless you are racing and the descents are similarly enjoyable but they could become treacherous in bad weather.

Still Nick and Matt were not racing today, they were taking it easy to keep some energy in reserve for the final four stages which will be absolutely explosive. It is unlikely that the blog will be updated for a few days as there will be not be any time and the next three days are now all that remains between the riders and their trip from Versailles to the Champs Eysees on Bastille day!

Because today was a short route there was some time for the usual essentials. More new riders will join the Tour de Force today to ride all the way to Paris.
 

Day 17 and 18

Wow, that last post was certainly worth waiting for wasn't it!
Day 17, Monday, was a rest day which they sorely needed as you can imagine, though Nick seems to have spent most of it struggling with the blog due to poor internet access and today, Day 18 seems to have been pretty straight forward with Matt riding ahead of Nick. The forecast rain Matt was dreading didn't arrive until just as they were finishing when there was a thunderstorm, lucky for them because although it can be quite a pleasant day, when the rain comes down it is freezing cold. They seem to be getting on well now having got into the stride of things and treating it almost like a job.
From my point of view I had a complete panic this morning as I am starting to think of the end of the ride and the celebratory dinner in Paris and guess what, I haven't got a thing to wear. Not a single shred of my clothing is any good for this!
 I do feel a little nervous when I think about meeting Nick's fellow riders of the past weeks. Nick is the oldest which means that they will all be fit young things who will probably look fab in any old rags. Not that looks are really important but I don't want to let the side down do I?
It is also difficult to know exactly what to wear because although it is a special dinner at the top of a hotel in Paris the riders haven't been travelling with their dinner suits or any suits come that have they? Don't want to over do it either.
An emergency shopping trip was required which is never a good idea when panic sets in (I went into the changing rooms in John Lewis with 7 white silky tops) but anyway I should now be suitably attired in what I would call a style of understated elegance. Hope that's ok!
Tomorrow, is another time trial so fairly easy as far as the boys are concerned but this will be followed by 3 gruelling days in the Alps with ascent after ascent after ascent -possibly worse than Mont Ventoux. They've got 6 mountains to get over on Thursday! Glad it's not me. 

Day 18, Stage 16. Today they took the autobus!

Well, today the Tour de Force riders needed first of all to reach the start of the stage from their hotel so their distance actually exceeded that which the professionals will do in 7 days time. This added about 12km and one small category climb. The mood in the peloton was exuberant as for about a week the ride to, and the ascent of Mont Ventoux, had hung over the riders like a black cloud but this was now dissipated. Yesterday everybody rested, fixed bikes, ate junk food like ice cream or pizzas and some even drank a beer or two. Today, reinvigorated, the peloton had a relatively easy short ride of 176km (110miles), only a few serious hills with the route taking them onwards to the Alpine stages of the Tour. The riders first skirted round Ventoux and then passed through some gorges over mountains and through Gap in the high Alpes, before cycling over the Cole de Manse and then back into Gap.

Today’s ride was thoroughly enjoyed by most riders as the route was attractive but not too long or overly challenging. The mountain climbs were pretty, gave great views and they were not too steep, about 7km long but with gentle gradients of mostly less than 6%. It is surprising how the attitude of riders to the steep climbs has changed. In Corsica the Cat 3s or 4s caused concern and the cat 2s were a major discussion point but now all riders have experienced climbs of 20km with average gradients in the region of 8% and sections of several km rising to 11 or 12%. The tough climbs have made the riders more resilient and today the two category 2s were enjoyed particularly as the descents were long and not too challenging. Descending from a high mountain is still a cause of anxiety to Nick but less so to Matt. Surprisingly not all Tour roads are wide, some are narrow, some have cows, bullocks, horses or sheep and wet cow manure is a major risk for skidding as is the gravel which is strewn on many corners. Today’s descents were all gentle, straightforward and enjoyable.

As the riders left Bedoin they initially followed the reverse route that they had used towards Ventoux so that after the first climb they had the opportunity to view their old adversary from a distance. Doubtless many will come back to renew their acquaintance at some time in the future. 

Climbing massive hills on a bike has a bizarre attraction for some people! The ride proceeded in glorious sunshine though rugged countryside and soon the first snow was visible on the highest peaks.The riders first saw snow in Corsica, then again in the Pyrenees and now in the Alps.

Nick and Matt took the ”Autobus Eccosse” which significantly reduced their workload today as they had a near effortless ride to the last climb after Gap. Riding in a group dramatically reduces a rider’s energy consumption as the miles pass.

"Autobus Eccosse"

The Tour de Force riders form a large group and the organisation and support needed for this event is a massive task – if the truth is known, the organisation is probably more difficult than the riding. It is an interesting observation that when we arrive in a hotel a number of things happen. Firstly the wifi internet becomes unusable, secondly they run out of beer glasses, thirdly they run out of food fourthly they have no idea what 'vegetarianisme' (French influence!) might be and lastly despite the lack of glasses they always manage to run out of beer too.  Sarah, the Tour de Force super-organiser, has a deep understanding of priorities and several times she has rescued a potentially volatile situation with take away pizzas, extra food at breakfast or by intervening to ensure that famished vegetarians are not given the same meal as everyone else simply with the meat removed. She quite sensibly ignores the beer shortages. Though today’s ride was mostly in sunshine the weather changes and as the earliest riders mounted the Col de Manse dense clouds assembled and produced an intense downpour with full electrical and sound accompaniment.

 Matt was home first and he managed to keep dry, Nick is still nervous on mountain descents so he was at the hotel about 10 minutes later, both managed to remain dry and avoid repetition of the Mt Ventoux Sunday hypothermia session.