Easy day today, back by 4-30 and in the supermarket in St Malo buying beer and peanuts by 6pm.
Nick is feeling fine at present, glad not to be at work in theatre when he often doesn't get home until 10pm on Tuesdays. Matt has also been cheerful today though his feet are still swollen. However, there is a feeling that they are heading for a storm and this period is like a big breath before the big ride on Thursday, big ride on Friday, bigger ride on Sat and a monster ride on Sunday.
In case you are wondering, they haven't run out of Sudocrem yet and are faring pretty well in the bottom department though apparently there are some serious bottom problems in the group. I'm wondering why Tour de Force don't get sponsorship from Sudocrem, seems like a missed opportunity!
Day 11, Stage 12, 2 July 2013 St Gildas des Bois to St Malo 193 km 1 mountain pass
The riders all felt much better after their first rest day. Only the lifers are left as the other stage riders all went home at the end of the trip through the Pyrenees. Today the ride followed the 193km (120mile) Stage 10 route. This was a fairly straight route across Brittany to St Malo. The terrain was undulating with scenery much like parts of the UK and unfortunately so was the weather when we reached to Northern coast. The roads were relatively quiet and so the riders broke into groups of 8 to rehearse team working and riding as a peloton to reduce the workload.
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| Weather a bit overcast again today |
Later the TdF cyclists practised working as a “chain gang” to further increase the speed and reduce the work of riding. The riders formed two columns one riding slightly faster than the other. If there is a crosswind the slower riders form the windward column the riders in the sheltered lee-side ride are able to ride faster (because it is sheltered by the other column) and when they emerge from the shadow of the first rider in the windward column they move across to the head of the windward column and then are subsequently passed by the next rider from the leeward column. Eventually each rider drifts backwards as other riders pass on the leeward side until there is no rider in the leeward column then last rider moves sideways from windward to leeward and follows the last leeward rider until at the front once again. This creates a continuous circular motion of riders hence the name chain gang. The chain gang moves 4-5kph faster for the same amount of effort but the process requires practice and a lot of concentration. This is a technique they will need on the very long straight roads from Fougeres to Lyons on stages 14-16. Towards the end of today’s stage Matthew was showing great promise and was riding with renewed vigor but Nick appeared to be dropping off a bit and for several times went off the back of the pack, his excuse was that he was taking photographs, but 1700km (1100miles) from the start his legs are probably getting a bit tired.
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