It seems that many of the riders switched off at the top of the Tourmalet, believing that the hard work for the TDF had been done.. Today's stage of 184km was seen as a straightforward affair for the following reason:
ie it is totally flat, unlike what we have had to endure the last 4 days..
A rolling first 37km was cycled before the stage flattened out for the final 150km. The word i heard most of today's ride was "bored"… Everyone wanted to get today over as quickly as possible, and it ended up being a mental challenge to endure the 7 hours of riding (a physical one it was not)
A nicer section of today's ride
In such mentally challenging rides, it is the concentration that needs to be kept alert, something we were all reminded of when seeing Rory sprawled across the road with severe rashes across his arms (including one deep cut) after a clash of wheels. The road could not have ben straighter, it was a classic peloton crash.
The heat was the other obstacle today, hitting as a high as 43 degrees on the road… At least when moving you get a warm breeze on the bike, it is only when you stop you realise the real heat of the day. I think i drank around 7 litres of fluid on the bike today, a few more at the stops..
After the transfer of 1 hour this morning (we got to bed after 12.45am!) we did well to arrive in Bordeaux at 6pm after 7 hours of cycling. It really does feel like the tough days are done, with just 2x 50km days to come now… A few sleepy people at dinner. The bad news is that one person (here for just the day) had to be pulled off the route with heat exhaustion.
Rory and i at the end of the day after his nasty crash
I also learnt that on one day last year, 3 people died cycling up the Tourmalet in heat similar to today (43 degrees), so it was a good thing we were there yesterday..
I am sure there will be a few beers this evening! 51km time trial stage tomorrow before a nice lunch and then 3.5 hour train to just outside Paris.. We start at 8.45am, feels like an UNBELIEVABLY long lie in..
TOTAL DISTANCE (18 stages) : 3,443 km
MAP & DATA
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