Etape du Tour 2009

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Well the day had finally arrived and it was time to do the Etape.

We got up at 4.30 and made some porridge then at 5am headed to Montelimar. We began to pass people cycling in from about 6 miles out. It was still pitch black and they weren’t using lights, to avoid carrying them all the day, so cyclists appeared out of nowhere. I hope they all made it to the start.

We managed to get fairly close to the start and unloaded the bikes in a lay by and joined the ranks of people heading in.

Once in the centre it was jammed with bikes trying to get to their starting pens which shut at 6.30am for the 7am start. Safely in it was just a matter of waiting and watching the crowds grow.

Roy in the start pen

Just before 7am the countdown started over the loud speakers for the start to be greeted with a big cheer at 7. It was to be 10 minutes though before we got moving from our one and 15 before crosing the start line. The streets of Montelimar were crowded with people cheering you off which made a great start and you felt you were taking part in something special.

We quickly got out of Montelimar and just as quickly managed to get seperated. Roy had been a few yards behind me and then disappeared. At 14km we arrived at the first climb, the Côte de Citelle. It is a 5.2 km climb at 3.9 % average gradient. It was a nice climb to get a warm up in the legs. I carried on to the top thinking Roy is bound to catch me but by the summit I hadn’t seen him. I waited around for a couple of minutes and tried to phone him but no luck. He had obviously passed me and I hadn’t notice. Oh well it looks like I’m on my own or as on your own as you can be when surrounded by 9500 other riders.

I headed down the descent and quickly came across Roy again just before we saw the first crashes of the day. A couple looked fairly nasty with bodies layed out on the ground. I thought it best to pay as little attention as possible as they already had medical support and I didn’t want to freak myself for every descent. I was going to need those fast descents to stay ahead of the broom wagon.

It was now another 40km to the next climb at Col d’Ey. This is a 6.7 km climb at 4.8 %. I thought we would be able to get into a large group and coast along for this section but the course wasn’t really flat anywhere so groups tended to form and break up again very quickly. It was a great area to be cycling through and in the distance you could see the hills we were heading towards.

At Col d’Ey things everyone began to spread out on the climb and you could just see a snake of riders in front and behind. Having got in a few longer climbs already I wasn’t too concerned and just got a rhythm and kept going. After that it was another fast descent towards the feed stop. The descent was a lot more winding than before with a lot of hairpins and also longer. I found it easier to go faster and pick my own line rather than be worrying about people coming behind though it was unnerving to be overtaken by a tandem!

The feedstop was total chaos with riders trying to get into such a small area whilt holding their bikes. I grabbed some water and refilled a bottle with energy drink and a banana and headed off again. I checked our time against the broomwagon and we were about 1 hour ahead so we decided we were fairly safe now from being caught barring a disaster and were able to forget about it for the rest of the day.

The next climb, at 87km in, the Col de Fontaube at 4.7 km and 4.2 % was the easiest of the day and also one of the most enjoyable as you can see Mt Ventoux right in front of you. You are about a third of the height up at the summit though the route circles around to the south of Ventoux and you loose all that height you have gained before you get take it on. it seemed so easy just to do a little hop across and make for the summit.

We continued to gain height gradually on various small peaks up towards Sault. At very village the whole town was out cheering you on. Even the cow bells were going. I had always said I wanted to do enough training to make sure I enjoyed the occasion of the day and not feel I was too exhausted all the time. This was all now worthwhile. Every wave you gave to the crowds for supporting you got a cheer and kept you going.

The penultimate climb at 121km was the Col des Abeilles ; 7.7 km climb at 4 % average gradient. By now it was starting to get very hot and this was an exposed climb. I still felt good though and maintained by rhythm up it. Once you thought you summited and it descended on a sweeping left hand bend the road then rose up in front of you again. On the crest of this hill you can see a dip to another summit in the distance. This was the final one though and after that it was a 15km descent to Mormoiron.

The descent was like nothing I had experienced on a bike before. To go that far at speeds of 70-80km/hr was just exhilerating. It is also surprisingly tiring as you have to concentrate all the time and you are getting vibration through your forearms that you are not used to.

Into Bedoin at 5hrs 50 minutes for the final feedstop at the foot of Ventoux. I drank more water and got more bananas. I had been hoping to get something more savoury but never managed. I was expecting cheese/ham rolls or something. Maybe they were there and I missed them.

So it was through the huge crowds in Bedoin to get to Ventoux

Our families had all gone to Bedoin to cheer us on but were late and we missed them! They said their flags got cheers from others though heading through.

Leaving Bedoin to “The Geant” Roy and I were both feeling good and reasonable confident of what was to come. About 3-4km into the climb Roy pulled ahead of me and I would not see him again until the summit. I had always expected this to happen as Roy was always a far better climber than I was. We had said at the beginning we would ride together to Bedoin if possible and then Ventoux was everyone for themselves. Roy had generously suggested we should finish together but I didn’t realistically expect that to happen.

About half way through the forest I really began to suffer and my legs started cramping. By this time there were already lots of people walking or off there bikes at the side of the road. Before the climb I had been determined to only stop at the water station at Chalet Reynard but now I was really struggling to keep going. The temperature by now was 35oC and the 10% gradient was relentless. I saw Chris Boardman sitting resting at the side in the shade which then seemed to make it acceptable to stop. I got off and walked before trying again. I had run out of water and just wanted to get to Chalet Reynard but that 5km turned into the hardest 5km I have ever done.

The next part through the forest was surreal and a bit of a blur, I was in absolute agony and struggling to keep going. My heart rate was always OK but ny legs had nothing and kept cramping. I remember seeing loads of people walking, others throwing up at the side of the road, people passed out being attended to by medics. A man of about 50 was standing with his bike asking if anyone would trade his banana for some water. A sign painted on the road said, “David Strong” with a large picture of a willy; I’m not sure if this humour helped David finish or stopped him right there. Another man was playing his accordian outside his mobile home. All these things were going on around me and all I could focus on was get to the water stop.

Between cycling and pushing I enventually recahed the 1km to the water stop sign and knew I had cracked it. I still remember passing someone at the 500m to go sign stopped at the side of the road. it seems ridiculous with such a short distance to the water he was stopped there but I knew exactly how he felt.

I filled my bottles and took 2 more with me (sorry to those who had no water at chalet Reynard). I set off knowing it was only 6km to go and the steepest part was behind me. I was still struggling really badly with cramps though. I probably should have stopped for a longer rest and got more water on board but I was still wanting to do my best time. The last 6km you can finally see the summit the whole way but it is now barren rock with sunlight glaring off it. The view is better, the conditions have changed but it doesn’t feel any easier. With about 1.5km to go I stopped again. getting back on my bike my calf cramped up as I tried to click into my pedal and I nearly fell off. The second attempt I got a push off from someone in a mobile home at the side of the road. I knew now I didn’t want to stop again before the finish line.

Finally I hit the last corner to the finish line. It is only 30 yards away but the road ramps up to 17%. A cruel last attempt by Ventoux to stop you making it.

Over the finish line

I crossed over the line a physical and emotional wreck. It had definately been the hardest thing I had ever done. The police were trying to shephard people away from the top down towards the finish village on the other side but there were exhausted bodies everywhere.

I started to move away and then saw Roy waiting at the top. He had been about 30mins ahead of me. We stayed around to get a few more photo’s, have a breather and take in the view. There were still 1000′s strung out on the road winding up the mountain.

I had finished in 8hrs46mins as my race time and 8hrs29mins as my net time that allows for getting through the start. It had taken me 2hrs40mins for the last 20km up Ventoux. I had blown up completely.

The Aftermath

After finishing you have to make your way back down to the finish village which is 6km down the other side. We handed in our timimg chips and collected medals. We then called our families who hadn’t been able to make it up to the finish village due to traffic. We therefore had another 15km of descent to do. Normally I would have really enjoyed this but by the bottom arriving in Maucelin I was beginning to feel really bad. This descent had been exhausting. I had to sit at the side of the road while Roy made the phone calls to find out where the cars were. I was really struggling with the thought of getting back on the bike.

The cars were 1km in a lay by outside of town so we headed off. Unfortunately we had gone the wrong way on the roundabout. 3km later we decided we had gone the wrong way. This had all been downhill so it was back up again to get to the car. It was too busy with traffic to consider them coming to us.

Arriving at the car

We finally got there and I collopsed down and sat with a towel over my head. After a short while we headed to the hotel but I only made it 5mins in the car before having to stop. I lay at the side of the road throwing up. We continued to the hotel and I spent some more time throwing up in the car park.

After getting in teh hotel I collapsed on the bed for a while then we all went across the road to a restaurant for dinner. I lasted about 20mins before falling asleep in the restaurant and deciding it was best to go back to the hotel. So much for the champagne celebration.

The next day I woke up feeling better and thinking about the previous day. Something had obviously gone wrong on Ventoux.

I think I had dehydrated in the forest which started causing the cramps. I probably had needed more water over the earlier parts of the day and hadn’t been able to recover properly in the heat. I think I also would have been better stopping to rest rather than pushing my bike and keeping moving, something at the time was saying don’t give in and stop.

I also realised when I got to the finish village and was offered water I said it was fine as I had 2 bottles in my back pockets. I had somehow forgot to drink them so definately wasn’t thinking clearly.

My immediate thought on crossing the finish line was never again but by the next day it was starting to niggle that I hadn’t cycled up Ventoux with out stopping. I went out and did a short 5km hill climb near where I was staying to mentally prove to myself I still could get up a hill 2 days later………now I’m considering next year already to do it “properly”?