Haute Route Dolomites Stage 1, HAIL STONES...

So finally after the Parade yesterday and a bit of a late transfer to Conegliano we were ready for the real start of the Haute Route Dolomites. We were even given a lay in today with the get go at 09:00. From last year I know this will not last.

The first stage, in my eyes was going to pan out with 20k of nervous group riding on the flat. Before we arrive at the first climb (a category 3) col passo San Boldo. Hopefully this climb forces selection of riding groups for the rest of the day. Then a short descent and onto a long section through several villages, we then steadily rising until we get to the first real test the Passa Giau.

The stage went as expected with the first smaller climb thinning out the group at the front, I was pleased to still be in there as I sometimes take an hour or so to get fully warmed up and firing. We descended into the Valley and settled into a steady but decent pace. 50k of mostly flat riding saw several groups behind us catch up so coming into the final climb we had around 80 people in the lead group. I had miss timed a trip to the local toilet (a tree), and before I had even caught the group we were through the timing mats and hitting the Passo Giau!

You never know how to quite pace new climbs, you tend to get told a lot from people, they had said it was "brutal", its "relentless", "there are pitches at 15-18%.... I tend to take it all in but look at the elevation and try to pace the climb for a certain amount of time to be in miseryville, with a certain wattage to try to hit. All of what I had heard was right, its the hardest climb I have ever done, tougher than the Bonnette, which is my old favourite! The Giau really does go and go and go... the only small piece of restbite you can look forward to is small sections of around 6-8%, and these are literally a handfull of meters...!

As I had jumped off for the call of nature I was hitting the climb a bit harder than I wanted to in the attempt to catch up a bit (I did not know this at the time), Only realising when i looked down at my Garmin after 10 minutes and it told me the bad news about my poor pacing. Oh well, nevermind, that was done. So I then settled into something I thought was maintainable and rode the climb on my own, only picking up a few riders very occasionally. I was unsure where I was regarding the leaders but thought worse case I would be in the top 10, which was my target so all was well in my world. I occasionally checked behind me and I was pulling away from my nearest rivals. Finally the 1k to go sign appeared, but also so had the hail stone, oh yes, HAIL!... Yes, I hear you say, it is summer?... I was thinking the same as the hail was stinging my face!

Rolling through the finish mat I had no idea where I had come but got the news from our Sports Tours guy I was 3rd.... Thats a great bonus! One of my targets for the three weeks was to get on the podium so that was a tick in the box.

All in all a good day! We'll see how the legs are tomorrow....