Haute Route Alps, stage 3. WET

Where do I start with todays fun and games. We could begin with the amount of climbing included, I believe today was more vertical ascent than any other Haute route stage over the years. This did not worry me that much, I can kind of hold my own going up. For many I believe todays stage will be the climbing, I myself have only gone over 4500m in a day a few times. I am sure many will be 4k virgins. Today for me the biggest issue was rain and then the cold, lots and lots of rain!

We had a little bit of a lay in, race start was 07:30. I was up ahead of my alarm as usual and stumbling down the stairs in search of boiling water to get my porridge fest up and running. A few more carbs popped into the gut and I as ready to get wet. Some of the forecasts had said we may get away with an hour or two before the rain started. This was a lie, it was running down the windows at 6am while I enjoyed my porridge. So I pedalled the 500m to the start line feeling how the knees were, not great but we will see how they warm up. Little did I know I would not see another moment of my time on the bike today when it was not pouring down!

In the briefing the night before we had been informed the descent of the Glandon would not be timed, but the first descent, the Madeleine, would be timed. Having now done both I have no idea why one was "safer" than the other. I was terified down both with brakes that were jerking about and hands that were feeling like they were not part of my body they were so cold. Today I also discovered my waterproof jacket was not water proof. This was indeed great news to me after an hour when everything I had on under it was soaked. Not only was this cold, also I guessed I would be carrying another few kilograms up the climbs with me.

We rolled through the 24k of neutralised descent before the first timing mat appeared. Even without any niggles this would be a long long day. So I started nice and gently trying to allow my suspect knees time to warm up. They were not feeling perfect but good enough at this point to keep the pace as I would like. The first ascent was a biggie, over 1500m of climbing, Col de la Madeleine. I was trying to get it out the way without working too hard and without using any mental strength, in a way trying to climb it without knowing I had. This did not fully work, After twenty mins of the climb I spotted I was catching the lead group. That was a big surprise, although I guess they were chilling with so much more fun ahead of them. I never got into that group unfortunately, it did give me an idea of where I was position wise on the stage. The final 3k of the Madeleine turned very nasty, I mass of head wind had welcomed us to the summit. Next the "timed" descent. This I was not looking forward to, I quite literally went into survival mode. Just getting down in the slowest and safest way possible. I was overtaken by half a dozen rider flying down before I started to see signs for the "glandon". Not many would be so happy to see that, for me it meant I could try to get back some time and more importantly get warm!

Spotting the Col du Glandon was a good thing! So I was getting my heart pumping again with the hope to getting the feeling back in my hands, fingers, feet and toes. Once again the usual system up the Glandon, after a few kilometers I started to see people ahead which kept me interested. At this point I was struggling mentally knowing I was not even half way through the stage elevation wise and soaked right through with a hint of misery creeping into me. As I was overtaking people I tend to try to show that I am not working, I know this annoys me when I am overtaken so hopefully I get similar reaction. Today though I was trying something new, it was something me and my good friend Dave call spreading the misery, half way up the second ascent I decided to be epically cheerfull to everyone in the hope that it may keep me interested. This strange tactic worked for the rest of the climb until the final few k's where again the wind was doing its best to pump us full of even more misery. Even at what felt like zero mph the rain was still stinging my face. I must have look so miserable in that last few k of the Glandon.

Thankfully the next descent was non timed, so i feasted at the feed stop. The days of standing there for near on thirty minutes were way behind us (although it was only yesterday we last did that). I was getting cold as soon as I stopped pedalling. So off I went on the very long descent, thankfully this down bit has a few up bits, so a tiny chance to get the heat into your core again. I really was starting to struggle down this section. shivering uncontrollably and the bike shaking with it. The more you shiver the slower you go, meaning the more time spent being cold. I was really getting irate pleading for the start of the final timed section to start. Then I would have a tiny chance to get warm again. I went on and on until, oh yes, there was the timing mat!! I actually shouted out load in delight for the start of the climb.

The last section was give or take 20k, usually I would stop before the mat and sort my stuff out. drink some etc etc. This time I just wanted out of these wet clothes and to be warm again. So I hit it straight away. Ahead I saw four other rider, nodding and weaving about, at least I was not the only one occupying miseryville! These four guys would be my targets or sometimes we call them "victims", so went you overtake them they "your" victims. The first three guys were swept up inside the first few k of the climb. The next was very stubbon, he was holding the same gap for a good forty minutes. The two of us had overtaken another two victims, when the road decided to go down, it turned into rather a narrow and pretty technical road where the rain had not helped things! Very slippery and a single track road with big falls off to the right. A couple more kilometers of this down and we turned and popped out in huez, from memory it was around 4k to the summit. I had eventually draw level with this guy. I was not playing the cheerfull face anymore, I was hurting. I put a little dig in to get a gap and then settled into my tempo pace again, I think about seven hair pins awaited us and then some false flat and then the final 1k marker! Some down and a roundabout and the finish was there, AMAZING!! What a day, physically and mentally I was ruined.

I am sat in my hotel room wondering how many people will make todays cut off time. There really was a shed load of misery floating about there today! A load of people will be bumping into it just like I had. At one point near the summit of the Glandon I swear the river running down the middle of the road was so deep and the wind so strong it had cut it up and waves were forming. Today is in the top 3 of the hardest days mentally i have had on a bike.

Tomorrow we have the Individual Time Trial. 14k up Alpe D'huez. Me thinks it could be done a little lighter than a Time Trial should be.

Ps: sorry todays blog was so long, hopefully tomorrows will bring some joy (and sun)...!