Haute Route Alps, Stage 4, ITT

The Individual Time Trial, no way of getting any advantage of a team on one of these (if you do your cheating). Especially as we were going up all the way. Even if you are not an avid cyclist you would still have heard of "Alpe d'huez". It was been part of the tour on many many occasions. Back in 2013 they thought it was a good idea to climb it twice! Well we had finished yesterdays super tough stage going up the side door way you could say. Today was the time to go up the famous route. They say there are 21 hairpins on this ascent, not that I was counting, even if I was I would have lost count very quickly.

This would be my first attempt up the prestigious climb, they all say be careful up the first 3k. That is where it is at its steepest. We were given the ramp set off but we only really started around 1500m away at the foot of the climb. That is where the timing mat was and as I rolled down the climb from the hotel I could see everyone going over it at great speed giving it the full beans. So the general advise form everyone was take the first 3k steady.

I climbed the steps of the starting ramp after a shoddy effort of a warm up (the knee was pretty sore again). I was given the 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, GO! Off I went nice and steady, using this first 1500m untimed as a bit of a warm up. Then appeared the timing mat so I put a little burst in so I took as much speed into the timed section as possible and immediately the gradient ramped up. The knee was quite sharp today but I still ploughed on for the first minute or so out the saddle, I sat down to see the wattage was already way too high. Unfortunately the steepness and the gearing means that to keep a sensible rhythm and not to start grinding the cadence I was still working harder than I should be. Sod it I thought, I can back off when the hill gives me a break.

I continued on the well spoken about steep section until the grade eased off slightly, I was still well above average power, puffing a bit but feeling ok I carried on down on target watts. I could see I was slowly catching a couple of people, over took a few before I saw twenty minutes on the clock. This was good as these people were just behind me in the GC (general classification, (or in simple terms, overall position)). I had my energy gel which I had planned to have at around half way, probably the first time I have actually remembered. I usually carry them to the finish then swear I was carrying extra weight!

Coming into the final3 kilometers I was passed by one of the french teams, I recongised the kit. He was in the top 3 in the GC. With around 750m to go the road goes down (yes on a climb)...! I had checked out google strret view for this the night before. So I knew to give it full throttle here and then use the tiny 300m descent before the last 300m up to the finish. I even summonsed a (pathetic) sprint to the line. It was done, just over fifty minute I made it. I was 10th on the stage looking at provisional times. Somehow I had moved up to 5th in GC, so all in all a good day. The knee had not been too bad after the initial ten minutes.

I woke up this morning to no rain and this view from my hotel room. It was all covered by clouds and rain yesterday.

Looking at the forecast there is promise of nice dry conditions. Very good news! Hopefully more pictures like this.