Haute Route Dolomites, Debrief.

Haute Route Alps and Dolomites, Debrief.

A week after the curtain coming down on another Haute Route and I am starting to want to get back on the training wagon. I came back feeling really down about the way my form had gone, yes there had been some signs of “form” here and there but generally not what I had hoped for. My ability to ruin myself day in day out and recover had seemingly disappeared, and even then my “good” days were only just good enough to make selection once or twice in the two weeks I rode. Back last year I was able to back up days and even weeks, again there were glimmers of durability in the Dolomites but no real light at the end of the tunnel.

As always time heals the wounds, even as little as a week on I feel better. There are still memories from the Izoard in my depths of despair, the only positive that day was meeting Geoff a really nice Canadian guy who was also riding the two weeks that I was (Alps and Dolomites). I spoke with him most days, either at the start or in the neutral sections. I was pleased to see him complete the fortnight safely and also in a good position in GC in both weeks.

So the reasoning for my lack of form is debatable. I like to find reasons for these disappointments so in the future I can remedy them, or at least work on there issues. Plainly having the first 3 months of the season pretty much stagnant and unable to ride would not have assisted me. With this I was not quite at the same power numbers as the year before, but with that I was weighing a little less. The weight is the next possible issue, I know you are likely to gain weight before a major event by loading glycogen. This allowed me possibly 2kg of weight gain. When part way through the race we stayed at a hotel with scales. I had my suspicion I was heavier but not 4 to 5 kg heavier. This would explain my lack of ability to climb a hill.

There is a case of the standard lifting up quite a bit. Andrea who was close to me was well down the GC results compared to the 2014 race. I had a little bit of gut ache for a few days, So again another little reason. They all add up to effect your form. I also looked back on what training I was doing in the run up and possibly I had done slightly over done it, this could explain why I slightly improved in the Dolomites. Talking about the Dolomites, excluding the first stage where is was awesome and warm, we generally had quite a cold, wet and miserable experience in regards to weather.

So the many possibilities/reasons for coming away disappointed from this years race are mostly fixable. I am in the process of writing a plan to correct all of this. Target weight, power and performance. Although this is all a bit random without current race targets for the season.

Will I ride the Haute Route next year, at one point recently I would have said no, but I am starting to want to do it to try and put right the lack of form from this year! I can almost say I feel embarrassed by how I rode and how far away I was from people who I was racing beside in 2014. After the Marmotte I was in a 100% position I could not put myself through that pain again, but now.... certainly thinking about it. What is the chance of getting 40 degree heat ...??! :-/

Thanks for sticking with the blog, and those who read each stage. I was shocked to hear how many people in the race actually read it.