Well this week has been a pretty awesome week. Got my first podium at a kermesse on Monday and now I'm chilling in the French Alps, can't get much better than this. Could be a long read because a lot has happened this week.
Well, Monday we decided to ride out and do a kermesse. Wasn't sure how I would do because I had raced the Saturday before and creeped through that and felt like poo on Sunday when I did a slow easy ride so I wasn't expecting much from myself. Riding out there was pretty slow and painful but by the time we arrived the legs were feeling alright. The course was pretty exposed and had a long uphill drag to the finish and the hill kept going past the finish. There were Sprint Prems every lap which means if you cross the line first each lap you win money. Wasn't sure how the legs were feeling so I thought I would just go for the Prems and make some easy cash. Took out the first sprint pretty easily then the second sprint, cha ching $$$ money in the bank. Legs were feeling pretty good at this stage so I attacked solo about half way through the race and picked up another Prem $$$. Two riders bridged up to me and we lapped it out for about 5 laps. We shared the Prems so one guy would win the Prem and then next lap someone else will win the Prem. We got caught before I could get my 4th Prem but I already had three so I wasn't complaining. It then started to bucket down and there was a bit of thunder and lightning too. Should've packed my gumboots so I wouldn't get zapped. When the rain came I knew it was time to go. Ryan Wills, who was racing for the Terra team last year, rode away from the bunch and another guy was chasing him by himself so I thought now it's time for me to go. Bridged up to them and we rode together for about 4 laps, again sharing the Prems so I picked up one more Prem $$$. With 1.5 laps to go, Ryan broke his spoke on the downhill so that was his race over and so it was just me and this other rider who was a Pom. I was feeling fairly cooked near the end because I had done a lot of work going for the Prems. It came down to a sprint between me and the Pom but he was too good for me at the end. There weren't a lot of riders racing so it wasn't that hard of a race but I'll still take 2nd. Looks good on the CV. 85 euro in the bank for 2nd place and 50 euro for my 4 Prems so I was pretty damn happy.
I think I deserve a Screw It, YOLO day so Zeno and I caught the train up to Ghent the next day. It was a pretty crappy day with a lot of drizzling rain so we just walked around and checked out the sites and walked around inside shops and churches. Went to the good coffee place there that do flat whites but it was really average. Flat whites shouldn't be room temperature! Gutted. Ah well, we'll head back there when that person who made the coffee isn't working. Went to a waffle cafe and smashed back a waffle with banana, ice cream and chocolate sauce. Ka Pai it was tasty. Finished off the day in Pizza Hut cause Zeno and I craved pizza. We walked around for ages trying to find a pizza place and we found one right next to the Flat White Cafe but we couldn't find the door. There was someone in the restaurant but there was no door. There was a big window where you could see inside but couldn't find the bloody door! We walked around the block thinking there would be a secret alley way or something that would take us to the door but na, just walked in a big square so screw it, we go to Pizza Hut!
So yea, Thursday was the day we made the long 9 hour trip down to the Alps. It was a bloody toasty day sitting around 28 - 29 degrees outside but felt like 35 degrees in the car. Air Con was useless and when you travel at 130kph, it's too loud to have the windows down. Finally arrived at the chateau we are staying at which is kind of part of a ski field at over 1000m altitude. The next day it was another scorcher day getting up to 33 degrees. Decided to ride the Col de Madeline which is a famous climb that is 19km of up hill and at the top is 2000m in altitude. What a view at the top! Now the fun times of descending down! To get back to the chateau we have to climb 9km up the Col du Glandon which was bloody hot. But just past the chateau is a small park that has a small man made lake that is full of fresh glacier water that is constantly being sprayed in by a hose. Was the prefect place to cool down. It was freezing cold in the middle where it was deep but it was nice and warm in the shallow. The water was so clear as well! Was really nice just chilling in the sun, surrounded by mountains. Was quite weird going for a swim when you can see mountains with snow on it.
Oh yea should probably mention that I am racing Tour des Pays Savoie which is the 4 day tour here in the alps. I was originally just coming here to ride the hills and get out of the house because I didn't think I would do too good up the alps but I seem to be coping alright.
Saturday was a very big day with a total of 6 hours of riding. We did the Col du télégraphe which is 12km long and reaches 1,566 m altitude. From the top of the télégraphe, you ride 5km down hill into the ski town of Valloire and from there it's 17km to the top of the Col du Galivier which reaches 2,645m altitude. The road to the top had only been opened for 2 weeks or so so there was still a bit of snow around. Started to rain 3km from the top but we decided to carry on because it's a very famous climb as well and you can't just turn around when you had ridden all that way. Rain turned to sleet with 2km to go but we still carried on. Got to the top and rode straight back down. No time for a photo otherwise we would die of hyperthermia. Gets bloody cold up there especially when your soaking wet. About half way down, the road is pretty straight so you can really give it some curry and it was a big headwind too so we got blown dry by the time we reached Valloire again. Easy 5km to the top of the télégraphe and then the fun times of going down. The roads are so much nicer here than New Zealand and Belgium so you can really fist it in the downhill. We weren't taking too many risks though around the corners because we don't want to die before the Tour.
Weather was fairly average today. Had to do our ride fairly early to beat the rain. Legs were still feeling pretty good though. We did the Col du Chaussy which is 15km long and reaches 1,533m altitude. The Chaussy is most famous for its 17 switchbacks in the first 3km. About halfway up there is a massive cliff on the right with an awesome view. Didn't get a chance to get a picture though cause we were really hitting it on the downhill. After that we climbed up the Col de la Croix des Fer which is 28km long and reaches 2,067m altitude. The first half of the climb was pretty hard and steep but after that it was downhill and fairly flat but then after that section it was a hard uphill to the top. Freezing cold descent home with a bit of rain. Three fairly hard days now so easy bakery ride tomorrow. Supposed to be nice weather again too because it's pouring with rain at the moment.
I'll wrap it up now cause this has been a long one.
My blog next week will be delayed because we finish the Tour on Sunday and I'm sure I'll be wrecked. So next blog will probably be New Zealand Tuesday.
I'll try upload some pictures but I don't know if it will work because I'm on my iPad and the pictures are on my phone so not sure if it will work but I'll give it a crack.
Thanks for reading
Nick
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