2008 Blogs
Three words: oochy foochy redoofuldar. Today's road roace - stage 2, was epically beautiful. I had an image of the real Tour de France in my head - the switchbacks, the writing on the road, the crazed euros pushing you up the 15% grade, the little old ladies watching from their kitchen windows, the twisty-turny-snakey roads that wind through the quaint villages. We rode through it all today.
At about 7k, a break went off at the sprint point and stayed off until about 50k, when the climb began. At 55k the hors categorie climb began - 15% grade for 3k! That's when the field shattered. I was climbing with a good group, pleased with how my legs were feeling. Then a chitty-chitty-bang-bang descent. Oh mon, it was so so fun. Then, pshh. Flat. I threw my hand in the air and cars and motorcycles cruised by, shrugging their shoulders, shaking their heads - no spare wheels! I stood on the side of the road for 5 minutes before walking up the road for another 5 minutes. Cars, motorcycles, more riders cruised on by, before a medic finally stopped. Apparently a wheel truck was behind them. 5 more minutes until a van pulled up - "Fini?" Eyes bulging from my head I screamed "NO!!! Flat!" He strolled over to the van and pulled out an ancient wheel with either 9 speed or Campi, because the shifting felt as though I would be spewing sparks. So I'm doing a swell job bringing up the rear in 106th place, 23 minutes behind. Sweet can turn sour in matters of seconds.
It's all good though - I'm reunited with my team, reunited with my bags! I'm riding a dream.
At about 7k, a break went off at the sprint point and stayed off until about 50k, when the climb began. At 55k the hors categorie climb began - 15% grade for 3k! That's when the field shattered. I was climbing with a good group, pleased with how my legs were feeling. Then a chitty-chitty-bang-bang descent. Oh mon, it was so so fun. Then, pshh. Flat. I threw my hand in the air and cars and motorcycles cruised by, shrugging their shoulders, shaking their heads - no spare wheels! I stood on the side of the road for 5 minutes before walking up the road for another 5 minutes. Cars, motorcycles, more riders cruised on by, before a medic finally stopped. Apparently a wheel truck was behind them. 5 more minutes until a van pulled up - "Fini?" Eyes bulging from my head I screamed "NO!!! Flat!" He strolled over to the van and pulled out an ancient wheel with either 9 speed or Campi, because the shifting felt as though I would be spewing sparks. So I'm doing a swell job bringing up the rear in 106th place, 23 minutes behind. Sweet can turn sour in matters of seconds.
It's all good though - I'm reunited with my team, reunited with my bags! I'm riding a dream.