Anyway:
Tour du Plantaurel (Best Climber) 
Stage 3:
Stage 3 was an early start. A stupidly early start by French racing standards. We had to be up at 6:30 for breakfast, as the start was at 9am.
The legs were tight that morning, and what with it being so bloody early, it was hard to tell how we were going to feel. I was misty and a bit cold out, but it wasn't raining. The roads were still a bit wet, but we were to stay dry for once.
The pressure was on. The first climb was 11km into the race, and the team knew they could control the entire field for 11k. I was told they wouldn't let anyone get away, and I had to take maximum points over the first climb for the overall climber's jersey. If I got max points then the team would be able to relax it's control of the race, and only keep tabs on my immediate climbing rivals. The danger was if a break formed early and one guy got all the GPM points from the breakaway group, then there would be nothing we could do. So, Sim had to give his all and make sure he got max points. I rode conservatively and stayed near the front. There was no way I was going to get yelled at for sitting at the back of the field today and missing the start of the climb. When we finally got the bottom of the climb, 1 of my team mates pretty much lead the entire climb with me on his wheel. He did a hell of a good job and buried himself up that fairly long climb. As we approached the top our soigneur was waiting just down from the GPM line to tell us how far to go. 200 meters. At about 150m from the line I started the sprint, the Mountains jersey wear was on the right but it looked like I was going to hold him off. Jermone was sitting on my left, ready to slip into 2nd place and take as many points as poss away from my rival. about 50meters from the line, something happened. A loud CRACK and I fell onto the top tube. My chain had somehow slipped off the big ring. I weaved and nearly put Jerome in the ditch. I couldn't believe it. My chain actually landed on small ring, so I was able to still pedal. Amazingly Jermone whipped round me, took all the points (thank god). My rival took 2nd place and I held on for first. On the descent we had a good talk about what had happened. I was had controlled the situation as well as could be expected. Jermone was a legend and had done everything that needed doing. I was impressed!!! However what this meant is that the 3 of us were now all on equal points. We all had 10 points. In the valley Jerome and I talked to try and figure out which one of us was going to go best today and see who was going to work for whom. I had a feeling he was going to be on fire. We decided to wait until the next climb and go from there.
In the valley on a very short but steep hill, our team captain took 2 of our guys onhis wheel (Hugo the young rider and Patrick) and attacked... the peleton watched 3 guys from the same team go up the road and didn't react. Our Captain then pealed off as launching the other 2 riders takes a lot out of you. He came back to the peleton and Patrick and Hugo were off a nice little breakaway. 2 guys from the same team. Amazing.
The Train Tracks:
Our 2 guys were off the front and went over a train track. By the time we got to the train tracks the barriers were down and a train was coming. We didn't stop long but it was pretty exciting for us, as it meant our 2 guys increased their lead. Ahhh.. just like in Paris Roubaix... :-)
Stage 3:
Stage 3 was an early start. A stupidly early start by French racing standards. We had to be up at 6:30 for breakfast, as the start was at 9am.
The legs were tight that morning, and what with it being so bloody early, it was hard to tell how we were going to feel. I was misty and a bit cold out, but it wasn't raining. The roads were still a bit wet, but we were to stay dry for once.
The pressure was on. The first climb was 11km into the race, and the team knew they could control the entire field for 11k. I was told they wouldn't let anyone get away, and I had to take maximum points over the first climb for the overall climber's jersey. If I got max points then the team would be able to relax it's control of the race, and only keep tabs on my immediate climbing rivals. The danger was if a break formed early and one guy got all the GPM points from the breakaway group, then there would be nothing we could do. So, Sim had to give his all and make sure he got max points. I rode conservatively and stayed near the front. There was no way I was going to get yelled at for sitting at the back of the field today and missing the start of the climb. When we finally got the bottom of the climb, 1 of my team mates pretty much lead the entire climb with me on his wheel. He did a hell of a good job and buried himself up that fairly long climb. As we approached the top our soigneur was waiting just down from the GPM line to tell us how far to go. 200 meters. At about 150m from the line I started the sprint, the Mountains jersey wear was on the right but it looked like I was going to hold him off. Jermone was sitting on my left, ready to slip into 2nd place and take as many points as poss away from my rival. about 50meters from the line, something happened. A loud CRACK and I fell onto the top tube. My chain had somehow slipped off the big ring. I weaved and nearly put Jerome in the ditch. I couldn't believe it. My chain actually landed on small ring, so I was able to still pedal. Amazingly Jermone whipped round me, took all the points (thank god). My rival took 2nd place and I held on for first. On the descent we had a good talk about what had happened. I was had controlled the situation as well as could be expected. Jermone was a legend and had done everything that needed doing. I was impressed!!! However what this meant is that the 3 of us were now all on equal points. We all had 10 points. In the valley Jerome and I talked to try and figure out which one of us was going to go best today and see who was going to work for whom. I had a feeling he was going to be on fire. We decided to wait until the next climb and go from there.
In the valley on a very short but steep hill, our team captain took 2 of our guys onhis wheel (Hugo the young rider and Patrick) and attacked... the peleton watched 3 guys from the same team go up the road and didn't react. Our Captain then pealed off as launching the other 2 riders takes a lot out of you. He came back to the peleton and Patrick and Hugo were off a nice little breakaway. 2 guys from the same team. Amazing.
The Train Tracks:
Our 2 guys were off the front and went over a train track. By the time we got to the train tracks the barriers were down and a train was coming. We didn't stop long but it was pretty exciting for us, as it meant our 2 guys increased their lead. Ahhh.. just like in Paris Roubaix... :-)The Yellow jersey team wasn't overly happy, but that's cycling.
So with our 2 guys off the front, they took the majority of the GPM points over the next climb. My captain came up to me on the lower slopes of the climb and told me I needed to attack over the climb. Get the points and try to bridge up to our 2 guys off the front. Hmmm.... I was struggling up the climb. Jerome and I were both near the front as we got to the top of the 2nd climb. I launched out of the main field and expected to have at least the KOM jersey wearer come with me. But I guess I Wasn't feel so bad, no one followed. So over the top of that climb, our 2 guys out front got the first 2 place, I got third and Jerome got 4th. Our team took every single point available... the KOM jersey wearer didn't get any points. So I was now back int he lead with Jerome in second for the KOM. I was a little worried that my rival was saving himself to go off and take max points over the final climb, but...
Over the top of the climb I was alone. A few people on the side of the road warned us that the descent was wet, slippery with leaves and very dangerous, so I went down easy. By the bottom however I was still alone with one guy chasing me. So I put my head down and tried to stay away. The yellow jersey team wasn't having it and brought us back on the valley roads befoe the final climb. The yellow jersey team was pretty tired by the point, and another team took up the chase. Now this is pretty funny. We obvisouly didn't want them to catch our 2 guys off the front. So to try and difuse the chase... I saw my team captain zip past me and go to the guy on the front as start talking to him. I wondered what he was saying. He rode up to the guy and said:.. "tough stage. What's the rest of it like? Is it hard?"... the guy naturally answered. But as he started talking he naturally (and without realizing it) slowed way down. "yeah it's pretty hard. Still a mountain pass to come." he said.
"Oh really. Shit. Best to save as much energery as poss for the finish then I guess"
And ther it was.. the chase was seruptitiously deffused. We had a good laugh about that one later.
Over the top of the climb I was alone. A few people on the side of the road warned us that the descent was wet, slippery with leaves and very dangerous, so I went down easy. By the bottom however I was still alone with one guy chasing me. So I put my head down and tried to stay away. The yellow jersey team wasn't having it and brought us back on the valley roads befoe the final climb. The yellow jersey team was pretty tired by the point, and another team took up the chase. Now this is pretty funny. We obvisouly didn't want them to catch our 2 guys off the front. So to try and difuse the chase... I saw my team captain zip past me and go to the guy on the front as start talking to him. I wondered what he was saying. He rode up to the guy and said:.. "tough stage. What's the rest of it like? Is it hard?"... the guy naturally answered. But as he started talking he naturally (and without realizing it) slowed way down. "yeah it's pretty hard. Still a mountain pass to come." he said.
"Oh really. Shit. Best to save as much energery as poss for the finish then I guess"
And ther it was.. the chase was seruptitiously deffused. We had a good laugh about that one later.
The final Col
As we hit the lower slopes of the final climb, I wasn't feeling too good. The lower slopes were very steep and zig zagged through steep, narrow villages. Then the climb started propper. I was still well placed near the front, but maybe a little further back than I should have been. We caught and passed the breakaway group. They had done a great job.
At the top of the climb I had started to feel a little better and found myself at the front of the race with 2 other guys. I attacked and took all the GPM points. Happy with myself for wrapping up the mountains jersey, I looked around to see where everyone was. I had a gap. So I thought I'd try and keep the gap down the descent, as on the profile it was only 2 or 3 km from the bottom to the finish, and it looked all flat.
At the top of the climb I had started to feel a little better and found myself at the front of the race with 2 other guys. I attacked and took all the GPM points. Happy with myself for wrapping up the mountains jersey, I looked around to see where everyone was. I had a gap. So I thought I'd try and keep the gap down the descent, as on the profile it was only 2 or 3 km from the bottom to the finish, and it looked all flat.
There were a couple of bad looking corners on the way, and I took it fairly easy. Though one corner did surprise me a bit, and as I cam out of it I heard someone behind me crash. I was near the bottom by this stage and just put my head down and hammered towards the finish. As I turned around there was only one guy behind me. I turned around a bit later and I had a pretty big gap on him by now. Ridding at 45 kph alone on the valley road, I was feeling pretty confident. I was going to be pretty happy to win solo, in the Pyrenees.. especially with the champion's jersey on my back. My gap got big enough that they put the neutral support car behind me. However that car actually belonged to team of the rider chasing me. Now I don't know if there was any kind of foul play, but all I know is that despite riding at 45kph with a pretty big gap, suddenly the guy was much closer and the neutral car was being pulled out and put back in front of me.
As I got close the finish, I realized the profile wasn't totally honest. Although the finish was in a village that was onthe flat valley road... the actual finish line was up 1km of steep hill through the village. ARGHH... I had given everything on the flat valley road. The rider behind me caught me and attacked on the steep slopes, I tried to follow but a small gap opened. As we approached the finish, the leader of the Caisse d'Epargne series appeared on my wheel and there we were battling it out for 2nd place. I was totally buggered by then and he very narrowly edged me out for second. So I went from thinking I was going to win solo, to finishing 3rd. But I had taken a few seconds out of the yellow jersey, had had a good ride. Had been out front displaying the jersey and the team, and more to the point had won the overall king of mountains. So I was happy no matter. what. I felt it had been a great day.
As I got close the finish, I realized the profile wasn't totally honest. Although the finish was in a village that was onthe flat valley road... the actual finish line was up 1km of steep hill through the village. ARGHH... I had given everything on the flat valley road. The rider behind me caught me and attacked on the steep slopes, I tried to follow but a small gap opened. As we approached the finish, the leader of the Caisse d'Epargne series appeared on my wheel and there we were battling it out for 2nd place. I was totally buggered by then and he very narrowly edged me out for second. So I went from thinking I was going to win solo, to finishing 3rd. But I had taken a few seconds out of the yellow jersey, had had a good ride. Had been out front displaying the jersey and the team, and more to the point had won the overall king of mountains. So I was happy no matter. what. I felt it had been a great day.
Cassero, leader of the Caisse d'Epargne series caught me and edged me out for 2nd on the stage.And there you have it.. right.. now I have to go train a little bit. I'm off to Cameroon soon and I can just sit around all day.
;-) I hope there are at least some hills in Cameroon.
;-) I hope there are at least some hills in Cameroon.
The race finished, the team loads our bikes for the drive home
Our DS sits in the mini van and reports back on our daily performance
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