Col de Latrape - Cirque de Cagateille Pyrenees Race.

A Race in the pyrenees taking us up the Col de Latrape and onto the Cirque de Cagateille where the finish line sat atop this little known Pyrenean mountain.

I wasn't feeling great going into this race, but seeing as I won it last year, I kept a little hope in the back of my mind that I might be able to pull something off. Sadly that wasn't to be the case. I decided the guy to watch was probably the guy emblazoned in Credit Agricole National Champion colors, and a guy in a decidedly Aussie looking jersey from Marseille who was second to me last year, and won the overall Pyrenean Hill Climb series (I wasn't able to do the last round as I was at the Tour of Cameroon).

Sadly things didn't go quite as planned and no one really wanted to work. We watched a group of 3 ride up the road and they held it all the way to the line.

Work damn you!!!

As soon as we hit the final climb on our way to the mountain top finish, I could feel I didn't have my climbing legs of last season. The Credit Agricole guy attacked, looked behind him for a second, which is when I countered him. In the end I finish 5th, feeling like crap. I was pretty disappointed overall. Although 5th really isn't bad after about a month and a half without racing, I think it was the way I felt on the climbs that disappointed me. Oh well, there you go.

I then spend a few days in the Pyrenees riding but never felt very good. I just hope I find some form again soon!
Maybe all that slow Bikestyle riding during the Tour wasn't the best way to spend July. ;-)