Haute Route Alps - Stage 5. The longest distance day
Stage 5 from Bourg D'Osians to Digne-les-Bains was the longest stage the Haute Route has ever done at 187km, and it still has 3,000m climbing. The 187km does NOT included the downhill ride from Alp D'Heuz where we stayed last night, so overall, it was over 200km.
Pete, well, he had a BAD day. He has not been his usual climbing self of late, and has been suffering more than he should, as I know he can really climb. Anyway I think the only way he could have had a worse day would be if he broke his bike. What was his bad day?
Vomiting at 3.5km, eat at top of hill, vomit again. Make it to the top of the hill, struggling badly with no power in the legs, on the downhill get sting by a bee on the tongue.
Tongue swells up.........jaw goes numb....... lips stop responding.... he stops as by this time he is having trouble breathing.....
This is serious. Medical help is needed......
45 minutes later the medical motorbike turns up. Eventually, though hand signals i guess, (and the doc did not speak any english anyway) they work out what is wrong. EPI pen in the arm, and he starts to feel better, then 2 "blue pills" they push him on his. A tough day out on the longest day of this year. For next 100km he felt like crap, then the "blue pills" kicked in, and he took out his anger at hsi fellow riders as rode away from them over 10km of punchy rollers. They chased, and all they saw was the back of him.
A tough day, and we are having a good laugh about it now.
The other crazy thing we did today, as descent Alp d'Huez in the dark. Yes, all 21 switchbacks in the dark. With a 7am start at the bottom of the hill, we left the village at 6am in the cold, and Leah and I took our time going down. By the time i was at the bottom, i was one giant shiver. Not keen to repeat that again.
Otherwise, Leah had another strong day and is sitting in 2nd for her age group. I had a good day after yesterdays climb, and had some fun today. I made it over the climbs with the third group on the road, then during the last 10km we managed to break the group of 35, and 10 of us got away, after 15 people had been taking it easy at the back. A good result today for me, and I now move up to 43rd overall.
Tomorrow, we face Mt Ventoux. The monster that is famous in cyclng. 1,596m gain over 21km. A climb that has featured in numerous Tour de France stages, and is equally as famous for it's horrendous weather. Venteux means wind in French, and I have heard stories of riders been blown off their bikes, people been unable to hold onto their bikes at the top, and general crazy conditions. The wind bloes at 90+ km/h, 240 days per year. Tomorrow, we are in for a good day, as the weather looks good, and about as still as it gets.
Pete at the top of Alpe d'Huez ysterday.
Tomorrows stage profile
Today at the feed station, at the start of a untimed section. Untimed = no hurry.
One last Alpe d'Heuz pic.
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