Stage 5 Wednesday 22nd July. Sogndal - Ulvik - LEAH TAKES OUT THE SPRINTERS JERSEY AGAIN.
Stage 5 was a wet, cold, long 185km day broken up by a ferry (where we tried to warm up), a 1200m climb up to the alpine zone with 12ft snow banks and a very frozen lake, and headwind, then we climbed the steepest road in Europe, Stalheimskleiva at 15% for 2.2km with most of it over 20%, before fighting more headwind and a final short punchy climb to the finish and into a very nice hotel in Ulvik (population 500, including tourists).
Leah had a good day coming in 3rd women home, and she could see 2nd.
I managed to hang with the second group over the first 1000m climb, and stayed with them all day in a 7 man paceline fighting the headwind and had a good last climb winning the small group hill climb for about 15th overall.
In Ulvik that night there was the traveling TV show that goes from small fiord community to community filming local personalities. It was quite the gathering of locals, and I wish we knew what theyw ere saying. It was quite spectacular moored next to the small jetty.
Stage 6 - Thursday 23rd July –Ulvik -