Epilogue: The Col de Marie-Blanque Revisited

One of my, “friends” sent me a note to say how much he would enjoy drinking wine whilst I was cycling up the 11% gradients of the last 3.5 kms of the Marie-Blanque. Now the trip is done, and all other cols were knocked over, I thought I would provide a few more details of what that .....optional...... climb looked like.

After 165km of riding in 35 degree heat I was pretty tired as the climb approached. I had also been suffering from cramps in my upper legs for quite a few kms. Not a good start to what you know is a difficult 10km climb. The other thing with the Marie Blanque is that its essentially a straight road with slight bends so the gradient is relentless - no hairpin bends where the gradient eases, if just for 50m.

At the start of the climb the only member of our group who had done the climb before, Mark, shouted out, “ok boys see you at the top” as he drifted rapidly off the back! The remaining 4 quickly split up with Einar and Aidan disappearing up the road, Dave falling back, leaving me on my own.

On many of the climbs in France there are marker posts that tell you how many kms to go and the % gradient of the next km.

The first 5kms of the Marie Blanque went surprisingly well, but as soon as I hit the 9.5%+ section I was instantly struggling. You get used to struggling so you push on thinking that its just a case of digging deep. As you slow to walking pace your only option is to get out of the saddle. At this point between each down step there is a long pause. As the 3km to go sign came up, the realisation came there was no way I would be able to do the rest of the climb like this. A rest.....lovely relief from the effort... but, the knowledge that I would be getting plenty of stick from the boys behind as they passed me. What to do - walk a bit - maybe I could stay ahead. Off I set. After a while walking and no sign of anyone, time to get back on. I only managed a few hundred meters before getting off again and walking. As I walked around the next slight curve I saw the 2km to go sign and to my surprise Aidan and Einar standing next to it. I was not alone in my troubles.

Next km 13%!

After a few minutes chit chat another figure appeared coming round the bend - Dave and he was on the bike. Would he continue past us and take the honours?........ No way! As he saw the 2km sign and its 13% good news story he joined the group.

Broken Men
Dave joins the 2km to go group

There was no option but to continue, as the hotel was the other side of the top. Einar and Aidan impressively remounted and rode into the distance while Dave and I agreed to walk. We walked past the 1km to go sign with its 11%+ greeting. There was a fair bit of chit chat, particularly on the subject of Mark's decision to include the "optional" Marie-Blanque climb! And then the first hairpin appeared - It looked nearly flat - time to remount. As I eased up the 11% slopes beyond the hairpin I realised I could see the col. With renewed vigour I moved easily to the top followed quickly by Dave. D I A B O L I C A L was the word that came into my head.

The Col de Marie-Blanque
(Einar enjoying a rest in the shade beyond)

Top of Marie-Blanque

10 mins later Mark came pedaling up - job done. Only Aidan and Einar had cycled the whole climb albeit with 2 rest stops.

View Looking back toward valley we cycled up

The problem with massive failings like that on the Marie Blanque is that it creates a demon that needs to be vanquished. So anyone who wants to do it with me the next time I go, let me know!!! Perhaps we wont cycle 165km before hand.

One Final Effort

Started: 10am
Finished: 12.50pm
Total Distance: 80km
450m of climbing.
State at Finish: Looking forward to the swimming pool.

Not too much to say about last day. Weather was good. Slightly downhill to start then a few bumps along the coast. A few pics below but thought I would share a typical days schedule with you.

-7.30 Get up, bathroom then down to breakfast. Discuss weather for day!
-8.15 Put cycle gear on, depending on weather, and pack bag
-8.30 Pack support car, check out, check bike, do tyres, general faffing around.
-9.00 Hit the road
-7pm to 8.30pm Finish cycling and general collapse in a heap. Followed by either cooling down or warming up or drying off depending on weather.
-Next 45 mins is generally spent stretching, munching on snacks & showering.
-Dinner – earliest 8.00pm, latest 9.30pm
-Organise bag for tomorrow and get all gear ready for morning.
-Write Blog. I think first day I started at 10.30pm, otherwise around 11pm or 11.30pm.
-Sleep: Best 11pm, worst 1am

Looking forward to putting my feet up and watching the telly.

All prepared for the last push

Leading the way through last town
before coast

The Mediterranean in sight!

The finish line - sunny and warm

Reward Beers (although a few beers/ wine
 have been sunk on all other nights!)

View from hotel

A break in the weather and a victory

Started: 9.30am

Finished: 8.30pm

Total Distance:195km

3000m of climbing
State at finish: Totally Shattered.

The weather was much better today, starting overcast then clearing to be quite a bright day so no need to mention anymore.

My cycling colleagues expressed an interest in how they were portrayed in the blog and were surprised to here that other than photos they don't exist! So here goes.

Aidan - English with hint of Irish

Mark - English with hint of Canadian

Einar - English with hint of Norwegian

Dave - Quintessential English.

Hopefully this does not offend anyone but Aidan and Einar have been the strongest followed by the rest of us. So i new if I was going to get to one of the cols first I would have to have a pretty good plan. Tuesday night after lights out such a plan was devised.

The strategy: I needed a climb that was not too hard but big enough to talk about. Plus it had to come early enough in the day that I was not too tired. Enter the Col de Port - 13km average gradient 4.7%. I knew I had no chance of sprinting off at the base and leaving them behind so the element of surprise with about 100m to go was only option. Of course its all well and good to have a plan but executing it is a completely different matter. To cut what is already too long a story short, I managed to hang on all the way up and as view of the summit approached I unleashed my sprint. Only problem was that I was knackered so not really a sprint, more a slow passing manoeuvre. Einar, now alert to my intentions took on the challenge, (which I sincerely wish he had not!). From somewhere I mustered the strength to edge across the line. My euphoria quickly turned to deep concern as I realised I was buggered and we had only completed 50km of the 190km day! 

By the top of the 27km Col de Puymorens I new I was in trouble. My concerns were not improved when I saw a sign after the descent stating 58km to go. Fortunately I was saved by a further 38km descent all the way into the town we stayed in. Very very very tired.

Start Day 4

Victory on the Col de Port

Into a head wind...
 all the way up the 27km col de Puymorens

A friendly van...
halfway up col de Puymorens

On top of Col de Puymorens

Cakes, Coffees and Nuts.
 half way down.

Suffering before the 38km descent

Apologies no blog today

Totally shattered - arrived 8.30pm - good day - will post details tomorrow evening.

Sun, showers, rain, lightning!

Started: 9am

Finished: 7.30pm

Total Distance:145km

3400m of climbing
State at finish: cold/ wet/ tired/ Mission accomplished/ happy.

Day started warm and sunny but with confirmation col du tourmalet was closed  from the side we were supposed to climb due to snow! However other side was open but going around to get to start was going to add 45kms to day.

Climb of 17km col d'aubisque I felt quite good for first half (the easy part).and not so good the second half but was happy to get to the top without a stop. After the horrors of the col de Marie-Blanche the evening before, not bad. Plus the scenery going up the aubisque is spectacular.

Next 60km were showers and pretty tiring. By the time we reached the bottom of tourmalet for a break I was not too confident. 100g bag of crisps and a load of choc cake later I felt better, but not confident. Even less so when the thunder and lightning started, followed by an in depth conversation as to whether the cm or so depth of rubber tyre would insulate you from a lightning strike?

Took tourmalet very slow and was rewarded with success - rained pretty much whole way up but given effort I was  nice and warm. Plus didn't get struck by lightning!  Only stayed a couple of mins on col as 5degrees and soaked. Descent through clouds was freezing but got to hotel in one piece - long day but good day.

Forecast for tomorrow rain all day with new information last 4kms of col de portet de aspet are like Marie-Blanche! Redemption or more punishment?

Nice and sunny for start

Col D'aubisque - 1st HC cat climb of day done

Early lunch venue on Col D'aubisque

Col de Soulor - cloud building

Discussing Lightning Before Tourmalet

Rain Rain Rain at Start of Col Du Tourmalet

Into & the clouds, and lightning!

Col Du tourmalet - Route closed from original side

View down other side of Col Du Tourmalet

On myown at top of col Du tourmalet,
I thought I was smiling but maybe that was tricky!

Snow Banks at Col Du tourmalet 

Taxi's, Pants and a 35yr Flood

Started: 9.30am

Finished: 8.00pm

Total Distance: 65km

1600m of climbing

State at finish: Happy to be at hotel

Where to start? Day started as forecast with lashing rain. Lots of excuses were made to avoid starting. Bikes have never been so clean. 

Col d'Aspin was a nice climb, again amazing scenery. Then the trouble started. After a cold and very wet descent from the col the road up the Col de Peyresourde was closed. It slowly materialised that not going over the col would mean an additional 60km, so investigate the road closure further seemed best option. The river at the side of the road was scarily high and super raging, but we managed to find a place to carry bikes over flood in foot high water. So we happily continued up the Peyresourde. 

Alas, having descended the other side we arrived in a once in a 35 year flood in Bagneres De Luchon. A combination of late snow melt and the lashing rain had caused a lake in the mountains to overflow. Our friendly Gendarme raised his hand stating, "Non" as we tried the same trick as at the previous road closure to get out of town. He then stated there were no roads open to leave Luchon. After much faffing around and some more faffing we found a savour in the information office. It was established there was one way out over a 20km hors category climb and then a further 90km ride. Given the time at this stage not a popular option. Nothing to do but to reserve a couple of hotel rooms and try to find a change of clothes from soaking, cold cycling gear - Pants and T.Shirts purchased all round. Approximately 10 seconds after paying, a suggestion came forward of investigating in a taxi van. Lady at information duly did her stuff and at 6pm taxi van arrived, thereby saving the hotel of 5 english people attending dinner in their pants and T.shirts.

After the achievements of yesterday, today was not so successful. Onwards ever onwards tomorrow, when the weather should be slightly less rain!

Not so many photo's today - difficult when its so wet.

Not sure why we are all smiling... its lashing down with rain.
Bikes are clean though

View down col D'Aspin

Scary River About to Flood Bank
We managed to get past here

Not much chance of crossing Here!

NON!

Day 1: hot hot hot......

Started: 9am

Finished: 7pm

Total Distance:185km

2800m of climbing.

First 80km - Felt Good

80km to 125km - Starting to tire.

125km to 165km - Very tired, some cramping

165km to 175km (col de Marie Blanche): Firstly tough then too be honest.... horrific - last 3 kms were hardest I have done a bike.

State at finish: Buggered

Stunning morning on the coast - perfect sky with not a cloud to be seen. As we headed in land though the temperature started rising and peaked at 37. Now, I dont want to complain about the weather when its sunny, but 37 is a little on the uncomfortable side! Still was nice to have a good day as tomorrow afternoon we are due some rain. Happy today is done and will be interesting to see how I feel tomorrow morning.

Before the off - all smiles!

Beach at Hendaye - lovely day for it!

1st col

Lunch Stop

3rd Col

Horses!!

Broken Men - 2kms from col de Marie Blanche.
Not a crash, just knackered

The Col at last

Big mountains approaching for tomorrow

A cat a rabbit and a bike head south

Finally off. I never enjoy traveling with my bike. It adds a level of complication and I’m never sure whether it will get there without damage. Today I’m going by train so should be easier than flying? In preparation I scanned the internet for rules about bikes and French trains only to find a number of sites mentioning that its ok in some regions but not others and even when it is ok, guards have been known to stop people with bikes boarding. The general advice, if this happens, is go down the other end of the train and get back on!

Happily no such drama just some nit wit who jammed his massive case up against the bike bag – triple fingers crossed my wheel spokes are still ok.

On a lighter note my table of 4 for the trip down was an old lady with a cat, a girl with a rabbit (not traveling together) and another old lady. The latter seemed to be complaining about her neck and the position of the seat. She tried all 4 of the seats in our compartment without being able to get any to recline despite the fact they all worked for the rest of us. Personally, I suspect she overloaded the seat mechanism by eating far too many cream cakes and pastries.

Help packing!

All aboard for Hendaye

French cats go 1st class

3 Days To Go...... They Come In 3's!

The last week before the Le Grand Depart and I should be sitting back relaxing satisfied that all my training is done and I just need to go and enjoy.......... well not quite. Over the past week I have done 3 rides and in each I have had an incident that has left me more nervously awaiting the start with some significant doubts about my bike!

6 June - 2.5hr ride, hills, 1x puncture, 2x chain off, 1x rear wheel issue - horrible ride
9 June - 3.5hr ride, 100km, 1x CRASH! Thankfully no major damage to me or bike (see below), 1x chain off.
11 June - 1.5hr ride, hills, broke spoke in rear wheel (that had just been fixed).

Versaille Bike Shop bloke has fixed up but not quite said enough to reassure me I am not going to have another spoke break or have the tyre slide from beneath me again! Not really what I wanted this week.

I am hoping the saying is right, and things really do only come in 3's.......

Day of crash - Impact area

Day of crash - Impact Area 2 

4 days later (Blue=No Pain, Red=Sting, Yellow= Painful)