We allow the less speedy racers to head off ahead, with myself, Pat, Valdis and Dan Coulcher bringing up the rear. It transpires that Eugene and David Maher were behind us.
We don’t pause for long at the first coffee stop, heading for the top of our first big col, D’Aubisque. We climb steadily at first, but I want more - I leave the others behind in search of the summit, peering through misty clouds for most of the route, with the light brightening just as I find Peter Grealis at the flamme rouge. We break out over the clouds, magnificent mountain peaks peeking up along the skyline, three massive bicycles marking the top of the climb, and a horse, curiously investigating the fruit in the van. He’s for eating, Debbie informs me. We order omelettes instead.
Winter jackets on, long-fingered gloves, we descend to Argeles Gazost, where Lorraine used to live, then push on for the Tourmalet. We stop for coffee to allow those behind to catch up, then myself and Pat ride tempo up much of the climb. It seems endless, and relentless. We pass a couple of early starters. I gaze longingly at Stephen Ryan’s gearing - my lowest option is 39*28, his looks to be 36*32 with a lovely long cage derailleur…
500m to go, and Pat sprints away from me with ease. We pause at the café at the top to greet some of the others, and savour the view.
The descent is fast, and after the initial breath-taking landscape, we are again plunged into cloud. Stuck behind the stinking fumes of a lorry, I follow an overtaking car around him, squeezing between the truck and oncoming traffic. Down, down, down… I group up with a few others, and we TTT along the gradual downhill to the hotel in Bagneres. John Kehoe punctures on the descent, shredding his tyre, but he keeps it together and Alan gets him on his way with a replacement. Some miss the hotel at the bottom of the descent, and pay a swift visit to the local town.
Dinner that night is in a private dining room, where a four course meal warms us up.
We don’t pause for long at the first coffee stop, heading for the top of our first big col, D’Aubisque. We climb steadily at first, but I want more - I leave the others behind in search of the summit, peering through misty clouds for most of the route, with the light brightening just as I find Peter Grealis at the flamme rouge. We break out over the clouds, magnificent mountain peaks peeking up along the skyline, three massive bicycles marking the top of the climb, and a horse, curiously investigating the fruit in the van. He’s for eating, Debbie informs me. We order omelettes instead.
Winter jackets on, long-fingered gloves, we descend to Argeles Gazost, where Lorraine used to live, then push on for the Tourmalet. We stop for coffee to allow those behind to catch up, then myself and Pat ride tempo up much of the climb. It seems endless, and relentless. We pass a couple of early starters. I gaze longingly at Stephen Ryan’s gearing - my lowest option is 39*28, his looks to be 36*32 with a lovely long cage derailleur…
500m to go, and Pat sprints away from me with ease. We pause at the café at the top to greet some of the others, and savour the view.
The descent is fast, and after the initial breath-taking landscape, we are again plunged into cloud. Stuck behind the stinking fumes of a lorry, I follow an overtaking car around him, squeezing between the truck and oncoming traffic. Down, down, down… I group up with a few others, and we TTT along the gradual downhill to the hotel in Bagneres. John Kehoe punctures on the descent, shredding his tyre, but he keeps it together and Alan gets him on his way with a replacement. Some miss the hotel at the bottom of the descent, and pay a swift visit to the local town.
Dinner that night is in a private dining room, where a four course meal warms us up.
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