2011 must do event

I had an email tonight from ASO asking for a survey to be completed about a new sportive they are planning. Anyone who has done the Etape this year will probably get the same. I was a bit slow to realise at first but amazed when I saw they are planning to do Paris-Roubaix and using the survey responses to shape the event.

I know where I will be on April 11th 2011.

Fabian Cancellara wins Paris-Roubaix [HD] from CYCLEFILM on Vimeo.

Etape Garmin stats

Just had a look through my Garmin stats still quite proud to have finished the ride but still quite annoyed that I wasn't a little quicker.

• Time to the foot of Marie-Blanque (take that as Escot at 54.5km): 01:57
• Coming off the summit at 64km including the walking (so annoying!): 03:01
• To summit of Col du Soulor at 125km: 06:10

So let's say 10 hours was a realistic target at this point. I've got 3 hours 50 minutes to complete just 56km. Roughly 20km of that is downhill and 20km up the little lump called the Col du Tourmalet. And this is where it goes wrong.

I can see that I descend far too slowly off Solour (I knew this even before looking at the stats because I was really suffering from that blasted foot thing at this point). Then on the Tourmalet I am slow which might be expected but what is annoying is that my HR on the Soulor ascent was sitting up at the mid 160s and on the Tourmalet it averaged out at approx 147 bpm. Should have been able to push harder. My official time for the Tourmalet climb was 02:49: I've gone for months thinking that climbing the Tourmalet was a 2 hour job. The reality is quite different though!

This is not the end, it's the end of the beginning

-Le Mondovélo!? You mean your son?

-No, my husband.

-Him!?

We've only been at her house for 5 minutes and Mme Gaye, our host and owner of the Hotel Le Vieux Logis, is already eyeing me suspiciously. We've just arrived at the cottage and it's getting dark so before anything else I am readying my bike for the morning.

-So, you are going up the Tourmalet tomorrow?

-Yes that's right, I say from behind my bike.

-Get a good night's sleep, you are going to need it. Tomorrow is going to be a long day.

And she was dead right. A long day indeed. She was very impressed though when she found out I had finished and sent my kids down with an Etape pullout from the local newspaper she had kept for me. My best memories of the Etape are all related to people:

• The relationship we built with hard working Mme Gaye: how she treated us like royalty when we dined up at the hotel. The perfect evening. The hugs and kisses she gave us when we said our farewells says it all about this irrepressible woman.
• The people cheering, clapping and shouting Allez, Allez!! At one point I zipped quickly through a tiny hamlet and there was a huge cheer. I looked behind me thinking there must be a big group of us but no for a few seconds it was just me on my own and loving all the attention!
• The guy who I watched give someone a push when they had nearly ground to a halt on a steep bend. He turned round as I was coming, smiled and gestured with his hand on his chest that the effort of pushing had got his heart pounding. Still he took pity on me and launched me up the slope giving my poor feet a few seconds respite.
• Those who doused me with cool water. I am wondering if without this in that heat if I would have keeled over and not finished.
• Those I met on the ride - Karen, the Dulwich club members and the lady who I should apologise to: on the Tourmalet she recognised my club kit and said hi but I was in no fit state to chat. You were going strong and I am sure you finished.
• The 2 French couples who gave my family and I a lift down from the Col du Soulor on stage 16. We had walked 13km up the summit in the heat because the police had stopped us driving any closer. We were dreading having to walk all the way back down again but we cheekily stuck out a thumb and you stopped and kindly ferried these strangers all the way back to our car. Thank you so much!
• Sean Yates: I spotted the Team Sky bus outside a hotel on the Wednesday Tour rest day in Pau. I stopped and had a wander round and Sean was there chatting to someone. So I interrupted and asked if I could take a photo and he was very nice about it.
• Lance Armstrong: This all really started after watching the Tour last year. I said I had to be there in what I guessed would be your last Tour. We walked a long way to see you on stage 16 and you didn't disappoint. It was just a great moment when you accelerated up that final section right in front of our eyes as the pic below shows...

We stood right by your bike lent up against the Radioshack bus at the beginning of stage 17 knowing that unless someone moved it you'd have to come by. I shouted, "the Tour's going to miss you Lance" and I'm pretty sure you heard me and smiled (although I think the smile said 'to be honest I've just about had enough of all this'). You clearly did smile at my youngest who is a rather cute 9 year old and you signed an autograph for him before getting your bike and heading off to make mincemeat of the same stage I had ridden soooo slowly.

And so to my fellow bloggers and readers. Thank you and chapeau if you finished the Etape. I'm sorry if you didn't and there is always next year.

Would I do it again? I feel it is likely and I am guessing it will be in the Alps which I won't be able to resist. I would do some things differently though i.e. not drive for 2 days and arrive at 6pm the night before to register; if I get any foot pain don't confuse being well 'ard with being well fick (I could have got some bandage/medical help, moved my cleats position etc. which would have been more intelligent).

Anyway I will still be around in the blogging world. I've got the London Duathlon in early September so I need to get training....

Etape report - warning it's raw

You know I like to post stuff with all the immediate emotions and I've written this within 24 hours of the end. I don't intend to steralise it - so apologies for any inaccuracies and bad language as this is written from memory and without checking the Garmin etc....

Waiting at the start it was warm so I removed my gilet regretting bringing it. I kept my arm warmers on though and waited impatiently just wanting to get going. I was expecting some kind of gun to go off or something but it was only when I glanced to the right down the hill that I could see riders starting to move fast down the road and it must have started. Looking ahead and the wall of bodies and bikes started to weave like a thousand snakes and I realised that this must be it. I switched on the Garmin and at 7:11 clipped in for the first time. At 7:16 I pressed the start button as we crossed the mats at the start. This is it - I'm actually doing the Etape.

I went for it from the start as planned. Very aggressive. It was mostly gently downhill and I felt really strong, powering along.

We were held up in a town where the road had narrowed. A bloke to the side of me couldn't ride while moving so slowly and started to tumble. I dropped my shoulder as he lent out to grab me to steady himself. Sorry mate but you are not taking me down with you. Not today. I managed to keep pedaling - all those bike skills learnt weaving through London traffic paying dividends. I hopped up the pavement along with some other riders and we whizzed past a few hundred riders before rejoining the road at a left turn over a bridge, I was loving this.

On the Fred and the Etape du Dales I wouldn't bother trying to suck a wheel because I didn't have the confidence. A rider would come by and I would try it only to be pushed off by someone stronger. Not today though. I held strong and I could hear Kevin at the club saying to me, "Get on that wheel and hold it. You are working harder than the rest of us and you need to learn to hold a wheel". And I was doing it now.

As we exited the town at the foot of the Marie-Blanque eerie bells tolled which seemed so fitting. I've heard this is the hardest - so come on let's see how bad it is. I felt good. I got into a nice rhythm and although felt a little tired with the length of the climb but I was feeling fine. A voice said, "Hello Dulwich" and I recognised someone who I had ridden with a couple of weeks before. We exchanged a few words and then he powered on leaving me to my own slow but steady pace. Then a shout from behind and a crash. A wheel hit me from behind and I just managed to unclip one foot and stop myself from falling too. An American voice shouted at me, "get to the side if you are walking", and I resisted the temptation to shove him over the edge into the bushes. By now everyone had stopped even the big mouth and it seemed we would have to walk to the summit. Some English lads thought they would take it upon themselves to get everyone moving again. So they kept shouting, "stay to the left if you are riding", but much to the enjoyment of those around they didn't seem to get far as the slow moving wall of bodies and bikes was just too dense to pass through. After a good 20 minutes walking there was a break in the crowd and I tried to get back on and ride. I got one foot clipped in and tried to lift the other quickly to push on but just couldn't do it. I then scootered up the slopes ludicrously swinging one leg until there was a bend in the road and some spectators. One of the spectators was pushing a rider to give him the momentum to get riding and I motioned to his family that I'd really appreciate the same. They called him and bless him he grabbed the back of my saddle and launched me up the slope. I clipped in and then climbed to the summit before dropping down the descent. I descended like a demon. I felt so good. The Marie-Blanque was over - that could be the worst climb and I had got through it fine. It was going to be a good day.

I went faster and faster, overtaking so many and then on the flat again I refueled, checking my now soggy route card to see when the Soulor was coming. I got into a big group and we were doing around 36km/h to 40km/h and I felt strong. In fact I felt so good I pulled out of the group and powered to the front bringing a couple of riders with me. We worked quite well together but then I started to feel a little breathless so I eased off soon to be overtaken by the group I had previously left. I didn't mind. My average speed for the day was well up and I was confident. The first part of the Soulor was gentle and I stayed in the big chainring watching the Garmin move from 1% to 2% to 3%. I could go all day like this I thought. 4% and another Dulwich rider came alongside. "How you feeling?". I feel great thanks, I said, and so I did. This is the easy climb isn't it?, I asked and he said - yes but it does kick up at some point. True enough it got steeper. 4%, 5%.

"Andrew?" a voice said. I said "Hi" without really concentrating and then looked at the bike. Litespeed. I had finally met Karen. Karen - my god, well spotted!. Karen looked fit and was riding really steadily. Seemed to be oozing confidence. We chatted but I was starting to suffer a bit as I am prone to doing when climbing. I wanted to stay with her and maybe work together but she kept at her steady speed and I started to slow. I actually started to feel some pain in my feet at this point but thought it was nothing. Just a stinging around the balls of the feet and so I eased off just to wriggle the toes to remove the discomfort. I had really started to slow now though and was being passed by rider after rider. There was a nice calm though as everyone went about their business, engrossed in their own thoughts.

On and on we climbed. I saw a sign saying 10km to the summit. Bloody hell - 10km!. I looked at the Garmin and worked out that would be 125km total distance so I settled down to slog through it. My feet were getting more painful though and I was struggling with the heat. The climbing really did seem to go on forever and Soulor was by no mean the push over that I had thought it would be. By the time I summited I was feeling pretty rough, There was a food stop not far on and I filled up my bottles from the taps and went over to see what food was on offer but I couldn't get anywhere close so I pushed on content with an energy bar from my pocket. I couldn't enjoy the descent. My feet were agony. The pain was a combination of walking over baking hot sand barefoot on the beach and stepping on broken glass. Every pedal stroke sent a searing shot of agony through each foot. I pulled over to the side of the road and an old guy seeing that I was in some discomfort looked at me sympathetically and held my bike in silence as I took off one shoe and tried to massage the foot to bring some comfort. I had put some kiddies pain killers in my pocket as a last thought in the morning and I popped a couple in my mouth before putting on my shoe, saying "Merci" to my friend and pedaling gently away. No more than 10 minutes on though the pain was excrutiating. I was cursing myself for not wearing in these shoes that had only seen a couple of outings since I'd bought them. Idiot. You stupid idiot. I decided to OD on Calpol so I popped another couple of painkillers. I couldn't keep up any speed at all. Group after group came by and I knew I should get on a wheel and get some respite but I just couldn't apply any pressure to the pedals and maintain any speed.

I started to see signs for the Tourmalet. This is it - the big one. Oh dear - this is going to hurt. We started to climb and climb and climb. Unlike on the Soulor I didn't want to know the height or the gradient. I didn't want to know anything, I just wanted it to be over, The heat was unbearable and apart from some tunnel like sections where the rocks overhung there was no shade at all. God this is tough, My feet were so painful and the lack of gloves started to punish me too as my fingers started to go a bit numb, On and on we climbed. I don't know how I got through the pain, I was really suffering and starting to pathetically whimper a bit. I took a guilty and perverse comfort from the scenes of carnage around me. A bloke was puking beside the road. At least I wasn't him. Another was screaming in agony as his legs cramped up. At least I wasn't him. So many had now dismounted and were walking. Others were just slumped against the rocks desperate to get some respite from the beating sun. I didn't enjoy seeing other people suffer but at least I was still riding. I was swearing at myself (and my feet): I was Scarface..."F*** you, f*** you...f*** you".

We came through a shallower section with a few bars and I could see some riders were stopping to buy drinks. I was desperate for something to drink other than water but couldn't be bothered to rummage around to find my money in the saddlebag, There was a pump that some were using which you turned quickly to draw water up from somewhere below so I did the same and filled my bottles. One went over my head, the other I sipped. 7km to go. This is unbelievable, This is cruel, why do this to us? This is extreme. I was now almost wilting with the foot pain. Every chance I had to get a dousing from someone with water I took it. The heat on my head and the pain from my feet was making me crumble, About 5km from the summit there was a water stop. I had to get off the bike and take a break so I lent it against some barriers and hobbled over to a lady who filled them up. She said something to me in French which I didn't understand but it seemed from what she did to someone else that she was offering to spray my legs with the hose. This seemed like a geat idea so once I got my bike I went back, found an empty hose and soaked myself with the cool water. The next section was very steep and I think it was here that there was a photographer. I tried to put on a brave face but at one of the only flat sections in 20km I had to dismount and give myself a good talking to. I was annoyed that there was another photographer a little further on and I am dreading the picture of me sitting on the stone bridge wall, arms outstretched, holding the top tube of my bike, head in between my arms and saying to myself - you can do it - ignore the pain, it will soon be over...come on.. come on...you can do it. It was only about 90 seconds or so but it was enough for me to get some resolve to ride now all the way to the summit.

3km to go...this is going to be the longest 3km of my life I thought and so it was. So hard so painful...keep going, stop being a twat...just keep going. I looked up to see if I could see the top of the Tourmalet and I could see 2 long sections with a snake of riders making their way up. I looked up further and there were yet more sections and I hoped we didn't have to climb them but I could see vehicles so I realised I must have to go up that far.
,
181km: I see a lady over to the left pouring water over riders so I move over to get some. A gentle English voice, "Just 500m to go, you're so close now", as she poured to cool water down the back of my neck.
181.1km: I down the last of my water. It's warm and I'm glad it is the last because I'm sick of drinking water.
181.2km...181.3...every 100m seems to take an age but I am pushing harder. F*** you feet. F*** you. F*** you.
181.4km...Will it ever end...
181.5km: Cruel , cruel - it should be over. Another English voice, "You are there guys... just 100m to go", and the road seemed to steepen.
"50m", another English voice, "just this turn and you are there". It was true, I could hear the beep beep of transponders going over the timing mats. And then I was there myself, head slumped low with exhaustion and agony, crossing the finishing line. Arivee. Not too many people around, just some polite clapping from those that were there. From me no elation, no fist pumping, no joy, no tears. I pressed stop on the Garmin, a shocking and never in my wildest Etape nightmares 10 hours 35 minutes since I'd pressed Start. It's over. It's over. Thank god it's over. I've finished the Etape.

Here we go then

The waiting is nearly over. We head off early'ish tomorrow morning for the long drive to the Pyrenees. Planning to do around 8 hours driving tomorrow, stop the night, and then turn up in Pau to register on Saturday before settling into the cottage for a bowl of pasta and an early night.

Good luck to all who are taking on the challenge.

Joe Friel calls the end

Lance has nothing to prove but yesterday's events on stage 8 made for tough viewing. I never believed he could win the Tour but I thought he might make podium. That seems impossible now. I'm glad that he will stay on and finish the Tour. I'm happy if it is just a lap of honour and I am very excited about catching a glimpse of him after the Etape.

Nice piece by Joe which also shows what an ass**** Lance was in his younger days...

http://www.joefrielsblog.com/2010/07/end-of-an-era.html

CAMPEONES!

Mark's climbed it

Check out Mark's blog http://marksetape2010.blogspot.com/2010/07/tourmalet-and-col-de-solour.html

He's climbed it and he's got me worried...

Etape du Tour for Dummies

I'm delighted to say I have an unexpected free day which gives me an opportunity to update my blog, check the bike over and watch the Tour. Oh, something funny - when I said I had my bib number a while back? It wasn't mine. It was someone else with the same name and in the same category. Good luck Andrew!! If you get a really good time I hope that people confuse us!

Taper

I didn't really taper for the Fred or Etape du Dales and I didn't have a tapering plan for the Etape. I actually feel worse when I don't train. I get a kind of lethargy and I feel flabby. All purely psychological I know but that's the way I am. Last Sunday I had a great training ride which I blogged about, Monday I rested, Tuesday I rode to work, went to the gym at lunch and did a hilly ride home. Wednesday I did the same but riding home my right knee was very painful to the point where I was cycling left legged most of the way.

Of course on Thursday I rested the knee? Nahhhh of course not - I rode to work (carefully), skipped the gym and then rode home like a lunatic. Thursday night I was absolutely drained. Zero energy, aching all over. So Friday and Saturday I rested. I let my body tell me when to stop. Well it didn't actually tell me as much as have a real paddy so I stopped. Today I feel alright and had a quick spin out this morning. I wish the Etape was today because apart from sore knees I'm really up for it.

Travel plans

As I write I don't know if I am flying or driving. If driving then I need to sort out a bike rack for the car or buy a different car. We have accommodation booked and that's it so far.

The bike

I haven't had time to get it serviced. It seems to be alright though so I will give it my own service (i.e spray some oil at it, pump up the tyres and bang the wheels to make sure nothing is loose). I've only just ordered a gilet and arms warmers just in case it is a bit chilly.

Etape tactics

Now everything I have said so far (since this blog started) probably makes you think, "this bloke doesn't have a clue". Well I will tell you something else that will change that view. Well it will change it from "hasn't a clue" to "is Andrew really Gazza?".

I'm saving nothing for the Tourmalet. Yep you heard it. Everything I have watched or read says, take it easy, don't go too hard or you will blow up on the Tourmalet. If I get to the top of the Tourmalet and I can still speak then I've not worked hard enough. I reckon I rarely push myself to the limit. The Fred was close but I still drove home for 6 hours immediately afterwards so I couldn't have been that bad. The EdD shattered me but I think that was more to do with letting the weather get to me and too much faffing. I don't want to make the same mistake with the Etape.

So from the gun I'm going to ride hard. If I get to the foot of the Tourmalet and I am cooked then I will stop and have a rest. The thing is I suspect that I will still have something in reserve because my body will have put some auto controls in place. If I need to I will stop and have a drink at Super-Bareges. I was talking to a guy who has ridden extensively in the Alps and Pyrenees. He advised me to wear an HR monitor for the Etape. Now I usually use HR to make sure I am working hard enough. But on a long climb like the Tourmalet he said to use it to make sure you are not working too hard. So I will use it to ensure that I don't creep too far above 80% of max HR which for me is going to be about 145. I feel quite comfortable at that level. The only question is can I get up the Tourmalet and never get above 80%? Seems unlikely but I will try it.

Inspiration

I'm really looking forward to seeing the Tour move into the Alps today. It's going to be fascinating to see how the GC contenders play it. Has there though been a better sporting moment this year than Cav's win in stage 5? Aw bless. The HTC lead out train is a thing of beauty and the picture of him hunched low over the bars with that grimace has to be one of cycling's (sports?) great iconic images. When he broke down I just wanted to say, "come here you soppy twat" and give him a big cuddle.

Good luck everybody

I hope you have a great ride. Many thanks for all the advice and kind words over the months.

Be safe and have fun. Looking forward to reading all the Etape reports. Cheers for now....

Velostream telemetry data

This is genius. Get real time data on the HTC Columbia riders: heart rate, speed, power output.

Fantastic technology. I'm going to watch this when they are on the climbs and Cav and Renshaw in a sprint finish.

http://www.highroadsports.com/velostream

$15,000 helmet

I need a new hat. When I crashed a while back the helmet seemed OK but I broke the inside and it's now held together with superglue. I'm in a stingy mood though and reluctant to pay out 100 quid or so for a new one. If Lance has finished with this one, I wonder if I could have it?

Leading the Tour

Just saw a link to this over on the Bike Radar forum. A cycling coach riding each stage of the Tour a few days ahead of the race. What a fantastic trip, would love to do something like this.

http://pedalbiker.blogspot.com/

Sunday club ride (or was it?)

I picked up my new club kit yesterday at Herne Hill Velodrome. It was the first time I had been there and it was great to sit there in the sunshine watching the racing. This place is a little gem and now I've got another item on my to-do list because I wouldn't mind doing the induction session and then doing a few laps.

Kevin Knox the Dulwich member who had organised the club kit, which is a special edition for the club's 75th anniversary, mentioned that he was doing the Sunday club ride which is rare because he is usually racing.

I thought this was a great opportunity to test the legs so at 9 this morning I left home to climb the Col de Crystal Palace and meet up with the club. I thought I had sorted the headset problem but on the way up I could still feel some

movement and vibration. I mentioned this to another rider (Andrew thanks!) as we waited for the off and he immediately diagnosed what the problem was and with allen keys of various sizes collected from other riders fixed it for me on the spot. Phew!

Off we went in a group of I guess around 15 but that number started to dwindle quite quickly and I'm not sure why. The pace was quick but I managed to tuck into the group and it was OK. Faster than I would go out on my own but I wanted to test myself. Knowing that Kevin was up front was quite inspirational - I mean 2 weeks ago he is racing against Mighty Malc et al in the Smithfield Nocturne and now he's putting the miles in with us. I'm quite certain another rider Dan is cat 1 too so this all added spice to the day.

Once the ride leaders heard that 5 of us were doing the Etape then it seemed the game of the day was to ride hills. We hit some of Kent's toughest climbs, Toys, Ide Hill, through Ashdown Forest, 'The Wall', Crowborough, Sundridge...you name it we climbed it. Some of the other Etappers were very good indeed on the climbs (I wasn't one of them unfortunately). Anyway, I did my best and all credit to the group because they waited where necessary so we could stay together. By 3pm we were still out though and I was feeling very very tired. So at the nearest sniff of home I waved goodbye. Tired but satisfied.

I missed part of the route due to poor Garmin control but by the time I got home it had all added up to just over 153km and somewhere in the region of 2200m climbing (although it seemed more than this I tell you so this might be wrong). The thing that was different today was the average speed. I have never ridden as fast and it just shows what you can do when pushed hard.

I am enormously grateful to the guys today for their patience and particularly Dan and Kevin who took time to ride alongside me and offer advice. Cyclists are often such nice people aren't they? Problem is now I am Etape du Dales / Fred knackered!

Congratulations Datameister!!

He did it! http://twitter.com/clivejhandy/statuses/17594726109

4 days, 13 hours, 47 minutes. Job done

Post Etape drink?

Just wondering if anyone is sticking around after the Etape and wants to get together for a celebratory drink? We will be out there until after stage 17 and staying near a place called Montaut (roughly in the middle of the embedded map below and between Pau and Lourdes).

Drop me an email/PM (I think you can do that via the profile) or a comment and we'll sort something out. It would be great to meet you.

View Larger Map

*Prologue spoiler warning* Bring on the Tour!

Zugz said it in the comments and yes, at last, as I type the intro music on the ITV4 coverage has just played. The Match of the Day theme used to get me like that when I was a kid.

Bring it on! I absolutely love the Tour and want to absorb every second of this year's. Can't believe they didn't show Wiggins run live though although I suppose he did catch them out with the early start time.

*Stop reading if you've recorded the prologue and don't want it ruined by my enthusiasm. Just a fantastic moment to see Cancellara, Armstrong and Contador out on the course at the same time. OK, when Armstrong went through the half-way checkpoint I cheered so loudly that my son said, "calm down, you'll be getting pom poms next". It's early, I'm under no illusions that Alberto is still THE man but Lance laid down a great marker today. Top ride by another favourite of mine David Millar. Wiggins - please stop saying "it doesn't matter". Of course it does. But all hail Spartacus! What a powerhouse. I'm sick to death of people's eagerness to slag off these athletes. Motor doping my arse.

Is IT really just 2 weeks away?

Can't be. I've got loads of time haven't I?

January - Buy first bike with gears and ride it for the first time on the 23rd. Fall off. Doh!

February - Join a cycling club and get shocked by how quick proper cyclists are.

March - Buy my Etape bike and start to call myself 'a cyclist'.

April - Realise I am really very shite at climbing. No really.

May - Do the Fred Whitton and the Etape du Dales. Confirm (April's) sentiment however realise that I can actually ride 112 miles in a day. Go me.

June - Training suffers due to work. Mind in another place. Try to lose weight.

July - No point worrying now!

Eeeeek it's nearly here and I'm not 82kg, I need to get the bike serviced pdq, I haven't worked out how to get me, family + bike to the villa/cottage/gite thing we booked last year, I don't feel I have put in enough mileage and I haven't bought anything nice to wear ummmummmm you tell em girl.

But I've got enough in the tank to finish. Fall flat on face moment coming up but I know I will finish (mechanicals or serious injury to one side). Can I do a 'decent time', whatever that is? Haven't got a clue but I'm going to give it a bloody good go.