L’Etape du Tour 2003

A modern version of the story of the Hare and the Tortoise.

Tom’s version in black, Ron’s in blue.

During the evening before the day of the ride we spent about an hour with our official route card working out the split times for bronze and silver standard rides. These calculations were all done without the aid of calculators and included changing from kilometers to miles then back to kilometers. Both of us felt that a silver standard was possible. All of this cerebral activity felt extremely necessary at this time.

The day finally arrived and we were up early, alarms set for 4.15 am straight into cycling kit and down to breakfast.

The hotel breakfast was a typical French affair, assuming that you were not going to do anything strenuous before a 3 hour lunch break starting at noon, ie croissants and rolls.

After filling our pockets with Energy Bars and gel sachets, onto the coach for the hour or so journey to the start in Pau. Everyone was a bit subdued, not sure if it’s due to the early start or apprehension about what the day will bring. Even the American on our coach (wearing his Team Lard Butt jersey) was quiet. As we approached Pau small groups of riders appeared on the road ahead, just discernible in the dark by their bright coloured jerseys, and not by their lights, as these were non-existent.

We arrived in Pau early and the coach managed to get quite close to the start. After assembling our bikes with Ron nearly forgetting to fix his number on, we completed the few hundred metres ride to the starting area. It was well organised and at the appointed time we rolled over the start line and our Transponders fixed to our ankles set off the time clock to record our individual times. Immediately there was a loud report and someone had punctured.

The first few miles were fairly frantic as it was downhill and everyone was anxious not to get left behind. Eventually things settled down to a leisurely (!)18 – 20 mph average as we rode out of the suburbs of Pau and into the country.

We soon had our first taste of the advantages of riding on closed roads when we entered a village and the peloton divided and streamed both sides round some traffic islands and a roundabout.

Although it was still early already there were spectators out on the roadside cheering us on, making us feel like real Tour riders.

At about 10km. we started the first of the main climbs, a minor 4th category, the Cote d’Aubertin, reaching the top a couple of miles later having ridden up quite comfortably and tried out my bottom gear (36 x 27). We were able to stay together on the road, not that there was a lot of conversation. Each of us harboring our own private thoughts about this early high pace and the likely problems that would come later in the day.

Eventually after 56 km. we reached the first ‘ravitaillement’ (feeding station to you non-Etapers) where Ron grabbed a couple of bottles of water for each of us and various bags of dried fruit and energy bars. A kilometre on and we started the next col, the Col de Soudet one of the two 1st. Category climbs, 14.1km. at 7.5%. Almost immediately we all came to a dead stop as someone managed to fall off in the middle of the road. Starting again Ron and I got separated as I was climbing slightly faster than him and the road was still very crowded. Tom was riding this climb at a pace just too hot for Ron. He decided that it was better to let ‘big ring’ go and plod up at his own more comfortable speed. Keeping an eye on the rainbow jersey Tom was wearing was easy at first but after about ten minutes it just disappeared amongst all of the other riders. There are kilometre signs all the way to the summit and we plodded on, I timed myself from the 14th to the 9th km. and it took 28 minutes (6.7mph), I can run quicker than that!

Anyway by the time I reached the ‘6km. au sommet’ sign I was way into the red zone and gasping for breath, so I decided to stop for a couple of minutes. I walked a few yards to the next hairpin where it was a bit flatter and easier to stand and had a few mouthfuls of energy gel and who should go past but Ron. I shouted to him but he was so concentrating on the patch of tarmac just in front that he didn’t see or hear me. I got back on and could see him about 50m. ahead and both of us slowly ground our way up to the summit. Just as we reached the top I was about 2 bikes lengths behind Ron and as there was the 2nd feed stop right on the summit I thought that we would link up again. Unfortunately the stop was so crowded and chaotic with riders in all states of ‘the knock’ that by the time I stopped and looked around He had disappeared into the melee. That was the last I saw of him until Bayonne.

Ron was relieved to be at the top and have a good excuse to get off the bike and gather more food. The 250ml bottle of water he had stuffed in his back pocket at the bottom of the Soudet was still full in his back pocket at the top. What a waste of effort to carry this all the way from one feed station to the next up 14 km of mountain. Looking round for Tom in his rainbow jersey was not easy as the more he looked the more rainbow jerseys appeared. Tom could not be seen. Having recovered Ron put his jacket on and started the descent. Convinced that Tom was still in front he tried to descend at a pace to catch up with Tom. Despite a fast descent, lots of fearless riders streamed past him. At the bottom, jacket off and settle into a small group of riders to get ready for the next mountain.

I filled my pockets and put my rain jacket on to keep out the cold on the descent and started to go down. The descent was fairly steep and twisty and I started off cautiously and soon had streams of riders passing me at incredible speeds (my maximum for the day was just under 40mph so many others must have been doing well over 50mph).

On to the 100km. point and through the village of Larrau where there were loads of spectators encouraging us with shouts of ‘Bravo’ and ‘Allez’. We then started the 1½ mile climb at 10,5% of the Cote de Larrau, a 3rd Category climb. I had decided after my breathing problems on the previous climb that I would ride this one a little slower in an attempt to avoid getting out of breath. So I kept it at 6mph or slower and it worked, I got over the top quite easily without any distress, down the other side ready to start the second of the 1st. Cat. climbs, the Col de Bargagui 8.8km. at 9.2%.

Ever since the feed at the top of the Soudet we had been going down or up with little time to eat any of the food in my pockets and I paid for this later. We rode into this ever narrowing valley and in the far distance and unbelievably high up the valley wall I could see a line of camper vans parked. My immediate thought was I hope we are not going up there and thankfully shortly afterwards we turned off the main valley road and started to climb up the valley wall away from the vans. The climb was long and steep, between each hairpin it was out of the saddle and try and keep moving, no trouble this time in keeping my speed below 6mph! Between the 4 and 3kms. to go sign I was really beginning to struggle so I stopped for a short breather then started again and within 0.5km. I had to stop again and thought that it was time to walk a bit.

Ron struggled up the Bargagui and felt that as so many riders had passed him that he would soon be off the back and climbing into the broom wagon. This did not stop him from walking 2 or 3 km on this climb and having a long rest, with many others, all perched on a handy wooden hairpin fence. Looking up the mountain and seeing the long ant like trail of riders ahead was daunting but looking down the mountain and seeing hundreds of riders struggling up the lower slopes gave enough encouragement to Ron to get back on and finish the climb.

I started to walk and immediately my legs turned to jelly, I had a major dose of the ‘bonk’ so I sat on the fence at the side of the road and tried to eat something. My mouth was dry and I couldn’t chew or swallow so I just sat there feeling like death. I considered just laying on the roadside and waiting for the Broom wagon but then I looked around me. There were loads of riders obviously feeling as bad or even worse than me, standing and sitting on the roadside. Nearly all those who were still moving were walking with just a few riding at less than walking pace.

Eventually the little food that I had eaten managed to get into my system and I started to feel better. I looked up and there was this line of brightly coloured jerseys snaking their way up the valley wall and just at the top was the line of camper vans I had seen earlier! I had nearly made it, but there were still 3km. to go and I thought that this would take an age if I walked all the way and I would get caught by the Broom wagon (I was feeling so much better that, by now, I was determined not to get eliminated.) This kilometer apparently was an average gradient of 12.5% with a maximum of 20%!

So I started walking, not easy in cycling shoes on a steep hill, but I had plenty of experience of this on Glen Shee on our End to End ride. So eventually just passed the 2km. to go sign I got on the bike again and rode to the top passed those B***** camper vans. I don’t know how much time I had lost at that stop but my guess is at least half an hour.

Another chaotic ‘ravitaillement’ where the road was ankle deep in banana skins, empty water bottles, energy bar wrappers etc. A short drop down from the high point of 1327m and then another short climb (2.3km. at 5.8%), which I honestly hardly noticed, to the top of the unpronounceable Col de Burdincurutcheta at 1135m.. From now on according to Cycling Weekly we could put away our ‘granny’ gears as it is all down hill for the next 70km. It was a really good downhill run off the Col, wide roads with sweeping curves where even I was not too intimidated. Towards the bottom of the Col I was starting to get cramp, had pins and needles in my hands and a crick in my neck from hanging on to the brakes for so long.

Onto the final feed station at 142km. to pick up some more food and drink, much less crowded now as the field was very spread out.. One final climb according to the ‘Fiche de Route’, the 4th category Col de Bonetbelchenea at 145km. and ‘only’ 347m. high, by this time everyone around me was feeling pretty tired so it was bottom gear and out of the saddle again for us all again.

Ron managed to get into a couple of big groups on this ‘easy run in to the finish’ to quote Cycling Weekly. These groups were great but as soon as a hill occurred (there was a lot of them) the whole group broke up and did not reform. Despite these setbacks he was determined to catch Tom and hung on to as many faster wheels as possible.

The remainder of the ride was into a head wind over good country roads but was fairly undulating. Everyone was riding along in small groups at 17mph or so until the road started to go up and everything fell to pieces and you reassembled into a new group after the top. I was feeling pretty good now and managing to pass more riders than were passing me. As we approached Bayonne the roads were getting wider and easier until there was a sudden sharp left turn up a narrow lane, and I mean up and then drop down over a poor surface with Bayonne in the distance. There were still gendarmes at every intersection and farm gate and people were still on the roadside encouraging us onwards, one party was even offering us a glass of champagne as we passed, I declined of course.

Finally into the outskirts of Bayonne it was a great feeling and I was really pushing along and suddenly there were barriers at the roadside and the ‘Red Kite’ over the road denoting 1km. to go.

I had made it!!! 9hrs 45 mins riding time and 10hrs 30mins total time.

Ron freewheeled into the finishing lanes and came to a shaky stop, somebody fiddled around his ankle and removed the transponder, and another body stuffed a food ticket in his hand and pointed to the food marquee. The Graham Baxter Sporting Tours flag was waving and he made his way to report in and find out where the coach was to take us to the hotel. Ron gave his number 2835 and this was ticked off on the sheet, he then enquired as to when rider 2836 (Tom) came in. He was told ‘we haven’t got him booked in but this list is not foolproof’. He couldn’t believe Tom was still on the road so he spent some time looking around but couldn’t find Tom. Ron got his food parcel from the marquee and settled down to quietly recuperate, and enjoy the relaxing pleasure of cramp. After half an hour or so he decided to make his way to the coach and then heard a shout from Tom who had only arrived a few minutes ago. He couldn’t understand that he had arrived at the finish ahead of Tom.

I hadn’t seen Ron since the Col de Soudet many hours ago and I had been riding fairly quickly since the last big climb so I wasn’t sure whether he was in front or I had passed him in one of the crowded sections without seeing him..

I rode through the finish and there he was, looking all pleased with himself at having gained a Silver certificate by beating 10hrs. total time, leaving me with a miserable Bronze!

The carefully calculated split times on the route cards had not even been looked at during the ride by either of us.

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