The Tourmalet and a Double Aspin
After feeling relatively good on yesterday's climbs, today, we set off on a route over the 1st category Col d'Aspin and the Hors Category Col du Tourmalet - the highest pass in the French Pyrenees. Its literal translation is the Bad Detour - a very apt description.
I felt pretty good on the first ascent of the Aspin and got to the top in time to get the camera ready for the Guv's showboating at he crested the summit.
As per usual, Simon then proceeded to drop me on the decent and we rendezvoud at the foot of the Tourmalet where there were a bunch of sociable Aussies.
By this time, it was 38°C and after the relatively easy first couple of kilometers lulling me into a false sense of security, Simon caught me with 12k to go and then dropped me with 8k to go.
However, after a few Go Gels I dug deep and managed to reel the Guv in and get to the top in a semi respectable 1 hour 45 minutes - at least an hour of that was pure pain.
Still, as always, after a couple of minutes, all was well and we enjoyed the glorious views from the top.
Another descending masterclass from Simon led onto me doing my best Valverde impression and wheelsucked along the valley back to the Aspin.
We were passed by a couple of handy looking Spaniards after a couple of kilometers but with about 3k to go to the top, I was feeling OK and decided to give chase. I caught them with 2k to go and then we had a (v slow) sprint to the finish - and I won by half a wheel.
We had a good chat at the top, Anthony and Eric were really nice guys and we had the obligatory team photo by the Aspin sign.
So all in all, a great day's riding with the Tourmalet going down as one of the toughest climbs I've ever endured.
The Tour's sprint stage was won by Araund Demare which cheered up the French. Tomorrow is the last day in the mountains and the plan is to see the start and finish and hopefully still see G in yellow.
I felt pretty good on the first ascent of the Aspin and got to the top in time to get the camera ready for the Guv's showboating at he crested the summit.
As per usual, Simon then proceeded to drop me on the decent and we rendezvoud at the foot of the Tourmalet where there were a bunch of sociable Aussies.
Still, as always, after a couple of minutes, all was well and we enjoyed the glorious views from the top.
Another descending masterclass from Simon led onto me doing my best Valverde impression and wheelsucked along the valley back to the Aspin.
We were passed by a couple of handy looking Spaniards after a couple of kilometers but with about 3k to go to the top, I was feeling OK and decided to give chase. I caught them with 2k to go and then we had a (v slow) sprint to the finish - and I won by half a wheel.
We had a good chat at the top, Anthony and Eric were really nice guys and we had the obligatory team photo by the Aspin sign.
So all in all, a great day's riding with the Tourmalet going down as one of the toughest climbs I've ever endured.
The Tour's sprint stage was won by Araund Demare which cheered up the French. Tomorrow is the last day in the mountains and the plan is to see the start and finish and hopefully still see G in yellow.
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