Training Log Archive: peterprong

Run to the event, and then to the start.

Felt like how dave meyer looks when he runs...
Pretty clean run, just a small amount of time lost trying to get out of this one control. Ass was a little sore afterward.

Event: WOC 2012 - Lausanne SWITZERLAND
 

Woke up a little late but today the tour would pass closer to chambéry as it climbs over Col du Granier. I rode up to the col a different route to the other day cause I heard it was easier and I didn't want to find out again that the road was already shut.
The climb this time was a lot nicer, still not easy, but a little over 14km.
There were heaps of people at the top, great atmosphere. I walked down about a k. The riders were pretty spread out today and it was good to watch them struggle, however I didn't see anyone lay down on the side of tHe rd for a few minutes....
A quickstep van was parked down the rd a little further and the guys were helping any of the strugglers, also watched an AG2R car pass a bottle (and give a massive tow) to a BMC rider.

Headed out to stage 11, to watch on top of Col du Glandon. Arrive at chambéry station to find out the 9am train was cancelled, was then told I could catch the 1057 TGV to Milan and get off at the town further up the valley then I wanted. No problem.
When I returned to the station before jumping on the train that was waiting I check to see what time trains would be leaving to come home. Was then informed that I could not catch the TGV because it would not stop where I was told, but had one stop on the boarder before heading in to italy... Then told I would have to catch the 1115 bus. The trains were striking!
After squeezing the bike onto the bus, we were off, making massive detours to stop at all the train stops on route, just to tell the people waiting that there was no more room..
Finally I arrived at 1pm to be told that I could no longer ride up to the Col, so I walked about 3km up the rd to watch.
Afterwards I rode back to town and watch the race.
I had decided I would ride back after hearing there may not be a bus until 8, and the chance of fitting on the bus was slim so I decided to ride. It was about 6pm before I left, I rode the route that the tour would take the following day, stage 12, down the valley before climbing Col du Cucheron, Cat 1. This climb was nicer that Monday's and I felt pretty comfortable all the way up. After crossing the col the road descended quickly into the valley. This section was awesome, some steep winding section, but for the majority it was a gentle slope that weeved down though the valley.
When I crossed the main river and headed back into Chambéry I took a few back routes through the vineyards cause it was slowly getting dark. I was feeling great at the end. "Im certainly getting stronger as the tour continues"

Rode Sylvain's old, a little dodgy mountain bike out to Col du Grand Colombier.
Awesome day to watch the riders struggle up the climb.
There were a couple of young kids 10-12 years that were so quick up the climb, were moving like the pros!

Today I borrowed Sylvain's road bike and tried to ride Col du Granier! A Category 1 climb that the tour de France which they climb on stage 12 on Friday. My first proper ride in over 6months.
It was bloody tough!
Not the longest climb around here (9.7km , ~850m climb up to 1134m) but more than twice anything in the Sydney region, About 845m more climb than anything in Cambridge and it is steep at 8.6%.
I cracked about a k from the top and had a lie down for 10min to have a feed and to stop my self from blacking out. But finally continue to the top for a delicious cold coca cola, and mars bar, before contInuing down the valley on the other side and doing a loop back to chambéry. I was going to ride back another Way which would have meant riding back over the back of the granier but I turned back near the top of another climb (still bigger than anything in syd but didn't really show on the map) as I didn't think I would make it.

C • sounds like an awesome few days 2

Flew to Carcassonne in France and drove up to Andorra

Run around the hill behind Sylvain's place in chambéry. Awesome views.
Legs pretty sore after saturday