A day at the races

Yesterday I headed down to Lygon Street to watch the final stage of the Jayco Herald Sun Tour-2009 and catch a glimpse of Bradley Wiggins (Garmin-Slipstream). Wiggins started the stage in yellow, and had team-mates in second and fourth. The question wasn't so much would a Garmin rider win but which one.

The final stage was a 4.1km Circuit Race - not a Criterium. From my position on the exit of the last hotdog turn of the course, Garmin appeared to control the front of the peleton. On only two or three laps were they beaten into the corner, and even then it was only by one or two riders.

Wiggins finished ninth on the day, which was good enough for him to seal his first multi-stage race win. In addition to the GC, Garmin won the KOM and Teams classification.

TdF 2010

The course for next year's TdF has just been presented:

• Team time trial has been dropped - a good decision after this year's TTT killed the race;
• Tourmalet twice - two climbs had been rumoured, but it isn't the MTT some had thought. The summit finish on Tourmalet for stage 17 is a fitting tribute for the 100th anniversary of the first climb in 1910;
• Pyrenees - The last week is going to be awesome. Stage 15 takes in Col du Portet d'Aspet, Col des Ares, and Port des Bales, stage 16 Col de Peyresourde, Col d'Aspin, Col du Tourmalet, and Col d'Aubisque, and stage 17 finishing on Tourmalet;
• Cobbles - The route incorporates some of the cobbles of the Spring Classics.

Given the single ITT, this a route that suits the climbers. Likely to be Contador vs A Schleck.

Wrap-up of 2008-09

This time last year I set myself several goals for the year ahead (The year ahead and ... one more goal), so its assessment time. Though I didn't achieve all my goals, I am proud of those I did. Maybe more importantly, I enjoyed my year on the bike.

Goal	Progress
Complete one of the big three sportives - Maratona dles Dolomites, La Marmotte, E'Tape du Tour	Done: The Maratona dles Dolomites was one of my highlights of the year. The region is so beautiful and the event so professionally run, the Maratona is a must for all keen cyclists. Even thinking about it here in Melbourne brings a smile to my face. Related Posts : Maratona here I come, and Energy - The Maratona dles Dolomites Other Reports : Cycling Weekly : A Dolomighty fine ride, National Geographic : Italy's Cycle of Life, Cycling Challenge : Success - The 2009 Maratone dles Dolomites
Complete a UCI Golden Bike sportive	Done: Completed the Ronde van Vlaanderen in April. My only taste of cobbles ... thank god it was dry. Related Posts : Flanders and 2009 Ronde van Vlaanderen
Climb three "legend" Tour de France mountains - one must be Col du Tourmalet	Done: A week in the Pyrenees gave me the opportunity to take on several regulars of the TdF, but it my ascent of Tourmalet that I will always remember. Disappearing into the clouds was awesome. Relates Posts : Col de Peyresourde, Superbagnères, Col du Portillon, Col de Menté - Col de Portet-d'Aspet - Col des Ares, Port de Balès, Col de l'Aspin - Col du Tourmalet, Pyrenees - a summary
Complete Lac Leman in under 5 hours	Failed: My circuit of Lac Leman was much quicker than my 2008 effort, but this goal was a little too ambitious. I ended up recording a time of 5hr 13min. Related Posts : Cyclotour du Léman mk II
Attain a Silver standard time	Failed: No events I completed this year had time standards.
Cycle 5000km in the next 12 months	Done: Total ended up being approximately 5,200km.
Complete the Richmond Park 3-lap Challenge under 60 minutes	Failed: This goal was added as an after-thought, and was treated in a consistent manner during the year. I didn't really give a go, nor did I do the necessary time-trial type training. Related Posts : Laps of Richmond Park

Congratulation Cadel Evans

Much has been said and written about Cadel Evans since he came second in the 2007 edition of the TdF. Outside of Australia, much of that commentary has been derogatory, and most, if not all, unfair. To be sure he doesn't have the grace of Andy Schleck, the power of Cancellara, nor the climbing brilliance of Contador - in fact it is often painful to watch Cadel. It wasn't pretty when Cadel attacked yesterday on Novazzano but it was awesome. Congratulations Cadel, you deserve this success. With the rainbow jersey, hopefully you will get greater respect from the press.

PS - Shouts out to the rest of the Australian team. It was awesome effort by all.

Pyrenees - a summary

View 2009 Pyrenees in a larger map

Pyrenees Day 7 : Col de l'Aspin - Col du Tourmalet

Today I took on two regulars of the Tour - Col de l'Aspin and Col du Tourmalet. It has been a goal of mine to do Col du Tourmalet, so I was quite excited when I hit the road in Loudenvielle. From Loudenvielle I headed north towards Arreau, it is slightly downhill but today you wouldn't have known it as there was a strong headwind.

Col de l'Aspin - 12km at 6.5% (profile) - starts just outside Arreau. At the bottom I passed a couple groups of riders, and instantly thought I was on fire. Soon I had company, the riders of the last group I passed had joined me. This included a young guy from North London, and a 66 year old local. The young guy disappeared up the hill, and the old guy sat on my wheel. Then 3km from the summit, the old guy dropped me. It was a harder climb than I had expected, either that or my legs were tired from a week of long climbs.

It was an exhilerating drop off the top into Marbre. No sooner had I hit the valley, I started to go upwards again. Tourmalet starts from Sainte-Marie-de-Campan. From this side it is 17.2km at 7.4% (profile). About 14km from the top I was joined by my support vehicle with Amanda and Mel shouting support, Kenth driving and Freya enjoying the journey. They headed up the road, promising to join me half way up. From this point, the route kicked, and kilometre and kilometre with average gradients above 8.5% followed.

Soon I was in the clouds. With each passing kilometre the visibility progressively got worse, and by the time I next saw Amanda and Mel 4km from the top, one could barely see 10m ahead. Here I was treated to a waffle as Mel ran beside me pushing me up the hill. The last 4km were a slog, but soon I reached a point I recognised from 2 years ago - the reinforced concrete walls that indicate the top. Then out of the mist, the figures of Amanda, Kenth and Mel (and Freya). I had done it - so I did the now trademark double-fist-pump (and nearly crashed).

I would have liked to have rolled to the bottom but the conditions were too bad. So here at the top of Tourmalet, the place that inspired me to buy a bike in the first place, I finished my last ride in Europe (for some time). Though I didn't have the views I would have liked, I will remember this moment always. It was awesome.

Garmin Connect : Col de l'Aspin - Col du Tourmalet

PS - Pictures to come.

Pyrenees Day 6 : Port de Balès

Yesterday was a rest day - and we had a day trip to Tarbes. On our return, Dave and Shaz were talking about a climb out immediately out the back of Saléchan. They spoke of a long, steep climb - one which had clearly had scared them both. Obviously this was the "red rag to the bull", and highlighted a climb I needed to do.

The climb they were talking about was Port de Balès, a climb that was included in the Tour for the first time in 2007. It featured on stage 15, the stage we watched in Loudenville. Stage 15 was an absolute bastard of a stage, including no fewer than 5 mountain passes - Col de Port (cat 2), Col de Portet d'Aspet (cat 2), Col de Menté (cat 1), Port de Balès (HC), and finally the Col de Peyresourde (cat 1).

It wasn't the plan, but this week I have been ticking these climbs off one by one. I approached Port de Balès from the north - 18.9km at 6.3% (profile). From this side the climb doesn't officially start till Mauléon Barousse, which is a good 100m above Saléchan. After a relatively easy start, the gradients really start to kick - the last 10km are at 8.5%, with several sections in excess of 10%. A very, very tough climb.

I rolled over top and completed the descent into Luchon. There I turned around and started the reverse climb - 19.7km at 5.7% (profile). It was a real grind. As the statistics would imply, it isn't as difficult as the climb from Mauléon Barousse, but it is still a beast.

Garmin Connect : Port de Balès

This stage was also selected for the 2007 L'Étape du Tour. A mate of mine, Mike McKillen, completed it. I have new found respect for his achievement in completing the course that year.