a little more about yesterday
Stage 6 was from Montagu to Villiersdorp and was about 69 miles. There were two major climbs including about two miles of "hike a bike" where it is too steep and or rocky to ride - total elevation gain was just over 5100 ft.
Yesterdays start was one of the most amazing things I have done on a bike! We rolled out of town, all 1047 of us and headed down a winding two lane road through a magnificent sheer walled canyon. The pack took up the entire width of the road and stretched out for probably 500 yards in front of us - flying along at 25 - 30 mph to the hum of two thousand knobby tires on pavement, you could watch ahead as the leaders snaked through the turns ahead... very cool.
I was asked about strategy and if teams worked together or not... Well, I think some of the pros up at the front are working together, but we haven't found that to be the case where we are. Our strategy has been focused on pacing our effort, making sure we have enough energy to finish the stages, staying safe, and recovering in the evenings so we can do it all again. Typically we look at the stage profile in the morning (I rip a small copy out of the race program, fold it up and stick it under my shorts leg for quick reference too - always nice to know how close a hill or water point is). Once we know what we are up against, we stock up on the appropriate number of Powerbars and other food stuffs, fill the Camelbacks with Accelerade and head to the start line. All the riders are lined up according to overall time in "chutes". In the very front are the pros and overall leaders, then chute A, B, C etc... We had been starting in D, but have moved up to C for the last three days - towards the front end but we still feel way back! Once on the road, we try to get through whatever fast paved or gravel road sections are first without loosing too many spots. Then we just settle into a groove and try to keep a steady pace. I keep an eye on my watch and give the alarm to eat an energy bar every 45 min to 1 hr... Whenever we got to technical sections we would try to take advantage and steadily pass people:) Getting to the end of a stage is hard work... we try to push it home with whatever energy we have left, drafting each other to the line trying to pick off another team or two if we can. Once we cross... we are handed two of the best tasting cold cups of Coke then we head to one of the booths set up by the local school kids for a steaming hamburger... the recovery has to start right away!
Yesterdays start was one of the most amazing things I have done on a bike! We rolled out of town, all 1047 of us and headed down a winding two lane road through a magnificent sheer walled canyon. The pack took up the entire width of the road and stretched out for probably 500 yards in front of us - flying along at 25 - 30 mph to the hum of two thousand knobby tires on pavement, you could watch ahead as the leaders snaked through the turns ahead... very cool.
I was asked about strategy and if teams worked together or not... Well, I think some of the pros up at the front are working together, but we haven't found that to be the case where we are. Our strategy has been focused on pacing our effort, making sure we have enough energy to finish the stages, staying safe, and recovering in the evenings so we can do it all again. Typically we look at the stage profile in the morning (I rip a small copy out of the race program, fold it up and stick it under my shorts leg for quick reference too - always nice to know how close a hill or water point is). Once we know what we are up against, we stock up on the appropriate number of Powerbars and other food stuffs, fill the Camelbacks with Accelerade and head to the start line. All the riders are lined up according to overall time in "chutes". In the very front are the pros and overall leaders, then chute A, B, C etc... We had been starting in D, but have moved up to C for the last three days - towards the front end but we still feel way back! Once on the road, we try to get through whatever fast paved or gravel road sections are first without loosing too many spots. Then we just settle into a groove and try to keep a steady pace. I keep an eye on my watch and give the alarm to eat an energy bar every 45 min to 1 hr... Whenever we got to technical sections we would try to take advantage and steadily pass people:) Getting to the end of a stage is hard work... we try to push it home with whatever energy we have left, drafting each other to the line trying to pick off another team or two if we can. Once we cross... we are handed two of the best tasting cold cups of Coke then we head to one of the booths set up by the local school kids for a steaming hamburger... the recovery has to start right away!
posted by Anonymous at 12:10 PM
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