Day 6 - we make it!

We made it to Cannes! Again 24 hours delay on the blog but please forgive us. If we had to write it with our legs there would be an even longer delay! This piece is solely about Day 6 as we have decided that it will be best to pause a little before writing a retrospective.

First the good news on a day of 5s. Andrew and I passed the £5k sponsorship on March 5^th, Andrew did five stages on Day 5 and you helped us get to £5,000 by the same date.

So Day 6 was definitely highs and lows. Our punishment on leaving Aix was a steep climb straight-away. I (Neil) now know exactly what it is like to be shot out the back of the peloton (on the Tour de France). My 90kgs is a serious disadvantage on the climbs when I don’t have the levers (legs) Andrew has. Pat Hayes (Ealing) very kindly stayed with me. He had travelled down to Aix by train to join us for the last day and the poor chap ended up looking after me on the first climb – but that’s what teamwork is about. I would publicly like to thank him for his patience and support.

Please forgive our indulgence here but the Tour de France comparisons will continue. The last day is all about the arrival (in Cannes) – the peloton is demob happy, cyclists are singing and the odd breakaway starts to develop. I think I may also have dreamt that I was Mark Cavendish! So Day 6 is three stages/legs – the big climb out of Aix, an undulating (French for hilly) second leg and broadly downhill for the third. We did, however, have 2006 Commonwealth pursuit bronze medallist Emma Davies with us (she is the one glowing in the photo below). Probably the first and only time we will cycle with anyone of such calibre – and what nice lady too. It simply doesn’t get any better.

Some were simply ticking off the kilometres, others survival, as they were nursing injuries. However, for everyone the sense of achievement was palpable as we saw the sea and the first roadsign for Cannes. After that it was soak in atmosphere of the last few kms as we cycled alongside the Med.

From the Croisette a red carpet led up to the liveried bus which was parked outside the Palais. Bikes were dumped ready for their return to England and then the mass of the press was upon us for a team photo. Well I may have exaggerated a little bit, but there were definitely several photographers. One snapped the one below.

Then, sadly it was all over (for another year?). Thank yous must go to Nick and all the support team, fellow riders, our wives and kids....... oh dear, I hear Blur warming up, the suits are going to cut us off during our lengthy “thank you” speech.......... now wait for the thoughtful Retrospective in a week’s time.

Andrew and Neil

Day 5

Sorry for the delay on the blog but the more we cycle the less we can write (is our excuse)! Just having pre-dinner drinks and nibbles – salted almonds and Recovery drink! Stages today - Andrew 5 out of 5, Neil 4/5 – not bad given the age difference (Andrew is younger)! 


So we are now in the most appropriately named Aix! The sports therapists have recommended an ice bath which I decided to take literally and carted a champagne bucket to the bathroom. Sadly no champagne yet!

We have decided to give you extra pictures today. For the full set go to:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cycletocannes/sets/72157629491909893/ 

but an example of the scenery we have witnessed is below:

As you can see the scenery today was majestic made all the better by a tailwind. I have never before had the experience of being blown uphill on a bike. Today in Bonnieux as the wind was channelled through a small street in the village we were climbing through it we were travelling uphill without pedalling!

We cycled very close to Mt Ventoux today one the of the most famous climbs on the Tour de France. Tempting but not en-route.  

Talking of routes, the French guides made their one mistake of the trip today. We came to a roundabout and they then took us back UP the road we had just come down. Very demoralising but fortunately only a short climb before getting back on the right route.


So off for the ice bath, dinner and then a good sleep before the final push tomorrow. We leave you with a great shot of the hairpin bends in the gorge descent earlier today.

Neil and Andrew

Day 4 - wet finish

So today we had our first rain and as a result Andrew and I had our first disagreement. Not serious I add. With wet shoes I started stuffing paper in them to try and help them dry – a technique my father had advised me in my youth. Andrew contended this was not a good idea, as also advised by his father. So which one of us has been paternally badly informed. Please let us know your view. NB My shoes were dry in the morning. So were Andrew’s but he had used most of Valence’s electricity supply in powering using the hairdryer!

On a stage yesterday we had averaged 27kph and that’s above my normal output! Today I was told we would be easing off by comparison. Something must have been lost in translation as we averaged 31kph!

A late and wet finish hence the delayed blog.

I’d like to open up the “cycling mecca” discussion we have been having to everyone. This has been my standard question over the last few days to my cycling “partners”. Which places in the UK do you regard as the cultural centres of cycling? We have agreed to Manchester Velodrome, Herne Hill Velodrome, Richmond Park, Eureka Cafe/the Wirral, the Peak District, Dartmoor, Coast to Coast Cycle, Holmefirth/Holme Moss to name but a few. Please add your views opinions by emailing them to cycloconsulting@gmail.com

Andrew is still going strong with another full-house of stages today.

Today's photo is one for my wife to prove that Sam is looking after me.

Neil and Andrew

Day 3, halfway – Champagne to mustard or Homage to the support team

A good event always has some unsung heroes and this one has plenty. Yesterday my bottle cage broke on the last stage and, without even asking, the mechanics had a new one on by breakfast. I then dropped a glove whilst trying to eat ie refuel. A motorcycle outrider want back to pick it up. It’s probably going to cost me a beer tonight but that’s a small price to pay. Room keys are always ready and waiting at the hotels because the team have gone ahead and checked in for everyone. Nick, le chef de mission, quietly and meticulously gets on with ensuring this is a smooth, well oiled machine. My current award though goes to Aurelie and Elena, the sports therapists. How just two of them keep 80 mixed ability (some of us are not spring chickens) cyclists in good health whilst mainlining their humour is beyond me. Some really do have injuries and others just need a shoulder to cry on! Hats off to them all.

To quote Phil Liggett, “Back to the road”. Two great French culinary items formed the backbone of today’s stages. We are always moving so sadly no time to stop to sample champagne in Epernay and it's pitch black anyway when we pass the first vineyard! Vines need slopes and sadly so do some cyclists. As we hit the first hill yours truly finds that he is no longer on the front of the peloton – that’s for the whippets.

As for mustard well that accolade goes to Andrew – keen as. As I write this he is still out on the road! After clocking up four stages yesterday he will shortly complete the full-Monty of all six today. That’s 302km in one day – respect. My excuse is that he is younger and taller and I have to conserve my energy for the later mountains.

So today’s photo goes to prove it. Look at the height/leverage advantage he has. His saddle is in the stratosphere and must be the equivalent to taking drugs?

Off tomorrow to Valence, at 6am again. Relentless!

Neil and Andrew

Day 2

A 4.45 am alarm call starts the day. Our team are second off but that doesn’t give us a lie in! As the first team hit the road, we (Team Ealing) have the comfort of the coach to the first stop as the dawn rises. Sadly the fog doesn’t and we are down to 50m visibility for the first part of the our leg. We now have our French motorcycle support and roads are closed with precision timing to allow our peloton through. This is a great experience and the motorcyclists do their best to minimise the impact to the French car drivers. At one point the road appears to close just seconds before we sweep through. For non-cyclists the equivalent might be the Fast Track at the airport or the Olympic family traffic lanes in the summer. All that’s missing are the hoards of waving fans but we have to make do with two people briefly distracted at a farm  

The choice of clothing is clearly a big issue and is taxing the brains of some of the best property brains in the UK – short/long, thin/thick, two/three layers. Good job they are more decisive in their business lives!

For the geographers and statisticians today’s Stage took us from Calais to Reims (please pronounce it correctly, otherwise it will annoy my wife ie not “reams”) and clocked up 318 kms.

Today's photo is from the massage room. No its not a call of "dead ants" but the post ride exercises!

As they used to say on the TV, “stay tuned” for more. Champagne region tomorrow.

PS Andrew hasn’t mentioned my snoring, so either I got away with it or he is very polite.

Neil and Andrew

Day 1

So we have made it to Calais in one piece! We all cycled the 70 miles down to Folkestone then most people fell asleep on the coach whilst it was transported to France on Le Shuttle! Andrew and I took the benefit of a massage after dinner so we have no excuses tomorrow. Plenty of friends made on the road - I think I am talking to the slower riders and Andrew to the speed kings.


You can find a video of the start at: 


http://www.egi.co.uk/news/article.aspx?id=746980 


and if you are interested in our route it was:


http://connect.garmin.com/activity/153935178


Today's picture shows that no ride can get by without bananas!

So we pick up our French motorcycle outriders tomorrow after a 6am start. Yes 6 am, its not all fun! Andrew has bought some earplugs so he gets a peaceful night's sleep.


Keep following us, hopefully more tomorrow.


Neil and Andrew