Bordeaux-Paris

Bordeaux is a long way away. To get there (I don’t fly if there is an alternative) involved a 4am start to catch the first Eurostar to Paris. Clubmate Adrian was in the same position, and we shared a taxi out to St-Quentin-en-Yvelines. A distinct lack of signage outside the velodrome rendevous caused some confusion. Were we at the right place. Lugging our bike bags around the circumference we spotted a tiny arrow for B-P which led down to a small awning. But at least it was there. Eventually we boarded a coach to travel down to Bordeaux. All the announcements in French obvs, but I started to get some of it (numbers wise at least)

Arrival in Bordeaux (to a new start location) and they looked a bit overwhelmed with the small numbers of people trying to register. The lady dealing with me was fantastic and put my French to shame after she said she didn’t speak much English. Over the river to find our hotels (which had all been booked for their proximity to the original start location.

Saturday – a civilised 10am start. No need to panic, just get up s normal normal and roll down to the start. I even managed a bit of breakfast. We started at the back.

Soon we were rolling down the banks of the Garonne, and I quickly spun up to a nice speed. Adrian got caught at a set of lights. I shoulderchecked and saw a blue jersey catching me up, which I thought at first was him, but it turned out to be one of 7 VC du Val de Ceze riders who were riding strongly as a team. We roll quickly along reaching the first food stop at 75km/2hrs 15. Here it becomes apparent that a lot of riders have support vehicles waiting as they peel off to their assistants. I grab a quick bottle re-fill and a bit of food and press on solo. Eventually the Val du Ceze riders catch up – there is a headwind, and groups are making much better progress.

What climbing there is starts on this next section as we go up 905m in the next 80k. Still rattling along fairly briskly, about 10km form the next stop I drop off the back of the group. I am resigned to rolling in solo when I am caught by a Team Lux rider who looks familiar… He was the rider on LEL last year who I was riding with at the start… A short while later we roll into Monbron. My average speed is still high (30kmph) – considering that there’s 3/4 of the distance left to ride. Another short break for coke and jam tarts, and back on the road again.

Its very hot. Again I am soon riding with the Val du Ceze but I’m beginning to struggle on the hills and drop off even earlier. I’ve also run out of water. There is a car stopped in a layby up ahead which is following some of the riders, and I beg for a bidon-full to get to L’Isle Jourdain at 230km, 8.5 hrs into the ride. I force myself to drink another full bidon with a hydration tablet, eat more food and set out again after a brief 20minute stop.

This time I’m chasing back up to the Val du Ceze, and eventually catch them on a climb. One of their big roulers comes alongside and introduces himself as Eric. He tells me they’ve nicknamed me Sacoche (becasue of my saddlebag). I’m struggling to eat and drink now and realize I’m in quite a bad way. I try to take small sips and try to lower HR.  Any food seems repulsive. Eventually I got picked up by Davide, Pierre-Olivier and another rider. It’s rolling enough to chain-gang for a bit which is fun. Through Angles-sur-L’Anglin. Pierre-Olivier tells me it is one of the prettiest villages in France. Easy to say when you can dance up the hill instead of grovelling. He’s right though… a kind of medival hill-top village with picturesque ruins. Apparently its official: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Les_Plus_Beaux_Villages_de_France

We reached Martizay by dusk which was lucky for the other 3 since they were’t carrying lights! bit of a gamble that I think. Thin tomato soup is very welcome and a long rest to recover. Start to eat again which is good. This is where the bag drops were so I pick up more food. Brie from the coach is good – a different taste. I keep it. With David and Pierre-olivier they orgainise a 20ish strong group and we set off into the night. The pace picks up again. and we arrive at the next stop in Romorantin-Lanthasay at 2:20am. I spot the Val du Ceze team as they do me. A 13 minute stop to re-fill coke and grab a bit of baguette to go with the brie. Good decision to pick that up at Martezay.

We join a very large group following wheels. Few workers. As I’ve seen before, the French have this thing for riding down the centreline of the road. This means that the second line of riders are well to the left, and when a faster group comes to the front they are practically filling the LH lane. I feel like telling them we are riding in France, not England… It’s cold. The next stop is 5km further on than the road-map. OK for me as I marked it on the Garmin, but many of the riders don’t have mapping, and they slow down. I arrive with 1 other rider off the front of the peloton into a church hall in Saint-Laurent des Bois. More soup. Rest. I have a PBP Hi-viz gillet on which impresses a few.

A large group leaves as I’m taking a ‘natural break’. I think they are paced as I chase carlights moving ever so slightly faster than I am. Dawn solo. Quite lovely. Very quickly starts getting hot. Another long one into the wind alone – the few riders that I do catch are riding too slow to help either of us. Caught by another group with 15km to go (or so I think) I struggle to hold on to the wheels as I’ve wasted so much riding solo and get dropped again, and I have counted off the 93km of the leg when I pass a sign saying 10km to next stop. Out of water again. I resort to eating a gel for the fluid content… Need a break at Auneau. It’s only 9 o’clock and very hot again. More fluids, finish my brie. Longest stop since Martezay. Think up new target of finishing before noon to keep focused. 2 relay riders ask to join me.

We are working well until we hit the Rambouillet Forest and the larger rider struggles much more than me on the 4 valley climbs. Lots of ‘Freds’ about – it is a popular riding area for Parisiens apparently. Quite a few realise what we’ve been doing and shout encouragement. We still catch a 4th rider (who I’d dragged into St-LdB), and I turn to him and say – lets go. On the run towards Paris it gets flat and we get some pace up as it starts raining. No stopping us now though – literally. The junctions are all marshalled and we get waved through every give-way, stop and red light on the same route as the finish to PBP in 2011. Finish-  11:44am. Done it.

Into the velodrome for showers and some food and rest.