More Mountains

After my unexpected success in the Vaujany I then did the Prix Des Grand Roussez in which I was 7th and the Grimpee de le Alpe in which I was 5th. The first event was 40km and consisted of a climb to the top of Alp D'Huez, down the top part of Alp D'Huez and then down Villard Reculas before ascending a steepish 5km to Vaujany. I took one gel for some reason, and conseqently completely blew before the top of Alp D'Huez before dragging myself the rest of the way to the finish.

The second event was just (just - haha) a climb up Alp D'Huez, I was going well up the first steep bends, but then I again completely blew and was unable to increase my heart rate at all, I finished about 12minutes behind my pb! Still good placings though, and I am really pleased with how I've done considering how long I had off the bike before I came out here.

I then had a couple of days rest before doing another race up Alp D'Huez, I came 2nd this time, one minute behind first (and her time was 4 minutes slower than my pb), but I felt a lot better than last time and the legs and lungs are improving all the time. Just need to make sure I don't over do it and get to tierd for the next couple of weeks I am here.

The plans are to do a couple more of the races up Alp D'Huez, which are every Monday evening and Thursday morning, there are also some shorter races up to a place called Oz on Wednesday mornings which I hope to investigate. Also, there is a three day series of climbs all starting in the town and finishing at the top of local cols, so that should be really good.

There is loads going on here and always so many cyclists around, tomorrow it is the Mega Avalalanche, the downhill race off the top of Pic Blanc which has a mass start on the glacier - should be worth watching. On Monday it is one of the UCI mountain bike races, 100km of mountains, and on the 23rd the Tour De France is passing by the garden of the house I am living in and finishing at the top of Alp D'Huez!

After I leave France I am going to Belgium for the whole of August to race there, I am being funded for this by the Cycling Time Trials Scholarship, it will be a complete change from here, massive mountain passes where my very little power to very little weight do alright, to pan flat kermesses where the sprinters rule...anyway, it should be an awesome experience and will allow me to race loads against big fields.

Oh, and while Ali was here with me (he is back in Belgium now) we went out in our KMB kit only to hear 'go on Keswick' as we climbed a pass, and then 'alright Keswick' as we were descending another! Obviously the kit is recognisable!