Official Ride 8: Alp Duez TimeTrial

I don't know what you're having, but this morning we're having Alp Duez for breakfast. As the saying goes.. 'You're only here once'. So we better climb it Twice.

On what is actually our travel day to Avignon, what better way to kick it off than with a sunrise edition of the 12km, vertical lung buster.

I sensed also that for some there was an element of unfinished 'Strava' business.That a second crack at The Big Daddy, fresh before the heat of the midday sun and without a monster climb day already in the legs, may provide a more satisfying and realistic segment time.

So that said, we rose at dawn, sleeved, vested and winter gloved up for the chilly at speed descent. Ironically as we sped down, several were already climbing, gloves, sleeves, vests off and jersey already fully zipped down. Oh and one other thing.. Helmet Off! (They love that over here) Apparently if a car should accidentally collect you, or you slip, or loose balance (easy to do at 100% and already in your lowest gear) and your head hits the asphalt.. No Worries.. Apparently if you're 'climbing' it doesn't hurt or cause damage !?! Go figure.

We peddled for a km or so at the bottom just to wake the legs up and prep them for the inevitable.. then turned around and attempted to prep the mind in the same manner.. Tick Tick Tick BooM.. There are no pleasantries, you simply turn left, click the gears down til they click no more, and it's On! And for at least the next hour or so it ain't letting up.

(Funny how several times throughout the climb, regardless of the fact you know you haven't changed up a gear, you just give the gear lever a little nudge, as if by some minor miracle there's another easier gear just hiding there.. a bit like tapping an empty fuel gauge. Wishful thinking)

I'll save you the peddle stroke by stroke details, but I will say this, despite being rested(ish) being early in the morning and having done nothing other than descend, for some reason the mountain and the path up it remained defiantly unchanged, just as steep as it was the day before, and the day before...

Alp Duez TT Results
CB 1hr 11mins
TL 1hr 13mins
PW 1hr 20mins

Amazing efforts by all, not only considering the back to back massive days previous, but also the huge reductions in time taken vs the first attempt two days ago.

We celebrated over a massive breakfast, packed the bikes and the van and headed off for our penultimate destination Avignon. Home to the third of the Big Daddy Peaks, Mont Ventoux.