The Transalp Challenge 2006 was indeed a challenge. It's claimed to be the hardest mountain bike stage race and so far for me it is. Never before had I spent 2 hours climbing a mountain without any let-up. I would love to say that I kept a diary of each day with wonderful antidotes and pearls of wisdom, but I did not. I was too knackered each day to even think about that. What follows is what I can remember of the race. Before we had even left I realis...