Overnight the guys were mumbling...........They were concerned about the ride route for today, especially that we were facing a climb of 1000m to get back to the Route Des Grandes Alpes. Ground we have already ridden. As General George S Patton Jnr would say " I don't like paying twice for the same ground....ie. No retreat" Simple proposition, instead of riding back up the Oisans valley and tackling Col du Lauteret, we load all the bikes into the van and drive ...

Another hot day in store for us. Good stay at Hotel Cret Ond at Valloire. Nicely renovated, the rooms were good. Usual conti breakfast, croissants, cereal, coffee and fruit. We rolled out onto the main road and on towards Gailibier - 17kms to the top. The race was on again for KOM. I shot off up the road gaining about 200m but Johan and Harri mowed me down at the 4km mark. Peter came up alongside and we rode together for 3kms. Then Peter slipped away...