Blogs
Thu, 9 Sep 2010
21 corners from the top
By Stef Wyman - DS: Horizon Fitness Racing Team
Today I decided it would be a good idea to ride Alpe d’Huez. I can’t quite put my finger on why I thought it would be good, but it did actually happen. Alpe d’Huez is the most famous climb in cycling. Anyone involved with the sport knows something about it, and it’s always the stage everyone wants to watch when the Tour is on TV.
I’ve ridden (well more of a grovel) it a lot of time over the years, and this year I set myself the personal goal of beating 1 hour 15 minutes. Although there is no reason behind me wanting to do the climb, there is a very good reason for this target time. It’s double the record time taken by Marco Pantani (37m 35s in 1997). Now that is very, very quick for roughly 14 km of solid climbing. I think being about double his weight, I’m due twice the time to complete the climb.
Alpe d’huez has 21 corners, and each one holds the name (or names) of winners on the climb during the Tour de France. I think this is winners since 1976, but please don’t hold me to that.
So here is my climb from today:
Start to Corner 21
Helen was next to me and started to ride hard to follow her. She was doing an interval session (which later proved to be quite a good one as she broke 6 peak power records on her PowerTap during the climb), and I foolishly started to follow her. The good thing was I got to corner 21 quickly.
Corner 21 to 20
Oxygen debt had hit me. Why did I follow Helen? How stupid. That’s all I have to say about that.
Corner 20 to 18
The section of the climb covered by the first 5 or 6 corners are pretty hard going. I knew that already. Didn’t help. Things were going black, and my head was starting to get heavy. Riding towards the first of 2 Joop Zoetemelk corners, Annie was becoming an increasing distance target. Looks like I’ll have to try to beat her next year at this rate.
Corner 18 to 17
This was a dark moment for me. Good thing was I worked out I had basically done 20% of the climb. That can’t be bad, can it?
Corner 17 to 16
Black out. I have no memory of this.
Corner 16 to 15
Thank the good lord the steep section is over for now. Can’t see Annie at all, better forget that now. With 5 corners done, I’ve basically done 25%. Morale is high.
Corner 15 to 14
Getting a little steeper. Positive thoughts needed; nobody has passed me yet. I must be flying.
Corner 14 to 12
Corner 13 is one of several Laurent Fignon corners. If you can’t be inspired by him and his recent flight, there’s no hope. Out of the saddle and try to up the speed. Well 12 is nearly halfway. This is easy. Legs feel ok. I can even see Annie on the corners above. Lets get to 12 (another Fignon corner) and get cracking.
Corner 12 to 10
Still not been caught, closer to halfway. Should I look at my watch to see how I’m doing? Could go two ways. Either turn and go home, or feel good. Thought better of it and just rode.
Corner 10 to 9
Into single figures. Not far to go now. In fact, if I get a hurry on, I might be able to catch someone. Yeah right, who are you kidding?
Corner 9 to 6
Pretty grim part of my life. Positives were hard to find. Until I turned corner 6!
Corner 6 to 5
I could see someone in front of me. OK, they didn’t look like a pro, but nor do I. Let’s chase them down. Remember, when you pass them, hold your breath so they don’t hear you sucking air in from every orifice available.
Corner 5 to 4
There he is, just about to get him. In his Rabo kit. Oh no, what's this? He’s got cramp! He’s off the bike. Just as I though I’d have a moment of glory, it was taken away from me by his injury. I couldn’t celebrate now. Not even a little bit.
Corner 4 to 3
Who’s that flying down the hill towards me. It’s only Ian. Oh god, I’m 4 corners behind him. A double kick in the privates after what happened with the injury on the turn before. Oh well, I’ll have to keep training now and try to beat Ian in a signpost sprint back in Belgium. Watch out Fieldy. Oh no, just as it didn’t look like it could get too much worse, there is an orange jersey flying down the hill towards me. It’s Helen. Oh dear. A triple whammy!!
Corner 3 to 1
It’s about now you think it’s all over, but it isn’t. Very annoying.
Corner 1 to the top
Put it all in. I changed down to the 25 for the first time on the climb. Thought I’d give the 27 a rest. And there it was, the top. Sprint out of the tunnel. People looking at me like I’m totally mad. Stop the watch. 1 hour 12 minutes.
We’ll, I’m better than I thought. I had 3 minutes to spare. That’s loads isn’t it? I might not have beaten Lance or Pantani, but I was 25 minutes quicker than Sheryl Crow. So I take that as a major positive.
I felt terrible, but happy. I was also getting cold quickly, so from my momentary pause, it was on with the descent. Next year for a sub 1 hour 10? Maybe, watch this space.
For more information on the Horizon Fitness Racing Team, visit www.onthedrops.com.