Monday, July 20: Je l'ai fait !

I did it!

This was easily the hardest thing I have ever done!

The day started at 4am followed by a quick breakfast of coffee and croissants. At 5:15am we took a bus over to Montelimar to the start line or as close as we could get. There was already a lot of traffic and some who had given up driving and were riding their bicycles to the race. We got about 1 mile to the starting gate and couldn’t go any further. We had to get off the bus, unloaded our bikes and then rode to the start. I have raced mountain bikes and run marathons in my life but never have I see this many people participating in an event. My number was with the 6000’s but they also went all the way up to 9500. There were 9500 people!!! It was so crowded and exciting and colorful with everyone dressed in their respective cyclist shorts and bibs or shirts representing so many different countries! At one point I was waiting in line to use the bathroom and met people from England, Spain, Russia, Germany. It was unbelievable!

I had to focus on moving fast through this initial stage of the race so that I could get a good cadence going.

There would be two rest stops. One in Buis les-Baronnes which was about 77.1 kilometers in and the other at Bedoin, at 148.5 kilometers to the summit. At the first rest stop, I felt great! I only stopped long enough to fill my water bottles and then continued on. I had spent days drinking lots of water and eating well and resting and so far it was paying off. Everyone else looked to be in great spirits too!

The route was filled with long meandering ascents through incredibly beautiful valley's filled with lavender fields, apricot orchards, fields of olive trees, fields and fields of vineyards. We rode up steep long switchbacks. The views of the valley from the tops of the hills were incredible! Along the route, people lined the streets, cheering, singing, passing out water, and occasionally pushing cyclists up hills.

The descents were incredible too. At one point we were riding at 40 miles per hour on a 15-mile descent! It was 95 degrees. There were many accidents. A man flew off the side of a hill. There were also many crashes and people passing out from heat stroke. I watched as one man went into convulsions. Later, we heard that he broke his neck. It was a very dangerous ride on the descents.

We rode through Taulignan, Nyons, Col d’Ey, Buis les+Baronnies, Col de Fontaube, Sault, Col N.-D. des Abeilles, Mormoiron, Bedoin, up to Le Chalet Reynard and then to the summit of Mont Ventoux.

The major climbs were:
Cote de Citelle - 3.1 miles (5.2 km) at avg. grade of 3.9%
Col d'Ey - 3.7 miles (6.3 km) at avg. grade of 5%
Col de Fontaube - 2.8 miles (4.7 km) at avg. grade of 4.3%
Col de Notre Dame des Abeilles - 4.6 miles (7.8 km) at avg. grade of 4%
Mont Ventoux via Bedoin - 12.7 miles (21.2 km) at avg. grade of 7.6%

Throughout the day, the heat was as consistent as the difficulty of the hill climbs. I was looking forward to hitting the second rest stop and refueling on powerbars and water. I had carried some with me but opted to carry as little as possible since every ounce carried on my body would only get heavier as the ride progressed. Temperatures ranged from 94 to 98 degrees. Eventually I hit the second rest stop in the village of Bedoin and rested long enough to consume a powerbar and liquids and fill up my water bottles. The other thing that fills you up is the encouragement of the people handing out the food and water. They are out there all day long in the heat and sun constantly cheering on and refueling all of the riders! They are so incredibly appreciated!

Following the stop in Bedoin, I was now feeling exhausted from the heat. It was a weird feeling because my body felt strong but it seemed more difficult to breathe due to elevation and heat. The elevation would only get more challenging at this point. It was important to stay relaxed and focus on finishing strong. What kept me moving up the most difficult part, the forest in Bedoin were thoughts of my family and friends. Riding through the forest offered mild retreat from the rays of the sun. I rode closer to the side when I could, under the shade of the trees. The most challenging part in the forest was that I kept passing people in far better shape than I, either passed out under the shade or simply sitting under a tree wearing a dazzed look. The ambulances were consistently riding by with sirens blazing, picking up riders suffering from the heat, physical exhaustion, or both. It was an incredibly brutal climb. Once through the forest, you come to Le Chalet Reynard, which was a designated water stop. By the time I got there, they had run out of water. The problem for me is that I had run out of water too. I rested a bit here under the awnings of Le Chalet and focused on the summit. There were lots of people at Le Chalet who were giving up. A bus came and picked up a bunch of them and drove them back down the mountain. The summit was only 6 km from here but I was exhausted. At this point the course opens wide and the trees disappear. There is only pavement and rocks and sun between you and the summit. The one thing that made me smile was looking off to the side; I saw a herd of sheep roaming about. It was a good sign of life and a bit playful. I got back on my bike and began climbing and climbing and climbing. It felt like I was riding forever and in the desert. Finally I crossed the finish having completed 170.2 kilometers at just under 11 hours! The elevation at the summit of Mont Ventoux is 1,912 meters or 6,273 feet. The views are absolutely magnificent.

This was an incredible day and a dream come true and would not have happened if not for the encouragement and support of loving friends and family. Thank you.

North Shore Sunday Article!

There is an article in the North Shore Sunday about the ride! Here is the link to the story:

http://www.wickedlocal.com/northshoresunday/homepage/x135757416/Ipswich-s-Wilcox-to-ride-Tour-de-France-stage-for-youth-literacy

Thank you North Shore Sunday!!

Sunday, July 19: Final Preparations

Sunday

Another glorious day, less windy. Breakfast was coffee, fresh strawberries, apricots and croissants followed by a short morning spin through Provence to keep the legs loose and make sure the bike was finely tuned. During today's group training ride, I rode alongside Alian. He has a coach and has been training quite seriously for this ride. He coached me on the drafting techniques he was using; how close to stay behind the rider ahead of you, to look for the strong riders who were more likely to ride at a consistent pace, etc. I used to draft when I raced mountain bikes but this was a little different on the road.
A few times we broke out of the pack and ahead to the front. Immediately you could feel the difference between drafting and leading a pack. When you lead, you feel the pull and the ride is harder. That is how I trained. No drafting. The mental concentration to draft was harder than riding itself. We finished first. My body was not tired at all but mentally you can feel it.
Following the ride, we practiced cornering down some steep descents in the village. After that, it was rest time. The rest of the day was spent hydrating, staying in a relaxed frame of mind and preparing for tomorrow. Tomorrow will be here soon.

Saturday, July 18: First Official Training Ride in France

Saturday

It was a perfectly sunny, 90 degree Saturday morning. The wind was a bit strong but we were only going for a 25 morning spin through Provence following breakfast. Breakfast consisted of crème freche, fresh strawberries, croissants and delicious coffee. This was my first group ride since coming to France. I stayed in the back of the pack so that I could get comfortable with the pace of the other riders to determine where or whom it made the most sense to draft from. We cruised through Suze la Rousse, St. Paul Trois Chateaux and Visan. The objective of the ride was to keep the legs loose and make sure the bikes were working correctly. I noticed that my derailleur wasn’t shifting very smoothly and made a mental note to address that at the end of the ride. The ride took about an hour and a half because on the way back some of us got the bug and started racing each other. It made for a quicker ride than we thought. After lunch, we rode over to Montelimar and the Etape du Tour Village to register. To officially sign-in you had to have your passport and official letter, which included your bib number. The registration process was very organized and quick! Afterwards I checked out some of the Tour de France sponsors then we headed back to Rochegude for dinner. I found a pizzeria in Rochegude and ate an entire pizza followed by a Magnum bar, which is very much like a Dove bar. The sun does not set here until about 9:30pm in the evening. Rochegard provides a clear view of Mont Ventoux on a day like today. I spent a lot of time thinking about the ride. This would definitely be the most difficult ride I have ever done. What you will hear is that the climb itself is not difficult but that it is filled with many small difficulties, which is what makes it difficult. Throughout the day there were many conversations about the best way to tackle the mountain but at the end of the day, it comes down to each rider.

Day 1: First Ride in France

I took my first ride in France today! I have no idea how far I went because I got lost! My goal was 20 easy miles but I quickly got schooled in how to navigate the streets here. Once I got my bearings, I rode down the hill of where I am staying to a small village called Suze-la-Rousee. I came upon a little farmers market where there were vendors selling fresh fruit, all things olive oil, every stinky cheese near and dear to one's heart, a butcher who did things with organs I didn't know were possible, fresh vegetables and uh, pizza. I bought a banana and the freshest apricot I have ever tasted! Satiated, I looked for signs that pointed to Saint Paul and kept riding. The roads are much narrower than back home so I had to get comfortable with the idea that the cars would pass much closer than I was used to. It wasn't long though before I was out of the village and on long stretches of road which passed numerous vineyards, lavendar fields and the happiest field of all, the sunflowers! I rode to the center of Saint Peter and rode the roundabout back to the sign pointing to Suze-la-Rousee all the way back to where I started. Riding up the hill leading to where I was staying, I looked around and suddenly it hit me that I was riding in France!

Day 2: Ici Enfin!

Here at last! Taking an overnight flight felt like taking the short cut. That's what my grandfather says when you want to get someplace fast in a car or a plane. If you take a nap then it is like taking a short cut to get there, as long as you are not the driver. The overnight flight definately went by quicker. It was such a pleasure waking up in France. It was a beautiful sunny day and about 90 degrees out. After getting my passport stamped I went to get my luggage. The French are very effecient. I was only waiting about 5 minutes when the bags came out. The bike was in the oversize luggage area and it arrived promptly as well. Leaving the perfect amount of time to grab a chocolate croissant and coffee before boarding the train to Marsailles. The train ride was wonderful. I ran into a few other cyclists who were here for the same reason as I. They were easy to spot for they too were lugging very large Thule bike cases! The train was not that full and extremely quiet. I wanted to nap but was so full of energy and excited to be here. I just kept looking out the window at the endless fields as we flew by. Eventually we were in the Provence region of southern France and the mountain range came into view and I kept looking at them wondering if I was looking at Mont Ventoux. After about a three hour train ride, I arrived in Avignon and boarded a shuttle to the hotel which was another hour away. I asked the gentlemen at the front desk if he could point out Mont Ventoux. He opened the door and pointed to an unbelievable view of the mountains. He pointed and said it is over there but you can't see it today. I looked at the sky above me and it was blue as blue is blue but he explained that the mountains are cooler and can be cloudy but that I would probably be able to see it in the morning.

Day 3: Done Packing!

Whew. Never thought I would get to this point. Remember to pack everything?! I hope so. They say that once we all get there, it will be difficult to find replacement parts. That confuses me. When I think of France I think of bikes and chocolate croissants, among other things. There must be bike shops somewhere or old bikes with parts or something. Anyway, I'm done packing!

For information on this ride please click on the link below:

Etape du Tour

My bib number is 6304. You can enter it on the Etape du Tour site and it will give you all sorts of information about my progress once the race starts.