My race lasted about as long as it took me to click up a gear and follow Rene’s wheel towards the first turn. Then someone failed to negotiate the transition from tarmac to grass, speared into someone’s back wheel and they ended up taking me out.
So far so bad. The poor lady who got hit first came off worse. Brand new Condor bike stayed largely undamaged apart from bar tape but her hand went through my front wheel and she cut her index finger badly.
My woes were simple: both wheels trashed to the point of not being rideable: eight or more spokes missing at the front and the back looks like a pringle.
I’m still angry about it because it was the most innocuous part of the course and there was no reason for the accident. That and the fact I currently can’t afford to replace the 300 quid of Mavic Kysrium Equipe that are currently beyond useless.
Wet feet, rainwater splash, grit and sundry other forms of road grim are the constant companions of cyclists between November and April. The single best solution to minimising their effect is a set of full-length mudguards.
They may not be sexy but they massively reduce the amount of damp spraying off the frame and onto the rider. There’s plenty of anecdotal evidence that they are a highly effective theft deterrent as well.
Clip-on guards will stop the worst of it hitting your back but as much water hits a rider when deflected off the seat and down tubes. I sometimes think that I probably get as wet from water coming up as down.
Cost: 20 pounds or so, plus a bit of labour if you get your local bike shop to fit them. It’s cheaper than a pair of overshoes and not much more than waterproof socks but probably just as effective as either overall.
Gloves
There’s plenty of cycle specific ones out there but the best pair of winter gloves I’ve got are some leather ones from M&S with a fleece lining.
Barring torrential rain or extreme cold, I think leather gloves represent the best value protection versus durability for everyday use and you can wear them other than for cycling.
Hat
Finding the right hat makes a world of difference. It needs to be the right balance between warm and comfortable. For me there’s one hat that has been fitting the bill for the last two winters: Rapha’s winter hat
Jacket
There is no “right” jacket. Some days you want to go slow and keep warm, others you’ll want to scream through the streets with the cold making your eyes stream as you get a good sweat on. Pick your jacket depending on the day and your mood.
So on Sunday 18 July 2010 9,500 riders will head off from Pau in search of the summit of the Col du Tourmalet, the summit on which the centenary visit to the Pyrenees will focus.
I’ve gone two years without the Etape, next year I’m very eager to return to the challenge. It’s tough looking at the profile, but I don’t see how it can be any worse than 2007. Boy are those words going to haunt me.
