Veteran - LVRC

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BIKELINE www.bikeline.co.uk NO WIN NO FEE I DO NOT TAKE ANYTHING FROM YOUR COMPENSATION The complete cycling accident claims package for your non-fault cycling accident – at no cost to you Designed by a cyclist for cyclists – all claims personally handled by an experienced solicitor who is also a committed cyclist and environmentalist (Member of CTC, Sustrans, YHA & Port Sunlight Wheelers) Call Alyson France for free initial advice 0151 348 4400 or e-mail me on bike.line@virgin.net (don’t be put off if you get my answering machine – I may be out on my bike! Leave a message & let me pay for the call!) Page 20 <strong>Veteran</strong> Leaguer: Winter 2002
Neil Martin didn’t have to fix his bike in the blacksmith’s forge, but he suffered quite enough on L’Etape du Tour… Nails on Toast Neil Martin WE DROVE INTO the outskirts of Tarbes through pouring rain. No need to hunt for the ‘Depart‘ direction arrows – hordes of already-soaked riders were pedalling to the start through the 6 a.m. darkness. The British constabulary would have had a field-day with the light-less masses. I’d signed on effortlessly two days before: now the big day had finally arrived. A quick change in the Galaxy; au revoir to the crew with a view to seeing them somewhere on the final Col (you need a special pass to get on the climb, bagged at the signing-on) and off into the gloom to track down my start area. We all lined up in our designated side road; the countdown to the start could be heard on loudspeakers a few roads away; 5,4,3,2,1 and......nothing. I had to wait for the 4148 riders in front of us to move before we could. Twenty minutes later we passed over the start transponder mat and were away, at a steady 25 mph. Initial preevent fears that it would be dangerous were soon dispelled as the thousands barrelled along with very little switching and a great deal of consideration for fellow riders. The first ravitaillement appeared to be somewhat chaotic.I made the choice to ride straight through. However, I did manage to grab a couple of bottles of Aquarel water from one of the many roadside helpers handing up drinks beyond the feed. By this time the rain had eased a little, just in time for the first climbs of the day: a combined 4th and 3rd cat (Tour values) that seemed to go on forever. A quick pose for the official Etape photographers either side of the road and over the top to begin what proved to be one of the fastest descents ever ridden. I interrupted my own descent to answer a major call of nature behind a hedge and then back into the fray. A few more drags and descents and then it really chucked it down along the valley. Col d’Aspin. A sharp right and we were on a fairly steady climb of 12 km using a maximum gear of 39/21; I was saving the 23 for the brute to be negotiated later in the day. At the summit I ignored another even more chaotic feed station – just a brief stop to put on the gilet for the wet 14km descent to St. Marie de Campan, the town at the foot of the Tourmalet, famous for the bloke who fixed his broken forks only to be penalised because a lad helped with the bellows in the forge. Nails on toast for breakfast too, no doubt.* An acute left and we’re on the 17km. Tourmalet with a warm sun and a tailwind to ease the agony. This is a monster of a Col: fairly easy of gradient for the first few k’s or so but then it kicks in to an average of 8 to 9 %. Doesn’t sound much but a major effort for a long time; the fastest I’ve ever climbed it is 1.15, a true backbreaker. The 23 came in to play for the 6-7mph grind of the last km. up to the feed at La Mongie ski station 5 kilometres from the summit. A stop for bars, water, sultanas by the fistful and an easing of the aching back readied the bod for the final lurch to the chilly summit at 2115 metres. On with the gilet again for what some claim to be the best descent in Europe; I’m with them on that one. I’ve descended the 18km this way quite a few times now, so knowing where I was going was a real bonus, especially on closed roads – and in the company of a couple of riders who obviously knew where they were going too a terminal velocity of 54mph was reached. The Tourmalet descends into Luz St. Saveur, a busy little town nestling in the valley that eventually leads to Lourdes after a further 30 kms. of descent. The Etape, however, swung left in the town , over a little blip to descend again to begin the final climb to the finish at the ski station of Luz Ardiden at an altitude of 1715 metres. This is where the backache really kicked in. By this time I had started to see some early start numbers which suggested either that I was doing a reasonable ride or that they were creeping. This is a hard climb, especially after 85 damp miles. Approaching 3km from the top I spotted the family parked at the roadside a few metres before the barriers dividing the road started , providing a safe lane to descend off the mountain while others are grinding their way up to the finish. Heavy rain started to fall again for my final 2 km, as did the temperature on the back of a freezing wind. Eventually I crossed the Arrivée transponder mat, a finisher’s gong was draped around my neck and I was hustled around the back of the changing tent to begin the descent against the now steady flow of finishers, back down to Maria and the kids. Fantastic! I’d done it; and in a not-toobad time of 6hrs 7 mins 53 secs for a Gold standard and 328th finisher. All this information is sent later in the form of a certificate to commemorate your participation, along with a sample of photos you can send for. The first finisher home was a Bulgarian living in France who has now ridden all nine Etapes and ‘won‘ three of them. Try to pick him out at the start next year. I’d certainly do it again but it would have to be ‘a good one ‘ i.e. a big stage in the Alps or similar. Popular opinion regarded this edition as one of the classics, despite the weather which apparently turned the bad side of evil on the Tourmalet for the later finishers. As a footnote: the same Tarbes–Luz Ardiden stage 148km. was won by the Euskatel Basque climber Robert Laseika in a time of 4hrs 24 mins. I wonder if he spent the whole of the last climb in the 23 too? V Drawing: Pellos * Back in 1913 two commissaires were dropped off to supervise Eugene Christophe while he repaired his fork and make sure he didn’t break the rules. After an hour or so one of them complained of being hot and hungry. ‘You should be where I am,’ Christophe said. ‘Chew a bit of this coal – there’s plenty.’ <strong>Veteran</strong> Leaguer: Winter 2002 Page 21
Page 1 and 2: The Veteran Leaguer The official ne
Page 3 and 4: Calendar: new events, cancellations
Page 5 and 6: Special General Meeting It’s LVRC
Page 7 and 8: One of the most talented roadmen Br
Page 9 and 10: The Feeding Station Are you getting
Page 11 and 12: officials received racing jerseys a
Page 13 and 14: Picture Page From top, clockwise: N
Page 15 and 16: example the hugged thigh - should n
Page 17 and 18: Letters From Dave Orford The idea t
Page 19: In Part 1 Cavanna, Coppi’s blind
Page 23 and 24: Regional Officers REGION 1. N.W. EN

Veteran - LVRC

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