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God it’s hot!<br />
Brian Tadman<br />
God it’s hot! I’ve just topped the Col<br />
d’Aspin. Armstrong and Ullrich are<br />
200 metres in front – must get to<br />
them before the Tourmalet. I click up<br />
seven gears in one go, lock into 18 th .<br />
The computer shows I’m doing 110<br />
kph. Don’t touch the brakes. Get<br />
into tuck, flick left, then right.<br />
Approaching St Marie de Campan I<br />
get to them. ‘Who are you?’ says a<br />
Texan accent.<br />
‘I’m Tadders of Abbey Life,’ I reply.<br />
‘OK, today we ride.’<br />
God, it’s hot. The noise is deafening.<br />
There must be a million people<br />
clinging to this mountain. It’s 18<br />
kilometres long. I’m riding shoulder<br />
to shoulder with the two greatest<br />
Tour riders of their generation. The<br />
heat is incredible. I’m focused. I<br />
recall David Andrews’ words: No<br />
Pain No Gain. One kilometre to the<br />
top, we’re still two minutes down on<br />
the Spaniards. They’ve been away all<br />
day.<br />
We’re at the top. God, it’s hot! The<br />
Basque fans are out in their thousands,<br />
hoping for a home win. We start the<br />
descent to Luz Ardiden. Only – huh,<br />
only! – the climb to Pla d’Adet. We<br />
drop off the Tourmalet, swishing<br />
through the bends – even the photographers’<br />
motorbikes can’t keep<br />
with us. On a straight stretch the US<br />
Postal Directeur Sportif draws<br />
alongside in his Alfa and tells us the<br />
road temperature in the valley is 54<br />
degrees. God, it’s hot!<br />
Jan, Lance and moi are slipstreaming<br />
at 100 kph. We’re into Luz and<br />
we can see the Spaniards ahead.<br />
Lance asks us to ride harder. We<br />
overhaul the two escapees after two<br />
kilometres of Pla d’Adet. Only seven<br />
to the finish. God, it’s hot! Four<br />
kilometres from the top Armstrong<br />
attacks. I look at Ullrich – he can’t<br />
respond! I launch myself after<br />
Armstrong. I’m on fire. I’m on fire!<br />
I’m on fire! Bloody bed’s on fire!<br />
Moral<br />
Do not drink two bottles of red<br />
wine with midday Plat du Jour.<br />
Do not have four Armagnacs as<br />
digestifs.<br />
Do not take fifth Grand Armagnac<br />
to bed.<br />
Do not spill Grand Armagnac while<br />
lighting Gauloise.<br />
Onwards and upwards.<br />
Phil’s<br />
Cycling<br />
Hols<br />
Tel: 00115 933 3920 ( UK )<br />
Fax: 00 33 457 481124<br />
(France)<br />
Philip.Smith@wanadoo.fr<br />
Look at our Website:<br />
www.vercors-net.com/cycling<br />
for details of travel by A45 from<br />
Grenoble<br />
or Lyon A49. Motorways – from<br />
Valence -<br />
A42 from Sisteron or Chambery<br />
Train -TGV from Paris –<br />
Grenoble & links SNCF shuttle from<br />
Grenoble to Valence<br />
Travel by Plane<br />
– to Lyon<br />
– to Grenoble<br />
V Accommodation and<br />
booking form –<br />
Road Cyclists & Mountain Bikes<br />
V The Vercors area -<br />
How your week could go<br />
Annual events & contacts<br />
v Monte Pelpi — Ciclo Italia<br />
v Self-guided rides (routes provided)<br />
v Hills to die for (MTB/Road)<br />
v Self-catering accommodation in<br />
country or seaside<br />
v Northern Italy’s best-kept secret<br />
A warm welcome awaits you in<br />
Bedonia (Pr Parma)<br />
Phone Sandra for a brochure on<br />
00390-5258-24354<br />
MONTEPELPI<br />
Page 22 <strong>Veteran</strong> Leaguer: Winter 2002
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