Day 5: 23rd June : Tarascon to Prades

Despite feeling good yesterday (apart from an increasingly sore rear end !) I realized as soon as we set off that the cumulative effect was taking it's toll on my legs. On the flat everthing felt sluggish and I even thought I had a slow puncture.

This 120km stage was going to be tough. Still as it was the final day of climbs I was determined to give it a bit of stick.

Andy, Neil & Vinny on the Col de Marmare

After a short 5km roll we started climbing up the Route des Corniche, a steady 6km climb. Once I got going the legs seemed OK so I pushed on and went away from my normal group. A steady descent followed which seemed to drag and after a short refresh stop we started up the Col de Marmare. This is quite long at 14km but the gradient is steady and consistent at around 4-5%. Set off just in front of Andy, Neil and Vinny who went passed me and up the road by about 200m. Really felt good on this climb and gradually closed on them and rode the last 8km with them. Well pleased as they are normally well ahead of me.

At the top of the climb it was very wet and misty. The descent to our lunch stop was cold and miserable.

After lunch we set off toward the last climb, the Col de Jau. This looked very tough at 18km with gradients of 8-12%. I was following Bob who was following Neil, who was following Manny and we all missed a right hand turn and ended up going off piste for 15km.

Looking back down the Col de Jau

Whether it was this, the cumulative effects of the last 4 days or the weather which had turned wet and windy but when I got onto the lower slopes of the Jau my legs decided to get the train home ! Jau was not exactly my best climb. Just ground it out and finally made it to the 1800metre summit. As we broke the tree line at the summit the crosswind blew me from one side of the road to the other! At the support van Pete told us to get some layers on and go and get drinks and food in the bus shelter - yep a bus stop on top of mountain pass !



The descent was not that nice, cold, wet and bumpy. Hands went numb ( no, not a heart attack!) and my arse was feeling every bump.

Only 70 clicks to go to the Mediterranean tomorrow and no hills to climb !!!!