RAID Alpine Day 2

 

 

Day 2

 

pretty scary profile, no?

 

Well it scared me…  and after a night of cramping I was less than my normal enthusiastic self… but there was really nothing to do but get on and pedal…  that's what we came to France to do.  I did lower my seat.. I found that I spent an awful big part of the previous day way back on the saddle and felt a bit stretched…  this really helped.  

 

Judi and I, once again started last…  then fell further behind "getting ourselves sorted" as the Brits say.  We just turned the pedals and were soon atop the first climb and had even caught the back half of the group.

 

 

 

After a nice coffee stop we hit the Cormet de Roseland…  our route was a bit different than the profile above.  we skipped a couple of the minor peaks and just went straight up.  Lunch was about 5 km short of the summit.  

 

Judi had enough by this point and decided to ride it in the van.  

 

After a quick lunch I set off with the group.  The upper pat of the climb was crawling with people…  I know not what they were doing but they and their cars were everywhere.  The summit was windy and cold so after a quick photo or two we were off for a fast and twisty descent.   

Tom, Lester, and Me



We had a quick stop in the next village…  then set off for the final climb of the day…  10 hot and steep Kilometers up the Col de l'Iseran…  this climb is freakin huge…  we were stopping not quite halfway up.  Once again I probably rode too hard and went a little deep on the final climb.