As they climbed the weather turned on them again, drizzle into rain, rain into sleet and sleet turning into snow! It was bitterly cold when they reached the top.
Neil in particular was feeling the almost sub-zero temperatures and as he and Adam looked around to begin their descent they realised Chris had already left them and started down (please note this is the second time Chris abandons his friends!) although Chris claims he was ushered down the mountain by the support team… Adam and Neil claim he deserted them.
At the bottom and happily reunited, the guys stop for hot chocolate and to warm up.
Then on to Col du L’Izoard – a truly beautiful mountain and an amazing climb.
At this point Neil was now too hot! No pleasing some boys! He had his cold weather gear on!
The descent down was a fast one but the guys had split again; Chris kindly helping the ladies out, Adam and Neil speeding on, although the sleet was beginning to feel like a rough facial. Adam breaks and arrives at the bottom of the mountain and stops in the café waiting for Neil. Neil however has other plans and flies by Adam shouting, “I’m not stopping”.
Adam catches Neil up and they face the next climb together. Chris was still helping the ladies from Framestore NY up the mountain, he is so suave!
Once they reached the top, they decided to belt it down all reaching speeds in the 50’s mph.
Not stopping for a lunch they whizz through the next village after a 20/30k ride along the valley, heading towards Vars for a late lunch, where luckily places were still serving.
All now starving, Chris loses the ability to read menus or make decisions, asking Adam “what he would like to eat”, as in what Chris would like to eat… initially choosing ommlette and chips, he settles for carbonara – mainly as this was the only item on the menu he recognized. In fact Chris has become an expert in carbonara.
Adam and Chris speed on with Neil riding with Dave Newton.
Adam, then feeling knackered, stops at a café and stocks up on Mars bars, Twix’s and hot chocolate – a proper sugar fest all served up by a lovely, old fat French lady.
Then on to the climb – 2000m – through the ski village of Var (which Neil described as an Alpine Croydon).
Then over the top and on to the descent. As it was so high up it was cold and the road had just been re-graveled, making the ride down harder. Even so, they hammered down the mountain as usual with Chris now on fire, racing down, Adam and Neil struggled to keep up.
With the final 4k in sight back to the hotel, they had another crushing climb.
When they reached the hotel the guys literally fell through the door they were so exhausted although each had their own chalet and the rooms were lovely (they were particularly excited to have their own washing machines).
They ended the day with two games of table football, Chris winning both!
Stats from the guys:
Top speed: 53mph
Climbed: 9,200 ft
Distance: 140k
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