A crazy plan was hatched today – to cycle up Alpe d’Huez – Go snowboarding for the day with the family and then race the Enjoy Oisans mini bus down on my road bike.
The Oisans has seen some fantastic weather over the last week with temperatures already reaching the low 20 degrees centigrade in the valleys but still with great snow conditions in the resort itself – and so with clients in looking after themselves I have been out riding for the last three days. On Friday I did a short recovery ride to Allemont – its as flat as it gets here !.
On Saturday I climbed my favourite climb up to Oulles and today I did the magical 21 bends of Alpe d’Huez for the 4th time this year. I have to say it is finally great to be sharing the climb with other riders again – since January I have seen two or three riders but today there were at least half a dozen. Due to the fact that I had a day of snowboarding ahead of me I rode up at a steady but almost “enjoyable” 72 minute pace. It always amazes me that the climb never seems to get any easier.
Helen took my snowboarding stuff up in the van and once I had eaten some of her excellent pasta I slipped on the snowboarding gear and did three or four runs down including a little play in the snowpark at Alpe d’Huez.
Once we had finished for the day I raced her down beating here easily despite some very heavy legs.
I am riding Alpe d’Huez every month in 2009 for Plan-uk.org . You can sponsor me at Just Giving. If you would like to be kept up to date with my progress then click on this link below to subscribe to the blog
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