L Etape Du Tour 2006 - Monday 10th July  191k - 4020 ascent metres

Placing No. Surname Name Time Alpe Duez Time
2631 6625 MOONEY Robin 08h 51' 48" 01h 51' 44"
3614 6639 JOYCE Rodney 09h 29' 51" 01h 30' 55"
4291 6637 BYRNE Declan 09h 55' 15" 01h 43' 51"
4470 6638 MURPHY Charles 10h 02' 43" 02h 03' 48"
5529 6624 KANE Alison 10h 50' 37" 02h 03' 01"

4.00am; Breakfast; two fresh baked croissants stuffed with ham cheese and strawberry jam, bowl of alpen with two wheatabix on top under sugar, cup of smelly French porridge with dollop of honey, a pain au chocolait, and two cups of savage coffee  this amount of food this early is difficult. Declan, as a result, and also from previous experience decided to prepare hang and cheese  sandwiches for the start and the top of the Izoard. Others copied him just in case.

4.30am; bus to Gap with 55 other Eejits

6.15am; arrive in Gap, pick up bikes from bike park, check that no one had messed with the Cervelo, stuck on the speedo, pump, water bottles, inflated tyres, and off to the start line with the others.

6.30am; Start line. I can t quite believe it. Nearly 5000 kilometres and 200 saddle hours training since November, the day had finally come. Thousands of bikes, everywhere. We were in start area 5500 to 7000. The sun was out but low in the sky so it was cold. I stood up on my bike. An awesome site  it looked like the two miles of bikes. It started to sink in. Everyone at this stage was nervous. Good luck hugs, kisses, and handshakes were exchanged as the commentator announced two minutes to start. It started but we didn t. The first 25 mins was spent pushing and rolling with one foot to the actual start   it seemed like ages.

7.25am; Finally we got underway. It was still cold but getting warmer. There were various paces. You could sit in with slower people or go for it as a fast bunch went by. Small bunches gathered to become bigger and then would split up at any sign of an incline. I got in with a couple of French guys who seemed to be going a good pace and didn t mind once you did a little bit at the front.

7.30am; the Broomwagon (elimination vehicle) and two Gendarmarie (French Gardai) begin their 11hour (19kph) journey to the finish on Alpe Duez.

9am; just through Guillestre (56k). No more flat or rolly bits, hills start here. First feed station was here too. Skipped it as I had enough on me. The scenery here became quite spectacular too. A large gorge and old tunnels built into the mountains. Fantastic road surface made it that bit more enjoyable. It started to get very hot too. The road was steadily increasing in incline and so was not that noticeable at first. We rolled through the valley gaining altitude continuously. Some people started to struggle at this early stage.

Went through a small village called Arivieux at the foot of the main Col D Izoard climb. One man told me after that he mixed  Arivieux  with  Arrive  (meaning finish). He thought this was the top of the col. Unfortunately not  he got swept before shortly after. The climb was very difficult with sections over 10% for long periods but nevertheless very enjoyable. Hairpin after hairpin you just had to keep on pedalling. I felt good and arrived at the top (86k) in what felt like was good time. Food station here was bedlam. Water bottles being grabbed off trucks by the half dozen   many people were being greedy. Four bottles filled my water bottles, ate a power bar and straight onto the decent.

Descent; holly jaysus that was fast, and exciting, and dangerous. Seen one guy go too wide on a hairpin and nearly ditched it  only on these descents the ditch is a cliff. Dropped altitude very quickly and recovered on the way into Briancon. Another feed station was shortly after this, at which Alison told me they ran out of water at.

Long slow climb up the Valley to the Lauteret. This took for ages! Some groups had formed but the one I was in didn t want to do any work. My dad had come over to see the race and had gone ahead of the race at the start on a motorbike he had rented. I got a text off him saying he was at the top. I replied with  is there any coke up there to which he replied  yes . This made me go a bit faster. Got to the top eventually (137k). It was reaching the hottest part of the day now   what a relief to begin descending again.

This descent was longer. I was racing a guy on a carbon version of my bike most of the way down  and then in a group pushing fairly hard. A small ascent before dropping into Bourg D Oisans (bottom of Alpe Duez). Another feed station  attempted some grub and moved on with fresh drinks. A bit shakey now.

Bang! There it is. The bottom of the Alpe Duez, and final climb to the finish. I looked at my clock  6:59mins ride time so far. I was very pleased with this but knew it was a bit fast and felt only OK at best at this stage  179k gone. It hits you like a brick wall. Turn one down. Jaysus this is tough. Definitely bottom gear required. Sat up and changed down in sections, passed some people, then sat back down and changed up. My Dad texted to say he was at turn 10 so this gave me a target. I stopped momentarily with him and he told me he had seen a guy keel over right in front of him. Thanks dad. Keep going. This was very tough. I was slowly paying the price for going out fast over the first climb.

I became a little wobbly. Kept pushing, I was cursing everyone that passed me spinning with a compact chain set or triple ring. I was exhausted. It felt like the fuel gauge had dropped down to E  and then passed it and the yellow light came on, and then it started to flash. I was so determined not to stop. Some people were walking, lying down at the side of the road, collapsed. I wasn t going to be one of them. I started to wobble a bit and nearly knocked a fella off into the steep trees  OK I had to stop. Only four turns to go. Leg over the crossbar, Sat on the kerb holding my head against my bike. Unbelievably and to Declans credit I found one his now legendary hang and cheese  sandwiches in my back pocket. It was welded together like a toasty run over by a car, and was very warm and sweaty  but this was the best sandwich I have ever had! 3-5mins later and some water down the neck I was back on the bike with renewed energy.

Then I saw what might be the top   yes it was the top. OK I new I d get there ok at this stage. I didn t see my dad go by but he texted to say he was there. It was really great to have him there. Got to turn one, i.e. no more turns left, but this was a lie   they had added a bit more on at the top for fun. Anyway, was out of the saddle again pushing because I knew it was so close. One kilometre to go sign, what a relief. Finish!

Wow. IN A HEAP. Straight to pasta tent.

Not sure where abouts any of the others were. Didn t see any of them since the start. Alison had texted me when she was beginning the Lautaret and she was a bit worried about the elimination vehicle catching here, nevertheless she steamed over this climb I believe and arrived at the bottom of the Alpe Duez minutes before it closed officially. Once on the climb she could finish. This was a huge achievement as only 170 women took part in this event many of which did not finish. Only Alison and one other lady in our group finished   two others were eliminated.

Over 7500 people started, almost 2000 were eliminated.

Next I spotted Declan in his retro TVM cycling jersey and pink T-Mobile hat. Head in hands - the darkness had descended. I went to speak with him but only got mumbling back. Rodney later took him to the medics who promptly prescribed two sugar cubes to make him right again. Lots of people suffered.

Rodney had learned from the demons he suffered in the previous days warm up spin how to pace himself putting in an impressive final climb time and looked very fresh at the finish. I couldn t find Rodney after the race as he was looking for his dad John. Which was a common theme for the weekend  it was either John was looking for Rodney, or Rodney looking for John.

Declan s mate Charlie also did well and commented after that it was definitely the toughest event he has ever taken part in. Charlie seemed to have a fan club over for the race as there were multiple I love you Charles  and keep it going Charles  marked on the roads.

So well done to all. It was pleasure training for this with you, and as Rodney already said it would have been a lot more difficult without that help.

C est Finis! Until next year at least. I have pictures and will ask Rachel to post them in the gallery for people to see.

Robin