Where Has All The Singletrack And Sunshine Gone?
Previous stages of the Trans-Rockies seemed to be dominated by single-track, with logging roads used to connect the single-track trails through the mountains. Today's stage from Whiteswan to Elkford was the reverse - long road sections were only occasionally interrupted by short sections of sweet singletrack.
Stage 5 was a relatively easy 87.5km with two climbs coming early and late in the stage. As the lead group rolled out of the campsite in the wilderness of Whiteswan, my US partners decided to attack. After only 20 minutes of riding I thought this was somewhat premature, but I chased them up the logging road and we worked hard for 15-20 minutes before being swallowed up by the peleton.
The lead group then stayed together until the second feed-station at 46km. Thereafter, the pace picked up and several teams dropped off the back of the group. As the trail kicked up, two teams kicked on - Rocky Mountain, the leading team in the open men's classification, and the Czech Masters, the leading team in the 40+ classification. We were now riding with a team from Portugal, currently second in the open men's race. Working together we eventually bridged the gap to the leading teams, only to be dropped again as we approached the third feed-station and the final (big) climb of the day. As the rain began to fall, the climb became impossible to ride in places, even in the granny ring.
It's reassuring to know that it's not only the British who talk constantly about the weather and who get their forecasts wrong with depressing regularity. When we arrived in Canada we were promised a week of sun with only one day of rain on Tuesday. Tuesday was indeed wet, but so was Wednesday and now Thursday. The wet and mud is really taking its toll on the bikes. I suffered shifting problems all day and by the time we reached the top of the second climb I was restricted to riding in the big ring.
It seems that no stage of the Trans-Rockies is complete without a rocky, technical descent. On today's stage we had to descend the "rock garden" - 3km of large, sharp rocks that litter the trail and move in every direction under the wheels. It was on this section that I passed the Portugese pair and dissolved the Anglo-American partnership, racing to the finish line in 5th place overall. Tomorrow's forecast is for another wet day. If we can't see the sun, let's hope we can at least see some more single-track.
Pete & Jon's sponsors:
www.skins.net | www.cube-bikes.co.uk | www.bentleybirmingham.co.uk | www.mulebar.com | www.highfive.co.uk | www.camelbak.com | www.udderlysmooth.co.uk | www.thecyclestudio.co.uk |Gateway Cycles
