Stage Eight: Grazed Knees
I suppose it had to happen at some stage, but having survived until the eighth and final stage without a crash I was hoping to return to the UK without grazed knees. No such luck. On the first descent of the day into Molveno a German rider cut across me as we made the transition from asphalt to gravel trail. As his front wheel washed out I thought about trying to jump over him, but I wasn't really prepared for such a giant leap of faith. Instead I "opted" to go over the handlebars. With the field bearing down on us I jumped straight back on the bike and rejoined the procession down the trail. It was only at the very bottom of the descent that I realised that I'd lost my water-bottle and bar mounted heart rate monitor.
Jon had already decided to ride without his heart rate monitor, despite my remonstrations that the monitor was telling him something important (i.e. he was unfit to ride). The day began with the usual routine - climb, then vomit - except that today this happened before the stage began as we cycled from our accommodation to the start line in Andalo.
The final stage of this year's Trans-Alps took the riders over Passo San Giovanni, at 1,781m, and then downhill to Riva del Garda. The climb was the now familiar slog along very rocky fire-roads, which required a "flat-back" to maintain even weight distribution and traction on the back wheel.
On previous stages we have been rewarded for our climbing with some sweet downhill riding. Today the big downhill section was simply impossible to ride for long sections. The trail was ridiculously steep, with large boulders and sharp rocks. There was a heavy downpour the previous night that certainly made the trails more difficult to ride, but even in dry conditions the most sensible option was to walk with the bike. Several riders tried - and failed - to ride some sections of the downhill, but their efforts invariably ended with an ungainly dismount or a crash of varying severity.
Once off the mountain it was a combination of road and cycle paths all the way to the finish line. As I turned onto the road I could see a group of riders about 150m ahead. For the next 5 minutes it was head down, heart rate up to latch onto the back of the group. Once in the slipstream it was a fast ride into Riva del Garda.
As the riders crossed the finish line today their sense of achievement, and relief, was plain for all to see. My abiding memory of crossing the finish line was the disappointment of being alone. Jon has been desperately unlucky this week, and desperately unwell. Let's hope that he recovers in time for the Trans-Rockies in two week's time. His bike has already recovered. When we visited the Cube stand after the race to return the replacement wheels, the mechanics kindly donated the wheels with their best wishes for the Rockies.
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
