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Read on for a summary of our Etape on Monday 11th July !   After a nervous wait we all shot off like rockets from the start (well, it was 10 miles downhill on a smooth fast road!) –exhilarating and enjoyable ! The first climb of Col du Telegraphe, peaking at 1550m, was a steady 7-8% gradient over 8 miles through green wooded slopes. It was a beautiful cool morning after overnight rain – we all felt good on this ascent. Then followed a short 3 mile downward section providing a welcome breather for legs, lungs and heart –this was fun too ! Next the renowned Col du Galibier, 12 miles uphill at gradients varying between 5-11%. A different character altogether as it rises to bare grey scree lined slopes with the road ahead snaking up through seemingly endless hairpin bends … ever upwards … to peak at over 2500m. Air is thin so it is hard work, and the steepest parts are at the top – we were really feeling the effort by the top of this one ! The initial descent of Galibier is steep, narrow and unprotected with tight hairpin bends requiring great care to stay safe, but the alpine flowers were lovely in the sun! Later the valley road was fast, though some of the tunnels were a little too dark for comfort and safety – we were whizzing along here with a chance to recover some energy. After almost 30 miles downhill it is back to work on the infamous Alpe d’Huez. With 21 hairpin bends and some very steep sections indeed, these slopes have seen the demise of many a professional Tour de France cyclist. But not so for the intrepid and courageous riders from Angola GPO … we tackled it with all our remaining strength, and we all made it to the top at 1850m. In fact we all managed a “sprint” (!!) finish when the line came into view in our relief to have finally made it – this was very tough for us all, but probably gave the proudest moments of the day too. A huge well done all round.   We all achieved success, each in our own ways:   Bruce: 8h 04mins, Bronze medal standard. Key Success Factors: committed and consistent training, shedding several kilos to help the climbing, and digging deep on Alpe d’Huez. Challenges: delays due to temporary course closure and an enforced walk through one dark tunnel, a puncture, and recurrent leg cramps on Alpe d’Huez.   Damien: 8h 40mins, Bronze medal standard. Key Success Factors: strong endurance base, good pacing, and raw courage and determination on the final climb. Challenges: residual tiredness from London-Paris ride, battling it out in the face of heat, pain, fatigue and chain problems on Alpe d’Huez.   Helen: 5h 23mins, Gold medal standard, 14th in gender/age category. Key Success Factors: focused and effective training plan, no disasters on the day ! Challenges: it was a tough ride for all of us in our own ways.   _____________________________________________ On Monday 11th July as you ease yourself back into your office week, spare a thought for three of your colleagues who will already be underway on the Etape du Tour.  Tackling three mountains in the Alps, including the iconic climbs of Galibier and Alpe d’Huez, we have a mere 9 hours to complete the 70 mile route which includes over 3000m of vertical ascent and more uphill miles than downhill !   Then on Friday 22nd July you can watch the professional teams tackle this same route as Stage 19 of the Tour de France.  From the comfort of your sofa watch these riders with their bronzed and sculpted legs breeze up the same killer climbs that almost finished us off. Possessing a degree of grace and elegance unobtainable by mere mortals they will reach the summit in minutes compared to our hours, leaving behind a fleeting gust of sweat and clenbuterol fumes.   Your GPO team is :   Bruce Morris – possessing every hi-tech training tool known to man, Bruce has ridden the entire alpine range many times and made detailed analysis of his key performance indicators without over without leaving his training den. All very impressive, but how will a bit of real world weather affect things ?   Damien Tanner – preferring the outdoor approach, Damien has completed thousands of tarmac training miles culminating in the epic London to Paris bike ride (a mere 300 miles) at the end of June. An amazing feat of endurance, but how will those tired legs cope with the hills ?   Helen Syms – training mainly in her garage between school runs, washing and work Helen has taken the time-poor cyclists approach of low volume higher intensity training mixed in with a few outdoor rides when the sun is shining. A natural climbers build, but can those little legs really make it up the steep slopes ?   It has been a long hard training. We now need your help in the final days by supporting us with donations and messages to speed us on our way and provide much needed motivation when the going gets tough.     Peach is based in Ascot and operates nationally providing support and services to children and families affected by autism. Helen's family and son have benefited fron the help which Peach provides.   Thanks,  Bruce, Damien and Helen    Small print : Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and secure. Your details will never be sold and you won't get unwanted emails. 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Angola GPO Etape Team

Angola GPO Etape Team

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