Once again like Jack and others I headed back over to Europe for more cycling. Late last year Anthony from a group of guys I cycle with on Sundays suggested we go to the Pyrenees in the south of France.

The seed was set we started planning.The group consisted of all ex and still Bike force/SPR original members.

Greg, Russell, Nev, Simon, Anthony and Ian (who is called Wal by anyone who cycles with him). I’m sure you will put the names to a face once you see the photos.

The plan was to base ourselves in Lourdes the Catholic version of Mecca. A fare sized town about 50ks from most of the climbs. To Tourmalet and Aubisque, Hautacam and a couple of others, they have turned an old railway line into a good bike path enabling you to get safely out of town and into the next town to start on less travel roads. The guys arrived on Saturday night from Paris by train, my wife and I were driving down from Paris and would meet the guys on Sunday. We were all riding  Ritchey Breakaway bikes except for Anthony who took his Colnago.

Sunday morning the guys assembled their bikes and climbed Hautacam.This was a 60k round trip from town.I would have to climb this by myself latter in the week. It is a tough climb like they all are ,they can be done just by tapping it out although I did stop a couple of times on this one just for photos of course. You ride to the top then turn around and come back down but it had to be done.

Our first ride as a complete group was to climb Luz Ardiden which was my first ride on this trip.It did not start off well as my front tire was had a slow leak ,I went back to my hotel and changed the tubes in both tyres and planned to meet the guys at a village before the climb. They did wait, even when I went to the Carrefour and grabbed a multi pack of mars bars to take with me up the hill. This climb I struggled even with the mars bars and could have easily pulled the pin especailly as the guys had pulled right away from me.I was thinking I hope this not the pattern for the week. I know its not a race Yea right!

Jack spoke in his blog about the things that go thru you mind and if you are climbing for two hours there is plenty of time for that to happen.I had all the negative shit going on and got off the bike twice, but plugged on and got thru this climb and was right for the rest of the week. It is certainly is a mind game. They gave me heaps about the amount of bars I bought ,but at the top they were pretty popular with everyone.

<img class="size-thumbnail wp-image-29679" src="https://southperthrouleurs.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/098-200×200.jpg" alt="One of the rare online slots times I was in front of Russell.” width=”200″ height=”200″ /> One of the rare times I was in front of Russell.

 

I was staying for six days then heading to coast for some beach time and then Paris for a week the guys were staying for ten days in Lourdes before heading home. As you can see by the table supplied by Russell they plugged out some Ks. No flats No mechanicals.

We climbed Tourmalet both sides with west side being the more popular and harder. Col d Aubisque and Solur which follow each other on the same road if you do the loop back to Lourdes. Pont d Espange which is a National park with last 6 k having classic switchbacks and high percentages. Luz Ardiden and Hautacam. The guys also completed Aspin and a few others.

France September

The ride from Lourdes up Col d Soulor then across to Col d Aubisque would be the most satisfying day of cycling I have ever had with the scenery on this route as good as I have ever seen. The ride had it all,start off flat 20km then climb up to Col d Soulor then across to Col d Aubisque ,lunch at the top with the waiter there having lived in Fremantle for five years down the other side to another village then another climb we were not expecting and 30kms flat back to Lourdes. 110 km ride round trip. Lots of corn fields in this area and a it was a  lovely ride back with a bit of a tail wind. The speed we were travelling was hotly debated on the way back.We were all a bit testy at the end the day .  I loved it.

 

 

 

This is first time I have been with a group while in Europe and it certainly makes for more enjoyable riding. Over that length of time everyone has a good day and a bad one. I sure my wife got sick of hearing over dinner about how the guys bums were travelling over week ,maybe not!

The next trip not sure yet, my wife wants a cruise, the guys want another trip, wife,guys,wife,guys,wife,guys,wife. Bugger, I will start again wife,guys,wife,…………………….

Nev

Nev,    Once of  Fast group  ,then Main 1,  then Main 1.5,  then main 2  ( I can see a pattern forming here)   look out three”s here I come!

Following on from Jim”s trip to Italy , I have a few photos from my recent trip to the Italian Alps,some cycling some not. Like Jim we also stayed in Canazei and also Cortina D”Ampezzo, Bormio. I found the climbs here more challenging than any of the rides I did in France the year before. The Italians seem to like 13% quite a bit and are not scared to dabble in the low twenties.  Tre Cime Di Lavaredo climb was the most challenging I have ridden. The roads are good.

Stelvio was a great climb , I say that now but after two and a half hours climbing I do not think I was thinking that.

In Jim”s post he spoke of Passo Pordoi @ 2200m I rode up one afternoon, then about four days later I had planned to ride the route he spoke of ,this was two days before Jim”s ride, I climb to the top with two vests on, custom DST sorority jackets with my full finger gloves and knee warmers. It was snowing at the top just a flake type snow, it was freezing I hid behind a building out of the wind hoping the weather would change, it did it got casino pa natet colder. I said bugger this and jumped on the bike headed back to the hotel , hot shower and put on as many clothes as I could. I”m not as hard core as I thought. Even after an hour I would shiver all of a sudden. The route Jim took had some major climbs in it and even though it says 60- 70 Ks it is all hard work . Well done!

Tackled Passo Stelvio /  Passo Gavia /  Passo Giau / Passo Poredoi / Tre Cime Di Lavaredo and Di Ghisallo near Lake Como. All had hard sections ,all had great views , all had hotels at the top.

Things to pass on about Italy. Get the smallest car that will work for you,we had reverse out of a few turns to let buses get around. If you have a car always make sure the hotel has parking as it is always a problem. Allow more time for driving and riding thru the alps as the roads are tight . Take a small back pack for a warm jacket and gloves,Scarf. The weather changes so quickly ,it can be lovely down at the kick off point then cold and grey at the top.

There is so much to see!

Nev from Main Two.

Can I share some photos of a trip to France last month. Cycling in France is everything they say about it. The last one is my team car.

<img class="alignnone size-thumbnail online slots wp-image-18863″ src=”https://southperthrouleurs_wordpress_media.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/319-200×200.jpg” alt=”” width=”200″ height=”200″ />

Main Group Two.

Something happen last Saturday that compelled me to post a report. It involved the sprint finish in which a rider took the win from another in closely fought sprint.

It has always been an issue with me that a rider can work at the front driving a group for 70% then be beaten at the end. We had this on Saturday with Brother Dan being pipped at the post by a rider who it would be fair to say is past his prime ( I do not think he would mind me saying that). The group was angry there was some name calling about the rider , but I believe I”m more mature than that.

Anyway more about the little weasel later. We headed off with Twenty maybe thirty riders and were going along fine , we passed the sign announcing that the Sexpo was on this weekend, my wife must have deleted me off the email list again. The more I thought about it the harder it got….riding.

We then picked up Brother Dan coming out of the convention centre or somewhere around there, he was feeling a bit underdone for Main One or maybe he enjoys casino online the culturally diverse sophistication of Main Two.The ride from then went up a bit with Dan,James and another on a Specialized bike driving the group. This pattern stayed the same until Mounts Bay Road.

We headed onto the Mts Bay Rd and started a roll thru,it was going well until the second turn for everyone when a gap in the  outside line ,I turned to see the smiling assassin  Dave Pascoe coming along already scheming for the finish.

As we came around the last bend before the brewery Dan went for it and low and behold Dave Pascoe was on his wheel,I mean on his wheel they looked they were on a tandem bike ,I”m sure Dan could taste the garlic Dave had for tea on Friday night.

Dave won the sprint! To watch him thrust both arms in the air in triumph then wobble and have to grab the handlebars quickly was funny but also embarrassing because I think cycling lost today. Dan was Ok when I spoke to him even when I told him I knew where Dave lived.

We all know that Russell ,Myself  or Christo could have won that sprint but we sat up to let Dan have this well deserved win. The whole group was  happy to see Dan take the finish, all but one!

Dave is not a bad person ,we know he wants one day to scale the dizzy heights of  Main One  but Saturday Dave was seduced by the scent of victory and he was not happy till he breathed it in fully. Many will say if I was so offended why did I accept his offer of Coffee at the shop, I answer that by saying I wanted to see how far he would go to silence me.

We will be watching from now on !!!!!!!!!!

Tour of Margaret River.
Declan suggested we get a team together for the first Tour of Margaret River.
We needed six riders and had five definite starters .Declan SPR ,Dr Wally, Frank , Will and Nev. Yes Old Buggers for sure.
The sixth rider was becoming a challenge and in the end the organiser put Deco in touch with a rider looking for a team to ride with.
Phil Diesel was his name not sure if that was his real second name but as the weekend went on it could well have been Avgas. We headed down in Wills work van a VW maxi ,the van was great three bikes with the front wheels off stood in the back and our gear this became the team bus.
The format went as follows.
Friday night Stage One a Quiz Night with cycling specific questions.
Saturday
3.7km time trail
One hour break then a 30 km criterium.
Then four hour break with a 16km Team time trial.
Sunday
50 km Road Race then ine tasting and lunch /Presentations.
We rolled up to the quiz night with everyone already seated drinking water, powerade and coffee ,we walked in with our carton of Stellas we got their attention for sure.
We did quite well in the quiz our team knew some amazing things about cycling, I sat back and thought these guys have got to get out more.
Declan won us a bottle wine for his answer regarding a new cycling film,he thought it was Debbie does HTC. Just what we needed more alcohol.
We won and were wearing yellow for the the first road stage.
Its was an early start Saturday morn for a drive to Cowaramup for the time trail.
The wind a easterly was freshing up. The cousre had one slight rise and one small climb .The wind was hardly blowing when the first four riders from our team took off at the alloted time, but when myself and Phil took off it was really howling thru the course.
Thats the way it is I suppose some get it easy others have to work hard. Points were given for ave speed with the top points being 40ks and over. Phil won this stage doing the 3.7k in 5.01.
The rest of us came back to the bus and coughed and coughed, Dr Wally assured us this is normal when you exert yourself then started coughing again. I will not bore with the with the times but just say that Wally and Frank probably the oldest in the event ( well they looked it anyway) did well with over 37.5 km ave speed for the
stage.
The next stage 30k Crit 8 laps with sprint points on three laps.
50 riders in this crit and everyone stayed together for the whole race apart from the sprints were the field broke apart then reformed thank god as the wind was still going. The first ten riders picked up points.
Phil won this stage also but none of the rest of the team could get in the top ten online casino with the only one Wally pretty close. At this stage Phil was now team leader ,mentor and also on the verge of being a life member of SPR.
Back to Marg River for lunch and rest to get ready for the team time trail at Four O”clock.
This stage had been on Wallys mind from the first time he saw the details of each stage ,it went undulating and techincal his concerns were well founded.
When headed off for 4 laps to make 16 ks with a two climbs in each lap plus a climb each time to turn around at the start /finish.
The less said about this stage the better , ( I have included a photo of one of the climbs) we finished two minutes behind the winners and the yellow was gone.
Would SPR be able to regain the yellow in the 50 k road race in the morning. We wanted it bad but first we had to go to the pub to replace lost fluids.
Sunday 8.30 start at Cowaramup. The road race was four laps and took in part of the the first two stages then came back thru the Howard Park winery, to enter the winery it was a tight left hand turn down a hill with willow trees on either side across a stone bridge then a climb up thru the vines to the start/ finish. It was a lovely setting . Apart from that wind.
The race set off with a pace car just to get us on to the main road then the first climb the race just split, Phil had gone with the front group and then another group with Wally and Frank in it ,then Myself, Will and Deco in the last group. We tried to get across to Wals and Franks group but couldn”t ,it was going to be a tough day.
Soon Wal and Frank were gone and Will and I were in a small group of seven a rider from Cowaramup became the leader and we worked as a team rolling thru in short turns, but no way were we going to catch the group in front. The guy from Cowaramup did a lot of work at the front both into and with the wind. Next time more gels will be required. Oh did I mention Phil won the 50 k road race. He had to work extra hard as he had no support from the team.He loved it. The guy is unbelievable and he 45 yrs old and he is a nice guy also. I think I”m in love!
We came fourth overall and although SPR rider won three out the
four stages, it needed to be a team effort to win the six Garmins that were the prizes.
Great weekend of riding. Special mention of Dr Wally and Frank great efforts against younger riders and Declan for completing every stage to help the team pick up more points. Will for also for digging deep when he had too! Me I”am just happy the Colnago did not get scratched in the back of the van.
Wiil I go again next Year? I have to see what Phil is doing.

Yanchep Cyclo Sportif  SPR4

The Day    : Overcast, with the chance of a shower.

The Place :  YANCHEP Western Australia.

The Team  : Dr Wally, Dr Carl, Dr Doug, Eng Frank, Mger Brett, Esq. Declan, Elect Will, Erec Nev and Ms Katie.

The Route :  Mainly Flat  BULLSH*T!

We headed out at 9.03, the fifth team on the road and we were travelling well over the little hills that would become major ones later in the morning.

We lost our first rider at the 15 k mark with Declan deciding he would like to ride with Malaga Cycles for a while!

Our team Capt Wally wanted to go back but after some discussion we decided to pick him up on the way back after the first turn around.

The bloody wind was certainly a factor on the way out on Marmion Ave combined with the long hills made for a tough slog, but we were all there bar one.

At the first turn around we had major indecision with our local rider a bit unsure if this was the right turning point, I will not embarrass the guy, but Wally,Carl,Brett,Doug,Katie,Nev,Frank (Declan was with Malaga) made the turn no problems.

GPS were called into action but in did not matter there was no way we were riding into that breeze more than we had to.

The breeze was behind us and off Brett went on his time trial bike, we had to remind him that we had 80Ks to go so he eased off , but we were making up time now.

As we approached casino online Yanchep Rd roundabout we had Carl on the front with Katie behind they both missed the left hand turn.

Katie was able to swing around but Carl slammed on the brakes mounted the kerb flicking up sand with his back wheel, he saw what we did to Deco and was not going to be left behind.

We also had a mechanical incident, I rode over two limestone boulders on the side of the road giving me a rear flat and also a 5-6mm split in the tyre.

At this stage I believe I used a great portion of energy I had left telling my team mates who were in front of me in the I thought of their signaling skills and why we riding on the verge.

At that moment Declan went past with his Malaga Cycles team and gave us the finger!

This helped me regain my focus and repaired the tube and only pumped the tyre up about 3/4 hard to see how it went, it lasted the next 60ks SWEET!

The ride out went well then back past the finish for the first lap, Katie left us here, she had put in a good effort taking her turns at the front as required.

We then came upon Lennie”s team,Lennie was at the back, so I gave her as any fellow SPR rider would do I gave her a helping hand, I stress this was a purely a professional act of sportsmanship. No matter what my team mates say.

We then hit that bloody wind on Marmion Ave again with no coverage at all, I was feeling it on the climbs and could have easily called it quits if Brett had not called on everyone just to slow down a bit, for me it was all I needed just to get back on track.

We turned once more and off went Brett again it must be great to be forty! It was Carl, Doug, Wal and Brett leading the way with Will and I hanging on and Frank who did some major work at the front into the breeze at the rear.

Doug did a big turn at the front but would pay the price with cramp and his day was over.

We had lost three by this stage but then suddenly Declan appeared and we were not complaining. We did not have to as Deco was.

He wanted to physically harm our Capt Wally and suggested that each team member should do something that is physically impossible!

In hindsight we did make an error in not stopping for Deco but it made for an exciting last 15Ks.

The finish was certainly welcomed and we had a team hug, lunch and as any elite team would had a beer at Wills place.

Toby your write up made me feel better as we all agreed it was tough ride.

Nev

Ride report by Nev.

Main Group.
The two groups split at Garrett Road with 60% of the riders going with the fast group.
Carl and One other rider led the group from the carpark past Ascot onto Guildford Road.
We went along Guildford Road tried a bit of a roll thru once we past Tonkin Hway, Into the breeze we split with just the stronger riders at the front then a gap to there rest of us.
Russ went to the front to slow the group down (This does not mean when Russ goes to the front the group naturally slows down), to give a couple a chance to catch up.
Then on to Benara Road and started rolling thru which work well.
Only a couple of things,Once you get to the front and slide into the inside just slow casino online down a little as you will be travelling faster hopefully than the inside line.(Feel where the bike behind is and adjust your speed, this rider should not have to sprint or have to brake to get your back wheel and the outside rider should not have to also push harder to get in front of you ) .
When moving from the outside line to the inside line slide across smoothly, it can also help if the inside rider tells you when your ok to move across.
Last but not least we all should not let gaps happen in the line, I,m guilty of it when your mind wanders to the waitress at Atomic or fatigue, but we must keep on top of it as it affects the line further back and if a rider is struggling they will find it hard to catch up.
We pushed along Benara until we lost one a Young Girl, Daryl had gone back to help then Russ went also, the group pulled over and allowed a regroup.
The rest of the went as normal tried a roll thru on Wheatley Cres but it did not work from then on it was everyman for himself. The sprint I,m not sure , but I think also changing the finish here to this side of the lights would good, there is a big green sign showing Vic Ave or something that may be an option.(I”m not sure why it would even worry me).

The SPR kit is showing up all over Australia.
Big day out. Nice weather, Tail wind for the last 105km “Sweet”. 15,000 dgfev online casino cyclists, four crashes that I saw.
Clock in the photo is wrong I did it in 8.35 not that it matters!

Nev

Main Group
No Re- Group.
For members of the main group on Saturday, did you think I was going to let this one go thru to the keeper? We left the fast group at Risely and headed for Freo , I dropped back to see who was with us and how the group would go it looked ok with a couple of new riders that I had not seen before but looked like they would hang in on the ride.
I asked for the group to regroup at the car park on leach h’way at the cemetery. This has been a challenge for the group the last two times we have travelled this route, these are men who actually went to high school, with one rider saying he did not even see the cemetery. I told the new guys that we would regroup near the top of the second hill and not to panic should they fall off the back during these two hills. Three guys did fall back I went back to see how they were going then looked up and see the group ride straight past the car park. We were then 200 meters behind when the lights changed and off went the group with us left there and then had to chase. This one I could take but then online casino’s again near the end of the run along Cottesloe I tried my luck again asking for a stop around the bend at the first street to the left one we have stop at probably thirty times while riding SPR and Bikeforce. Once again two guys had dropped back.
James pulled in to this street and waited for us. I’m at a loss to understand why the group did not stop to regroup or why no one spoke up out of the whole group.
We advertise the Main group as a group that will regroup and of course this will not be needed every time and if riders are too far off the pace we will not regroup. This is a call to be made by someone and if anyone does not want to regroup they only have to say. If a regroup does interfere with your plans then the Fast Group may be the one for you or if working harder is what you want you need to go to the front time and time again that will work everytime. The potential for anyone to work harder is there and is always there it is just not about the sprint at the end.
Even though I spoke about it at the lights I felt it needed to be reinforced because we have all ridden with groups that are full of a bunch of tosser’s, that is not a reputation we would like.
The ride up thru Jutland parade was interesting with some serious position changing, quite exciting really?
Nev

MAIN GROUP (Hale Road.)
We parted company from the Fast Group on Hale Road I do not think successfully, I was about fourth rider back once I saw members of the above group start to move forward I sat up to wait for other members planning to fine tune their skills within the main group. I watched as Russell went with the group as he was at the front before the split and I thought one cycle-sportif and he thinks he is fifty again; this was the last we would see of him until the coffee shop. The group was split up into just me, then another group then another that had caught the lights. I think it’s a good time to reinforce what Peter said at the Tonkin H’way lights that everyone should be ready at the lights and this would probably mean any set of lights that you must clip in and get going as quickly as possible to get as many thru before the change. The last group was a long way back ,we reformed and were on our way along Hale Road at a good pace staying in close to the side of the road with Christos and one other doing a lot of the work. About three quarters of along something fell from Christos’s bike, he was not sure what it was I then explained it looked like a little black box then he realized his GPS had left and he peeled off to go back and grabbed it. I told him we would wait at Kalamunda road for him and we pulled into the bus stop Doug and a couple went back to see if he needed a tow but along he came, it worked out well as couple of others also caught up. When he came up he said “Gee thanks for waiting “lovely manners. He was casino spiele one of the early riders at Bike Force he has been coming for a long time, I not sure if you know this but his is not really French his family has a farm 10ks the other side of Mukinbuddin, his dad owned a Citroën and Christos fell in love with all things French, his real name Chris Derek Beaumont can you see the similarities. Anyone can tell you when he goes to France he has an Aussie accent. Just say to him “How’s Mucka”and his face will light up. But enough about that back to the ride. A few new faces along today we took off from the stop and headed towards Abernathy rd we had lost a few with reports of a flat with a few stopping to help. They were lost from the group.
We moved along Kalamunda Rd no dramas still a good pace, then Gt East Hway still going alright, then Guildford rd and once past Bassendean Oval started to go into rolling thru, the fast group came up on to us at this point. Went to go straight past (just remember this must be done safely if it cannot be done the fast group must wait for a better chance ), a few were seduced by the flashy wheels ,the Knicks two sizes to small of the fast group, you must be strong, they just want your energy, they will take it from you and leave you on the side of the road like a used water bottle, not to mention your heart they will promise you the world with statements like we will wait, we do not go fast, it’s not far!, we have all been there the cut and thrust of the fast group but as we move thru time we realize that speed while enjoyable is not everything, we now like to prolong the ride, make it last, savior the moment, finding the best way to get the most out of what we have is more enjoyable, we like all parties have pleasure. It always upsets the balance when the Fast group comes thru although its only happened two or three times out of the fifthteen times we have split not that I’m counting! We reformed and pushed on and hit the hills at Maylands with everyone in a positive frame of mind. The ride then pretty normal until Adelaide terrace were Pascoe decided to have a go from a long way out the lights on Riverside drive did change for him and he still had the lead we went after I hooked onto another rider who helped me get to him then everyone came thru then the last set of lights slowed us down in the end Chris Beaumont took the money with El Paso wondering when will be his day. Good effort new rider at the front for a lot of the ride sorry I should have got your name, No not you Will.