Cols are the passes that go over the Pyrenees... the low roads between the peaks that mean you don´t have to go right over the tops. The Tour de France often goes over these cols, and it´s always been a dream to see if I could cycle over them just like a proper racing cyclist.
So the route was...
Saturday - Col d´osquich - bit of a shock to the system, but probably the 32 degree heat rather than the hill...
Sunday - Col d´Aubisque and the Col Souloir - the Aubisque is probably the second most famous col in the Pyrenees and the second highest. But I was still suffering from the previous days cycling, so I saved myself the first ten miles and caught a taxi. That proved to be a very good idea as it was another really hot day... I drank three litres of water on the way up the Aubisque (that´s a lot).
Monday - Col du Tourmalet - this is THE most famous col and reaches 2115metres. Despite the height, it proved to be an easier day than Sunday as it was much cooler. However, it still took FIVE hours to cycle up, and just 25 minutes to cycle down the other side - that´s ten times quicker on the way down. My cycle computer said that I reached 44mph somewhere on the way down !!
Tuesday - Col d´Aspin - I should have continued over a sixth col, but the Tourmalet on Monday had exhausted my legs and the climb up the much smaller d´Aspin was murder. So at the bottom I called it a day and left thje mountains for Barcelona.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment