La Marmotte - Dave Lloyd

As I was getting further up the climb, it was baking and the last 6 kilometres were REALLY steep. I was beginning to find 39/25 a tad heavy, but, no matter. I was sitting down and occasionally getting out of the saddle on the steepest parts to keep the momentum going. No-one had passed me on the Galibier and as I got to 1 K to go, I looked at my watch and realised a time well within 7 hours was easily do-able. After this monster , all I had to do was fly down the descent and then rip up L'Aple d'Huez... I was 150 metres from the top of the Galibier now and feeling fine... THEN, what's this? Without any prior warning I got full on cramp in both my Quads and could not turn another pedal. I was devastated! How was this happening? Some one pushed me over the top and I couldn't get rid of the cramp! I spent the whole of the Galibier descent stretching my Quads and freewheeling. I lost SO much time and the cramp wouldn't go away. People were catching me hand over fist and my morale was taking a severe hammering. Eventually my legs did ease off a bit and on the flat to the Alpe, I came around a bit. I got into a group and worked well with them. I now had the Alpe d'Huez hanging over me like my worst nightmare, as I knew I was going to cramp again. Still, I started the climb on the 39/25, sittting down and getting into a slow, but manageable rhythm. More riders were passing me and , by now I was counting down the kilometres and corners to the top. My legs were OK , but I wasn't even breathing heavily and I was SO disappointed. Then with 5 k's to go, BANG, it happened again. Full on cramp in both Quads. I had to get off this time and stretch my Quads. The thought occured that I was going to have to walk the last 5 k's to the top. NO WAY ! I got back on the bike , and to stop the cramp occuring again , I rode the rest of the climb out of the saddle and eventually crossed the line in a time of 7.28.39. I have never been so relieved to see a finish line as the one on top of L'Alpe d'Huez. I was completely shattered and very disappointed with my ride. I had thought a ride inside 7 hours would have been a piece of cake for the "great" Dave Lloyd.

After a while I came around and wasn't so hard on myself. I had made a BIG mistake. I thought I was the "old" Dave Lloyd, when,as a 24 year old pro, I would have flown over that course with absolutely no problem at all. But, I'm NOT 24 years old any more. I am 58 years old and 39/25 is just much too high a gear to get through that course at my age. I also found out after the event that the temperature on the day had been 39 degrees. Nothing can prepare you for that! THAT WAS MY REALITY CHECK !!

But, am I downhearted? No way, I will be back next year with my Compact chainset installed and that 7 hours will be blitzed.. I may be an old fart now, but there are still challenges, and I will NOT be beaten. I just have to realise I am not 24 years old any more and use a gear I can handle next time. The good thing is ... THERE WILL BE A NEXT TIME, and I am loooking forward to it already!