Etape04Ali: Ali Chisholm Styling it on the Etape

First things first.

If you ever get the chance to do an Etape take it, The experience is fabulous. Yes there are mass cycling events you can enter with similar types of course etc but none will have people out cheering you over the full length of the route. If there's a pilgrimage for cyclists then this has to be it.

The big decision.

It began back in 03. It's the kind of thing you often talk about doing when the Tour route is being announced, but somehow never quite get organised to actually do it. For a start you have to book up as soon as you can. Most places for 05 we're taken even before the course was announced!

It was the fact that this Etape was going to take place on July the eleventh, my birthday, which decided me. 2004 was going to be my year. I knew other guys from the club we're either going to be doing it or were thinking about it. So with plenty of encouragement I got organised. It was only after we'd all signed up that we took any real interest in the course, which was probably just as well.

I'll list the times of riders from the district that I know at the end. You can also check out how good we all looked in the Etape gallery.

The course.

What awaited the 7,245 riders who had signed up was 238,8 kilometres of racing, don't kid yourself if you think it's anything less, from Limoges to St. Flour. The Col du Pas de Payrol (1,589m) after180 km of race, proved to be where a lot of cyclists got off and pushed. I won't deny the thought crossed my mind too. By 6.30pm, more than 6 000 riders had already finished the stage. In total some 6,555 riders finished. The last rider taking over 12 hours. Sadly some riders didn't even get beyond the first 30km which must have really left them feeling sick.

Virenque makes it look easy.

Three Days later, on the following Wednesday, Virenque tackled the same route with such style, riding away from Axel Merckx on the Puy Mary climb, and made it look easy opening up an amazing 6 minute lead, then rode the last 62kms to a solo French Victory on Bastille Day! He took just over six hours where as I took nine hours fifteen minutes.

You can read a full blow by blow description of my day in the saddle after I've had a little rant about Baxters.

Getting there and Baxters.

Getting to the Baxters pick-up-point of Limoges airport proved a little bit more complicated than expected. I booked fights for Brian, Steve and me as soon as I knew we we're going including a hefty booking fee for carriage of the bikes. Good old Rynair took everyone's money and only some months later came back and said we can take you but not your bikes. Thanks. All change we were now flying to Poitier and hiring a car to get to Limoges. I've got to say the flight from Glasgow to Stanstead was easy. Even with the 60 year old drunk members of a bowling club all in their grey slacks and blazer and two open bottles of lager in each hand! Transfers and meeting Steve at Stanstead was also a doddle. I still feel bad about me and Brian reneging on our deal with Steve to wear our Kilts. Sorry Steve but you did look good. Arrived at Poitier and on our way within the hour in a well-packed Renault people carrier. Even the roads and Steve's driving we're good. At Limoges Airport carpark there was limited space but Steve showed his ability at parking up steep grass embankments. Then it was a short walk across the car park to the waiting Baxter's Buses.

What can you say about Baxters?

Signing up as most did with Baxters was easy, although from the first they showed a real couldn't care less if you don't like the service attitude. If you think the Brits know little or nothing about the service industry our Aussie REP proved you can get worse. He was invisible and when you found him he knew nothing. Which is great when you're not eating in the same hotel your staying in, decides the coach can leave before everyone's on, your bikes gone missing and so did he, and constantly tells you he's "Given it his best shot".

I could go on and list a whole heap of the crap we had to put up with but I'll just mention what happened after the race. After nine hours on a bike and feeling great you were directed down to the area where the buses were waiting. Firstly you had to find your bike bag from a massive heap you then had to pack it. This was fair enough but after standing outside for almost 2 hours waiting for them to decide which coach we should get on I was beginning to feel a bit impatient. Eventually we were all bundled on to a coach and told we'll be taken to another city and the first hotel we go to will tell us where we're staying.

Confused? I was, and of course with no Baxters representative on the bus, so was the driver who had a list of six Hotels but didn't know who was staying where and had little knowledge of the city we were going to and spoke no English. It took a further three hours for us to eventually arrive at our hotel and this was only after the driver asked a local if he'd get on the bus and show him were to go. This was only after we'd been round the city centre twice. I actually felt sorry for the driver but even more sorry for the people stranded at the finish waiting for the coach to return and collect them. The hotel was dark and dingy but at least we got here - Nope. Sadly our bags were here, but we weren't staying here, no it was time to pick up the bags and walk half way across town to our Hotel.

When we arrived there our Aussie REP had left a message saying we had to go directly next door to eat as we were booked in for 9pm. As it was already 9pm and I had been stuck in the same cycling kit since 4.30 that morning I decided with Brian that there was just no way I was going anywhere until I had a shower. At which point I'm sure most people let out a sigh of relief.

I'll say no more about Baxters, as even they didn't manage to dampen the glow of self-satisfaction that I still felt about completing the Etape.

The Day before the big day.

Limoges is a large town near the central Massif in Central France. Reminded me a bit of Glasgow except drivers seemed to have endless patients for cyclists. The first big worry after putting the bike together was finding the 'Welcome Village' to register! More or less we followed our nose and other cyclists. Once signed on there were loads of manufacturers tents to wander around and dream about. There was also a free wheel checking service run by Mavic. And of course there's nothing a cyclists likes more than something free even if you don't really need it and it means you have to queue for 20 minutes. On the way back, I manage to challenge two 12 year olds on a scooter at traffic lights to a race only to fluff it when my foot slipped when the lights went green. I'm sure they took off laughing with me, not at me, I don't think! Then it was yummy patisseries sitting out side the cake shop in the baking heat. Later we wandered around a supermarket and enjoyed small strong coffee on the pavement. We actually had the coffee twice as when we asked for the bill we got more coffee. Later that night after another average meal back at our roadside hotel we ended the day in Macdonalds, for coffee and a couple of hours desperately watching the rain thunder down.

The Big day.

The weather forecast was for a following wind with some rain showers in the afternoon. The day turned out to be dry, cool and with a little rain! Not the heatwave I was really worried about.

After breakfast at 4.30am, where we were even offered pasta, it was time to head for the start. We left the hotel in the dark, with no lights of coarse, and luckily came across a load of French riders to follow so we got there quite easily. Along with cyclists from every part of Europe, South Africa, Australia, USA and even Hawaii.

Once there we we're directed into pens by number and then we stood in the early morning light, and wondered what was ahead of us.150 miles of cycling, the ten climbs and all those articles that recommended triples. You also had to average over 30 kph for the first 30 km to avoid being eliminated! Which is not that fast it was the thousands of other cyclists in front of you that could really control your speed. The atmosphere was very good natured but nervous.

We're OFF.

Finally the nervous chat gave way to a loud cheer as the first of the over 7000 riders set off in a gradual process to the start line. It was 15 minutes before we finally crossed the start line.

The First 30 Km

It was a gradual process of trying to weave your way through the masses. As we headed out of town we were fairly quickly into hilly countryside and a couple of hold ups from bunching as the roads narrowed. Then various 6% to 8% climbs were followed by fast but short descents. By this point I'd begun to lose sight of Brian and Steve.

I passed several riders with punctures, but we were passed the first cut off point so that just left another 130 miles to go. The early morning temperature rose to the low 20s and was breaking through the morning mist that lay over the fields and rivers.

The surrounding land was very rural with field after field of cows. Only when I watched the stage on Eurosport did I realise just how beautiful the area was. Guess I was to busy worrying about the long climbs of Lestard and its companion mountains, then finally the volcano lands of the Auvergne that was still ahead.

The terrain was far from flat, and the less cautious Brian and Steve had by now dropped me. With the following breeze it was easier to go it alone although I used the numerous pelotons of some 20 or so riders to jump from one group to the next. I did though spend a fair amount of time on the wheel of a young German Chris Hoy look-a-like who was certainly motoring.

Throughout the day I was just amazed at the numbers of marshalls, police, ambulances, motorbikes etc. And there were spectators who entertained with accordions, trumpets, pots and pans and simply cheering and shouts of encouragement.

The 50k mark.

After 50Km we reached the first of the big climbs in the Col de Lestards - some 17 km of continuous climbing with gradients reaching 10% in places. The descent was on a fast but poor surface amongst a shady pine forests. The rutted surface and hairpins became tighter, and ambulance sirens were heard. I witnessed the first victim of the day being helped into an ambulance.

It began to dawn on me that with my new luvly light LOOK bike I was passing riders on the climb but they were all then hurtling past me on the descents. If only you could bottle bottle I'd buy it!!

90k and the first food stop.

At 90 Km I reached the first food stop at Egletons which can only be described as total chaos. As soon as I saw the riders spilling back across the road I new I wasn't stopping. And although I couldn't see him I'm sure I heard Steve shouting 'keep going' but he doesn't remember that. In any case I was carrying three full bottles and loads of food. Which reminds me never use an isotonic powder you haven't tried before. I was gagging on it by the end of the day.

After Soursac, came the long awaited descent down to "Barrage d'Aigle". It was, at first, a narrow descent with a sheer drop and large concrete blocks every few metres to break your fall -I don't think.

Five riders down in a concrete gully.

It was on one of the sharp but wide dry bends at the bottom of this descent that I saw 5 riders all lying crumpled in a heap in a large deep concrete gutter at the side of the road. I later found out that the crash involved former World Champion Tony Doyle. Riding his 9th Etape du Tour he had broken his left scapula and collarbone, as well as four ribs. I still wonder at my thinking that it never crossed my mind to stop and lend assistance. Ambulances were on hand very quickly as part of the excellent support over the whole day.

Over the dam to another long climb.

The road then passed through a short tunnel cut through the rock, and emerged at the Barrage d'Aigle you then shot across this dam and took a sharp turn left and the start of more climbing with gradients of 10%.

At 122 km the hills eased off to a modest 6% - 8% but climbing continuously for the next 50 km. At the next feeding station in the beautiful medieval hill town of Salers I met Steve. He'd had to stop for several Pee breaks but it still felt good that I had caught up to him again. At the feeding station it was another vast choice of drinks, fruit, energy bars and sandwiches with around 20 helpers their to hand out food etc.

The Col de Neronne was fairly easy, but the landscape was very open and spectacular! The narrow road is cut into the right hand side of a long ridge overlooking a wide valley, and the rising slopes of Puy Violent!

Dangerous descents.

At the top signs saying "dangerous descents" as if my lack of bottle needed any encouragement greeted us. We cut over the ridge and started to descend into a wooded valley and nothing worse in the way of bends than we'd already tackled.

The big climb of the day with gradients up to 20%

Next was the BIG ascent of Puy Mary to Col du Pas de Peyrol. A sign warned us of 5km of 9.62%. Then some graffiti on the road said 2km of 17%! Rising out of the woods into thin clouds you could just make out the tiny specs of rows of cars and vans lining the route. It just went up and up 10%, 12%, 15%, 17%, apparently on the bends it was 20%. More and more people started pushing their bikes. Motorbikes we're getting in the way and being shouted at by a bunch of American riders. One rider was weaving wildly from one side of the road to the other and I heard myself shouting at him to get out of the way as I was desperate not to lose my rhythm. Nearing the summit I began to wonder if I shouldn't just get off but forced myself to continue repeating in my head 'your breathings fine, your hearts not at max - don't panic!' Then came the 1km to the summit sign. A flat hairpin provided a quick breather and the final big push through the applauding and cheering crowds to the summit! I doubt I looked it but I felt like a pro.

I grabbed two bottle of water from yet another massive feeding station and began the descent. The next summit of Col de Entremont would probably have been easy if you I wasn't so tired after the last, and descent was on a wide road with a good. This descent was just in the right place so you could recover and yet again riders we're shooting past me at phenomenal speeds.

I was getting tired.

Weariness after 120 miles showed on the next 9 km climb, on the slopes of Plomb de Cantal - so I had about two gels one after the other!

Another descent was followed by another mountain and a ski station at the top where the spectators still lined the route shouting 'courage' and 'nearly there', but in French of course. From the top the views were wonderful over the Central Plateau and even better 27km of virtually continuous descent!

Even after 130 miles of climbing you could still sit at 30 - 40kph, with a bit of effort. Even the following wind seemed stronger and the final run in to St Flour just encouraged you to have a go. So I did and managed to drop quite a few off my tail even with legs screaming -enough! It didn't really matter that I was no where near the front of the race it just felt right to have a go.

I arrived in St Flour on the down hill route and what appeared to soon turned into the final straight and the finish line still feeling like a pro just didn't have the energy to raise my arms although I quite fancied the idea.

Ali Chisholm

Local riders and times

• 8 hours 55 - Li Wylie - Thistle
• 8 hours 59 - Brian Sproul - Thistle
• 9 hours 16 - Ali Chisholm - Thistle
• 9 hours 32 - Steve King - Thistle

• 8 hours 42 - Eric Schlordt
• 8 hours 44 - Euan Ritchie
• 9 hours 20 - Nick Strange
• 9 hours 37 - Mark Withers
• 10 hours 34 - Vicky Strange
• 10 hours 56 - Brian Davidson

Apologies if I have missed anyone out.

With thanks to www.etape.org.uk whose pics I borrowed for the Gallery.