Etape04BrianD

Mission Accomplished

• Learn to ride a bike
• Lose weight
• Complete a stage of the Td'F

Arrived Limoges on time but sans bike! This however was the situation with about 20 other people on my flight. As they all formed one long irate queue to complain, I wandered over to the cafe of the luxuriously equipped, Frank Gehry designed mega airport, for a traditional croissant, espresso and cigarette! During the short course of this smoke I began to almost hope that my trusty Trek would be forever lost on a baggage carousel in Paris. At this point I left all the real cyclists in the lost baggage queue and caught a taxi to the hotel.

The hotel was basic at best, but very friendly however and I started planning what to do with my week's holiday if I weren't going to ride. Now if I was a tad unconcerned as to the whereabouts of my bike, Baxters absolutely floored me with their apathetic, blase approach to all the lost bikes. I called the nice people at Air France who surely have bike lube in their blood, and they informed me that they were sending a driver to Limoges with all the bikes - although they couldn't be sure that mine was one of them! No time for a last minute training run then, although I definitely needed one.

Friday night out with Baxters for the first of the gastronomic delights that must have cost them all of a euro fifty. Talking to the others, it seemed no-one new what to expect but they had all done a fair bit training. Already various people were beginning to curse that robbing b**tard Graham Baxter.

Bike arrived Saturday lunchtime in one piece, so there was no backing out now. Into town for a decent meal on my own with the idea that I would get an early night. At midnight I was having a dress rehearsal in my room and checking the bike. Don't know when I fell asleep but it was late.

Sunday morning was the only time I was glad to have booked with Baxters as my hotel was only 300yds from the start. Arrived at the start in the dark and just hoped that it would still not be dark by the time I finished. However the plan was 20mph for the first 20 miles then just keep cycling until I finished no matter how long it took.

6:30 and I was off, pedalling like crazy just to avoid being run over by the thousands of riders following, obviously all of them thought they could win this thing judging by their speed. Took the advice of one of your thistle riders and found a wheel to sit on. This will be easier they told me as I would save 25% of my energy. Great I thought at the time, this would be the equivalent of a 180km ride rather than the 238km that everyone else was doing. Held this wheel for about 5 mins maybe, 7mins at most then I was on my own. It took all my concentration to avoid everyone that was cutting me up.

As the first hour unfolded I noticed Brian Sproul pass me. I pedalled furiously to catch him up and even had a short conversation. He must have wondered how the hell I caught him, however after about a minute he pulled away further, and further, and further never to be seen again. About 15 minutes later Ali passed me. I shouted but to no avail as he was obviously on the trail of BS. Later another rider in thistle colours passed and I had to console myself with the thought that at least for a little while I was probably the lead rider from Dundee.

Continued to ride, and ride, and ride. Climbed 9 categorized mountains, 14000ft of climbing in total. Felt that everyone passed me on the way up, and genuinely thought I must be last at various times during the race. This could not be confirmed as my neck was so stiff that it was impossible to look behind. You never know I could have been leading a 100 strong peleton some of the way.

Food stops looked chaotic, but when your sole objective is to stay in front of the broom wagon, you have no time to stop. I also felt I would seize up if I got off the bike.

Then the good bits came. The descents! My above average body mass meant that I could freewheel downhill faster than any of my gravity challenged co-riders could pedal. And if I actually started to pedal, then whoah! I managed 83kph (nearly 52mph in old money). Now that presented its own set of problems as I had no idea if my bike could take even a gentle bend at these speeds. Rather than find out, my brake pads almost turned red in an effort to slow me down. After passing a few accidents, I decided to cut back on the speed a little - 49mph is fast enough for anyone.

Finally finished in I think 11hrs exactly. 10:56 real time. Got the medal. Couldn't bend to even take off my shoes at the end, but felt fantastic!

Claim to fame? "Well I beat Richard Krajicek the Wimbledon champion"

Would I do it again? Didn't see the point at the time, but as the route is due to be announced later this month, I find myself already working on a new improved training schedule. Well, I have a silver and gold to collect to get the set!

Congratulations to all the thistle riders. I take my hat off to you all.