After sorting out the sleeping arrangements it was Mark on the top bunk bed, me on the bottom with Dec and Michael in the lounge on the settee and airbed respectively. I spent most of the night waiting for Mark to come through the slats but eventually morning arrived with Dec and Michael up at 6 as they'd forgot to close the shutters and the sun was streaming in.
Not wanting anyone have a lie in they made enough noise for us all to be up and dressed and down to the boulangerie in town for some excellent pastries and coffee before some photos on the bridge and back to the apartment to get our gear on to ride up the "slight hill" (TM Declan O'Brien) to Megeve where we needed to register, pick up our race numbers and generally act like 5 year olds on Christmas Eve!
Given that we were back in the apartment for 8, the fact that we were outside waiting for Dec at 9.30 after some monumental cocking about shows that yesterday must have been a fluke! It was already pushing 30 degrees as we waited in the shade and it was slowly dawning that it wasn't the distance or climbing that may undo us on Sunday but the heat.
Finally we were ready and we started the long 6 mile climb to Megeve and where we thought the registration village was. Obviously we hadn't brought our info map with us, "how big could Megeve be? There were bound to be signs" (you'd think we would learn...) so we settled into a steady pace up the climb once Michael realised he was about half a mile in front and slowed down to let us catch up. Following Mark "no arse" Nobles skinny backside was to be the feature of most of my day as we climbed up and up out of the valley, with just a quick sprint past Dec with the usual greeting for old times sake to alleviate the grind.
30 minutes later we were up the climb, and to be fair to Dec it wasn't too bad averaging 4% to the roundabout on the outskirts of town as we started looking for the signs for the registration village. We duly found them and began climbing again. Then we went past the exit sign for the village. "This can't be the way surely?" (you'd think we'd learn etc...) As we pulled over to mull things over Michael decided to go back down the hill into town to make sure we hadn't missed anything, Mark would wait there for him and me and Dec would press on. And on. And on. 4 and a half miles later and another 1250 feet of climbing I finally saw the airstrip of Megeve airport come into view and a queue of cars waiting to get parked. Up the whole climb it did seem to be only the mad British who had decided to ride up to register, the French and Belgium's laughing at us as they sped past in the cars! near the top I had a brilliant moment when I was passed by a British lady going twice as fast as me but who was singing "Lean on me I won't fall over" as she passed as I had my Carter USM cycling top on! Brilliant!
Miraculously I had got to the top first but Mark, Michael and Dec were soon cresting the horizon, and bikes checked in it was time to register. The quick "spin up the hill" (TM Declan O'Brien) talked about months ago, turned into and hour and 10 mins, 11 miles and 2500 feet of climbing! I'll not bore you with the details but the village was massive, with all the bike manufacturers and clothing companies having large tents and loads to see and do! Once we had shown our passports, given the ASO our doctors certificates we got the magic envelope with the race numbers and were then sent to another tent where we were given a rather snazzy back pack to keep everything in. At this point we were all walking around with stupid grins on our faces and I had to pinch myself slightly that I was here and it was happening!
Before we saddled up to head down the mountain, there was time for a picture of each of us with our head through the cut out, winning the Etape, as well as a photo next to our name on a massive long banner with everyones name taking part! Class! Possibly stung by earlier criticism of his tardiness Dec together with Mark had already started the decent without us, so brave pills taken it was a dash overtaking the cars on the way back down to Megeve, only to be stopped by Mark and Dec wanting a photo opportunity in front of a sign for "Doggers Wood"......
The road back down to Megeve was now really busy so there wasn't much chance for any speed and once we were at the bottom we decided to have lunch in Megeve, then head back to the apartment as Dec and Michael had to drop the car in Morzine at he finish line and get the shuttle back for the end of the race tomorrow. As we had climbed up the valley from St Gervais we'd seen the sign for the hillclimb time trial that would be used on stage 17 of this years tour, so me and Mark decided that we'd go back, drop the bags off and give that a crack in the afternoon. Loaded up with Omelette and fritte the hammer was down for the 6 mile descent back to the apartment. If there is one thing I am quite good at on the bike (and it is one thing!) it's going downhill, so with the go pro camera on it was pull the pin and go. Averaging 31mph for the 6 miles down the valley was something really special, especially as I managed to get right up behind a Renault Espace and get a pretty good tow for a couple of miles! Looking back on the video later, I touched the brakes twice, and after downloading the data to Strava, of all the 70 cyclists coming down that road today, my time was the fastest! Not bad for a fat middle aged bloke!
After a bit more faffing about getting stuff to put in the car for after the race tomorrow Michael and Dec left us and in the 2 o'clock heat (it was now 33 degrees) and me and Mark started the ascent up to the ski station at Le Bettek. It was amazingly beautiful with jaw dropping views of Mount Blanc right in front of us as we climbed and climbed and Mark's skinny arse became ever more distant! With it being a stage of the tour they had Kilometre markers at the side of the road with how many to go and the average gradient for the next km. it started out nice and gentle, 5%, 8km but ramped up and up. Now in granny gear and the sun baking down as well as reflecting off the new road surface put down for the tour it was searingly hot and a good idea of what it's going to be like on the Joux Plane tomorrow. With 4km to go the average gradient was 9% and the road had turned into a classic Alpine hairpin fest, coming thick and fast as I was looking for smaller gears that weren't there. The views were helping though and as Mark eased off to help pace me up the 2km sign came into view gradient had dropped to 8% and I knew I'd make it up. We finally crested the last hairpin to the ski station to sweaty but happy to a perfect photo opportunity by a sign with the word pain in it!
A quick Fanta, check with the data (5.11 miles, 1690 feet climbing, 44 minutes!) and it was the fun bit again as we cruised back down, the hairpins making it harder to get much speed up, not that it stopped Mark recording the best speed of the day at 46mph! 11 minutes later we were outside the apartment in the lovely shade and ready for a shower. Turning on the TV we caught the end of today's stage with yet another Brit, Chris Froome showing everyone he can descend and winning the stage, good omens for tomorrow!
Dec and Micahel arrived back around 6ish after having the usual problems with shut roads as well as the bombshell that the car park in Morzine is in fact 13km up the Col Du Avoriaz! There is a cable car up there but it's going to be bedlam tomorrow so were going to see how it goes and we might try and tag it on the end of the ride. This may be not such a big deal as the ASO have confirmed that the Col De La Ramaz will now not be part of the route due to a rock fall so it's going to be a bit (bit!) easier. we'll wait and see!
Off into town for a big bowl of pasta, the realisation is now upon us. I'm a bit nervous, mainly because of the temperature. I've done the training, put the miles in but not in 30 degree heat, and we'll all need to be able to cope with it if we want to get across that line before the broom wagon! Pinning on the race numbers, putting the route stickers on the bike it's a long way since the phone calls and e-mails we exchanged in September when we all agreed to do this amazing thing.
Whatever happens we're committed to helping each other get there as we agreed the worst thing that could happen would be one of us not making and the other 3 completing it. It would make the beer taste a bit sour tomorrow night I think.
Anyway fingers crossed, wish us luck and I have an early start in the morning!
Don't forget to sponsor us if you haven't already, past the £1000 mark yesterday, and this is what it's really about, not me worrying about climbing some hills!
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