I got my bike read and set off with Laurence i knew their were lads up road id hope catch at some stage. You hit the Aspin the minute you leave Sainte Marie de Campan. I was with him for very little of climb before we each went into our own pace and his wheel disappeared into the distance. The climb starts as pretty open road at a shallow gradient i find this sort of climb though, not steep enough for me get into climbing rhythm but enough of gradient to hurt the legs if you try push.
It was nice and cool on the climb so early in the morning, the day had yet to start as i passed the homes on the lower slopes. About half way into climb you get a few forest switchbacks especially cool with the sun still not up above the pyrennes. One thing in this part of france, when the sun is up its up and it gets warm quickly, when it goes down it gets dark quickly too.
Not far from the top the lads in the camper passed me, i pushed on bit when i heard them near, they gave me the usual beep and pushed on past. Not much at the top, althou you get your last sight of the pic midi off the tourmalet. The descendent is a good bit different from way up a longer climb from this side, and their are plenty switchbacks also, but not too many sharpe ones. The road is quiet narrow in parts and i caught the camper and didn't have too much room to pass them either, glad i didnt catch anyone else.
You then arrive in Arreau, after quick look on the maps i figured out the way to the Peyersoude a tougher climb on paper to the Aspin, before climb begins their is an uphill drag i took my time on this waiting for offical start of climb planning to give this climb a go with conditions still mild. The climb is about 8km long with average gradient of 7.9% quiet a test. I felt great thou and the coolness of morning meant i felt energetic. You reach the switchbacks about 2-3 km in a left and then a right, on the right i spotted some men up the road. Having someone to catch just makes it easier to focus on climbs and gives you an aim. about 50metres before coming past i realised it was actually one of raid party (big John), i asked him if he was ok and how far the rest were up the road, he looked at me and just shook his head, i left him to be, he seemed to be getting paced my an old gent who seemed like a child with an oversized bike or like pozzovivo on his bike. Not too far up the road was a club spin, giving me something else again to aim for. I sat in on this group for just bit to get drink and then pushed on past at my good climbing pace giving them the usual bonjour etc.
Climbing was going well not too far up the road was Alan and Astra, who had stopepd for a second, i asked if they were ok and told them id see them at top and kept going. I had been climbing out saddle a good bit of climb now in a big gear, but i decided to sit and mix it up. The steepness could be seen as the km didnt quiet tick over as quickly as i felt i was going, i could back behind me someone was climbing well and keeping even pace with me this gave me good idea that id slowed a little and i upped it a bit. I hadnt felt this strong on climb since the first climb in france, one the peyresoude is when i knew my training had paid off and i wouldnt suffer too much, bar the heat.
Over the top i went with bit in hand i kicked for the people at the top watching us come over the line, the camper was weighting on top with fresh supplies of fruit and water id need for the day. I did the climb in just over 45mins ranking 282nd of 610th on strava dead proud of that, and a climb il go back to some day and beat that time. A Cat 1 climb dominated by yours truly Laurence did it in 43.17 that guy can climb a real grinder. My 139bpm indicates i pushed myself bit i generally try limit amount time i climb above 140.
Like the aspin the descent is longer than the climb, Its a pretty quick section with early switchbacks before some pretty straight roads, at the base i regrouped with Astra and Alan from behind and we took it in turns to set pace. From here to you take some turns off main road and take 3 climb that come in a row, the first two are manageable Col Des Ares and Col De buret, nothing steep all done in good time. Stopping halfway thru the 3 for spot of lunch in a real back water bar. Another chicken on the bone for myself. The heat was now hitting we could feel it in the air, every day after lunch you just know the midday heat would hit. Feeling ok on approach to Porter D'Aspet, but stopping at base to check the route really set me back, laurence flew past, and i struggled up the climb stopping to cool down with the heats and the extreme gradient getting to my larger frame. Im not built for the steep stuff, its 4.5km at 9.6%, but for me it rarely ever went under 10% murder with some real steep ramps, that has you flat by the finish needless say we stopped at top to get our breath before heading for the bar for a coke, i pushed on by myself to take my time. At Saint Girons our stopping point the lads still hadnt caught up, so i went to seak out a stamping point.
As i was about to leave out the road, i did meet the two lads, astra had been stung by bee so we went to a pharamacy and were sorted out by lovely staff who also let us fill our bottles up. I then lost the lads who left before me, i thougth they were ahead so i tried chase back on. 4-5km i pushed at higher rate than i was comfortable at and still couldnt sight them. With the heat after while i decided by myself id be better to take a break in the cooler shade. 5-10mins on side i noticed familiar site, the lads were in fact behind me and had caught up, i stopped them and sucked wheel for a good while to recover, many water dunking stops were had before we stopped in the shade outside a house with some bicycles on the walls, the owner was in fact a dutch man running a hostel who invited us into the shade and offered us some water. It was pleasing that the final climb the col de port was managable. He did call us crazy for attempting the raid at this time of year. He showed us his bikes incuding a lovely Willier, and off we went.
We reached the base all 4 of us, astra told us hed be fine on his own, and i find it hard to ride to someone elses pace so i set my own pace up the climb, it is a very doable climb it never ramps up the average is just under 5%. I was caught by French man on the climb we chatted a bit and then he went off left to tackle a steep of road, glad i wasn't going the same way. Half way up i spooted laurence was coming up to my wheel, silly me i stopped early and laurence continued when he figured it out, i did catch him and went on at my own pace to the top, did the 12,4km climb in 57mins, reckon i would been 55mins without the stop, my kind of climb love to do it with less km in the leg next time.
At the top it was lovely and warm so i waited for the two other lads down the road, astra was suffering and a local i conferred with had told me he had stopped on side of road to vomit. It took him a while but he got up that climb, he couldnt eat and could just stomach water, he says he couldnt even remember any of the climb epic cycling. The downhill was pretty straight forward. with the odd switch back. Their was a little up hill we pushed astra up to get him to Tarasconn and the hotel for the night, a lovely run in thru a busy town to the hotel, sharing with laurence again, who i think puts up with me for always remembering to unplug the garmin for him.
Alright set up of a room and a good feed of decent quality food to top up my energy reserves, as well as treating myself to well deserved pint, just the one thou.
I did feel drained by this day 3, it took alot from me, the heat, the climbing, the solo riding at times. Two of lads came in the dark showing how hard the day had been.
The Pic Midi from the Aspin
top of one middle day climbs awaiting the two boyos, laurence also appeared.
Garmin Stats read:
204.3km covered
3,507m of climbing
4,975 calories burned
20.4km p/h moving speed
Avg Heart rate 122 max HR 152
again my average HR is quiet low for intense day, the bodies limits are obviously lower. the max rate 3beats lower than tourmalet despite that steep climb were it should have equalled.
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