Grand day out
Team Alpecin has been busy!
All three of our L’Étape du Tour trainees took part in the 80-mile Tour de Yorkshire sportive. Here’s how they got on… I was little too relaxed going into the Tour de Yorkshire Ride - my thinking being that it was only 129km and about 2000m of climbing. What I hadn’t counted on was it being one of the best days of summer with soaring temperatures, or that it contained one of the steepest climbs in Yorkshire!
The sun made it a wonderful day out, and the gradients made it properly challenging. Now that the my legs have recovered I can say it’s one of the most fun and enjoyable events I’ve done.
There was a great atmosphere, and being decked out in Team Alpecin kit meant starting conversations with fellow MAMILs much easier. With thousands of people on the road - and many more making a day of it at the roadside, there was plenty to see besides the stunning scenery and countryside.
I rode the Fred Whitton Challenge a couple of years ago and had to walk up many, if not all, of the hills, so I was surprised to find the Yorkshire hills much like those of the Lakes - the difference being that this time I managed to ride up every one.
This has given me a real confidence boost, although being laid-up with a stinking summer cold, and having to pull out of this year’s Fred the week after has taken a little of the shine off.
The training plan from coach Florian Geyer seems to have been working, but it’s been challenging. I’ve grown used to smashing myself in an hour or less with the Sufferfest app and videos, so trying to fit in two hour rides during the week has been difficult. Florian and I have comprised on 90-minute rides on the turbo during the week. Getting on the turbo at 5.30am or 6am has been a shock to the system!
Many - if not most - of his prescription so far has been to ride well within myself, which has again felt quite alien when I’m so used to the high intensity sessions of the Sufferfest. But with the way I was able to comfortably (in the loosest sense of the word) get up all the hills in Yorkshire, I can only conclude there’s something in what Flo has been advocating.
I’m really looking forward to the Étape, and I’m confident about finishing it. Now I just want to push a little hard to shave my finishing time down as much as possible.
The training plan from coach Florian Geyer seems to have been working, but it’s been challenging