How to do a hard reset, French-style
Take two. I’m sitting in Heathrow Airport, face mask on and armed with hand sanitiser. After four months back in the UK, it’s time to head back to France and get on with real life. Saying goodbye to family is always tough, but it’s safe to say it wasn’t as hard as January, when I was moving to France completely blind.
I’m excited to be going back. When I left Chambéry in March, the mountain tops were snow-covered and we were only a few kilometres from the ski slopes. The snow has melted away and in its place lies a cyclist’s playground, the French Alps. It’s not just on the bike where things have changed. There are a few off-the-bike perks when living in the Alps. We live a stone’s throw away from one of the biggest lakes in France. Based on pictures I’ve seen from my teammates, any given day is as follows: train in the morning, back for lunch, and then go to relax in or by the lake. Add in a few cafes and it’s not a bad life.
Sitting in the airport, the race season still seems a while away. We’re getting our calendars over the next few days but what even is a bike race? I’ve got a busy weekend ahead. With many chores to do, from getting a new car battery because it’s sat idle for four months, to getting my bikes serviced. What I am excited for is this weekend’s training camp. Four days, 650km and 15,000m of elevation.
Our ‘Traversée des Alpes’ is going to be one incredible trip. We’re riding from our base in Chambéry to Nice via pretty much every major climb in the Alps. From the Galibier to the Télégraphe, I’m going to be spending a lot of time going uphill. A bit of a shock to the system considering the amount of time I’ve recently spent in my home county of Lincolnshire.
Joe Laverick rides for Chambéry Cyclisme Formation