Rider’s ride

Fuji Gran Fondo 2.7C, £1,199.99, evanscycles.com

As the name suggests, the Gran Fondo is aimed at long days in the saddle, where comfort is prioritised over performance. The 2.7C is at the bottom end of the scale, but still provides a good quality carbon frame that manages a decent balance between stiffness and compliance. Where it falls down is in the rest of the spec. A Shimano Tiagra groupset and weighty wheels mean it isn’t the sprightliest of rides, but it will get you to the finish line in one piece, and that’s what matters most. the rows of wind turbines, which loom out of the fog like crazy, arm-waving robots.

I’m riding with Martin Knott Thompson, whose company, Cycling Rentals, has provided my bike for the day. With him are a group of friends and fellow expats who all live in or near Lisbon. The strongest rider of the bunch is rugby player-turned-rower John Gilsenan, who offers me a tow along the ridge. Never one to look a gift horse in the mouth, I jump on his wheel and soon we’re steaming along at 40kmh, leaving the rest of the group and assorted other riders in our wake. It’s the perfect pick-me-up after the drudgery of the previous climb, and I’m disappointed when the ridge comes to an end. When John turns round to check I’m still with him, his smile is almost as big as mine. ‘That was a blast, eh?’ he says. I can only nod in agreement. If there are no views to enjoy, we might as well put our heads down and do some work – although in reality it’s John who’s put in all the effort. All I’ve been doing is hanging on for dear life.

By now the rest of the group has caught up with us again, and the road starts to wind