Cyc'd European Tour 2014 - Day 2 Col du Grand Colombier

Our tour might have officially started yesterday but today was our first big climb and will be one of the biggest days of the tour. After an amazing spread for dinner last night the Embrace sports team again put on a fantastic breakfast array for us. (On a side note I'd have to say they have been amazing in making sure that I had enough gluten free food for me) 

The day started out quite cloudy, wet and cool leading to lots of "which gear should I take?" discussions. 

With all the heavy or light jacket debates done and dusted we gathered for a photo to show off our new tour kit. 

There was quite the air of anticipation in the group and our spirits high from the climbing yesterday the adrenalin was pumping and we seemed to fly out to our first rest stop which revealed (as Eric so eloquently put it) "some cool old French stuff"

From there still with the mood high we headed out the base of the mountain that would be our punishment for a little over an hour. 

Stopping at the base if the mountain was a little daunting. With it looming over us in the background we fuelled up with enough calories consumed to make a Big Mac meal look like lite and easy. 

Then it was onto the mountain. Wow. There is nothing to compare how high it was in comarison to Brisbane bumps. Shrouded in cloud the summit was completely obscured and the faint line of the road snaked horribly steeply towards the clouds. There was tenuous truce about attacking on the climb between some of the lead group and (with my power meter and HR monitor no longer working) I headed out with Neil (one if the embrace sports super climbers) thinking I was taking it relatively easy but after about 1/3 of the climb I couldn't hold on and he rode away. 

The climb itself is probably best described as unrelenting. With gradients well in excess of 10% for more than 1km it was just an hour of pain. Around ever corner the mountain just kept going. The first section of 7km was as advertised and just brutal. 

A little group formed with Matt and Craig, which resulted in some battles up the hill. Sadly some confusion at a turn resulted in a race to a non existent summit. 

With the lead group off taking photos at the radio tower Steve North slipped passed to take a well earned line honours for the Grand Colombier. 

After a quick bite to eat and cheering all the other riders home we headed down the mountain for some more joyous descending. Sadly cut short by a road closure that forced us down a brake hugging 19% plummet to the bottom. 

With everyone down safely we commenced the roll back to the 50km bakery and eventually home. The conversation was certainly somewhat subdued compared with the trip out with some very tired legs and bodies by the time we eventually reached the pub for a celebratory ale. 

Some of us were feeling it just a little more than others. With Bruce needing a little bit of a lie down before the thought of beer. 

One aspect I missed yesterday was the fantastic dinners that the team have been putting on. Particularly the awards ceremony that Anthony and Danny have been putting together each night. 

Every night two riders are awarded prizes. The green socks going to the best WTF? Moment of the day and the pink "I'm with awesome" socks which is fairly self explanatory. The condition of receiving the prestigious award is a small speech and the requirement to wear the new award with pride on the ride the following day. 

The Awards so far 

Monday: 

Green Socks -> Danny, for time trialling back to catch the group (but down a wrong turn)

Pink Socks -> Eric (from embrace) for time trialling back to catch the Danny and get him off the  wrong turn

Tuesday: 

Green Socks -> Craig, for taking the lead group of climbers down the garden path to the false summit

Pink Socks -> Rob, for putting on the Beers at the pub at the end of the ride. 

See you all tomorrow for the report on Mont Revard