Tuesday, September 05, 2006

Le Tour et le prologue

I had been planning a cycling trip between my race and the big gun elites before i came over but didnt really think about where to go until sunday night. I pitched my plan to some others on the team but they wussed out with either girlfriends coming over or wanting to relax.

so it was Hans Solo on monday morning when i made the final preparations and booked my first night at a hostel in grenoble. Got on the bike with one bag and rode on the swiss highway #1 from lausanne to geneve. no major climbs to report or sprints. perhaps a few cat 5 climbs but nothing to get excited about. this was the prologue and only the beginning...

i saw a few bike route signs that pointed off the highway and followed one of them but it lead to a dirt trial so i decided to skip on that advice.

The plan for the week was finalized on the train to grenoble. stage 1 (prologue) has just occured and totaled 70k. stage 2 would see the lone rider attack the infamous alp d'huez, known by many as the grandaddy on climbs in the tour. stage 3 and 4 would be mountainous as well finishing up with stage 5 in the picturess 1992 winter olympic village of albertville.

2hrs on the train and i arrived in grenoble around 930. no problems finding the hostel and stopped for a late night giro on the way. much cheaper here in france.

hostel fine, rained like crazy monday night and i just prayed for sun in the morning...

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