Today's long neutral opening descent was a work out for our brakes. It generated enough heat for Tom's wheel to delaminate.
Chaussy was nice and cool. I paced the bottom and felt mostly good at the top. Nice long descent. Tom caught me at the aid station so we did the descent together.
Over to the Col de la Madeleine which was steep and quite a workout. I was cracked at the top holding Tom's wheel the whole way until the last 100m. Shoved as much food in my face as I could then tried to chase him down on the descent as we were timed today all the way to finish. Only at the finish did we learn from Dennis and Paul that at one hairpin there was a bike piled into the stone wall and two riders leaning over and looking down the cliff for the rider. That can't be good. It was easy overall, not sure if a tire blew or a momentary lapse.
Caught Tom near the bottom and we double teamed the flats then eventually got into a group of 6. Good way to pass the time.
The first two climbs were just pacing exercise and 4 hours of softening up for the Col des Saisies. 31k but low grade. Hot. I held Tom for a third, then it really heated up and I got low on water and slowed down. One buddy flew past me then took two bottles from their support car right in front of me, which is against the rules. I'd get it if it were life or death, but the free bottles in the heat is a direct cheat on the day as the rest of us whom are rationing, heating up, and watching our watts go down don't have that. Might as well grab the car Nibali style.
I grinded it out slowly to the top and tried to regroup for the last 25k which were about half down and half "flat". Got enough in me on the descent that the watts came back. Fun finish. Just cracked the 100 mark again.
https://www.strava.com/activities/379415806
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