KROMVOJOJ - Part 2
CP1 to CP2 - Col du Portalet. 542km 14,020m elevation. 1day 22hours 37min
A goodbye to the CP with an excitement to enter the big mountains. The descent down to Puigcerdà was so long and so nice, the sun was fully here now and once at the bottom into the valley it was really really hot. You’d think here I would think about putting on more suncream.
To Burger King for some fries and an XL coke with ice and it really was XL. Hoping this would completely settle my stomach from earlier.
I went to a gas station, resupplied somehow spent about 30 euros on water, Aquarius and Mentos!! A family asked what I was doing and I tried to explain, but I don’t think they quite understood.
It was then a bit of a slog up a main road in the blistering heat but a headwind.
I catch up to Fanny and we have a chat, she wasn’t feeling too hyped about the race but I told her she needs to keep riding for the women. Seeing another woman on the race you share something different than to the men.
The sun suddenly turns to clouds and it gets quite a bit cooler and the arm sleeves go on. Chris catches up to me after I passed him napping on the side of the road earlier and we have a chat. Before getting to the climb of Pailhères. I remember this being steep in TPR and in the clouds, so was a bit sad for it to be in the clouds again. But by the final few ks it was blue sky and sunny and the views were amazing, really glad I got to see those switchbacks in the sun.
I got to the top and called ahead to the pizza place I have been to before in Ax-les-Thermes. Here I was ready to give my best French and the film crew came at the perfect moment to witness it…. I can usually get by with my French but for some reason here it just went out the window. Keen but embarrassed to see that film clip.
The pizza was delicious and pleased with myself for calling ahead. Nothing feels more efficient than rolling into a town and having your dinner ready.
I ate the pizza with Chris and Henry before carrying on to the next town through these narrower back roads in a glorious golden hour.
I was debating where to sleep, aware the next day was the biggest climbing day and felt like my body would like a rest but felt as though I got to the town of Tarascon earlier than I would have liked but there was no accommodation further down. Except for one hostel but I needed to be there before 9 as the person in there was leaving at 3… I assumed it was another rider.
I decided if there was a night to need a good sleep this was the one, so decided to try and book a hotel.
Calling ahead to a hotel as I would arrive past their check-in time but kindly said they would wait for me to arrive.
I got there at 10pm, shown to my room with three beds and then suddenly started to panic that I didn’t ask about price. In a mixture of French and English (here I had much better French than earlier, maybe it was because I had just crossed the border and it takes me some time) but she asked me what time I would like breakfast to which I had to reply I will be leaving early and she was like how early six? And I said earlier than that she looked shocked and insisted I have breakfast, so we went down to the kitchen she got out a tray, put cookies on that she told me she baked, fruit and some yoghurt.
Then I went to pay and luckily it ended up being cheaper than it said online so bargain.
I showered, got into bed and set my alarm for 2:30.
The cookies were a perfect breakfast. Let the climbing begin. This was the day I was looking forward to, climbing and descending all day. There were so many climbs my memory makes it hard to distinguish them all but Port de Lers sticks out in my mind as being really cool and I was climbing as the sun was rising. The colours of the sky those deep blues and orange. Nothing beats a sunrise in the mountains when you’ve been riding for hours in the dark.
Dani overtook me unbelievably fast, he said he’d slept for 8 hours.
A descent and another climb and Col de la Core. This a favourite from a bikepacking trip not too long ago but in the other direction, but then the peaks had snow on them and here it was bright sun.
This was a Monday but a public holiday in France so it was like a Sunday. Resupply was a bit bleak. I’d been stocking up just in case I couldn’t find anything. The pros of having a pack was that I had more space to stuff snacks.
I was glad to get to the supermarket in Castillon-de-Couserans. A big stock up and a double espresso.
I put suncream on here but maybe it was already too late.
It was getting hot, two smaller climbs supposedly but they felt longer than that.
It became apparent that my arms were really sunburnt from the day before.
I was just staring at them in the heat trying to find a solution to not let it get worse. I only had merino black arm sleeves, but I decided they were the best option if I wet them under taps and fountains and then wore them inside out. This honestly worked a treat. Sunburn covered and cooled down. But the sun was so strong that very quickly they were already dry and then I was just wearing black merino arm sleeves in 30-odd degrees.
Port de Balès was next up, a climb I hadn’t done before. It was long, the first 10ks a pretty chilled gradient and then it kicked up. At every km marker I took a sip of my drink with electrolytes and ate some sweets. And at every possible place I found water to cool down the arm sleeves. Even the smallest drip of a little stream.
One of the photographers, Jordi, was on the climb. I shouted that I hope he doesn’t zoom in as I’ve got inside-out arm sleeves on.
I got to the top, so happy to see a little hut as I was dreaming of a cold can of coke. Sometimes dreams can come true.
I chatted to the volunteers, as this was a CP for the shorter distance. They took some photographic evidence of my bad sunburn and I continued on once I had finished my coke.
Blaring hot descent and onto the Peyresourde which I recall being long and hot. Was pleasantly surprised that it was shorter than I remember and got to the top. Descent and I was ready for another pizza. But it was looking bleak. I kept pedalling in the hope to find something. I had enough emergency snacks to get me through if I didn’t. Onto the Ancizan this was a cheeky steep climb put in before the Tourmalet. The golden hour light was beautiful and the descent magical. One of those moments where you sort of wish you were bikepacking as there were such lovely camp spots everywhere. But alas onto a main road and there was a sign for sandwiches woo. I stopped, shouted bonjour and there was nothing but flies around the counter. I thought maybe not, got back on the bike and carried on. Next little restaurant. A bike outside. Always a good sign another rider must be there. It was Chris, he had just arrived.
I really did have my best French in this place. All they had was a plat du jour but vegetarian. French vegetarian can sometimes mean it still has bacon so I was dubious. It arrived and it couldn’t have been more of exactly what I wanted. A plate of pasta with some vegetables.
Chris was going to bivvy just up the road, it wasn’t even dark. I told him we were going up the Tourmalet.
For me the only other time I have ridden up the Tourmalet also in the dark…
But this one was under a full moon and it was so cool as it was just peeking out between the mountains. We got to the top and another rider also there. He asked us if there was anywhere to get dinner, it was 11pm.
We were warned about the descent, it wasn’t the main road but a side road with some gravel and a potentially dangerous gate.
The guy in front zoomed ahead and Chris and I took the descent slower.
There was some gravel and broken-up road and we found the gate. Glad to be warned as could have been dangerous.
Got into a town, it was close to midnight so both of us looking for a place to sleep. The most perfect bivvy spot, a water fountain shelter, with enough space for two.
Really 5* bivvy accom, shelter, light and water and a sink.
3 hours sleep was my goal.
The alarm went off, I quickly packed up, brushed my teeth in the sink
Waved goodbye to Chris who I knew would catch me up soon and off I went into the darkness.
Climbing the Soulor and Aubisque as the sun was rising. It was really beautiful. A lot of traffic of sheep and goats and horses on this moment and witnessing the sun appearing out from behind the mountains. For me it was pure happiness.
Onto the last big climb of the Pyrenees - Col du Portalet, another long one, I really wanted a coffee. Luckily I passed a hotel, there was a person there. I asked for a coffee and he said only quick I am in a rush. There was a Labrador puppy and a cat on the terrace of this hotel, very cute. I got my espresso and felt great, to the top I went.
My new favourite flowers on the side of this climb. I couldn’t resist picking a few and putting in my pocket. The sunburn still bad.
The hands particularly bad, I layered on more suncream about halfway up.
The top was piercingly quiet. Bright blue sky, green mountains and silent. I was in awe. I don’t take many photos in a race but here I took plenty. I see the Kromvojoj van and banners. I made it! CP2 woohoooo
Glad to make it to a CP but actually a bit sad to be leaving the Pyrenees. I do just love climbing and descending all day. Now it was all downhill to the finish….just 588km and 7,945m climbing to do….
Photos by: Jordi Rullo and Tomás Montes
