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The Etap Du Tour 2004

Introduction

On 11th July 2004 Team De Ver dispatched two riders to Limoges the tackle the grueling 238 Kilometres of the Etap Du Tour, Shop owner and former professional rider Maurice Burton and fellow team founder member Eddie Hughes. In Maurice's own words this is their story..

The Journey

We left London on Friday morning 5.30am, caught the Sea France ferry from Dover to Calais at 8am, from there to Rouen and then on to Limoges. We arrived at our hotel at around 7.30 French time. We stayed at the Hotel du Golf, which was a little bit of luck really, as we had nothing booked and we were thinking we would have to sleep in the back of my van. But a couple of weeks before, I was talking to Angela Holt who works for Trek UK Ltd, and she was riding along with some of the others from Trek UK. Some of there guys had pulled out, and they had two rooms going spare so I said yes please!!! Then one of my customers Maria David, who also rode last year, found some rooms for us at the finish at St Flour. So instead of taking my van we drove in Eddie's estate car. So we had a meal in Limoges, I didn't realise at the time but they are very big on Beef in that part of the world, so beef it was.

The Day Before

Saturday morning after a good nights sleep, we had a continental breakfast of croissants jam, ham and cheese. Then we rode down to the Etape HQ, which was 4 miles away, to register and collect our race numbers and the microchip that straps on the right ankle. We had to then drive the car to the finish in St Flour, and get on the couch to take us back to Limouges. But I mentioned to Eddie the importance of doing at least a short ride before the ride on the next day. He was very worried about getting the car to the finish, as the bus to take us back was leaving at 5pm, I wanted to do at least around 25 miles, but I came to a compromise with him, and we did 15 minutes out and then back.

By the time we got back to the Etape HQ at 8.45pm, the Pasta Party that they had laid on was all but over, and there were no taxis to take us back to the hotel. Fortunately Eddie, who is a University Professor of Languages, and speaks perfect French, was able to hitch a lift for us back to the Hotel. At the restaurant next to the hotel we had a half chicken each, I had chips and Eddie had potatoes.

The Night Before

By the time we had finished our meal it must have been around 11pm, and we had to be in the start pen at 6am. So I asked for an early morning call at 4.30am. I lay in my bed and my heart was pounding. I fell asleep, but woke up at 4am, so I had some sandwiches left over from our journey on Friday, and prepared my food and drinks for the ride. I drank some PowerBar System High Energy mixed with water, which is a carbohydrate slow release energy drink. I had herd that the first feed station would be very chaotic, so I decided to try a CamelBack Flash Flo bum bag which holds 1.4 litres, which is nearly 2 large drink bottles, so that I could miss that feed and still have enough left. In hindsight this was a mistake, as the extra weight was very uncomfortable resting on my lower back.

Final Preparation

I find that Lucozade Sport Berry flavour drink does the job for me, so I had two large bottles on the bike and with the bum bag that adds up to nearly 3 litres that I had at the start. As for food, I had PowerBar Performance Bars, Vanilla, and Banana flavours.

I went for breakfast at 5am, where I ate as much as I could, and then we were off. It was still dark at 5am, but by 6am I could see the sky, and decided my choice of clothing for the ride, which was bib shorts and short sleeve jersey, with a woolen under vest, and a lightweight rain vest and gloves, that I rode to the start with, and also I used them at the top of the Col de Payrol.

Riding to the start I already realised that the bum bag was a mistake, as I could feel it added to my already heavy weight of 80 kilos holding me back on the climb into the town. But as I had my Passport and some Euros, in there I put up with it. As my friend Eddie said drink from the bag first.

The Bicycle for The Job

I rode a Colnago C40 HP B-Stay frame with Campag Record 10 speed, and Mavic Ksyrium SL wheels, the handlebars are Deda Synapsi, which I love, because of the triangle in the middle where I rest my hands when climbing. The rear cassette was 11 to 29, with a 53 / 39 double chainset.

The Ride

Raymond Pollidor started the race, and 15 minutes later we reached the start line and we were off !!!

I started to carefully make my way though the field, but there were always riders in front. In the early stage of the race, I saw a man riding with one leg, and also a man on the back of a tandem, with only thighs, and artificial limbs, and only one arm. I wonder how they did?

Before the ride, I was more concerned with going down hill, as although I was 20 odd years ago a Continental pro, I never rode in the mountains, as for my height of 5'10" I was never that light. I always rode well on the flat. But I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to descend, as the roads were very wide and not at all dangerous. I saw an ambulance at the side of the road at one point, where someone had come to grief, now I know that it was probably my old team mate Tony Doyle, who broke his leg, shoulder, and two ribs. I wish him a speedy recovery.

I found I was able to ride quite comfortably on most of the climbs, and with my weight I dropped like a stone on the descents.

As planed I went straight past the first feeding station, and stooped at the second one after 159 KM, I had 3 bananas, and refilled my two frame bottles, which were now empty. So along with the bum bag, I had drunk nearly 3 litres at that point. I suppose I must have stopped for about 10 minutes. I felt really great after the feed, and was looking forward to the big climb of the day, The Col Par du Payrol.

Climbing the Col du Payrol

On the climb it self I was riding out of the saddle most of the time, as when I sat down and pulled on the handlebars the front wheel was lifting off the ground. There were a lot of the riders walking; most of the ones I saw riding up had triple chain-rings. I felt ok and was climbing well. At the top I stopped and put on my rain jacket, and my gloves, for the cold ride to the bottom.

There was a feeding station at Murat, after 201 KM, which I went straight past. Although in hindsight I should have stooped, as half way up the final climb, the Col d'Entremont, I started to dream about eating bananas, which was a sure sign that the tank was running empty. At the top I stopped at a roadside bar and had a glass of Coca Cola and a piece of cake. Coke is an old favourite of mine for the last 25 miles of a ride, and that gave me enough energy to ride on the 53X12 all the way in to St Flour.

I had a great time, and am looking forward to riding again next year. If I can loose a little weight and now that I know how I felt at the end, maybe I'll push myself a bit more, and go for a better time. Fantastic!!!!