Stage 8

A long hot struggle today with tired legs and two category one climbs at the end of the stage, this was tough. At the mid point of the stage I really felt the need for a break and some proper food rather than the constant energy bars and gels and sweet drinks.

I stopped at a roadside café and had a large baguette with ham and cheese followed by a magnum ice cream, all washed down with cold drinks. I then sat and watched the world go by for maybe an hour, and I thoroughly enjoyed it, I shall do this again.

The climb of the Col de la Ramaz was pretty challenging and there were numerous points which I thought were the top but in fact they weren't, just false summits, that was pretty dispiriting. The descent to le Praz-de-Lys was very bumpy and there a couple of very nasty drains which I really hope are attended to before the race comes through or there will be trouble for the peloton.

Finally arrived in Morzine to commence the category 1 climb to Avoriaz which though not steep was no fun by this stage in the day. It had been so hot that there was melted tar on the road in many places, very much to be avoided when descending.

So, another hard stage done and time at last for the first rest day, I'm going to have a lie-in tomorrow :-)

Photographs from Today:

Superb welcome to The Tour hilltop sculpture.
Lovely sunflower field.
The campervans are arriving on the mountainsides, and the folk sometimes clap when I go past!

Today's Weather:

Very hot again, around 33 degrees this afternoon, little wind.

Ride Time: 11:24 hh:mm
Work Done: 4550 kJ
Training Stress Score: 335
Intensity Factor: 0.592
Normalised Power: 180W
Variability Index: 1.37
Ride Distance: 115.2 miles
Elevation Gain: 11633 feet
Maximum Power: 517W
Average Power: 132W
Average Heart Rate: 113bpm
Average Speed - True: 10.1mph
Acute Training Load: 202.4
Chronic Training Load: 119.5
Training Stress Balance: -71.6