Damian's Blog - Day 4

An early start for our toughest day to date, and yet another beautiful morning to get us under way. The scenery is reminiscent of the Cape Winelands, which is where many of us would much rather be instead of cycling 133 kms including two ascents of the toughest Cols on our route - the 10 km climb up Col de Marie Blanque followed soon after by the Col d'Aubisque, 'The Queen of the Pyrenees', which will be the second highest climb of the week. The day has been themed by Robby Enthoven - who owns Nando's restaurants. We have all been given very natty blue cycle shirts, suitably branded with Nando's chicken logo's, proudly sponsoring the trip through the 'Peri - knees' (geddit?), and last night Robby announced that anyone who presented him with a live chicken the next day would be given free Nando's for an entire year. Not sure we will have the time or the energy, but an incentive at this stage of the trip is most welcome.

There is no getting away from the fact that this is going to be a long day, with a projected 8 hours in the saddle. Mon Dieu! It doesn't disappoint - the two climbs are torturous, and the banter that accompanies the early morning ride soon dries up as the Col's take their toll. With such a big group it is inevitable that everyone starts to find a pace that suits. Our Peleton contains like-minded riders such as messrs Dallaglio, Hunter and Smith whose sole objective is to get through the day in one piece, oblivious to the stop watch. We are also lucky enough to have the highly entertaining Dickie Relton - Lawrence's agent - and court jester in chief. His cycling style would confound the purists, as Fred our guide says; he looks like he is sitting on a barrel when he cycles, but Dickie has tremendous determination and ticker to get him through the toughest of climbs, and has proved to be a star man for the esprit de corps out here.

All the way along the roads up to the summit of the Cols cycle supporters have spray painted the names of their favourite riders onto the tarmac as an inspiration up the gruelling climb. It is truly inspiring to know that we are following in the footsteps of some of the greatest professional riders of our time. How fitting then that as I struggle up the final km to the top of Col d'Aubisque I spot a faded Union Jack painted onto the road with our Olympic hero Bradley Wiggins' name written underneath. I think I probably look more like Christopher Biggins on my bike at that moment, but amazing to have trodden the same path of this cycling great nonetheless.

Having started at 8.30 a.m, we get to lunch around 2pm, some six and a half hours later. We are all shattered, but the shared experience is great currency over lunch as we laugh our way through the exhaustion. The great news is that we only have 2 hours left to ride after lunch. Only?! We take the opportunity to consult the Midi Pyrenees bus timetable so kindly provided by my brother in case of emergency, but decide to push on when we realise that we would have to make at least two changes if we took the bus..

We ride up to our hotel at 5pm, and collapse into reception. Fair to say the accommodation is functional, but comfortable, and all we really want to do is fall into bed after supper. Lawrence insists we head to the stream by the hotel for an impromptu dip to help our limbs recover, and we all look like WWE wannabe's as we strip down to our lycra under bibs - perhaps there's a future there for Dickie and Lol to think about.. Answers on a postcard please..

The highlight of the evening comes when Lawrence appears at supper holding a live chicken (he's very well connected), and Robby honours his bet, and simultaneously announces that this gesture could affect the group's dividends for the next financial year.. So anyone looking for an autograph from the big man could do worse than hang out at the Nando's on Richmond Hill on a school night, that is unless he's heading Stateside to launch his wrestling career..

Despite the fatigue of today's cycling, we have gained some confidence ahead of the tomorrow's showpiece climb up Col de Tourmalet, which rises up to 2115m. This will take approximately two hours to complete, and we then go on to climb two more Cols totalling over 4000 m for the day. It is renowned as one of the hardest stages of the Tours, and that is for professional cyclists who weigh about 65 kg, not a bunch of rank amateurs like us. To say we are nervous is an understatement, but the spirit is good in the group, and we have nothing to lose, so we have a glass or two of the local cru for Dutch courage and head for bed ready to go again in a few hours.