We were climbing up a mountain in a torrential downpour and had to stop and take shelter in a little roadside restaurant because of the puddles and the river of water running down.
We were stood freezing and soaking in this bar, fortunately it had a tiled floor, because when we left it looked like a snowmen’s graveyard with a large puddle where each of us had been standing.
It was always going to be a hard day with 180 km and 3,000 metres of climbing. The day started in beautiful sunshine and up until the lunch break the weather was really hot. We had a 14 km time trial section on a big climb and we all really pushed hard to do it as fast as we could.
After lunch we carried on and noticed some ominous dark clouds in the distance. Unfortunately we were headed straight for them. There were five of us who rode together for most of the stage. Olivia did an amazing job. She stuck with us the whole way. On a couple of climbs we just made sure we kept the tempo right. Mark is a big lad but such a strong guy and perhaps his rowing background helped him with all the water we faced. Then there was Martin from Halfords, Lee Dixon and myself.
Lee and I have already been nicknamed the mountain goats because of the way we tackle the climbs but our group of five now have a most unexpected nickname – the Grappa Goats.
I really can’t overstate how wild it was. I have never experienced cycling conditions like it, because frankly if you weren’t doing a charity bike ride to try and raise £2.012 million for Cancer Research and Great Ormond Street Hospital you would have just stopped.
At one point we were riding five abreast up a massive hill with the hail playing tunes on the frames of our bikes like they were xylophones. We were laughing and slightly hysterical all at once.
Then we passed four of the riders who had gone off way before us. They had stopped and taken shelter in two tractors by the side of the road as the thunder was at its loudest and there was a bit of lightning as well.
There is almost a feeling of euphoria at the end. I can’t believe that after seven hours of cycling I am sitting in the hotel in the warm and dry having had a shower to wash off the three inches of caked on mud off my knees and shins. We really became five amigos as it is unusual to draw on that kind of camaraderie to get us through the whole ride.
We shared a massive group hug at the end. We definitely went places we have never been before – and we didn’t even get lost.
My legs feel awful and I am so tired I could sleep standing up. We are waiting for the rest of the riders to come in, but unless the storm had passed by the time the slower ones reached the mountains I wouldn’t be surprised if some fail to finish today’s gruelling stage.
And just to give you an indication of how bad things were, when we stopped at the restaurant in the worst of the torrential rain when road conditions were just too dangerous we had a cappuccino and a Grappa each – and it was my suggestion! Anything to warm us up.
If I get fined tonight, I’ll be telling Judge Dallaglio that I have already taken my punishment today, in more ways than one.
