The trees pull back and for all too brief a moment I get a very welcome cooling breeze on my back as I ascend. It spurs me on, but seems to have the same effect on those behind as I look back and see them chasing. For once I’ve done the smart thing, arriving a few days earlier and recceing this climb. I’d enjoyed that, taking it at my own pace and overtaking the heavy panting tourists while the odd lanky and lithe young whippet tore past me just to remind me of reality.
Fast forward to now, though, and it’s getting to the business end of a race. A very different experience for both the mind and legs. I’m on closed roads, but that doesn’t seem to reduce the fear factor. As those ahead descend, each oncoming rider seems to be heralded by the screech of carbon on rubber as they try their hardest to stay on their side of the road, with varying degrees of success.
