Yesterday I wrote something about a walk in the park? How can I be this naive. This stage was awesome, very hard, but with the most spectacular views and descents I’ve ever experienced.

As I studied the altitude profile I thought that’s only 133km and remembered what distances I hard already done this year. At the beginning just a mountain up, okay, is not now the first time that I do something like that. And then the Portuguese said, the climb to the highest point of Portugal is not so hard (true) and then you drive 45km downhill and you enjoy the view. Pepper lid, because of only downhill, the counter climbs with up to 11% slope they had simply omitted and almost blew me away. But they were right about the view, it was spectacular. I can’t say it often enough, that was the most outstanding routes and climbs I’ve ever done so far.

The Start at 9 am

But in turn, today was a spectacular day, otherwise I can not say it. First it went from the hotel up with always so 5 – 8% slope, but that equal to almost 1400 meters in altitude over a length of 15 km. Of course, I was again the last up, but still in sight of other not so fast climbers. I stopped extra a few times to hold the view, so you can see the impressions.

The ascent to the highest mountain in portugal, 2000m

Naturally, I don’t have many pictures of the downhill, it all happens so fast and I have to drive so concentrated, there is no time to stop.

When I was down I took the first cafe, well, rather kiosk, to buy water and coke. Had drunk up my two bottles in the Ansteige and that should be today still really much more bottles, in the end it was added up 8L.

So I drink my coke with the Portuguese, communicate with hands and my laughter and see a yellow jersey rolling down. Now Chris got lost exactly at the intersection, where I also had to look three times and restarted my navi route. The poor guy had to then but almost 10 km up the mountain again and was happy to see me and decided we spend our day together, so I had times company and we had fun together.

Although it is kind of frustrating when it goes up 11% and your front man checks his emails and pedals one-handed so there, while I struggle, but it is more my weakness. No matter, I appreciate him anyway and am happy to be on the road with him.

Conclusion of the Day

I am now the third day at my limits driven and do not know quite how long I can still hold that, hope it gets better and the altitude decreases something times. But this stage today was the hammer! Pyrenees have always been my favorite area, Mallorca 312 was impressive and worth the experience, but this is spectacular, this is way above anything I’ve done so far, this is awesome. These descents, this dahingleiten and traversing the mountains in this length I do not know so far (if it were not for these counter ascents …). With the distance from the effort I can easily write this, because it was so, in the effort is of course different.

To all the readers who have a little more power in their legs, check this out, you’ll be thrilled.

So, now we’re about to have dinner and we’re back in a fantastic hotel; perfect organization. Briefly about the organizer. The organize for 19 years a Mountain Bike Transportugal Tour and make just this time the Roads Tour at whose premiere we are there and I can not say anything critical, perfect, but just made for real cyclists on the road’s no mercy.

As you know, what’s not on STRAVA hasn’t happened.

At dinner the great compliment from Pedro, we are now included in the Transportugal Club, who have made it. When asked, he then said, “Well, not everyone makes it through the first 3. days!” and added that it doesn’t matter if first or last, what counts is to have completed it without getting to the hotel in the van. Okay, so like the Tour, if you’re in the car, you’re the baby.

Tomorrow 6:00 breakfast and 7:30 on the 4th section, if I survive that, the remaining 3 are also not far.

As allways, with confidence into the next stage.

Ciao