Roland's Tour Report

Now it gets serious, now begin the steep climbs and I confess, with 86 kg is not so easy, here is simply my strength / weight ratio too bad. If I speak of steep, that is then a few kilometers with 10-15% upwards, if there is then times a traverse with 4% comes, that is like otherwise straight ahead.

If you can talk about easy, it was today. We had indeed again 206 km, 1480 meters of altitude (they just come together on this route) and about 4700 cal verputzt. But it was relatively flat and led us through scenic sections. Accordingly, the day was today rather unspectacular, if there had not been the morning.

220 km, 2900 vertical meters and 5900 cal on the longest day I ever spent on the bike. That was really long.

The adventure started today, Saturday, June 24, in Düsseldorf. So exactly one week before the start of the professionals.

Now just a few easy laps without much effort, I can arrive well rested and fit in Düsseldorf. The next few days everything revolves around preparation, what do I really need, is my bike okay, what extra stuff isn’t available on the tracks and much more. Since, I havn’t done this kind of a 3 weeks cycling tour there is no experience at all.

The first 4 stages took us gently into the Pyrenees, only to become more challenging each day until we crossed the roof of the Pyrenees before the rest day in Arreau.

After the rest day in the French Arreau, we go back to the Spanish part of the Central Pyrenees with not so well known and sometimes very remote routes.

Solsana, Castello d’Hug, Ceret, Roses.