Port de Bales - 19 July

After a self-enforced rest day, we set out for our first day in the Pyrenees. Its 100 years since Le Tour started coming here. A nice resonance with the centenary of the ATO this year - the world is a different place than back then.

The main peak, Port de Bales, is yet another ‘high category’ climb. It stands at around 1750m with a 19km climb to the top and some very steep sections reaching towards 15%.
Our ride was 4hr 40min over a distance of 88km and climbing two major cols. We began with a climb of the Cat 2 Col de Aries and then on to Port de Bales via the village of Maleon-Barosse. Unfortunately the gendarmes closed the road to cyclists around 1.30pm and I was forced to be stop 6km from the top and be a spectator for the rest of the afternoon.

After a couple of baking hours in the sun, the pro riders eventually came through around 4pm. We amused ourselves in the interim by re-hydrating and collecting the throwaways from the travelling TDF caravan. Contador and Schleck were close together again on the col in the second group but Schleck lost his chain and precious momentum on the final stages of the climb, only to see the yellow jersey pass to Contador. He will be hard pressed to get it back now.

After the stage passed, we descended back to our bus pick up point and drove to the picturesque town of Bagneres-de-Bigore, nestled in the Pyrenees. This will be our home base for the next four nights. Its a place to die for with its backdrop of mountains, rolling green hills, fascinating villages and 1930s bohemian/boarding home feel.