Resting and Riding

The biggest bike race in the world had a rest day yesterday in the medieval town of Carcassonne, where short rides were had and press conferences were had. It’s an interesting time as really everyone is talking about who might finish second and third (or even just third) and who might win the young riders’ jersey as it looks a lot like the yellow and green jerseys are wrapped with Nibali and Sagan having to dramatically fail to lose them from here.

With a day off there were other promotion opportunities like Jaguar providing an F-Type for the time trial on stage 20 for Sky. I have to admit that it looks pretty ace, even if it is a cynical marketing move!

Less corporate is this film, despite a load of production work behind it, showcasing a young trials rider who has the sort of moves that make you feel like you will never be that great a rider.

The weekend also gave me the chance to roll out my less impressive skills and squeeze in a hot and sweaty ride just between a hangover and more drinking. I fancied some open skies with the heavy but sunny weather and so header out above Ware over the fields. It felt like a hardtail day and so I grabbed the old mountain bike and gave it a trip out. I wanted to also check that the new bike was a good call, not make the hardtail feel left out, and make sure I wasn’t getting lazy with so much suspension. The bike felt like an old friend, light and firm, with the forks feeling super stiff compared to the plusher ones I’ve been riding. It was much harsher, but reminded me of the way to ride the ground on an almost rigid machine. Great fun, but making me appreciate the new bike all the more, while not forgetting the fun of a hardtail on smoother trails. Unfortunately not all the trails were smooth as horse-ridden bridleways baked hard are a clattering effort.

I love open space riding in the sweaty dusty sunshine and this had all of that, one of those days where the tyres come home cleaner than they went out and the air conditioning full on in the car to try to cool down afterwards.

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