Örestadstempot - the year's first competition

A new blog for 2011

To freshen things up a bit I've started a new blog for my cycling endeavours in 2011. Luckily the perfect domain was available, so check it out at www.cycling2011.com

The next trip...

Having completed and reflected on this year's trip to Nordkap I'm now well on the way to planning next year's challenge. Again I'll be cycling about 4,000km and taking about 5 weeks. I think I've put together the ultimate southern European cycling vacation :

4 countries (Portugal, Spain, France & Italy)

4 mountain chains (Picos de Europa, Pyrenees, Alps, Dolomites)

4 seas (Atlantic, Bay of Biscay, Mediterranean, Adriatic)

4000km

4x4 extreme!

Some of the great climbs of European cycling :

Picos de Europa:

Puerto de Panderruedas

Puerto de San Glorio

Alto Campoo - Fuente Chivo

Pyrenees:

Col d'Aubisque

Hautacam

Luz Ardiden

Col de Tourmalet

Col D'Aspin

Col de Portet d'Aspet

Provence:

Mont Ventouz

Alps:

Alpe D'Huez

Col de la Croix-de-Fer

Col de Galibier

Col d'Izoard

Col du Mont Cenis

Col de L'Iseran

Col du Petit Saint-Bernard

Colle San Carlo

Passo del gran San Bernardo

Breuli-Cervinia

Dolomites:

Passo del Mortirolo

Passo de Gavia

Passo dello Stelvio

Passo di Gardena

Passo di Valparola

Monte Zoncolan

Passo del Casan di Lanza

The trip will start in Oporto and finish in Venice.

Hopefully I'll have some company along the way. Friends and genuine interested keen cyclists are welcome to join for as long as they like - a couple of days, a week, or even longer.

Watch this space for more news....

Mission accomplished

Today brought the final stage of the Viking Tour and the final day's
cycling on my 5 week journey.

As with yesterday we had a fair bit of rain today but pleasant
temperature. The stage started with three 250m climbs followed by a
fourth ascent of almost 600m. Just for warm ups! We then gave it our
all at full out speed on the 30km descent and 30km flat section before
the final sucker punch.

All we had left was a 950m climb at almost 10% average up to the top
of what is called Norway's Alpe d'Huez. The whole stage went ok for me
and I was able to get up to the top in a bit bettet placing than my
start position this morning.

Felt a great sense of achievement together with all the other
"Vikings" as we gathered for the final dinner and award ceremony. All
in all a great week with a good organisation and a great bunch of
people.

Early start tomorrow with an alarm call at 5am to catch the bus to
Oslo then the flight and train onward to Älmhult. Should be home in
time for pizza & beer with some friends.

Then it's the club training ride on Sunday morning of course, and cut
the grass, open the mail, do the washing........

Sent from my iPhone

Stage 8 profile

Stage 7 completed

After yesterday's tough double stage and heavy climbing it looked like
quite a few riders had heavy legs when they turned up for the fabuloud
buffet breakfast this morning.

The day started with a 10km ride along the fjord shore to the ferry
then a further 10km on the other side to the timed start at Eidfjord.
We then had the longest timed stage so far - 95.3km with 2001m of
climbing, giving a total distance for the day of 124.4km.

The first climb up to just ovet 1250m was pretty steep in the
beginning but it went ok. Then we had a rolling section before the
flat and downhill 55kms to Geilo. The sting in the tail was a final
4km 200m climb to the finishing line.

We had heavy rain fot the last 30minutes of the race and it's still
pouring down now. Looks like tomorrow will be wet!

It went pretty well for me today, quite strong on the downhills and
flats. Now only one stage remains, a 137km torture session with 2447m
of climbing and a killer of a finish with 750m climb at 8.5% average
gradient. But that's tomorrow and before that it's food and rest.

Sent from my iPhone

Stage 7 profile

Before stage 7

Stage 6 profile

Stage 5 profile

Stages 5 & 6

After yesterday's car crash today started very painfully! Could hardly
move when I woke at 06:30 and was convinced my race was over but after
a hot shower and the walk to and from breakfast I decided to give it a
try.

Today's schedule was tough - two stages back to back - with a total
distance of 156.5km and ascent of 3223m. Turned out to be the toughest
cycling day of my life (so far!).

The first stage of the day went reasonablu well and I kept a good
rhythm up the 1050m climb to the timing line at 24km. We then had an
88km ride to the changeover base, with time for a quick shower before
the restart.

We then set off to attack Osafjell, 1324m of total ascent with some
sections as steep as 20%! Here it really started to hurt so I decided
to give up any idea of a good time and just cycle slowly to the top.

Very pleased to get through today and now that my bruises don't hurt
so much I'm feeling more confident about tomorrow.

Sent from my iPhone

Race leader Geir on stage 6

Stage 6

Stage 6

Stage 5

Stage 5

Stage 5

Viking Tour 2010 stage 4

Today's stage was a time trial of 27km with about 320m of ascending
before a descent and a finishing flat section of 5km.

Unfortunately I was in an accident during my warm up ride in the
morning. An old lady drove past me on a long quiet straight road and
then immediately swung to turn right just in front of me. I had no
chance to avoid her and crashed into the rear side of her car. Went
down quite heavily on my left side and also banged and scraped my
right elbow. Bike is ok, though the saddle got torn a bit. The lady
driver had no idea about anything and no interest in if I was OK so I
gave her a piece of my mind and told her to get lost!

Got my scratches treated and composed myself the best I could with now
30minutes left before my start time.

The first 11km, including all of the ascent, was painful and tough
then I must have been running on pure adrenalin for the remaining 16km
as I gave it all I had, even managing a 1km long sprint race finish
against one of the other riders with both of us totally exhausted at
the finish.

I managed an average speed for the course of 29.8kph which I was quite
pleased with. Don't know if it'll improve my ranking position but I
know I beat the guy who was one place above me.

After the finish we had a 51km ride along the fjord side as well as à
ferry ride before we arrived at Vik. After some food I'm now resting
and hoping the pain on my left side recedes by the morning. Tomorrow
is the toughest day of the week with 2 stages, 3200m of climbing and
over 156kms. Right now I couldn't even sit on my bike but I guess it
could have been much worse and in a few days I'll be fighting fit.

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Vik

Vik, base after stage 4