All former winners and the explanations can begin! From the start the 10% ramp blows the group apart. I switch to regulation mode around 290 watts to best manage the remaining difficulties and save energy until the end. It’s always surprising to see the guys start like bullets only to then drop them 10 minutes later. We see once again the importance of managing your climbs to the maximum of your potential The race profile from the start but to maintain this pace until the end! Without the sensor and in the race atmosphere, it would be very difficult. The watts come out on their own after 2 hours and 20 minutes of running and I reach the summit @292wavg. That’s +12 watts compared to 2011 and 2012 and -1 minute. Well, the more relaxed start to the race helped too!
Refreshment stop at the summit
Aquick descent to then continue the final and the 1000mD+ of the special lead Colombière. Another 280w until the Reposoir and still +10 watts on 2012 then arrives my scarecrow from other years where I always finished The race profile sideways with cramps. The wall of 2500mD+! I continue on my momentum and the first 10 minutes pass at 270w again. I caught up with quite a few competitors and a cyclist tells me that I am 8th 2 minutes from the 6th… For the 7th it seems possible he is just in front of me. I delay 3 min @240w, that will allow me to approach the terrible final ramp of 3km at 10% with a little juice. So I resume @270w, pass the 7th and to my great surprise I hold this pace until the end by even accelerating to 330w on the last minutE.
The winner Guillaume Novel wins in 3h52 and me 4h02
He is 10 minutes behind me on 1500mD+. In 2012 he had put me 2 everyone speaks their own language 0min but he finished in 3h46. Certainly he has temporized this year, if he reads this blog he will always be able to tell us, Bravo to him! On the Grand parcours, Nicolas Roux Impérial easily takes the victory ahead of the other Nico. He’s really in shape for next week and the Tour stage. I chat across the finish line with Florian, a regular on the blog and with local cyclists. We obviously talk about racing, effort strategy with power, and equipment efficiency. Very nice! I then take the opportunity to continue the day’s ride a little and prepare for next week’s EDT by climbing the Col des Annes through the book your list magnificent Bouchet Valley.