Ewan's Cycling Blog

 It was the trifecta of pain today.  A lot of tired and broken people at the end.  I am one of those broken people so the blog may be a little more perfunctory today and I may rely a bit more on photographs rather than witty and engaging writing.  Nobody can do witty and engaging text after a day like today. The day dawned bright and cool.  We all met for breakfast at the main hotel and got the bikes ready.  As usual, there was a lot of pumping tyres and a lot of odd stretching going on. Greg bowing to the sun...or something. Tony obsessively pumping up his tires to 110psi. Christopher looking cool and calm.  This would not last. Ashley doing his Michael Flatley impression. Godric and Paul looking both purposeful and oversaturated. The first 20km out of Vila Nova de Milfontes was insane.  Karim, Godric, Layton, Tim, Ashley and myself hammered along the road in a paceline at...

 Stats at the end but this was a lovely but hot day. We had decided to start the day with a time trial prologue.  This is a tradition in the grand tours and sorts out the strong riders from the weaker ones who are going to grovel for the rest of the tour. A beautiful section of the time trial route It was a 15km route out along the coast and back involving some pretty punchy climbs.  This was going to be painful.  The "race of truth" (as time trials are known) involves sticking to your FTP for 40 minutes, not going into the red zone but burying yourself at the end to gain ultimate glory.  The results of the time trial are below.   Khalil.  40:22 McNeil J: DNF McNeil P: DNF Tamberlin: DNF Kirk: DNF Quantrill: DNF Glass: DNF Tyndal: DNF Boyce Cam: DNF Howe: DNF Fennel: DNF Veenman: DNF Smith: DNF Flynn: DNF Guthrie: DNF Lane: DNF To be completely clear, in this case...