Apologies for the late post, the arrival into Paris was combined with the absence of any phone battery or time to sit and actually write an update. As a result this post is written as I sit on the Eurostar heading home.
Day 4 started very similar to the other days with one exception: waterproof jackets were stashed away and the sun cream was applied!
Due to the relatively (60miles) short distance left to travel, the company allowed us to choose our own start time. Some of the members of the green army decided to head off a bit earlier while others, me included, decided a little extra in bed was deserved and that we could get a decent pace going to make the time up.
The route started on a fast road out of the town allowing us to put the hammer down a bit and make up the time. Although we did get a decent pace going (16mph), the combination of the previous days miles, the previous evenings beers and a strong headwind meant that it was hard going.
The water stop arrived just 12 miles in, and after the mandatory pee, drink and consumption of chocolate we were quickly on our way again.
The next section was spent on near dead straight roads with rolling hills meaning that the team were able to have a decent blast until lunch. Again the only problem was the headwind. This section included only a few villages, some of which included the fabled 'pave'. We encountered one stretch in particular at the bottom of a descent when the speeds were high and the resulting vibrations pretty epic!
In fact, The vibrations were sufficiently strong enough to dislodge a spare jacket that Mr. Hutton had stowed in his shirt pocket into his rear wheel! After picking himself up after his emergency stop and close viewing of the offending cobbles, the green army marched on!
One other section of pave did allow for the quote of the day to be heard from a local rider heading in the opposite direction. After he had just crossed the section and just before we approached, provided the warning of 'bonjour! Le Pave! Boom Boom Boom'. All the while grinning from ear to ear!
Lunch was taken outside a local swimming pool at around 30miles. Again we were served the usual fare of pasta, mushrooms and cheese and again we were off for the final ascent into Paris.
If we were wondering where all of the French population were hiding when riding through the countryside, we were soon to find them. The next 20 miles were spent going through little suburbs separated by stretches of a dual carridgeway. Helpfully the roads generally had a bike path running alongside them, however rather unhelpfully they were littered with stones, rubbish and all sorts of other things.
After the proclamation that the cycle path was the best place to travel, the green army member Errol very quickly discovered a nail in his tyre, so much for that then!
I wasn't actually present at this, as shortly before captain bob had decided that he wanted to up the pace and had hit the front of the group. A few others went with him, myself and Steve included, and after a bit of tooing and frooing I took the lead (aiming for the green army maillot jaune) with a wheel just in my slipstream.
With a little compotition, the pace increased again, until my surprise, I realised that it was neither cpn' bob or Mr Hutton but a random chap on the ride. After a brief chat I looked around to see where the group was and with no one in sight, decided to push on with the other rider.
Figuring that two riders together were better than individuals apart, I followed his lead (he seemed to know where he was going) and the pace remained high and we were quickly flying through suburbs.
That was until he spied two of his compatriots outside a cafe, and decided to abandon me in search for some refreshment!
At this point I had two options, to wait for the green army in a very dubious looking suburb of Paris or to go alone.
So off I went! And I must say some of the next 10miles of riding was some of the most exciting of the trip.
The route was marked with orange arrows through the suburbs and resembled more of a city criterium race with twists and turns. With the roads fairly empty, I blitzed through the streets with the blood flowing!
I managed to catch a group of girls at a set of traffic lights and was ushered ahead before catching a group of rapha clad guys on the outskirts of the city centre.
With this group of quick riders and the mentality of safety in numbers, we kept the pace up over the parisian cobbles and into the busier streets for about 2 miles before reaching the meeting point. Absolutely fabulous riding!
After a coke and regroup in the sunshine of a local park, the group departed en mass for the final push towards the Eiffel Tower.
Due to the traffic and the desire to ride together, the pace was easy over the final couple of miles allowing us to fully take in the scenery.
And what scenery! After successfully negotiating the traffic at the arc de triumph (with the mindset of colin mcrae 'if in doubt go flat out!' Sorry mum! ) we coasted down the champs élysées before turning towards the Eiffel Tower.
Truly the stuff of dreams!
The green army amassed just before tower and as one finished at the head of the peloton. Job done!
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