scared

Tomorrow is the big day. The tour will summit the Col de Galibier, the highest point of this year's big loop and a 40km climb. After dropping into the valley of the Arc, the Col de la Croix de Fer (via the Col du Glandon) is the next test. Twenty-two kilometers averaging 6.9%, certainly not for the faint of heart. This is where I'll enter the picture. I'll do the exact same climb a few hours before the peloton will come through, hopefully getting to the top in time to take a breath, enjoy the view and get ready for the caravan publicitaire, a trek of pimped-up vehicles promoting various commercial goods and handing out samples to the fast and fearless. The riders follow a good hour after that.

After reading up on the Croix de Fer today, I have to admit I'm a little scared. This climb is long, longer than any I've done around here. It's not excruciatingly steep, but 7% are not to be taken lightly, and it's gets progressively steeper the higher one gets. It will be an effort, certainly much more difficult than L'Alpe d'Huez.

What's worse, my bike is still not in prime working condition. Today, I was again not able to get the tools required to fix the creaking in my bottom bracket. I'll hate my bike with every stroke I do, and also France a little, because bike shops are so pathetic around here. (I just placed another order with a German internet vendor.)

When the last sprinter and Jean-Marie Leblanc's red Skoda have passed the Col, I'll cruise back to Grenoble, 60km down the hill, while the winner of the stage will only be decided up in La Toussuire, after two more gruelling climbs. In light of this program, the French surprise, third-place Cyril Dessel, admitted that tomorrow's stage scares him. Welcome to the team.