DUTCH CANCER FUNDRAISER

Each year the Dutch take over L'Alpe d`Huez and the road uphill is covered with a carpet of Cyclists intent on reaching 6 ascents in their day ! This year there were two days that were waem and sunny but with temperatures reaching 43C on some corners there were many suffering from the heat .

Most peolpe would be hard pressed to make this Cycle  ride once a year but there were even " Runners " and " Registered Walkers " to be seen in action . Obviously it takes a lot of commitment , to make the journey to France , and i saw many carrying Photos of those taken by that " SCOURGE : CANCER " ! Huge numbers are part of a team , with some like me making the visit alone .

My admiration rests with those that chose to visit with their " Handbikes " ! Can you imagine the effort required to wind these " Vehicles " up this slope ? Certainly they will not challenge the time records set by the " Pro Tour Racers but it takes commitment and courage to make ONE ascent let alone multiples , as  some did with helpers escorting them . My apologies to those i spoke with , i should have written down your names , as i made the photos , but my excuse is that my hands were shaking so much from my own exertions those days .

When talking with the Media i had joked that " I was there taking the part of Cadel Evans , since he was busy in the same area of France with the Dauphine Libere ! the photo above shows us in Morzine where he told me i make an unlikely " Body Double "!


Photos follow :

Met this group below last year when most also were at this event .

Time doesn`t allow me to finish this post today , so more photos later !

Additional photos

CADEL

This is a pleasure that i had not anticipated at the beginning of the 2011 Tour de France ! Frankly having seen Cadel looking so tired before the ITT of the Dauphine Libere in Grenoble i commented to the team Doctor that i felt he was not at the top of his game ! Certainly that day he did less than was expected of him and thus was second to Wiggins at the end of that Tour !

See the full gallery on Posterous

During the period of the 2000 Sydney Olympics i first heard of Cadel and was able to meet him at the "Rundfahrt Ossterreich " in 2001 whilst he rode for SAECO and i was on the Kitzbuehler Horn when he took the win the next day . Cadel has always been hard to get alongside during the various tours that i would meet him at but was always gracious enough to autograph the various items that i would pass to " Disabled / Behinderten / Physically Challenged Sport " over the years . In London at the Grand Depart there he warned that he had little time for talking to " fans " and the team "distanced " the media during that event so that he could get the personal space that was needed for recovery each night .

 

NOT being involved in Cycling before the World Ski Championships in 1997 at Sestriere i had no idea of the Downhill scene let alone the Mountain Bike Stars . In fact i went to a Downhill event in 1998 and was delighted to see an Aussie out of Perth take 3rd place and whilst chatting to him after he passed me his goggles which are in my possession to this day . Who knows where they are in my luggage but i recall using them when ski touring on several occasions .

So often over the years i have been asked if i am a fan of particular Cycle Racers but always answer "I am a fan of Fair Play " , for me the important thing is not the nationality but the attitude to the sport .

 

Being in Mendrisio was a rare pleasure as i was a VIP guest of the locals and meeting and greeting the "Ancients " of the sport was a day to remember . Where i was entertained was close to the finish line so seeing the  action on TV , cycling around the area and then seeing Cadel physically cross the line was a memory i will treasure . During the day i greeted Sean Kelly , Carmine Castilana and many others as well as sampling the local wines and cuisine .

 

There will be people who will dispute my opinion BUT " Waltzing Matilda " would have been more appropriate for the Ceremony on the Champs Elysee on Sunday !  Cadel has always been for me the epitome of the "  LITTLE AUSSIE BLEEDER " and i think that all " DIGGERS " will agree with me  !

 

Having been at Grenoble for the ITT of the Dauphine Libere i was quite content to miss the Hoopla on Saturday and follow the action on the TV and enjoyed watching Cadel " Bunny hop " after the 3rd time check as he headed downhill !

IN 1998 i rode the Champs Elysee through the caravan with the French Flag from the Hotel Carillon and an Aussie Flag from Georges of the bar near Brussels Airport so having that experience it has been some years since i have visited the Champs Elysee on the Sunday as trawling around the back of the barriers farewelling people until next year tends to be " Hit or Miss " !

 

 

 

 

20 million Euros

During the ITT at Grenoble yesterday i came across Paul Raats who took photos of me on the finish line in Rome May 2009 , i received one photo but not the ones needed for the blog. During the chat he mentioned a Dutch Event taking place on Alp d'Huez on thursday . He said over 5000 people would be riding to raise funds for a Cancer Cause . Last year over 12 million Euros were raised and this year the target is 20 million !

Today instead of joining the Dauphine i headed south to Bourg Oisans and joined the people mostly wearing Lycra of a blue ,white and red combination . Some had their head sponsor on their kit , others had 2009 or 2010 kit but it was a river of colour . Started climbing at about 9.30 and the first ascent took about 1hr 10 mins but found that i was passing a lot of people on triple chain wheels even so . At the top i discovered that some were into their third ascent of the day , which would explain why i was even passing young guys . Several did pass me but noting the numbers i was able to repass all but two who looked far too professional .

On a later climb i found "hand bikers" and continued to the top but stopped for a chat , as they rested , when i was descending . Appears there were two teams with a couple of solo entries . Any of you used a hand bike ? Well some years ago i did and i am able to tell you that even with training the physical effort is in the realm of 6 to 8 times more difficult than pedalling ! You would not choose to drive a hand bike up once let alone multiple times but i saw three of them beavering away once again as i was on my final climb . Where they find the energy defies imagination but they were well supported by volunteers and well applauded by the bystanders on the route .

 

On descending for the final time i came across a Tour Group who were having a training camp and had come across to climb Alp d'Huez and ride nearby . One of their number rode through a tunnel on the road to Les2alp and the front wheel dropped into a groove made by the maintainance workers , rather like tram tracks with the same result . Spilled from the bike he took a knock and thus the ambulance trip to Grenoble for 24hrs observation as mandated by French Regulations . Earlier in the day i had thought of riding to Les2alps to lunch with my friends there but time got away .

Before cycling today i was on the internet and posted a new thread about "Tondo" and my suspicion that he was murdered to prevent his testimony . By visiting www.skippyblogging.blogspot.com/heartfeltapology  you will see my comments on this Guy's courageous efforts to help Road Race Cycling clean house . CNF has cancelled the thread as if it never existed ! Seems the mushroom farm does not wish the truth to be known ! Slandering ALL cyclists is the name of the game but seeking TRUTH is not a suitable subject !

Reading of the day's action at the dauphine made me realise how colourless a day it was although HTC has once again claimed the victory of the day . Heard the 1800 news where they announced Brad Mc Gee had retained the Yellow & Blue Leaders's jersey and i was even more amused yesterday when Daniel the announcer extraordinaire announced twice Mc Gee rather than Wiggo ! 

 

Got to laugh since Brad Mc Gee won the ITT in 2002 with Cookie second and me getting the bulk of the article which followed the headlines on the back page of the Dauphine newspaper the next morning . Mc Gee is here as DS for Saxo Bank and no doubt has been told of these fluffs !

FRANCE, Grenoble for ITT

Hope someone at Facebook Admin is reading this post.

When i travel i do not carry the laptop with me so rely on logging on in Internet Cafe situations BUT this does not suit "facebook" as they do not recognise the "IP address" and thus ban me ! Of course i can give them a Mobile phone no they will attempt to ring after i have left the country . EVEN in Austria i do not get the promised call back .

Always was suspicious of facebook so this is one less site i can worry about . This is coming into facebook  on posterous if you are wondering .

French keyboards have me going at half my normal pace and that was a french snail that just galloped past , the hostel has an apple so guess why i cqn`t get into twitter ? Took 5 mins and a number of deletions to find the "@" , first attempt looked like this ;  3@3 !

Walked into the tourist office today and heard the Lady in front of me getting "we only speak french in this office"! Perhaps she was seeking directions to another country to spend her money ?

Dauphine race passed me in St Laurent du Pont today , most of the racers earned their money today as i got drenched walking the 1/2 kilo from the car . No point giving the bike an outing since those on wheels looked like they would prefer to be somewhere else . Looks like Cav has a new kid on his block since HTC won the podium in front of Demoulin and the fast fading Thomas Voekler . Surprised there were so few spills with what i saw of the street furniture .

Since leaving Austria i have seen rain each day and it was especially disappointing to arrive on "hill108" to find the lower levels slick and the top wet and misty . Finished up having lunch with my mate Bruno in Cloz before a visit to Cles and Passo Tonale each with similar conditions.

Tonight am enjoying the Auberge Jeunesse in Grenoble because i lack the enthusiasm to get out in the evening rain . Hopeful that a change of weather will allow Grenoble to follow other Dauphine ITT's with dry roads ;

A bientot .