Day 4: The real pyrenees

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Words by Stuart Downie

Photos by Liz Seabrook and Tomás Montes

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You won’t need me to tell you, I’m sure, that driving the twisting cols of the Pyrenees is not conducive to typing. That is, not if you want to keep your formule du jour where you put it earlier in the day. The Pyrenees are a feast of another kind. This spread satisfies all senses in a manner that would inspire an effusive Trip Advisor review, which is probably quite possible if not somewhat silly. Imagine: Col d’Agnes, 4 stars. Would give it 5 out of 5 if it was less hilly and steep.

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Someone giving the cols a five-star review, if only verbally: Fiona Kolbinger (004). If you were not a card-carrying fan before I implore you now: reconsider. There is something deeply inspiring about Fiona which will require deeper thought, probably best done outside of a non-descript grey rental car tasked with following riders around Southern France and Northern Spain. Perhaps it is the quiet confidence, the determination, the clear view of things. An unapologetic commitment to living the way you want to live. 

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When we see Fiona on the Aubisque she exclaims how lucky we are to live in this world. It might seem self-serving, but we would extend that sentiment somewhat: we are lucky to be living in a world that Fiona is racing in. Happy to be in the top ten and having found her climbing legs intact, we’ll be looking forward to seeing how Kolbinger comes along.

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Not far up the road, Robin Gemperle (001) and Anatole Naimi (044) are still riding just out of sight of one another. Robin is thinking about sleeping. Anatole’s easy-going demeanour seems soporific. Is this an immovable force meeting an unstoppable object? We’ll find out tomorrow, perhaps, if the fatigue these riders have accumulated stops them in their tracks.

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Speaking of fatigue, Robin would like to be able to sleep longer. That would infer the pressure from Anatole has been redirected to his pedals, and he’s slept only 90 minutes at a time on picnic tables and in bus stops. When we see him last, he’s just descended Col de la Core with more – many more – cols to go before the Raid Parcours is complete. We should see the endgame coming together tomorrow.

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On the topic of endgames, Lost Dot Bursary Riders Maksym Matvieiev (030) and Judit Ertl (048) have missed the time cut at CP3 but have chosen to forge on regardless. When Control Car 1 catches Maksym he is in good spirits, and the sellotape fixing his Tailfin to his hire bike is still holding strong – the axle required is with his own bike, which has finally arrived in Girona. Now for Maksym to do the same, when he’s good and ready – not before carrying on to CP4 in hopes of meeting his mentor in person, TPR veteran Julien Gravaud, who is volunteering there.

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Laruns, a small town on the Raid Parcours reached before or after the Col de Marie-Blanque, depending on your destination, ends up as a crossroad of sorts. A common resupply point situated where two mountain streams meet, it’s seen riders heading in both directions with differing intentions. At this stage the top 10 riders have passed through with their eyes to the finish in Girona. For other riders still heading to the now-closed CP3, it still serves the same purpose – that is, to give them the energy to continue on their adventure, albeit with up to 500km difference in the legs.

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Sixth on the road – but don’t tell him – Christian Dupraz (037) makes steady progress on a vintage steel bike, wearing an aero helmet. Some things refuse to be reconciled, like the fact that Christian hasn’t been looking at the tracker while riding competitively. Similarly, the other Swiss architect Marco Stalder (039) has unknowingly drafted a beautiful Race, sleeping in bus stops like an audax purist. We hope that he’s granted the appropriate permissions and we see him break ground in Girona soon. 

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Whether Mr Dupraz knows it or not, he’s riding less than a mile from his nearest rival, Jocelyn Roth (055). Jocelyn is riding in fifth and credits his approach in part to tips from TPR veteran Manuel Rudaz (031), who is currently sitting up the road in third position. Jocelyn has been meticulously tracking his heart rate, remaining conservative in the first half and ready now to turn on the afterburners. Let’s see what that means for the leaderboard, and his friend up the road.

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We catch Manuel smiling his way up Horquette d’Ancizan, a slight deviation from the classic Raid route that allows riders to avoid a second summit of Aspin, having ridden it earlier in the Race in its role as CP2. As we’ve ascertained, it is not Manuel’s first time at this Race, and he tells us he’s glad to be riding sections in daylight for a change. It certainly helps to see where you’re going, and the views will help take the mind off the legs if only for a little while.

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Meanwhile, Parcours 4 at Jaizkibel is bathing in the sunset. Caroline Buckland (034) is enjoying being back in civilisation after a slightly rough route out, having had to wait 16 hours (you read that right) for a new tyre. Caroline is making up for it though, reaching CP3 and now 4 just in the nick of time. Paul Williams (084) has been treated to his very own photoshoot courtesy of race photographer Liz Seabrook (a special treat) – Paul is riding comfortably with his own meticulous plans built on experience gained in previous editions. Now he’s on track to complete one of his cycling ambitions. Bonne chance!

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Today it is Control Point 4’s turn to close, at 23:59 CEST. The clock is ticking, sweeping up like the broad brushes on the back of the broom wagon. But as we said, missing the cut does not mean a rider is out of the Race – just out of contention for a General Classification Finish. Finishing is still possible. Four days down and riders front to back will find reasons to carry on.

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SCRATCH REPORT

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Sam Wilson (085) scratches after reaching CP3 with a cracked rim, happening – unbelievably, unluckily – after he’d finished the hike-a-bike from Puerto de Bujaruelo having reached the rideable gravel descent to the Control Point. Sam is joined by:

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Rado Hestera (005)

Thomas Lier (051)

Moritz Würtenberg (054)

Sergey Shulubin (049)

Roy Bøhmer (014)

Tim Budd (066)

Lucas Cortini Oliveira (010)

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POST SCRIPT

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After dinner in Tarascon – sampling the Ariegeois fromage – we see Robin Gemperle’s dot stop by a roundabout just up the road. What else is there? A McDonald’s, of course, and it’s ten minutes to closing time. This is the first time we’ve managed to find Robin at rest. His bike is propped up outside, lights flashing. He appears moments later with a milkshake and a takeaway bag stuffed with Big Macs and Cheeseburgers and says he has enough food to ride all night. And off he goes…

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