The tour de farce 2010 boys will be back on their bikes ... coming soon!

In August 2012 the boys will be back in their saddles as they cycle from Rome to Home to raise more money for charity. Please follow the blog to keep up to date with their preparations, and to follow their exploits during the ride.


Thursday 16 August 2012

Day 7 - the day that shall forever be referred to as 'the day that shall not be named'

Well, they've made it.  They've climbed three times the height of Snowdon in one day (in bold because it's AMAZING and must be worth a few extra hits on the Just Giving Site for that alone).  They've cycled through rain, cows, tummy-upsets;  they've broken wheels through physical exertion (ok, Paul's broken another back wheel...) and just when they thought they'd got to the top they had to climb again.  They are all exhausted.

Jamie 'The Machine' Nanji -
tearing up the mountain
Here's what I've managed to get out of them before they all collapsed with exhaustion and fell asleep:


Stu:  It’s a good job we type with our fingers and do not need legs to do so, because today just about ruined mine!! It was a massive day in the tour consisting of 4 huge climbs, two of which summited at 2300m, and the distance in total was just shy of 80 miles!!

Step not looking so good after a night
with the Trento Trotts
The scenery was just amazing, but I did fear for my life at the start of the second climb, when the rest of the team noticed the route I had planned didn’t stay on the flat road in front but instead traversed up and over the mountain to the left!!

Too much to type about this day, but let’s just say a tear of emotion left my eye when I reached the highest summit – totally knackered, but it was worth it!!
One of the final switch-backs of the climb

PS. At least no weird wolf like dogs tried to bite me today – but a cow was getting rather friendly!!

George has mustered the energy to say:  

George doing his 'cycle surgery' bit to help Paul
out of a sticky situation
Well it is the end of day 7 and I have only just worked out how to Fbook.  More importantly we are back from the cycle from hell. 3 peaks in the Alps covering 3350m of climbing. Yes 3 times the height of Snowdon!  Truly shattering but the elation of completing each climb was immense.  Great team work by all.


Just before the final climb (visible in the background)

Paul's entry in today's blog says it all:  

Very tired Stu
Well done Emily and Grace for getting daddy over the Alps today, I said if my legs got really tired I would think of you and your magic definitely worked!!!

Just when you think Stuart ‘the plan’ Broome can- not stoop any lower he proved me wrong again! Not content with one massive 2.5K metre climb as part today’s route he some-how managed to squeeze two more additional monster climbs that nearly finished me off. I wanted stated on public record that if I don’t manage to make it through to next weeks that Broomy he is charged with first degree murder and not the lesser offence of manslaughter! 



Paul meeting a cow


Because of the excessive climbing today, one of wheels gave way but luckily Kyle was close by in the support van with Steve and George. They managed to change the wheel and because I got oil on my face they broke into a full rendition of ‘Prince Charming’ by Adam Ant, absolutely priceless!!! Definitely the champagne moment from the ‘Rome to Home’ so far!!



Adam Ant?  No?  Sorry, Paul Nanji
 (the likeness is uncanny...)

Step's suffered from the 3ts - Terrible Trento Trotts today but that didn't stop him from completing the cycle and winning the trophy for the fastest downhiller (45 mph!).  One wonders if the necessity to use the toilet regularly was a contributory factor in this speed....

Jamie is officially king of the mountains, and along with Adrian is eating Kyle out of house and home (well, munching their way through the contents of the back of the van).  Jamie says:  Day 6 and 7: Trento to Tirano to Chur (97 + 79 miles) – The Rome to Home 2012 lads have conquered the Alps! Two ridiculous days of climbing, ascending nearly 5,700 meters. There’s been dizziness, headaches, tears, vomiting and exploding wheels but we still made it. This morning, we started with a 22 mile climb up to the summit of Passo del Bernina (2300 meters) which was leg and lung destroying. With every climb we are rewarded crazy descents. Stu, Steve and I enjoy racing down, catching each other’s slip streams and being slingshot to even faster speeds. Steve has the current Tour max speed record of 48mph! Flying round corners at 40mph hoping the grip will hold is truly exhilarating (and slightly mad).




Here's to a day tomorrow that requires slightly less exertion :-)

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