It’s all over and done with now, and as my fellow Majorca companions will agree, this blog serves them well, whether it’s an insight into my psyche, a quick read over a coffee or an alternative to a sleeping pill, it’s what’s needed right now to reflect on what can only be described as a bad week…
Even before the day of departure I was a bit wheezy, I’d had a hard week last week and as I said in my previous blog I was supposed to have an easier week ahead of me. It looks as though this week tipped me a bit over the edge as I was quite fatigued. A few extra puffs of the inhalers and a Lemsip and I’ll be right as rain – I thought.
Day 1: I was picked up just after midnight for a 4hr journey to Gatwick. The lack of sleep didn’t bother me that much, I’d sleep on the plane sure enough (and I did). A rough flight to be fair, quite a few lumps and bumps. which on a short-haul flight I had never experienced before. We came in on the other end of Majorca too so I knew something was going on. We landed, got the hire car, and drove to Pollenca for a quick ride up to the lighthouse – Formentor. The near 3hr ride was one of the most dangerous rides I have completed – 55mph winds over the two peaks to get to the Cap. A proper struggle just to stay upright as the wind was swirling around so you couldn’t even lean into it. Charlie fell off and the others were nearly going over the ledge too. The heart rate struggled to get up to 160bpm and my breathing was rough as hell. So much so I took a trip into Puerto Pollenca and used my private health insurance to get some antibiotics and some steroids. This week was going to be a struggle anyway, now on lungs that were running at 70% – this was going to be really difficult.
Day 2: With at least one night’s sleep under our belts we decided to ride three iconic climbs today. The big climbs were still covered with snow and were only at 2 degrees so we decided to put that off until Day 3 or 4. An addition today Andrew Taylor, a Norwich rider out in the resort – joined us. A very slim rider who had a solid season last year and was going quite strong already. As soon as the road ramped up to Soller I was out the back, this time the lungs were quitting at 150bpm and the legs soon after. I looked in so much trouble that a few of the lads thought I wasn’t even going to make the first climb of the week. I lowered my power and got up there in a pretty low gear nonetheless. The climb out of Bunyola to Orient for lunch was just the same as with the final climb up the Batalla before turning home on the Fermenia descent. The sun was out most of the time but temperatures were only around 10 degrees and under cloud cover it was very chilly indeed. After a full-on descent and a 9km through & off on the flats into Pollenca we completed 90 miles, said good-bye to Andy and went for dinner.
Day 3: The queen stage! Fermenia, Puig, Deia and Valdemossa, all in all about 7000ft of climbing. Knowing my limitations I dropped back within 100 meters of the first climb and paced myself up only holding 145bpm on the heart rate monitor. The boys waited for me at the top of each part but I could tell it was annoying for them. Weirdly enough my climb out of Soller through to Deia and Valdemossa was about 10 minutes faster than last year so I shouldn’t complain really. After lunch in Valdemossa it was downhill and pretty quick back to the apartment. I remember doing 15mph on my own in past years but this was approaching 18mph+ so happy to hold on to the boys’ coattails. Charlie had a gammy knee, he did before we came out here so he was struggling in the last hour. I dropped back and guided him home, leaving the boys to have a bunfight “coming in hot” into Alcudia!
Day 4: One word – grim. A straight out route to Palma to have coffee at the new Rapha café and straight back. The weather was harsh on the way out and we thought our luck was in when there was blue sky for a short period of time in Palma as he set off for the return leg. Unfortunately this was not the case and the rain was heavy for most of the ride back too. Charlie didn’t ride as his knee was killing him. I was coughing up all sorts. Titch was complaining about knee pain and Harley was in trouble with his lower back. To add insult to injury(ies) Harley snapped his chain just outside the café stop.
Day 5: This day I opted out. A massive headache, being sick in the toilets and wheezing like I was smoking 60 a day was good enough reason to not ride. Adding to this was the torrential rain all day and blustery winds. I decided to opt-out and watch Gent-Wevelgem on Eurosport in the afternoon, perfect opportunity for some downtime. The boys headed out for a quick 2 hour loop just so the day wouldn’t go to waste……..
……..and then I got the call. “Gentry’s come off, he broken his collarbone, come & get him”. Within a flash I was on my way, only a few miles out of Pollenca on the way to Alcudia on the coastal road. I thought I was pretty quick but these things feel like it’s a lifetime when you’re sprawled on the tarmac in the wet & cold. The local police arrived, an ambulance, and then within a flash Liam was taken to a local private hospital for an x-ray and treatment. No-one really knows what happened, it’s cycling, if you ride with others, sooner or later something’s going to happen – today was the day. Harley avoided the crash but three went down, but only Gentry got a break. As I write this he’s still in hospital in Alcudia, post-op, waiting for the doctors to discharge him so he can come home – all to the tune of £12k. A lesson to us all – GET INSURED!
Day 6: A shorter one, up Batalla and then down Sa Colobra, back up & home. Well – three did this. I realised my lungs were now down to 140bpm before hacking my guts up so I turned at the petrol station at the top of Batalla and headed home early, covering just 43 miles. The boys did what they set out to do. Another iconic climb for Charlie, I’ve ridden it 5 times already so didn’t feel the need to cover that piece of tarmac again – not this time anyway! They covered just under 70-miles before getting back. A quick shower, change and getting the bikes picked up by the hire company before visiting Gentry on our way back to the UK. It’s pretty weird leaving your mate in another country. We knew he was in good (better) hands but se still wanted him home with us. He’s put a brave face on but I’m sure it’s difficult being stuck in a foreign country – I’m sure he’s had a moment or two – I know I would!
So here I am, sitting here at home, wheezing like a 80 year old asthmatic, thinking about why on earth I’ve had 6 runs of steroids and antibiotics in 4 months and I’m still poorly. Another doctors visit today, more bloods, a chest x-ray at hospital, more inhalers and still more tests to do. But yet, It pales into insignificance with my mate bed-ridden in Spain with a fairly long recovery ahead.
If you’re reading this……Perhaps this blog can send you to sleep mate! lol