Unofficially the hardest bike race in the world

Author: David Millar

29 May

We’ve been quiet regarding blog entries because this race allows us no time for such activities. I’m so tired now. I was not mentally prepared for this, the hardest bike race in the world. Unofficially. I’ll take a vote in Milan and make it official if that is the consensus amongst my experienced peers.

Christian showed signs of weakness for the first time in my many years of knowing him. He said, ‘I’m dying’ as I finally moved up to him at the front to avoid the whiplash of the Varese world’s circuit today. Wiggins is showing quite awe-inspiring amounts of CBF. I love him.

When we’ve finished this race, we will have done 40,000 m climbing, only half of which is classified! That’s like riding into orbit. Or an 800 km climb at 5%. Or 40 days straight of climbing a 10 km climb with a one in ten gradient. Or riding up to Christian’s house 400 times. That’s how we spent our bus ride home today… The self pity was over bearing.

The Giro is hard. It is relentless. It will no doubt prove to be the best way to prepare for the Tour de France. But it is NOT the best training camp in the world as Whitey sold it to me. Bastard.

I’d write more. But I can’t…

Filed under: Features, Home Page

9 Responses for "Unofficially the hardest bike race in the world"

Morgane May 29th, 2008 at 2:10 pm 1
Uh, Mr. Millar, you’re amazing!
Chris May 29th, 2008 at 2:12 pm 2
i’ve no doubt that this has been an epic race for all the riders. keep it up!
Lorie May 29th, 2008 at 3:08 pm 3
Do you think Contador was secretly training for this race then???? or is he just Superman? Can’t wait to see the team kick a$$ at the TDF! Good luck!
Adam May 29th, 2008 at 4:25 pm 4
Amazing, what a great look inside the ropes at one of the world’s hardest bike races. This is most certainly the closest this fat boy will ever get to a pro race. Thanks to all at Slipstream for sharing with us.
Arden May 29th, 2008 at 5:15 pm 5
Dave said Wiggins is showing an awesome level of CBF - what does this mean?
Alastair May 29th, 2008 at 5:34 pm 6
There have been times when I have been envious of professional sportsmen: Beckham scoring against Greece, Tony Stanger scoring against England, but reading this is not one of those occasions - you poor bastards! Good luck for the rest of it TDF etc…what is CBF by the way?
Jim May 29th, 2008 at 5:46 pm 7
Pin a piccie of Andy Hampsten to your crossbar, then when things get difficult, imagine how nice it will be in thirty years time for your grandkids to say to you “You were a tough bastard, grandad.”
Lozy May 29th, 2008 at 7:56 pm 8
You all are doing great!! Thanks for writing Dave! We all know how dead to the world our Argyle Armada must be. So it means a lot to us when you write to us! Keep up the great work!! Just a few more days to go!!
David May 31st, 2008 at 7:04 am 9
Laughing with joy that I am not, yet wish I was, you. You all are at a level, and in a moment, that I can only dream about.