Mission Tour de France in full flight
It’s raining outside. We were supposed to set off at nine this morning in order to beat the rain. But unfortunately it has beaten us.
We’re currently in La Molina, a little ski resort in the Pyrénées about 120 km from Girona. We rode up here on Saturday after spending a couple of days at home. Before that we had been in St. Moritz where we had travelled to directly after the Giro. When I say we, I mean the hardcore four: Christian, Dan, Ryder and myself. This has been part of JV’s grand plan for us since the beginning of the year. Complete the Giro, aka ‘Hardest Race In The World,’ and spend as much time between the Giro and Tour at altitude.
Phase one of this was St.Moritz. Willy our chef works in a restaurant on the slopes up there during the winter and so is well connected. He had a lovely hotel opened a few days early for us on the top of a mountain. So along with our better halves we passed ten days of post Giro recuperation. It was wonderful. The weather wasn’t exactly on our side, but we weren’t doing that much so it wasn’t a big deal. It’s an odd place St.Moritz. Certainly beautiful, but definitely bizarre. You’ve gotta love the fact it was the birth place of the “Skeleton,” a 60 second head-first plunge down an ice slide on a sledge. Dress code: tweed jacket, plus fours. Created by the British obviously…
So now we’re in La Molina. Currently the Three Musketeers (above) and Dr. Lim are in our apartment discussing the merits of the US Track Team’s selection process. A strange and somewhat random event that has taken place these last two days in LA. The original reason for this gathering together was to decide our plan for the day as it’s still raining outside. As we’re on the top of a mountain and we’re planning on dropping down and riding back up four times, we could do with slightly better weather. We have accepted a rain delay and are going to leave at 2 pm, unless it’s still raining. Then we’re calling a rest day and replacing tomorrow’s rest day with today’s training. That decision is a few hours away though. Now Christian is telling stories of the Vandedrome in Chicago…
So yeah, this is Team Slipstream hard at work in the mountains. Much sitting around so luckily we get along well. We’ve been living in each others pockets now since the first week of May. Mission Tour de France is in full flight…
Now that I’m back in the spirit of writing, I will keep everybody a little more updated as to what we’re up to. Sorry for the absence. Now that the mental and physical damage from the Giro is repaired, I will be more communicative.
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on Tuesday, June 17th, 2008 at 5:53 am and is filed under Garmin Web Site, Home Page, Rider Diaries and tagged with Christian Vande Velde, Danny Pate, David Millar, Ryder Hesjedal, Tour de France.
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Great! It always fun to read what you write.
Nice. Keep up the hard work. I look forward to seeing the boys at the TDF. By the way where’s Tom Danielson?
I am here. They are in the same place where I actually live. I am staying at my house and have been able to show them some of my favorite climbs. Its fun to share these roads with my teammates!
so if it’s raining during a race you don’t ride???
What does ryder think of his chances to be selected for bothe the road race and the TT in Beijing.
Hi Dave. I enjoy reading your diary type entries. The ones on bicycling.com during giro were excellent at recreating the atmosphere of the race and showing what it is like through the riders eyes. I have a question though. Absent injury what is the longest time a rider will spend off his bike during the racing season? (for example i imagine in the days before the tour de france it must be difficult to find the time to go cycling)
Good luck at the National Dave. Look out for the Fonz, he’s flying.
Where is the Vandedrome these days anyway? Is it still available?
The hardcore 4! Love it.
Great posts David. Wish you well in the tour.
Dave you should have ridden up Chinley a couple of times instead it’s sunny here
Good luck with the training
Guys, great to hear the inside stuff about the training. It is always interesting to here how you guys end up bonding together even under strange circumstances. Looking forward to seeing and routing you on during the second week of the tour! May all your wind be tailwinds. Go Garmin/Chipotle!
Wish it was as easy for the fans getting ready for the tour… you guys get to sit around chalets looking at the scenery, we got to try and organise days off work around the mountains, make flags and banners, check weve got our hotel in paris booked, bought our paris visite train tickets, camera batteries, and goodness knows what else… Work completely all over the place shifts for three weeks to try and fit in as much of the live coverage as possible, and at the end of all that weve still got to try and find a decent viewing spot on the champs elysees…
Maybe i should have stuck with the cycling..
Joking aside, its good to see you in such great spirits… really looking forward to the tour, now that we too have recovered from the chain debacle (you may have thrown a bike, but i accidentally chucked a pint in fury which nearly hit the cat)…. but good luck with the tour.. a few years back i had the pleasure of you (and i think it was ja ja) giving it a right old go on the final stage only to be caught….
same again this year please…? we need something to cheer, as looks like only you and cavendish there for us brits there and he aint going to win much 
its all down to you 
Best of luck in the Tour, David. I’m a huge fan, and I’ll be pulling for you. All the best.
See you on the tour at Saint Malô the 7 th ansd good preparation. Good luck for the first date…
Marina