Hugh Trenchard

Stage 2 was another 80mile (130km) point-to-point stage, featuring a 10km climb leading up to the finish, preceded by another 6km of gradual climbing, setting the launching pad for the climbers onto the steeper ascent to follow.

I found this stage very tough – more taxing than yesterday’s stage. It seemed we could never escape an incessant crosswind, no matter which way we were facing. When the pace was high, which was nearly the entire race, the paceline snaked to the far extremes of the road, depending on the wind direction – a line of death, since to leave a gap in such circumstances can mean an unbridgeable gap. It was a constant battle for the draft side of the peloton, and numerous times I found myself on the wrong side, as happens frequently for everyone. When that happens the best tactic is not to drift further back, but to make the extra effort to accelerate forward seeking the little places where there may be shelter, or pull some guys up behind you who will, in turn, pass as you slow up and provide you the shelter you need.

There were also periods when everyone was on the rivet at maximum, with some unforgiving strongman relentlessly driving the train at the front, and all you can do is hope for relief, relying on the knowledge that eventually it will slow down – you just have keep telling yourself to keep on digging – just a little bit more and it’ll slow up, just a little bit more, just a little bit more…

At the end of the day, I am not sure where I finished, but am guessing it may have been roughly in 80th, and perhaps 7 minutes back of the winner. When we hit the climb, I knew my legs were sufficiently sapped to make an all out effort, and when two large groups pulled ahead, I didn’t have much to respond with. Nonetheless, I did ride with a small group of about 10 riders, catching other groups that were falling off on the way up. I found a decent rhythm and eventually pulled away from that group and caught another small group who were soft pedalling to the end, passed them and caught one more before the finish.

As for the leaders, I believe a small breakaway slipped away before the climb – a group that was without Levi Leipheimer and Santiago Botero, apparently. Those two, however, launched themselves off the peloton on the climb and arrived just back of the breakaway group, I understand (but will need to confirm).

Will Routley had a great ride, finishing in about 20th, he estimated, while Trevor figured he was around 70th. I don’t know where Dominque Rollin finished.

Trevor and I managed to find a ride back to the start with Will Routley’s dad, who is doing the Masters race that starts tomorrow with the TT. I learned from Will that Cam Evans had every intention of racing, but the airline lost his backage and wasn’t able to start.

Final results update to follow.

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