STAGE 7 | ALBERNOA - MONCHIQUE (134km / 2325m+)

The race briefing last night warned us that today is a tough day with 3 back-to-back climbs at the end. Suitably chastened, we resolve to take it easy for the early part of the stage and reserve energy for them. 

The early part of the stage is through rolling cereal fields and parched pasture. It all looks very relaxing and we get into a group to work together and try to save energy.

Then disaster.....Chris punctures and the group continues. He pumps the wheel and tries to get the tyre sealant to fix the hole and we continue for another few hundred meters. It goes flat again so he puts more sealant in and tries again. We get going for another few hundred meters but it's no use. He has to put a tube in so we stop again. Then it turns out his spare tube has a puncture! A stream of people pass us including those we regard as the 'slower' group. FFS! I give him my spare tube and we get going.  We have lost about 25 minutes.

A red mist descends on Chris and his inner cyborg takes over. He winds the pace up and up again. It is all I can do for the next hour to hang on to his wheel. We blast past people who get a bit of a shock to see the blue WEC train go past. We catch up and pass some of the people who passed us when we were mending the puncture.

I am beginning to flag at this point. The high pace has taken its toll and I am struggling on some of the steeper climbs. Chris is different to me and tries to help by offering advice. He does his best to encourage me by advising me how to pedal my bike. This of course goes down like a bucket of cold sick. I deal with problems like this by retreating into myself and gritting my teeth. We have words and Chris backs off and waits for me at the top of each hill. 

I am buggered....as they say in cycling terms, I have 'lit too many matches'. I need to back off and recover. Chris on the other hand is flying. He could easily take off and make time up but sticks with me. 

Eventually, we start to hit the final climbs and are they hot and steep. The route takes us through some bushes and my tiny Insta360 GO camera is ripped off the bike. I don't see it at the time but notice the loss later. There is no chance of finding it again so I chalk that one up to loss of the video and photos for the day. That's the thing that bothers me the most.

On the last climb, I tell Chris to go on and make up time but he doesn't. I know I can make it to the end but just not at the pace he can, so I encourage him to take off a few more times. Eventually he agrees to go at the end of the climb and flies off. 

My tank is empty and I limp to the finish. It is hot but thankfully nearly all downhill for the last 7k which is a relief. The finish line could not come quickly enough for me. Even small hills just before the finish are a challenge. Overall, I think we got back about 15-20 of the lost minutes but the burn to catch up those lost minutes because of the puncture blew my legs. Chris finished 8 minutes ahead of me and got that all in the final descent. Flying! 

Despite all that, we move up the leader board again to 21/22! Only one day to go and I convince Chris that tomorrow he must ride for a strong finish and himself. I resolve to hang on as long as I can and see what happens. After all, it is the last day and if ever the tank can be completely emptied, that is the day to do it. Pity there doesn't seem to be anything in mine anymore;-) 

And another result! Another competitor has picked up my camera and reunites me with it! Woop!

The official stage Video:

The animated route: