Stage 4. Stranda – Sykkylven – Stranda
60km – 1,166m
Today was the easy day, well it was meant to be in the road book. A shorter 60km stage with 1100m of climbing. Up out of Stranda to the Stranda ski station, down the otherside to Sykkylven, turn around, then head back up the ski station. All sounds pretty easy, but the devil is always in the details and the execution.
Normally I am able to just hang with the front group, and get across the top in about 15th place. The whistle went to start us, and the group went, I went, then it did not happen today. After the first 2.5km up out of town, I was dropped off the back of the group, and they disappeared into the distance. This was a little earlier than planned today, and I settled into a steady pace that my legs would let me do. A little slower than normal, but not that much slower. The climb up the ski hill was another 9-10% steady climb. I do not know what it is, but the Norwegians like their steep climbs. Up from sea level to the base of the gondola at 450m, and the tree line, then up a little more to the top, and in the baking sun now. By this time the second group had managed to catch me, and we worked well down the otherside to the turn around point and back to the base of the mountain.
When I was not looking at the wheel just in front of me the scenery again was spectacular. Deep valleys, with glaciers high above the tree line in the distance. The valley floor is lush and green, and a clear indication that the last few days of baking weather we have had is unusual. This is everything I imagined Norway to be, and some with the hills been bigger and steeper than planned.
The ride back up to the ski station was a bit of a grovel. I will not go into it much except to say I was happy once it was over. The legs were not happy with me, and I paid for my efforts yesterday. Since it was a perfectly sunny day, I waited for Leah to arrive before heading back down to the hotel in Stranda.
Leah has been having a lot of trouble with her feet, so that has slowed her down some. Today she stopped in the feed station and took off her shoes to wiggle her toes, then she stopped again half way up the last climb to try changing her foot beds. Her feet have been cramping badly, so she is not happy about that, otherwise she is enjoying herself. Her first stage race, so a lot of learnings.
The rest of the day was spent resting, doing laundry, eating, resting, watching the Tour de France, resting some more, and eating again. A good afternoon spent recovering, and hopefully tomorrow goes better.
Tomorrow we have 2 ferries, then we cross the Eagle Panoramic road before dropping down to Gelranger for the offical start. The start tomorrow will be another tough one as it goes straight up for 1500m over 17km. The race itself is only 65km, 17km straight up then we drop down 500m vert and ride a kinda flat route for the next 50km to the end of the timed section. Then we feed, and head down to the Stryn where we will spend 2 nights.