Today started like many other days. Woke up, packed up, had breakfast and got ready to ride. When I was all set I clocked out and got on my bike. I noticed that the screw that holds the cranks together was loose so I gave it a quick tighten and headed off with Peter. Lynn passed us withing the first 100 meters and we hung on her wheels until Adam who was going for the stage win passed us and we all got on his wheel. We had 31 kms of dirty gravel before we hit pavement for the rest of the day. After about 15 kms of riding hard and passing loads of people Peter went with Adam and I was alone. I thought I should keep going hard and see how the day played out. Jethro soon passed me and I caught on to the back of him and caught up with Lynn. When we got to the pavement I kept pushing it hard to see what would happen. What I noticed was a lot of people sitting in a small town and then not very many people in front of me. I decided that if I wanted to be in the top 10 on this trip, today was the day. I peddled as hard as I could and toght that if I could keep up 30 kph all day I would have a shot. Lynn pulled up behind me and we rode hard next together for a while until she pulled in front. At about 50 kms I saw Rod and Juliana on the side of the road. I stopped because I needed a break and they quickly were ready to get going again. I started with them and asked Rod if at our current pace I would make the top 10. He said no and went faster up to 36. He said I had to keep that pace in oreder to get where I wanted and by the way skip lunch. I held the pace as well as I could but it got a little hilly before lunch and I just tried to go as hard as I could. At 60 kms Lynn was on the side of the road fixing a flat and after making sure she was good I cranked it to lunch.
At lunch I saw that the only people in front of me were Tim and Adam. I filled a water bottle, told Peter who was sitting there after riding Marcel’s wheel that I was leaving in 2 minutes. I grabbed 2 pieces of French toast and got on the bike, in about 15 seconds. I headed off and ate the French toast in the aero bars as I worked my way to camp. I continued to peddle as hard as I could knowing that I had a chance to make it a fast day, but also knowing that their were a lot of faster people behind me.
On the way to camp Jethro passed me and we talked strategy for me to be in the top 10. He thought it should be quite easy and that when Paul and Sunil passed me I had to stay with them seeing they left before me. I rode hard and in front of me I saw some of the people who rode from Lunch only. I passed them and soon after spotted a red shirt behind me closing. I rode hard and pushed up some big steep hills and finally saw the bridge that was 2 kms from camp. At that point the red shirt (Paul) caught me. He asked why I was peddling so hard and I told him that I couldn’t get into my big chain ring all the time since the lunch spot. I thought he would pass me, but he said he had worked so hard to catch me he was tired too. We rode to the bridge together as I was pushing hard while he was costing, then we had 2 kms on dirt to camp. He said he was taking it easy on the dirt and I told him I was going to press on so with him just behind me I made it to camp 3rd.
I scanned out and then headed to the bar for 2 toasted cheese and 2 cokes. I wanted to puke, and die and fall over all at once but I knew that with the minutes ticking by and people trickling in I might have done well today. At dinner Kelsey who knew I had really pushed it out today came up to me and told me I was 4th.
I was amazed, so happy and so proud of myself and how far I had come since the beginning of the trip. I don’t know if I were to start the trip again how I would do, but I know I would have a chance to do better that I am. I was just so happy to hear that with the massive effort I put in today I got the reward of doing well. I also learned that the people that put in a full effort like that every day are truly unbelievable athletes and deserve to be talked about in conversations with the top endurance athletes in the world.
So yea, good day on the bike, spent the afternoon recovering and catching my breath and now I am heading to bed.
Later guys
Ricky
