Shit is about to get real…
Since I preferred riding my bike to planning the route, it took me till 22 hours from the start till I got the planning finished… I was staying at a pretty nice Airbnb place close to the start and when I wasn’t planning the route or repacking my stuff for the umpteenth time, then I was playing with the dogs and enjoying the location.
Today has been busy with last minute stuff (printing the cue sheet, getting some lose screws tightened (on the bike), checking out the first km of the ride) and the registration process itself.
Once I had gotten my cap (I’ll ride 4.000km to Istanbul and all I get is a cap?) I was able to calm down my nerves, since it meant I was ready to start.
Now it’s the calm before the storm. The whole town is bustling with long distance riders and I am sitting in a sports hall with men in lycra sleeping on the floor and waiting for the start at midnight.
The start should get pretty epic, there’ll be a procession through the town, I heard something of torches. The procession will lead to a pretty steep climb with lots of cobbles, where the race will officially start and everybody will be on his own.
Next stop: Mt Ventoux in southern France, ideally in 3 days