Strava: http://app.strava.com/rides/21406882
Despite the rest and short ride the day before, Stage 6 was mentally tough from the get go. Some riders had skipped some climbs previously, now some were going home, which sounded good.
With heavy legs and a heavy heart, I headed out towards the San Pellegrino, foregoing that superb breakfast and heading back into full suffer mode ...
The San Pellegrino was fine if a bit tough for a "soft climb" as Phil had called it, and then it was up the Valles, or "true Dolomite grit" in Phil's words. This might have been the one time he oversold a climb, since I plugged away at about 200w and had no major issues. One more "easy" climb up the Passo Rolle to breakfast ....
The next big climb to the Passo Lavaze was a two stage affair, with the relatively steady 6-7km until the split with the alpe di pampeago (glad we were not going there), and then it ramped up with some nice 14-16% sections to the pass. Of course, we could not stop there but had one more small "col" to go on an out and back before we could refuel at the feed stop. Phil unfortunately took a tumble on the way down due to some gravel and had to write off his Parlee ... he dusted himself off and would be on a spare bike in future ....
After a few bumps (e.g., 3km at 8.5%) and a long ride along the ridge near Bolzano, we headed for lunch, where it was heating up.
I got to the base of the main climb, the Passo Manghen, thinking I needed a snack but not wanting to wander into town to look for it. I hoped I would find something on the climb, which would average 10% over the final 8km and was 16.4km at an average of 7.5%. Unfortunately the bar 2km in was closed, so I grabbed some water and a salt tablet about 6km in ...
After that it gets foggy ... bonk, leapfrog with Jake (thanks for the Endurolyte), watching Sergio shake his head as I just keeled over in the dirt, getting up just to have crazy cows block my way (and Phil laughing as they did from the van, taking pictures of the cows (and me) -- photo below courtesy of Phil)
I made it to about 500m from the top and then saw a cafe! I inhaled some food, not knowing we had a feed stop at the top ... No matter, I had enough gas to roll into Levico Terme (but not enough time to meet Dario Pegoretti).
There I said goodbye to another rider who was heading home, and I considered doing likewise. I had never been this long without my bride and boys, and I really missed them. I then had dinner in the senior center that was disguised as a hotel, and got ready for another day. Two riders said they would leave early ... I planned to sleep in an extra half hour ....
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