Day 2 of the ride from Mirepoix to St Girons was a relatively flat 86km save the 4km climb out of Foix to the Col de Bouich at 599m. Cloudier with some rain but effectively a bit of a recovery day for the lads. Big dinner in St Girons, earlyish night before the bigger climbs to come.

Day 3 was brighter though thankfully a litte overcast and quite cool for the 6km climb up the Col de Portet d’Aspet, the first time we’d got up to higher than 1,000m. Good effort all round. Very fast and quite dangerous descent navigated safely before another climb post-lunch up the Col des Ares (797m) and a brilliant fast descent. The last 12km or so of the day’s 82km total was a quick blast along a relatively flat road in fantastically sunny weather to Luchon, where the team holed up in a bar next to a bike shop that was raided for new kit. Chris and Helen from Pyractif popped by to say hello…they’re coming back tomorrow to lead us over the Peyresourde and Aspin (hopefully).

Two of our fittest lads and strongest climbers, Toby and John, decided that they hadn’t done enough and have gone up to the Superbagneres ski resort..an 18km climb to 1,800m. The rest of us were happy wih showers.

More photos can be found here.