Today was the first stage of this year’s Tour de France—and my fourth time riding a Stage 1. If I had to compare, I’d say this one topped them all. The weather was near perfect: soft cloud cover shielded us from the harsh sun, saving precious energy for the road ahead. The route was mostly flat, and even the climbs felt gentle compared to the usual Tour terrain.
I set out with a clear goal: keep my heart rate in Zone 2, under
133 bpm. But my body had other plans. No matter how much I backed off, my heart
rate stayed stubbornly high. It wasn’t until the final 40 km that things
finally settled, and I could ride at a comfortable pace. Maybe it was the
excitement, or maybe just a rough night’s sleep—but it was a reminder that even
the best-laid plans can get tested out here.
The Good:
Gorgeous weather
Manageable terrain
A strong, steady start to the Tour
The Bad:
Jessica Campbell and I missed a turn and ended up off course. It
wasn’t a disaster—we found our way back—but not before descending a steep 3 km
stretch of cobblestone. We and our bikes rattled all the way down, trying not
to slip. My Garmin thought I’d crashed and automatically texted Drew (my
husband). He called me in a panic, thinking something terrible had happened. I
really need to disable that feature while I’m here in France!
The Ugly:
Sadly, two riders were involved in serious accidents today. One
woman hit a curb and landed hard on her face. She was taken away by ambulance,
checked out, and thankfully released. Her face looks rough, but she’s
determined to continue. We’ll see how she feels tomorrow. The second rider, a
man, suffered a broken hip and will remain in the hospital. Moments like these show just how unpredictable this journey can be.
Tomorrow is the longest—and hilliest—day of the Tour. It’s going
to be a grind, but I’m ready to take it on.
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