BLVF visits Romandie again! And then there were 2.

Just like last year, the FastandfemaleSUI team at Swiss Cycling asked if any of their affiliated groups were willing to host a ride to Stage 3 of Tour de Romandie Femenin this time in Morges. As we had had such good fun last year - see the blog post - I volunteered again. The timing was unfortunate because there were lots of other events like the Alpenbrevet, Klausenpass with no cars, and people wanting to ride their first 100km for the Rapha Womens 100 badge on Strava on the same weekend. All this to say that a week before the big day, we had 4 other ready to join me. Not a huge group, but a group! As the week went on and I had progressed the planning, the small but perfectly formed group, became smaller and smaller. On Sunday morning, when the rain was lashing between Lausanne and Yverdon, we were 2.

We started at 5.59 in Gelterkinden changed at Olten and arrived in Yverdon-les-Bains at 7:50, raring to go. Rain jackets on! route loaded on the Wahoo and off we set. 100m down the road there was police motorbike stopping traffic and the road was taped off. There was apparently a cycling event here too :). We were directed to the "Hauptstrasse"! but then I remembered that I had been here before and we turned round to go a more bike friendly way out of the town. We were soon riding along farm tracks trying to spot the occasional bit of blue sky.

We continued on towards Morges admiring the sunflowers, all with their heads down ready to be harvested. The weather at this point was cool and just a bit drizzly but no wind and it was fun to be able to swoosh along the quiet roads early on a Sunday morning. The heavy showers that had been over the Lausanne area never reached us.

It took us about 2 hours to reach the host town for the 3rd and final stage. I was sporting my Tour de Romandie socks - where else can I wear them? I ordered them last year and they arrived 2 weeks after the race... so this was their first airing.

We arrived, found the toilets, took some photos of some water then set off to find the race start. When we arrived at the arena they were in the middle of introducing the teams on the stage. We cheered them all, with a special cheer for the Swiss National team and Noemi Rüegg, her mother was standing next to us :).

We took lots of team presentation pictures.

https://tourderomandiefeminin.ch/parcours/

After the presentation it wasnt long before they all moved to the start line. We spectators all moved behind the presentation stage and there were marshals with very loud whistles trying to herd the riders to the start. I stood on a small kerb to get a better view and had a perfect vantage point as the passed by, ready for the off.

And then they were off!  Total distance was 144km with 2000meters of climbing. This undulating route had a few specific climbs, but was mostly up and down and up and down and oefff! again and again and again.

They did a loop and would pass back through the start/finish before a second loop with a final climbing baby loop. We waiting around, drank coffee re-fulled with chips! essential cycling nutrition and wandered around the team buses. The buses were quiet, I assume everyone was out on the course handing out bottles and food to the riders.

The plan was to see them pass the start again and then cycle 20km to the top of a climb and beat them to the top, watch them go past and then make our way back to Yverdon. There was no time to make it back to the finish. We were ready to leave but they hadnt arrived back yet. We got ready and set off but stopped again at the flamme rouge, sheltered from the rain and waited to see them splash past before pushing on to Signal de Bougy (4.5km, avg 6.3%, max 10%) hoping to get to the top before we had to stop and let the race past.

With lots of effort and my max HR achieved we got to the top with more than 15mins to spare - I could have gone slower after all!!!  but panic had set in so we pushed it - well I pushed it. I dont think my companion was as near the limit as me....

It was great, we saw the entire caravan of cars, bikes, police, security and chatted to the locals. We were gifted some water they had kept in the car for the dog as we had missed a fountain and needed a refill. We were very grateful to be helped.  Then the head of the race arrived and it was a 2 woman break flying round the corner and off down the hill again. We waited another minute or so for the big bunch, then more minutes for more and more for more the race was in pieces by the top of the hill - see! told you it was hard! This was going to be the last place to see them, or so we thought. The friendly locals advised to change my planned return route and go via Saubraz where we were directed to a water fountain. When we arrived there was a line of cars... waiting for the race! so we managed to see them another time. We were also pleased to be able to use the facilities at the very friendly Auberge Communal! - they have the best smelling toilets apparently... I cant comment.

So that was us finished, now just the small matter of the ride back to Yverdon and the train. The route I had planned was hilly for a while then downhill and flat, the route we adjusted took us on more ups and downs and up and down. It took longer than expected so the initial bike space bookings were cancelled and we book the next train. Well done to the SBB to now facilitate the refunds!!

Arriving back, cold now, not too wet but hungry and tired, we got some food from the COOP and headed off to the train. 

Arrived back in Gelterkinden just after 8 after being chatted up in Olten and our cycling prowess admired by some random stranger :)

Great day out.  Congratulations to Noemi Rüegg for her sprint effort to come 4th on the day. 

I hope all who crashed are recovering well and well done to SD Works for the 2nd on the day and 1 and 2 and 4th overall. Great race.

Our day stats:

Distance - 117km

Climbing - 1296m

Avg Speed - 19.8km/h

Trains - 4

Coffees - 2 each

Friendly locals - lots 

Birds of prey seen - millions