Day 4: St. Vigil (It) to Falcade (It)

108km. 2600m.

Hump day. Moving day. Lay it down day.

4-days into the event, routine is well established.

6:15am wake up. Make bottles. Prepare bike food. Pack gear. Lay out kit. Breakfast. Shower. Suit up. Bags to hotel lobby for pick up. Roll out to start line. 9am gun.

Method man trying to calm himself prior to another day of getting attacked by his client and much older partner.

Great weather today. Partner has educated our team on the finer points of tan management. Technique includes feathering sun screen and adjusting leg/arm jersey line throughout the day.

Partner and I make up names for riders that leave an impression. "The Masher " needs to cold stretch his quads in order to prepare for a full day of riding at a cadence of less than 60rpm involving full body sway from side to side while bent over the bars.

Told today that stage was one of the most scenic in the TransAlps 10year history. Right through the heart of the Dolomites. Partner proclaimed best day on a bike. Amazing.

Would have taken more photos had I not dropped phone/camera. To clarify, it did not smash.

This was our day. Crushed it. Climbs were manageable and we out-descended those we climbed with. Love the descending. In 2010 the descents scared me. Partner from 2years ago had to wait at the bottom of every mountain. Now downhill is a total joyride. Nothing in YVR compares to this terrain. Hit 94km/hr today and then remembered promise to wife. Not much upside over 94km/hr. Quite a bit of downside.

On the final 7km climb into the finish partner flipped the left turn signal and hit the passing lane as we shelled teams off the back. Up in the standings and in before the teams we have sights on.

Wilf and I used to make fun of cyclists who looked like POWs. Now I make fun of Wilf. Speed has a price. I'm going to fat camp.

And one for the ladies.

Changing out brake pads post stage. Tried Wilf's method of carrying max speed into hairpin turns, sitting off the back wheel and hammering full breaks. Pads didn't like the new method.