Taking The P.$$ !!!!!

[gezza]

so after 11 months of getting myself into shape losing almost 6 stone,spending a good £4-£5000 on cycling,making many new friends and rediscovering healthy food etc,taking a pee just before the final climb of the Hautacam in the Etape 2008 cost me a chance to finish the course as i was 1 minute !!!! outside the time for the start of the climb 60 EFFIN SECONDS !!!

the weather was absolutely attrocious,thunderstorms woke me up at 3am,it rained constantly from the time i got into the holding pen at 6am on suinday and it did not stop until the foothills of the Tourmalet(100k),only to be replaced by thick fog all the way up (17.5k)and all the way down the other side(37.5k),it was so fooking cold,had hardly any grip on my brakes,which made for an interesting descent

so after completing 155k in 7hrs and 37minutes(i started at 7.24am) i was stopped from finishing all because i had a pee

I HAVE UNFINISHED BUSINESS IN 2009..............................

 

[longers]

Very, very bad luck gezza - go get it next year

 

[Paulus]

Bad luck Gezza, Not a lot more I can say really

 

[Sh4rkyBloke]

I thought you said someone took the p*ss.... so why were you late??

Bad luck Gezza - not really sure what happened (are there specific time slots for people to go and once you've missed yours that's it?) but as Longers says, you now have an excuse to return next year.

Silver lining and all that....

 

[trj977]

Gezza

Your a bloody inspiration mate.

 

[gezza]

I thought you said someone took the p*ss.... so why were you late??

Bad luck Gezza - not really sure what happened (are there specific time slots for people to go and once you've missed yours that's it?) but as Longers says, you now have an excuse to return next year.

Silver lining and all that....

basically you have to reach certain points by a certain time,

i reached the second feed station at la mongie(113k) with 5 seconds to spare !!!!!!

i wasnt picked up by the broom wagon though !!!!

 

[rich p]

Tough luck. Maybe you could do another more local sportive to use your training prowess.

 

[Disgruntled Goat]

If I was that wet, I would have gone in my shorts.

Sorry, doesn't help does it?

Commiserations.

 

[GrahamG]

If I was that wet, I would have gone in my shorts.

Sorry, doesn't help does it?

Commiserations.

No way, man. I normally condone all manner of filth but that would be out!

 

[fossyant]

Oh no....

 

[domtyler]

Bad luck Gezza mate! Obviously you were just about up to scratch though which is an achievement in itself and at least you've got a good excuse to go back next year. Book your tickets NOW!!

 

[tdr1nka]

Fuggit! Curse that call of nature!

Bad luck old chap.

 

[Lardyboy]

You have my very deepest sympathy Gezza.

But I bet you got further into the Etape than some? Not much of a consolation I know, but it's the only thing I could come up with.

At least you know what has to be done to get round next year.

 

[tentonhammer]

Thats tough Gezza but I am very impressed about how you managed to drop the 6 stone in 11 months. I have just begun (again) to try and make adjustments to my lifestyle/eating habits etc to drop a lot of weight. BMI charts would suggest I need to drop 6 stone as well. It is inspiring to read that you have done it so well done for that alone mate. I cant even contemplate riding up the mile and a half long hill outside my house never mind tackle what you tried.

 

[Keith Oates]

Bad luck, Gezza, but as you say there's always next year, however what you've achieved this year seems remarkably good to me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!