Leaving the Angliru as soon as it got light the morning following the last stage we went the short drive north to Oviedo to do some grocery shopping.
After stocking up we headed to the spot we’d chosen for this day’s stage – a place they pass thru twice. As we neared the road Colin said ‘this looks familiar’ – it was the ‘bear trail’ road! We’d been on it a few times in past years so knew of more than one place that might be great to stop in.
However the best place was already taken over by the ‘VIP’ tents so we had to back-track a bit to another spot that was actually perfect. The race splits off the main road on the first pass and goes up a small mountain before circling around and going past us again on the road back north.
For the first pass I walked a very short way up the ‘mountain’ road – it was quite steep and the sun was actually getting very hot…
…but that didn’t deter the fans, both young…
…and old.
The breakaway arrived just before four…
…with Remco once again in the lead…
…about ten minutes ahead of the peloton, with Jumbo all together at the front.
As usual the helicopters let us know as the race approached again.
They arrived for the second time at 5:14, this time Remco alone in the lead…
…with the rest of the breakaway in pieces behind him.
Rather than stay the night after the race was done we drove for a couple of hours, stopping at an aire in the village of La Magdalena a bit south of the Luna reservoir – it was very quiet and peaceful.
Getting started the next morning at a decent time we continued south, skirting Leon and Benavente where the road veers a bit to the southeast and onwards almost to Madrid. We’d already decided to skip Friday’s stage and headed instead to the route of Saturday’s stage that looked more interesting.
There are at least three climbs on the stage that they go up twice so we just went along the route and picked a nice spot at the side of the road not far from the bottom between two climbs.
We are in a rare place that we just can’t get the internet in – I realize how much I use it and have resorted to reading my book instead.
There are a couple of cattle ranches in the valley below with a lovely river running through. In the evening there was a spectacular lightening show with sheets lighting up the sky one after another, followed of course by the thunder. Then the rain arrived – just torrential but thankfully not all night long.
Sally McKenzie's European Adventures 