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Grenoble Six – Day 7: Sixth Night (0)

The last day at Grenoble isn’t too hard for the riders, there’s a points race, a time trial and then the big chase – 180 laps of the 210 meter track. I did hear guys complain though that the lack of warm-up races made for sore legs early in the Madison.

I was up at 9.30 and straight into my jersey-folding routine.

Panic; one pair of Alex Rasmussen’s mitts have gone missing; in a world torn by wars this may not seem like too big a deal, but in the cloistered world of the six-days it’s probably a day’s worth of gossip: “You hear about de big fat, bald Scottie runner with Kris? He loses Razl’s best mitts, eh?”

I searched everywhere, but to cut a long story short, Alex had taken them back to the hotel with him. I was too relieved to be mad.

Grenoble Six – Day 6: Fifth Night (0)

It’s 9.30 and I’m just up, Kris sleeps in the camper van. He says it’s more comfortable, but I think it’s because I snore so badly.

It was interesting at breakfast today; the guys were talking about what they did before they were full-time pro cyclists.

Michael Morkov was a carpenter; he served a four year apprenticeship whilst Marvulli was an electrician. He reckons he pedals fast because he never wants to be installing mobile phone antenae on roofs in the depths of winter again.

Grenoble Six – Day 5: Fourth Night (0)

It was musical jerseys last night, Franco & Alex Aeschbach took over in the lead, Michael & Alex Rasmussen swopped the leader’s jerseys for the points leaders maillot vert but Jozi & Martin lost the combine jersey to DeFauw & Van Mechelen of Belgium.

Rumour control has it that Monsieur DeFauw ran two red lights in his car last night after the race and was “pulled” by the police.

Grenoble Six – Day 4: Third Night (0)

Sometimes, you wonder why you are doing this – OK, it’s great being around guys like Marvulli and having an insight into the inner-sanctum, but it’s hard work, often boring and stressed guys aren’t fun to be around.

That’s not to mention French radio; the first song I heard today was, “Super Nana” a plaintive lament to the singer’s granny.

But this morning, when you walk up the ramp out of the stadium into the October sun, feel it warm on your skin, look up at the mountains and wander over to the bakers to pick-up the warm baguettes, “bonjour monsieur, ca va?” -it’s cool – a gig.

Grenoble Six – Day 3: Second Night (0)

17.45: Where did the day go?

They are playing Puccini over the stadium PA, the folies girls are rehearsing their routine, you would have to be here to appreciate it, but it’s awesome.

The juniors are whizzing past, best keep away from the bottom of the track, last year they were sliding about the boards on their bums like there’s no tomorrow.

Grenoble Six – Day 2: First Night (0)

11.20: Picked-up the Danish guys, Alex Rasmussen and Michael Mørkøv at Lyon airport. It’s a hassle because it’s hard to park the camper and security is tight. Alex looks slimmer than last season whilst Michael is still skeletal.

We have to drive all the way back to Grenoble now. At least the sun is out and the scenery is good.

Grenoble Six – Day 1: Getting there (0)

“What a difference a day makes,” as Esther Phillips once sang. Tuesday afternoon, Charleroi, Belgium and it’s cold, grey, wet and windy.

It has taken us nearly ten hours on the motorway to get to Lyon having been battered by cross-winds and cut-up by manic East European truckers.

It was wearing-on for 1.00 am when we dropped into comas at L’Hotel Tour de Fawlty; but the beds worked just fine.