At the end of Stage 5 we were in Porticcio, a few kilometres south of Ajaccio on the south-western coast of Corsica. We were half-way through the challenge and I was badly in need of a rest day. I had ridden km and climbed 20,m in five days, cycling a little over 9 hrs per day not including the stops.
Three of my companions had dropped out completely. Click here to read my account of the first five stages. Sleep, glorious sleep! For the first time in five days I was able to get a good night, untroubled by the need to rise early, shovel down a quick breakfast and be on the bike by I sauntered down late and then lingered deliciously over a huge breakfast at the hotel buffet.
The massage was in the hotel. It was heavenly, warm and oily, deeply relaxing as she gently teased the knots out of my tired muscles. Soothing music was playing and I lay in dappled sunlight, filtered by a palm tree just outside the window, just happy to soak it up and let the fatigue seep out of me.
As always, it finished way too soon. How could an hour flash by so quickly? By comparison, the physio appointment was a more workmanlike affair. The therapist had the build of a rugby player and after stretching me in all directions he got much deeper into my quads, forcing me to writhe on the table and suppress yelps of pain. It was a relief when he said my time was up. I did a short post-siesta recovery ride, mostly easy on the flat, just to spin the legs and get the blood flowing.
I was surprised and rather alarmed to feel quite sharp pains in my right knee and left Achilles tendon, but both seemed to get better after 20km. Was this a sign of things to come, or just a passing twinge? Today was a loop stage so there was no need to pack and bring down the bags, and I was able to leave my laundry drying on the balcony.
