Was feeling pretty good and maintaining a good pace to finish with time to spare. And that’s when I started up the big climb for the day (actually, the last two are classed as HC).
2kms into the Stelvio Pass I realised I had nothing left in the tank. My legs were going into spasms and, even in my easiest gear I couldn’t maintain any power or cadence. I was rolling up the hill so slowly that it was difficult to balance the bike and hold a straight, predictable line, so I stopped to regroup but found no second wind – I was just done.
I’ve never quit a race. Though I seriously considered calling my support crew down from the mountain top to pick me up, instead I began the long process of riding as much as I could tolerate and then finding a safe(ish) place to stop, stretch, control my breathing and heart rate before clipping in and riding some more. This repeated. Sometimes a km, other times only 500m (or to the next hairpin corner) for the remaining 20km of the Stelvio.
