117,0km – 2628m up – 2748 down – 5947 kcal – 9h
4 days into this section, the wind stopper looks already kind of stained from the battles of the past stages. However the mood is still ok and I leave Gracias with a smile in our faces, indicating, that Cristiano cannot scare us with his route changes.
Today we received riding instruction that only lead us to lunch. Thereafter was the ‘unknown’, as a new track needed to be found.
One of the earliest starts into the day: 6:20h left camp with a quick and easy rolling downhill for the first 30km. Thereafter the climbs started and continued for the next 50km – 35km thereof on dirt and gravel. The 15km on tar were easier as expected and at 9:30, after a first coke and cookie stop at a gas station we turned into the torture section. The scenery was stunning and the weather fairly hot on the first part into the climb. But this changed after every corner.
We had already climbed 1500m until lunch at km 69. However to get there was a pain on never ending short climbs. A group with David, Jos, David, Michiel and I – Jessica ignored us at the gas station, thinking ‘local’ guys are shouting after her – made it there by noon.
The continuation directions read like this: ‘brutal ups & downs – push bike’ from km 75 to 80. Fortunately the total distance was corrected to only 117km as opposed to the predicted 130km. Pavement to be hit at km 87. The 18km to get there were the described brutal. After every corner and short downhill you expected another punishment, which did not wait for long. You could always see what is next and others, who were a bit ahead waking their bikes uphill. With grades of 18% – 21% the climbs were breath taking and some too steep to stay on the bike, without fear to fall of the bike with exhaustion.
The final 37km to town were a gift with a 1000m elevation drop and lots of stops to finally take some photos.
Unfortunately, the day ended with 2 accidents at a speed bump in a village, just 24km prior to camp. 1 involved Astrid, our tour communicator and writer. She fell badly over the speed bump, just 200m ahead of me. I only recognized it was her, after I came closer to help with first aid. Luckily she regained conscience after a while and did not have major injuries.
This python was on a branch just outside of Copan Ruinas …
