*Chapter 9*

Plan to Lose

 
 
“So in conclusion, you’ve all proved your worth today, call it luck if you like but we’ve ended the day with a stronger hand than we started with.”

Our leader paused and surveyed his audience.

“Now tomorrow, folks, whilst it would be very nice in deed to hold onto the yellow, your coaches all agree that we’ll need a bucket load of luck to do that. It’s a short day, only seventy-five kilometres and you’ve only got one climb but it’s a doozie. Twenty kilometres with no real let up and the summit is barely ten from the finish – get to the top in good order and you’ve a chance of a result.

After we’ve eaten we’ll take a look at the descent to the finish, we can’t go to the top as it’s some sort of private road not open to the public. So our main job will be to give Drew as much help as we can, Mark, sprint in Interlaken, at about forty k, we need to deny the other teams the time bonus. It’s potentially a fast run from here down the side of the lake so we need to try to keep a lid on things, the Spanish will be sure to try something, those ten seconds could put their boy in yellow.

Girls, I know a couple of you are particularly worried about tomorrow, just remember the techniques we worked on in Italy. You did well today and I’m sure a lot of the others have more to fear than you. Josh, Jamie, you’ll be running interference for Drew, get him onto the climb in good order, everyone will be helping but you two in particular I want to protect Drew.”

“Foods ready, boss.” Steve mentioned as Mr B paused.

“Okay, we’ll leave it there, Steve and Caroline will talk to each of you this evening so if you’ve any issues tell them, so, eat.”

We were eating al fresco, the Taverna Zwirgi is a typical chocolate box Swiss chalet and we were sat on the balcony that affords views across the valley, Meiringen itself is out of view but the sun was illuminating the hillsides above.

The food tonight started with minestrone soup followed by pork medallions with veg and boiled spuds and topped out with ice cream. Filling if not exactly inspiring. We finished up with coffee; I was just finishing up when my Handy buzzed announcing a new message.

Hi Kiddo Dad said you won 2day – congrats! Enjoy the yellow, Mum.

“Who’s it from?” Mand enquired seeing me reading.

“My mum, I think she’s been riding some crit series in Holland.”

“She win?”

“Dunno, she didn’t say.”

“You should ask.”

“I think Dad’ll know, she’s spoken to him I think.”

“I keep forgetting that it’s your dad over there.”

She might, I can’t. The arrival of another message buzzed my attention.

Hey drew, wr r u guys? Tht wd c u in town 2nite. Ron.

I can’t recall arranging anything.

“Sheesh you’re popular tonight.” Mand observed.

“Roni.” I allowed, “Best text her back.”

Up mtn 4 dnr, hotel not in twn, c u in am, Gab.

Oh bum, why did I put that?

“Drew.”

“Huh?”

“Come on, we’re going,” Mand advised.

A look around the balcony revealed that apart from the restaurant staff, Mand and me were the only BC people left.

“Sugar!” I must’ve been in dreamland.

I scrambled out of my seat and headed after Manda.

 
 
“Where’s the bus?” I queried.

“Er just heading up the hill.” Mand offered.

Beep, beep!

“Come on, you two, hop in.” Dad prompted.

In our panic we hadn’t spotted the Mercedes parked off to one side. We hurried over; Caro already occupied the front passenger seat so we clambered into the back.

“Blondes!” Caro chortled.

“Hey!” I complained.

“Buckle up, you two.” Dad instructed.

We set off up the hill and were soon negotiating a series of tight bends and hairpins before the road levelled off some.

“So how did you both feel the day went?” Caro asked.

“I was surprised that the girls attack went so well.” I observed.

“Hey!” Manda complained.

“I think I know what Drew means, Amanda, it was quite a gamble but it worked, we knew the Germans and Swiss would be particularly strong on the climbs,” Caro explained, “now we know just how strong.” She turned to Dad, “You did warn us, Dave, but I guess none of us wanted to believe how good the Grönberg girl is.”

“She’s a monster, when she went I had no chance of hanging on.” Mand admitted.

“We do rip it a bit at home.” I offered.

“Who decided to go for the time bonuses, Drew?” Caro queried.

“Hang tight!” Dad instructed as he swung us into a steep and tight hairpin.

“Whoa!” I allowed.

“Sorry, wasn’t expecting that.”

“Bonuses, Drew?” Caro pressed.

“Guess it was mine,” I admitted, “Mark’s not a bad climber so I reckoned if he got the bonus and finished with the Spanish kid he’d keep the yellow.”

“It was a bold move, the others might have attacked you.”

“It was a chance to take but I reckon nearly everyone was a bit frightened by the pass.”

“I know I was.” Mand put in.

Another couple of tight turns lifted us again before putting us on another pretty level stretch.

“I’m not in trouble am I?”

“No, Drew, you just surprised us a bit, we realised what you’d been up to when you sat up after the sprint.”

“Phew.”

“Any thoughts on tomorrow?”

“Wow some climb!” Mand observed as we approached the next hamlet.

“Not many.” I agreed, peering past her up the mountainside.

“You’ll be coming down it tomorrow.” Dad noted.

The road was steep and narrow, the Merc complained at the gradient but we emerged into a wide and seemingly level valley, forest and rock stretching up wards above the meadows dotted with cows.

“I don’t think the girls will be much help on the climb tomorrow, it’s much steeper than today isn’t it?” Mand mentioned.

“Certainly after this Grindelwald place.” Caroline agreed.

“The main thing will be keeping anyone from taking a long one so we need to keep the pace high so we don’t have to chase too much.”

“I agree, Drew, you might get some help from the Spanish, the jerseys are for us to lose, the Swiss lad is closest, if you don’t score tomorrow and he got maximum points the jersey would be his.” Caro explained.

“So we need to keep ‘super Mario’ in check.” Mand stated.

The road twitched across a bridge before returning to its ascent of the valley.

“How’d we do that?” I asked, “I couldn’t hold him today.” I pointed out.

“Pray maybe?” Caro suggested which caused Dad to chuckle.

“Might help.” Manda allowed.

I just rolled my eyes.

“Guess I need to become his shadow.”

“You’ll have Jamie and Josh helping out.” Caroline mentioned.

“Looks like the end of the line.” Dad stated swinging the car into the car park next to the BC minibus.

The others were already milling about and we soon joined them.

“Right then, as you might deduce this is as far as we can go tonight, according to the manual we’re about four kilometres from the top. Those kilometres might well be decisive, the road’s narrow, steep and the surface isn’t brilliant, normally it’s only open for the Post buses over there.” Mr B pointed to the bright yellow people carriers parked by the restaurant place.

“So first off tomorrow I don’t want to see any heroics coming off the pass, Mr Bond!”

Why’d he pick on me?

“I hope we don’t meet a bus.” Daz mused.

“They’ve got special permission to hold the buses until you are through, the local wildlife could be more of an issue, there are sheep and cattle roaming free up there so be aware please.”

“That snow up there?” Claire queried pointing up towards the mountains.

“Don’t be daft,” Geth scoffed, “it’s August, that’s just white rocks.”

“Don’t you know anything, Gethyn Jones,” Laura put in. “there’s snow on the top of some of the mountains all year.”

“But it’s been like nearly thirty degrees today.” He shot back.

“In case you hadn’t noticed it’s colder up here.”

“Were not that high.” He defended.

“Um, the board says we’re at 1454 metres, the pass today was only a thousand.” I observed.

“How high’s the top then?” Sal enquired.

“A bit over nineteen hundred metres.” Steve told us.

“Shit!” Jamie allowed.

Shit indeed.

“Come on you lot, let’s take a look at the ride down, everyone on the bus.” Boss man instructed us.
 
 

What had been a fifteen-minute drive up turned into something like twice that to get back to the restaurant and another fifteen to reach the finish area in Meiringen. Why so long? Well we stopped at each series of bends for a better look. It’s not dissimilar to some of the stuff in Italy we rode last week except the final couple of k’s are super fast! The last bit into the town is a wide main road although there’s a bit of twistiness just before the finish straight.

The light was fading fast, it wasn’t much past nine but the surrounding mountains blocked the sunlight and since dinner it seems to’ve clouded up quite a bit, I hope that isn’t an omen. We drove back to the Hotel Tourist arriving as the first spots of rain started to colour the ground, distant thunder rolled around the mountains, lightning flashed and the rain intensified.

What remained of the evening was ours but to be honest I wasn’t feeling particularly sociable so I headed up to the room I was sharing with Josh. I lay on the bed and stared at the ceiling, boy, what a day! The first big climb, and that sprint, what was the margin, yeah, half a tyre now that’s close! At some point I must’ve dozed off as I was woken by Josh returning from the card school that the others had spent the latter part of the evening playing twenty ones or something. 
 
© Maddy Bell 20.01.14