When I talked with Cillo, a member of Pedalea o Revienta, and I set out to do an article about the adventure they were going to carry on, in less than an instant he thought it was a great idea and proposed to join the expedition to live experience from the inside, an opportunity that I am grateful of.
The challenge this time was to commemorate the first Volta of Catalunya in 1911, managing to do over 360 kilometers and 3,500 meters of altitude, in one day and doing it with a fixed gear. The tour began in Barcelona,followed by Tarragona, Lleida and finally ended back in Barcelona.
The first thing I would highlight is the good organization that was there at all times. Anyone can think that an event like this is normal to have a good organization, but who has done something like it, will well know that is not easy to control all the variables and prevent from something slipping out of your hands. Everything was thought out, you could tell that they worked on it for days, meetings, planning and hours of headaches.
They had three support vehicles that would be responsible for going with the guys all the way. One for roadside assistance and provide water and food, another traveling with the photographers and cameras, and the last one with food and drinks for longer stops.
The start line was at the Plaça de Sarrià, Barcelona. At first I thought it was just a matter of time to be convenienced or for some unimportant reason but it caught me by surprise me when they started to take pictures before leaving. It turns out that in the same square is a memorial plaque in honor of the first Volta Catalunya 1911. So what I said before, they take care of the smallest details.
They got quite a lot of sponsors (Where is the limit!, My beautiful Parking, Patatas Alfonso Torres, Barbería Vicenç Moretó, and others) that helped them pull ahead twith the challenge like a cycling kit, supplies, food, drinks, gels, supplements, etc. and without them I’m sure everything would have been much more difficult.
I also mention the unconditional support from Thelema Artworks and Brazo de Hierro by the amount of photographic material and hours of recording that was collected and which, we are sure, will get an amazing report.
With respect about the trip, what to say. It has been an experience for me to share this challenge with all of them.
When you talk to people and explain to them the feat that these guys have, many say that you’re crazy and that’s savagery. Others see it as a feat and effort to excel. In my case, I have had the opportunity to go with them, I see it as something that you’ll never forget. Something that is a lot of pain, fatigue and a lot of sweat, they will always keep this memory. To embark on a journey like this, along with 10 other people, and to share so many hours riding, enjoying the scenery, the great atmosphere, the laughter and the jokes, of the wisest advice, support, effort and the shouts of encouragement, moments that only you, up to your bike, you’re going to enjoy something that much to you then labeled as crazy, you know very well that tomorrow, should the occasion arise, you would do it again.
I would like to thank the whole team from Pedalea o Revienta for the opportunity to accompany them as part of RAW and to cover this magnificent adventure. I want to congratulate the whole team for betting the challenge, the staff for the assistance and care throughout the tour, sponsors for the help and the people who supported in one way or another adventure of these 11 brave guys. We look forward getting the word around about this one and many more.
I’ll leave the notes that I was throughout the trip and I am sure that more than one will bother to read it:
MY NOTES:
| 16:20 | The adventure begins. |
| 16:30 | Toni Jiménez breaks his cleats and is forced to leave the group temporarily. |
| 17:45 | We arrived at the Costas del Garraf. Toni J. gets to incorporate with the group. |
| 18:15 | We arrive in Sitges. |
| 18:38 | Great atmosphere inside and out, laughter, jokes and songs. |
| 19:28 | We arrived in Vendrell. They start asking for food and water. |
| 19:57 | First flat, at 18 km. from Tarragona. |
| 20:30 | We arrive in Tarragona. |
| Stop for dinner. Breaded steak, tortilla chips, macaroni, pasta salad, coke and fruit. | |
| Some guys start putting on some Reflex. | |
| The cold continues but no sign of rain. | |
| We stoped for 1h. | |
| 21:40 | We started off again, this time towards Lleida. |
| As Ivan Lopez says, right now the weakest guy is Roger, it’s starting to get too hard for him to keep up with the group and maybe forced to abandon with his head up high. | |
| 22:00 | Roger Matheus is done and has to abando next to the town called Vallmoll. The group continues on. |
| 22:50 | We started the mountain pass of Coll de Lilla. |
| We changed the rear wheel of Fran’s bike and seems to have some air loss. The tow him to the group. | |
| Down the mountain at full speed. The village of Montblanc at the end of the descent. | |
| It’s too fast for the legs going down and we have no other choice but to release our feet from the pedals. | |
| 23:50 | The miles are starting to emerge and run gels and mineral drinks everywhere. They about 160 km in. |
| The importance of bringing assistance increases and becomes more important. You can tell that the guys are very much appreciated for all the hard the collaborators are doing. | |
| The mid part of the journey is getting hard. Straights, dark, ups and downs, fatigue and maximum concentration to not drain yourself out and have to abangon the trip. They’re 36 km from Lleida. | |
| 01:45 | We arrive in Lleida. |
| The hour changes (at 2:00 it passes on to 3:00). | |
| Stop to rest and recuperate with some chocolate. | |
| More Reflex and body creams. | |
| Reply Cillo about avoiding bad thoughts: “manage well and don’t make yourself think that there isn’t much more. Because m there is a lot of KM to cover, and it will not be easy“. | |
| Opinion on Ivan Lopez feat: “to do what they are doing they have to be strong. He said he would like to see one more go down the mountain as they were and hold the rithen at where they were before. For a while he had the same gear as the rest of the pack, but gave up on that gear and change to one more comfortable“. | |
| 04:00 | We leave Lleida. |
| Cillo starts to get tired and asks for a gel with caffeine. | |
| 05:24 | We arrive in Tárrega. |
| They stop and eat some pasta, fatigue takes its toll on the KM that they have done. | |
| Toni words: “There have been times where I’ve stopped thinking entirely, riding behind my mates wheel ahead and completely blank“. | |
| Firts drops of rain. | |
| 06:48 | La Panadella. |
| Begins to dawn. The rain gets harder and quite cold. | |
| Gabi and I stopped for a coffee to sober up a bit. | |
| About 80 kms to finish in Barcelona. | |
| They still have to go over the mountain top of La Panadella and go down by Jorba. It’s going to be dangerous with the rain. | |
| The dark night has gone and cheers up the guys. | |
| 08:45 | We arrive in Igualada. |
| Jordi from Fixie Riders Igualada greets us. | |
| People are starting to get exhausted. The last stage was very hard. Any household member is lowered crying bike for the physical and psychological accumulated wear. | |
| For breakfast we have a big sandwich. | |
| 10:10 | We leave headed to Barcelona. |
| It’s raining harder and we remain the last km that will be the hardest and most difficult of the entire journey. | |
| 11:20 | We arrive in Masquefa. |
| They are completely soaked. Our strength is almost waisted but nobody throws in the towel. The tips are greatly affected by the weather situation. | |
| 12:00 | The group arrives in Martorell. The peloton arrives in two groups, it appears that Dani has had a flat. They take advantage for some hot chocolate. |
| 12:30 | A flat for Ivan López in Sant Andreu de la Barca. The atmosphere is gathering strength, and other climate breathe despite the weather does not improve. They know they are coming. |
| Members of assistance, like them, we are defeated. We have almost the same desire to reach them. We’ve hardly slept 10 minutes since we left. | |
| 12:50 | The feeling of victory increases by the minute. We have very few km to finish and the guys change there face to satisfaction. No matter the pain or fatigue, have put aside and are eclipsed by the joy and satisfaction of knowing that they are achieving their goal. |
| 13:40 | We arrive at the Plaça Cerdà. |
| Hugs, congratulations and laughter persist for a while. | |
| It’s time to go through the scale, group photos and meeting with some sponsors. | |
| 14:50 | We pass the finish line at “La Volta”. |
| We receive quite a lot of family and friends. They are accompanied by running to our side. | |
| Happiness and joy. They have succeeded. | |
| 16:20 | Podium at “La Volta”. |
| Award ceremony for the winners of “La Volta”. | |
| Podium for the guys that finished and they gave them a box with poster of Pedalea o Revienta to the grandson of the winner of “La Volta” in 1911. |
More pictures on:
Flickr de Toni
Pedalea o Revienta on-line store:
http://pedaleaorevienta.bigcartel.com/
