escaping the UK to cycle in Girona

back in the cycling mecca of Girona for a week of training with the Van Rysel RCR-F

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@daaaanjj

https://www.strava.com/athletes/39635109

00:00 Trailer
00:48 Intro
02:17 Motivation is low atm
03:20 building the bike
04:18 ride 1 (Hincappie Loop)
10:17 why cycling here is elite
14:11 fuelling for 90km
15:28 how I film on the bike
16:18 ride 2 (3hrs with @VCLetsGetIt)
21:54 busy busy busy
22:56 ride 3 (legs gone, recovery)
25:36 post ride cafe Eat Sleep Cycle
26:05 RCR-F spec run through
28:17 ride 4 (70km pocafarina loop)
32:37 La Fabrica cafe
33:46 filming the TTT at La Vuelta (Stage 6)
34:41 ride 5 (els angels PB attempt)
36:43 outro

Heat. Heat. [Music] Busted. Right. Hello and welcome to a week of training out in Jirona. I’m actually out here because I am filming some bits for the Kathlon Ajazar for the Welter which has started today. I don’t know when the first stage is kicking off but it’s Saturday the 23rd as we speak and it is starting today and I’m going out to basically film one of the team time trial stages [Music] which is in a town not too far from Jirona. So I figured while I’m here I thought I’d bring my bike and extend the trip to a week because I’ve only cycled here one time last year and it was beautiful. So, fancy exploring it a little bit more with the bike. And we’ve got I’ve got the RCRF with me as well, the new one, the Arrow bike, which is going to be extraordinarily nice to cycle on on these Spanish roads. Yeah, we’ll go through the specs on that bike in a little bit once I’ve got it sorted. Currently sat there in Sweet Nish in some random ass field in Jirona because I can’t check in for another like 4 hours. I messed up the flights. I had a super early flight and I didn’t realize checking. for the accommodation I’ve got was at 4:00 p.m. So, a little bit in the mud with that, but I’ll see if I can get an early check in. I think you can pay to check in at 1:00. So, I’ll have to do that. I still got a couple of hours just to mull about, but otherwise, not got too many plans. Wednesday is the teen time trial of Welter, which is in that town near Jirona. But otherwise, I’m just going to be exploring the area on my bike, going to a few cafes, seeing who’s about. Basically just want to get some good miles in on the bike. Since coming back from the Mama and the Attack the Tour, which were two events I did out in the French Alps, I found my motivation to go out and ride in Stockport, is very low. Very low indeed. I’ve not got anything to train for and I’ve just been like putting off going out and not been doing too much. So hopefully I can get back to it this week and put down some decent miles cuz them two events were my big sort of goals for the year. And then once you finish them, I think it’s pretty normal to have somewhat of a come down period where you’re just lacking in motivation a little bit because they were the things that I’d wake up and I’d I’d go and I’d force myself to go out cuz I knew otherwise I wouldn’t get round the Marmmont especially. So without them I’m a little bit just I am the type of guy I need I need an event to motivate me really. I’ve not got that sort of David Gogggins discipline. Sun’s shining, the weather’s looking pang. I mean we are in August so I’d expect it to be pretty good in Spain. It’s so funny. Like, it’s midday pretty much now or 11:00. All the shops just shut. I don’t understand. When does the Spanish working day start? Oh, we’re at the gaff at long last. That was a tough gig getting the the bike box up them stairs. I’m in like an old school Spanish building. It’s like a windy staircase that was very narrow. It was pretty awful. But I am just about to set the bike up. I need to go buy some bits for the bike as well. I’ve totally forgot this doesn’t have bottle cages and stuff on. So, I need to go pick them up, build this, and then I reckon we’ll head out for a little bit. [Music] The bike is all good. I I’ve got a 55k route lined up with about 800 m of climbing. Goes up Hell’s Angels and then around the back ends. Hopefully on quiet roads. Just outside of Eat, Sleep Cycle, [Music] which I think is one of the more popular bike shops in the area. They have like rentals. They have an actual shop selling clobber and then they also have a cafe as well. Apparently, they’re just on their siesta at the minute. The siesta from 2 till 4. Tough life in it around there. Jesus. [Music] Approaching El’s Angels now. I think off the top of my head the climb is about 10 km but the gradient is nice. It’s like 3% or maybe a little over 3%. So you can spin up it very nicely for the most part. I think last time when I was here in October, I did it in just under 30 minutes. I’m not having a dig right now, but I’m going to come back some point this week and go for it. [Music] Oh, mate. It’s beautiful. Especially compared to some of the climbs I’ve been doing lately in the Alps. This is just a bit of me. Do you know what I mean? This is exactly how I remember it and why I liked it so much. It’s not the most scenic climb in the world. It’s beautiful, don’t get me wrong, but it’s not as epic as some of the ones in Morca or the Alps and that, but what’s so good about this one is the road surface is impeccable all the way up. Barely any cars so far. I’m maybe 4K in, 3K in. Not seen a single car, just a Donny on a moped who’s also here just enjoying the views in that. [Music] [Music] 5k up halfway. I’m not exactly slouching, by the way. My heart rate’s at about 169 170. I’m not sure if it’s that’s just the heat or not. It’s clocking 32 degrees on the Garmin. Feels like we are riding in an oven. Made it to the top. Not sure what time that was in. I’d imagine that was actually pretty quick cuz by the end I was gassed, nearly cramping. So I’ll put it on the screen when I know. But got a bit carried away there. First climb of the trip. [Music] [Music] Sal, [Music] it’s so nice. [Music] Ice cold Fanta lemon at the top of a sensational climb. This is just prime cichlismo. You just don’t get this stuff at home. Do you know what I mean? It’s sad. 11 out of 10. Now that is a pretty spectacular viewpoint. I don’t know why it’s so quiet as well. There’s barely anyone about. On the way up, I saw two riders coming down. One was red bora rider. Don’t know if it was Rogitch or not. Looked a little bit like him, but it’s hard to tell when they’re in the full team kit. and I saw one car on the entire 10k stretch up. It’s madness. Like proper different to Morca, which is flooded with cyclists and uh cars and stuff as well. So, it’s just a lot more peaceful out here, I think. Probably why all the pros in that move out. It’s a little less hassle. First descent on the RCRF coming up. I need to remember I’m on Euro brakes as well cuz this machine came from France. So, the left is the front brake, which is uh going to take some getting used to. I wonder if I can get that change when I get up. Go. [Music] There’s nothing around here, but in the best way. Do you know what I mean? A couple of old town Spanish villages dotted around. No cars, no people. So nice to just be able to ride the bike with the freedom of knowing there ain’t that stress of of cars and that. It just makes all the difference as does the surface. That’s all I’m missing. That’s all I’m missing in England. The weather, the surface of the road and the volume of cars. That’s what that’s what makes it [ __ ] Bit of tranquility. Do you know what I mean? That’s all I’m after these days. It’s all I’m after. First car of the entire ride while out of the main village that has overtaken me today. And it did so on the other side of the road. It’s just a dream, man. [Music] Lovely stuff. Makes me happy. Someone might need to fact check this and verify it, but I’m pretty sure this loop I’m on now is the Hingapy loop made famous by George Hingappy. I’m sure him and Lance used to do this route quite a lot when they lived in Jirona in the late ‘9s as they were riding for US Postal. Don’t know if it was Lance and the US Postal lot who were the the OG trailblazers for Jerona, but I imagine they played a pretty big part in what it’s come today. There’s a load of athletes living now. Triathletes, cyclists, trail runners, and that. It’s like a uh heavily populated with professional athletes just cuz it’s so perfect for training. Bamos [Music] running [Music] the falling. Be a panda. A panda. [Applause] [Music] Pretty much back. Got about another 5k to get to the accommodation. Beautiful ride on the recovery before the ride’s even finished. That is how serious I’m taking the trail in this week. God, so good. Choco milk, cacao, l cocoa lat. I’m back at the gaff. I need to get some food down because we’ve got 3 hours tomorrow morning on the cards with Elliot VC. Let’s get it. He’s a local resident. Hopefully, he’s going to show me some nice Spanish roads. I can feel them the motivation just leaking back into my veins. You know what I mean? This is exactly what I needed. I feel happy. I feel relaxed. Focusing on the basics. Just eating decent, sleeping, riding the bike, making the videos. That’s it. That’s all we want. [Music] Good morning. This ain’t a nutrition channel, but in case you were wondering what I’m having for a 3-hour ride in the scorch and heat, I’ve had some chocolate pick and a little pot of porridge. I’ve got one of the caffeine Morton mixes. These are 80 g of carbs. And then I’m going to take one of the solid 160s. And another gel. Couple of Harry B as well. And I’m hoping Lol will stop at a garage so I can grab a Coke or something and maybe a Mars bar depending on how quick he’s wanting to go today. And then I’ve got my electrolyte, one of the Cadence Core 500s in this other bead on. So that should be plenty. Tried mixing the electrolyte powders with the caffeine carbon mix before. It doesn’t work with the caffeine one for some reason. just doesn’t sit right in my stomach. It’s all right with the normal one, but the caffeine one just uh did it at the T100 triathlon and I got off the bike and it felt like I had a lead balloon in my belly. It wasn’t very nice. So, I’m going to avoid that moving forward. Another beautiful day though. I’m going meet in at Lacamina at half 9, which is like one of the little coffee shops as well, just for a brew and then roll out at 10:00. I’ve swapped my jersey last minute just before I leave because the other one is the only Arrow jersey I’ve got with me I think and I’m going to save that for when I am up El’s Angels. Now in terms of the camera that I’m using on the bike most of the time depends on what the circumstances. Sometimes it’s the DJI Osmo Pocket 3 but I’ve not brought that with me on this trip. It’s just the DJI Action 4. This is the older version. And then I mount it with this like mouth bite thing. So you sort of heat up these rubber bits, chomp down on it, and then it molds to your teeth so you can it go when you’re on the bike so you don’t have to use your hands, which is ideal really for the descending stuff. I’ve actually stopped using the Insta 360 since I’ve been doing this. Don’t know, I just find the Insta 360 footage just sometimes it’s not very good. I’m just not a massive fan of it at this point. Right, [Music] we’ve arrived. Just waiting for Elliot to come now. He’s on Spanish time there, so absolutely no doubt he’ll be late. Specky crank you got on there. Yeah, we got the SRM on there. He’s never seen so little WS in his life. Is that a stock with a boat? No. No. I got that from I got that from a team actually. [Music] Right. 35k in. What have we got now? First descent of the day. Yeah, we have. Do you know the name of it? No. I actually should. I I I do know the name, but I I don’t know the name. We’re going to do a bit of descent cycles if I can keep up with him on the on the descent. You’re going to take it quite easy, I reckon, for me. Yes. Yeah. Very easy. But we’ll make it look good. Called what? It’s called Langanger. Leganga. Right. We’re on the Laganga climos is what they say. Warm up the tires. We’re going to take it easy. Yeah. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Those people are hanging around. That’s [ __ ] lovely. What flavor is that? Creepy dragon. So good on that. What’s the hole then? What have you got? This is the hole. So we’ve got two. This is a calipo in Spain apparently. A prudo, a Red Bull. Nice. And then a big Aquarius. Yeah. I need This is going in the bid on. This is how to stay cool with take it out of the packaging and slip them in. Yeah. Rip them off. [Music] Hopefully there’s a mix. Yeah, we’re going a bit rogue, man. It’s a bit rogue. This is This is a tip up in the heat. Ah, here we go. There’s one. It goes in a bit online there. Look, it looks like it looks like something really stick any liquid in. No, just you just have to let it melt. How much liquid you get out of that? I have no idea, man. Just pure sugar as well. Good idea for fuel. [Music] That’s what life is like. I should There’s one of those for sale. expensive ground here. The one in Madrid is being sold for 9k which I don’t think is too a mile but hey probably more trying to stay alive I’m eating minerals and vitamins I tell the times it tells the principles when I begin it’s not very nice and hell I’ve seen it all in vitamin and only time can tell the nice pre I’ve been a fool I’m witnessing the walls are sinking in without a cause I see these intervals inter dusted minerals Yeah. My number was suffering. Begin the action. No runners up. Don’t give a [ __ ] I twist it in a fraction. This is beautiful. What’s this place? I actually don’t know what this town is, but there’s a school here. This guy doesn’t know anything. Yeah, it’s really pretty. I’m going to tell you what. Yeah. Well, nice. [Music] Gelato. [Music] [Music] Right. Back in Jerona. Elliot’s treating us to a slushie. Just what a doctor ordered. Actually, I was a little cut towards the end of that. 8:00 p.m. in the evening now. I haven’t done a lot at all really since I got back from the ride earlier today. I’ve eaten. I went out for a little bit of a a short wonder and sat and had a pizza outside somewhere and then I’ve just come back and sat editing this very video that you’re watching as well as quite a few other branded bits that I’m chasing my tail on at the minute. Had a really busy period combined with being busy in terms of travel and stuff. And when that happens, I just find I fall so far behind on all fronts like emails, the actual creation of the videos, all sorts of stuff like responding to briefs and the concepting phase and stuff. And then my DMs as well. I’m just in the mud with them as well. So, I’m chasing my tail at the minute. Hoping after this trip, I should be back at home for quite a prolonged period of time and I can get back on track with everything cuz I find myself quite stressed out about stuff when I’m chasing my tail. I don’t like being late with things. You know what I’m saying? But that’s what I’m going to do for the rest of the evening and then tomorrow I reckon we’re going to go out maybe try and beat the beat the heat. So 9:00 in the morning maybe if I can be asked. Good morning. It’s bank holiday Monday. I don’t know if it is a bank holiday out here in Spain, but I know it is at home. It’s a Monday anyway and we’re going out on a recovery ride. Just feeling cooked, man. I’m feeling cooked. This is my fifth day in a row on the bike. not been doing that much, but I just my body’s just feeling a little more fatigued than I thought it would. So, I’m going to go for a chill chill day. I’m going to go up hills, have a drink up at the top again, descend it, and then maybe do like a 30 40k flat loop at a chill pace. Just a chill pace. Try and keep my heart rate down. Get the legs spinning over. Get some of their lactic out of them cuz I can feel them. They’re just aching. Also, this sun cream is goated. So, this is the Larish Pizz uh factor 50 sweatproof, all that sort of stuff. I wore this at the Marmmont when I was out in the scorching sun for 10, 11 hours on the bike. Put two layers of it on in the morning. Sound, no sunburn at all. Just caught a pretty decent tan. Right, we’re at the top of the climb now. That was a nice little poodle. The clouds are out today, so it’s not as insufferably hot. It’s just kind of like humid and sticky, but there ain’t no glare from the sun on my back, so it’s it’s all right. My legs, on the other hand, are not. It just feels so weak. Got absolutely nish in them. 200 plus watts just feels hard. Do you know what I’m saying? Uh, so I’m going to roll back down now into Jeron and probably go for a brew and then I’ll see if I fancy any more riding today. Heat. Heat. All right, just eat, sleep, cycle now. Got myself a little bit of a quasonant and a smoothie. Healthy healthy business, you know. It’s a lifestyle. [Music] some like watermelon strawberry smoothie thing [Music] tastes healthy. Right, let’s talk about this bicycle. Behind me, we have the Van Risel RCRF. Now this is their sort of creme de la creme of aerodynamic race bikes designed and raced by the Kathlon AG2 Mandial who are their world tour team that I’m going doing the video stuff for later in the week. The spec that they have sent is criminally above what I should be riding. I was expecting I asked for Shimano and I expected them to send the 105 if I’m honest the silver one. Looks pang I’d have been happy as Larry with that but this thing showed up. This is the Jorah Ace. Literally, literally world tourspec. This is a world tourspec bike. It’s running Jorah Ace. As the commercial model, it comes with a different gearing to what the pros will be running. So, I’ve got 5236 on the front and 1134 on the back, which is pretty much my ideal gearing setup with Shimano. So, in terms of the weight of the bike, it’s listed in a size medium at 7.5 kg in this spec on the Decathlon website. This is a size large, so probably a little bit more than that. That’s still crazy light for an aerobike. And the characteristics of what makes it an Aerobike. Obviously, you can see by the look of it, the massively deep head tube, the deep forks, and everything about it is just like fat. It’s a big boy. So, it comes in three specs. They’ve got the 105, the Altegra, and then the Jorah Ace. I’m pretty sure all of them come with these Swiss side Hadron Ultimate wheels. These are 62.5 mil. So, the deepest wheels I’ve ran ever. So, what’s crazy is it comes stock with a 26 mil time trial tire. The Conti Aero 111 I think they are got 26 mil time trial tire on the front and then on the back you’ve got the 28 mil Conti GP5000 that I have got along with extremely well on the RTR Pro. In Spain, that’s a pretty dreamy setup. However, in England, when I go back, I’m going to I’m going to guess I’m going to have to put a fatter tire on the front. I don’t think I can get by comfortably, at least on a 26 mil tire on a frame that is this stiff. For now, I’ve just finished watching the Vela and I’m going to go and get an ice cream or a gelato cuz there’s a nice little gaff around the corner from this apartment and I’m craving a bit of ice cream. [Music] Some girls they want. All right. Good morning sports families. Today we have got 70 km route lined up. 600 m elevation. Nothing too drastic in terms of the climb. I think there’s two pretty steady ones and that’s about it. I just stopped off at Blackam on and we’re going to get out. Weather’s looking decent. Better than yesterday. Sun is out again. Sun cream’s on. Let’s work on the tan. [Music] Sleeping all day. 30 minutes in, 15k down. First climb of the day, 1 kilometer at 3%. Sign me up for them all day long. I think I’d actually take preference to a a 30k climb at 3% compared to like a a 10k climb at 10%. I think it’s the double digit gradients that really wrench you. I feel like it could go a long time on the on the shallow stuff. It’s also beautiful around there. It’s very green. Proper vibrant green. [Music] I’m not one for fairy tale dreams or technical Hollywood schemes. [Music] I’m more for living. Just hacking my way up the main climb of the day. 4K at 4%. Exactly what you wish for when you come to Spain. Really. Winding, smooth road, smooth gradient. I love it. All right. Petrol station hall. Today we’re on the purple Red Bull. I’ve not had this one before. It says Sabor Pomelo flavor. Not sure. And I gone rogue with some Pringles. Didn’t know a lot to choose. Wasn’t a massive selection. Tiny little gas station. Uh yeah, I’m feeling all right. Keep looking down at my numbers though. I’m just thinking, is the heat taking that much out of me or have I just lost quite a bit of power after having 3 weeks of doing not a lot of riding? Red Bull review. I have absolutely no idea what flavor that is, but it’s quite nice. Very floral. [Music] Sit here all day gassing, but absolutely no idea. Okay, 34k in now. Pretty much exactly halfway and most of uh the back end of the ride is downhill other than one little climb. So, let’s uh see how quick we can get back. [Music] I would love to jump in that water right about now. Clocking 32° on the Garmin. Feeling hot, hot, hotoo. And we’re done. 70k in the bag. My legs start to feel pretty good by the end actually, which is always always the case. I start off feeling pretty shite and then grow into it and then the ride ends. Uh anyway, I’m on the way to go and find a cafe. We went to one last time. I think it was called La Fabrica. It was a boug little gaff. I fancy some like pancakes or something there. [Music] [Music] It’s beautiful there. Really, really smart. See what we have. Right. All right. So, we are running the egg and cheese breakfast roll, which is on like a bagel and then fresh orange juice and some aua. [Music] Yes. [Music] [Applause] [Music] First one [Music] again. [Music] Right to left. Now next turn to right 54. [Music] Right, we’re at the foot of El’s now. It’s a cloudy day, so it ain’t hot. I’m on the lightest bike I’ve ever been on. I have no excuses now. I’m out of excuses. Let’s just see where we’re at. I’m probably not going to film much, if at all, to be honest. I’m going to be trying to trying to lock in a little bit and I’ll I’ll tell you how we get on at the top. I’ve got it on the Garmin uh KM segment, so it’ll come up with what my actual PB is, so I’ve got something to chase, which I think helps a lot as well. I’ve not got a lead out person. But let’s have it. Oh, [ __ ] And we’re done. Wish I had my heart rate monitor on. Wish I had my heart rate monitor on there to see what we were at. [ __ ] hell. managed 2711 which is like a 2 minute 40 PB which pretty gassed with. Don’t know the power numbers yet but it must have been all rightoo to get me up that quick. Oh god that’s a relief. Happy days though man. That was uh legs came good for pretty much the first time in the trip which is happy days man. Oh god I hate having efforts on the bike. just sort of have to find an uncomfortable spot pretty early on and just hold tight and it doesn’t really get too much worse until you get to the very last few kilometers and then you’re obviously in the pits and that. But let’s go and get a drink. One last look at the view from here cuz it’s the last time we’ll see it in a minute I reckon. [Music] Gloomy day in it. I can feel rain as well. Thunderstorms forecast in the afternoon. Hopefully I don’t get caught in it cuz it is now literally raining. [Music]