- And it is that 704 watt hour battery that allows
you that great range on your E-Bike
(laughs)
- What's that?
- Dan Lloyd just sent me a message, fancy a mad
one in Monaco?
Wow, he is not as straight laced as I thought he was
wow. Gosh, sorry I've got to go.
That is an invite I am not going to turn down.
- Arrived in the South of France, believe it or not.
You can barely see any of it because it is so
cloudy and so wet, but hopefully the weather
will improve.
But, I have invited Steve Jones on EMVN over here for
a challenge.
He is really excited, but, he doesn't know what
the challenge is just yet.
He is in for a surprise.
- Jonsey!
- Dan, oh my god, it is so nice in the sun but
you're two days late and why the hell have you
brought me to a supermarket in the back end of Madone?
I thought we were going to have a mad one?
- No, Madone, that's the col de la madone over there.
That's what we are doing our challenge on.
On that climb, one of the most famous climbs in cycling
- Right.
- This is quite a famous supermarket, and as you
can see it is open 24 hours a day, 24 days a week.
But no, we got a challenge today to go from here
to the top which is an elevation gain of about
950 feet.
- Sorry Dan, I am not doing it. I am not going to
the top of that hill.
- Well you are off road, because you got your
mountain bike I can see.
- I take my E-Bike everywhere, yeah.
- And rather than going on the road at 25 kph
which is what you'd be able to do on that.
You'd smash me basically.
- What is, why do you want me to go up that hill?
Is it like some kind of record or something?
- Well, it is not famous for being in Tour de France
because it hasn't been in Tour de France.
It is famous as a testing group for a lot
of the worlds bests riders. So they current record
is with Richie Porte.
- Hold on, it is all coming together now.
- Yeah, he lived in Nice.
- Right.
- He used to use this as his test
to know whether he was inform for the
Tour de France.
- What kind of time are we talking?
- Well it depends where you take it from but
Richie Porte on the main part of the climb
sort of 24 minutes.
From about here just over half an hour.
- 24 minutes to the top of that?
- Its insane isn't it.
- You've got to be kidding me.
- So, I have worked out that if he did it in that
time, it is going to take me just under an hour
I reckon. So you're going to be way quicker
so what I've done is found an amazing
off road route which starts about 400 meters from here.
You're going to fork off and I am
going to show it to you on the map and we are
going to see which is quickest.
You on a E-Mountain bike on a gnarly off road route up
or me at my 260 watts on the road.
- So, if you're telling me that the record is
half an hour did you say?
What's the guy called again?
- Richie Porte
- That's like, an average of 400 watts then right?
- Well
- That's an average speed of 25 kph
- So, its about 400 watts and he weighs about 30 kilograms
so its quite an impressive power to weight ratio.
Don't be thinking about Richie Porte's record up
here we'll be nowhere near.
- Dan, if you get up there in an under an hour ill
buy you all the drinks later.
- Okay, you're on.
- See you later then
- Let me just show you the map so you know where
you're going.
My route is one that many of you will know.
It starts from the inter-marche and it is a little
under 13km to the top climbing 850 meters,
with an average gradient of 7%.
Steve's alternative route is much shorter at 9.2km
however, that means its also much steeper and
being off road much harder too.
It also includes some downhill which I am sure
he'll enjoy, but that does mean he'll end up
doing more climbing in total.
Right so you're clear where you are going?
Where your route is?
- Yeah, pretty clear.
- So it is literally about 800m up here and then
you are going to fork off to the left that is
your off load bit.
The locals have told me
that it is pretty easy.
- Easy? Easy?
- To navigate, navigate.
You won't lose yourselves
up there, its going to be hard.
- That's a limestone mountain, it is going to be horrendous
- That's the idea, otherwise like you said I won't
have any change against you otherwise.
- But do you know what, I can see a few cut
throughs there ill probably get bored of
following you up the road right.
- Well I said, you've got an off road route.
Otherwise I am going to get whooped.
(chuckles)
Right are you ready?
I've just got to calibrate my power meter.
- Calibrate your power meter?
- Cause its like a little test for me.
- Well two can play, ill calibrate my watch
and the only calibration I can do on my bike
is actually sticking it into boost mode.
- Not getting it into full boost mode.
I am actually quite nervous.
Firstly I want to beat you and secondly it is
like a fitness test for me.
My tactic is a simple one, I know from recent
tests that I am able to sustain around 255 watts,
but, I am hoping ill be able to do a bit more
now that I am getting fitter.
So I am going to set out at around 270 watts and
then basically hope for the best.
Unfortunately, Steve has more power under that
metaphorical E-Bike bonnet but on the flip side
he doesn't have nice smooth tarmac all the way up.
(countdown)
- Go, crikey, bloody hell.
- Holy, are you actually cycling at that pace?
That is way quicker than I thought.
Whose got the Ferrari?
Jesus, Dan is going way quicker than I thought
he'd be going.
Holy, are you serious?
Oh my god, he is doing like 26 K.
Dan, you've, oh my god.
- You're going to fork off here alright?
- Bloody hell, what the hell?
- Here we go.
(drum and bass music)
- I can imagine Dan is easing himself into
the foot of the medone.
Me on the other hand have got instantly involved
in this monumental arm wrestle up hundreds of steps.
Whoa, 771 feet.
Heart rate is racing, oh my god there is the road.
So the first road is, thats 1000 feet I think.
Where is Dan?
Is he above me?
Or is his below me?
(upbeat music)
- So, 3 K's in,
average power 282.
Which is more than I planned on setting out at.
(panting)
Did feel quite comfortable at the start.
Not so much now, see what I can continue to sustain.
Long way to go.
(drum and bass music)
- All these slow tied hair pins, I can just
feel it Dan is going to be gaining on me.
Then I have got these banks, there is no way
Dan's route is going to have stuff as steep as
this on it.
Oh my god.
(drum and bass music)
- A couple of kilometers further on and 280 watts
is starting to feel decidedly hard.
And my moral isn't exactly helped when Steve
flies past me on the road.
- Ridiculous pace, oh my god those steps were,
(coughs)
honestly, the steps were so steep.
So much hair pins on it, I genuinely cannot
believe how fast Dan Lloyd is going, I am going
to have to just make up some time on this quick
road section here before the next ridiculous uphill
technical challenge.
(music continues)
As you can see, I am pretty much riding a river bed
compared to the smooth tarmac the guys are on.
And in terms of physical climbs, this is definitely
up there, I can just definitely feel that up
there on the right, the guys are hundreds of feet
ahead of me.
I've got a lot to catch up on.
(drum and bass music)
(horn)
- I honestly feel like I have been stitched up
thats like about 1000 steps up there.
Honestly, its so, so technical.
Oh my god, I can't believe its actually so close.
I think it is going to be head to head from
now on.
(panting)
can't talk.
(ceremonial music)
- As I head towards the commune of Santanyes,
I am already beginning to tire.
Not a great sign as that would only be half way up.
Depressingly, I think I've overestimated the power
I am capable of sustaining.
And I have set out too hard.
However, the second half of my climb is ever so
slightly easier, whilst, Steve is about to head
downhill before he starts climbing back up.
(ceremonial music)
I haven't seen Steve for a while,
fortunately I think he is ahead of me.
But, my understanding from the locals is
that he has quite a surprise coming up towards
the end.
Lets see if he keeps taking it step by step.
- Yahoo, (laughs)
(music intensifies)
(drums play)
(Steve struggling)
(panting)
That was really hard.
The last part of that climb goes on forever.
Felt like, I could see the top so many times
but it wasn't.
I think I've won.
I am so out of the zone I forgot I was
in a bloody race.
But, Steve is not here.
Might be time for Champagne.
Although, I honestly don't even feel like
any alcohol at the moment.
Right, stats.
(panting)
So I did go out a bit too hard, I average 273
watts in the end.
As you remember I was 283 near the bottom.
So I did fade, I found that last bit really hard.
My heart rate was quite low, I am fairly tired I think.
But, i am please im up on my FTP
and I'm pleased I am
first to the top.
(Steve panting)
Aye (claps)
Bloody hell, whoa.
- Are you serious?
- I would have been surprised, if you had made it
up that.
(Steve panting vigorously)
- Oh my god. Are you serious?
- Good work man, that last bit, I heard from the
locals that the last bit is super hard.
- I was totally stitched up.
Totally stitched up.
Dan that was physical, it was technical
and I have to say I feel a little bit stitched up.
- Yes, well you didn't think I was going to come up
with a challenge where I might lose did you?
I will let you in on a little secret,
when I spoke to the locals about whether there was
an off road route up here.
They told me there was and I said I've got a friend
is going to be doing it on a bike and they
looked at me like, well they looked at me in a way
that suggested you weren't going to make it up here
even with the bike with the motor.
- Is that any surprise, is that any surprise.
Did you realize what was involved in that?
Its a limestone mountain, the steps on it were
horrific, honestly it was one of the hardest
physical challenges I've done.
- I think you were ahead, I mean the second half
was a lot harder than the first cause you were
ahead until about half way.
- I genuinely, genuinely thought I was ahead but
remember I had to drop 100 meters on the climb.
So I thought it would balance out.
- You must have done a lot of walking in that
second half.
- Yeah
(laughs)
- Yeah
well, I don't want to rub it in but I have been
here for quite some time.
I did 52 minutes.
- 52?
- Yeah, that is still 20 minutes behind
Richie Porte.
- 52 minutes?
Over 13 K, 3300 feet, sorry I work in feet not meters.
- Right.
- That, fair do's Dan, that is fair do's.
- I am quite pleased, not only with my own
performance but with the win today.
- Well you'll be glad to know, you have totally
carved me up.
One hour, 26 minutes.
- I had a feeling it would be like that.
Again, not to rub it in, I've been here quite some
time, I've been getting cold actually.
Anyway, first ever EMBN versus GCN challenge
is a win.
- But remember, can I say one more thing Dan.
Remember, revenge is a dish best served cold.
And there will be another hill, on another day.
And I am going to set that challenge.
(laughs)
- What is it like?
Sans alcool.
Seriously alcohol. Anyways well done mate,
I enjoyed that.
- I didn't, in the slightest.
I wouldn't wish for any body, any body,
do not go and do that climb.
- Onto the next challenge.
- Which is.
- The next challenge is Dan, going back down.
- A race back down to Madone. You versus me.
- A race back down to Madone, yes.
But not versus me, I thought it would be
rude not to call in the ten times world downhill
champion, Nicholas Vouilloz to get you against.
- I wondered who that was hovering just
smartly off camera there.
Nice to see you Nicko.
- Not this time.