Stage Three - Ice Socks

Thursday. If yesterday was hot, today's even hotter.

Stage Three has been shortened for this reason.

Only one lap round Victor Harbour.

Boo! says Terence, who is watching in air-conditioned comfort, at Gaius's house.

Boo! says Farky.

There is a knock on the door.

Farky bounds down the passage. Has Gaius given up the race and come home? Has he brought ...?

But it is Margaret. And she knows where Gaius keeps his spare key.

She bustles in.

I knew it! says Margaret.

She turns off the air conditioning.

She turns off the TV.

You're both coming with me to Victor Harbour, says Margaret.

Yay! says Terence. Wait! No, I'm not allowed to.

It's all right. You'll be with me, says Margaret.

It's too HOT, says Terence.

He knows that because Phil Liggett said so. And the riders had ice socks down their backs.

Hat! says Margaret.

Don't have one, says Terence.

He does, says Farky. It's a sun hat.

Shut up! says Terence. I lost it.

Never mind. I have a spare, says Margaret. Although you may not like it.

And with that, she seizes Terence by the hand, Farky by the collar, and they're on their way to Victor Harbour, in Margaret's white car.

That sucks, says Baby Pierre, who has been left behind in the kitchen.

You should have been more assertive, says his mother.

......

Margaret hums as she drives.

What a nice surprise this will be for Gaius.

She has packed a hamper, and her swimsuit as well.

It will be forty one degrees by the time the riders finish the first and only lap of Victor Harbour.

Gaius will benefit from a swim.

She pictures him swimming, beside her, in his bike knicks.

And is interrupted.

Terence is making a fuss in the back.

What is it?

Clowns. Farky has predicted there will be clowns at Victor Harbour.

Wah! cries Terence.

Stop that nonsense! says Margaret.

She can't stand nonsense.

.......

Meanwhile in Victor Harbour the sea sparkles. Dolphins play in it.

The teams imagine not racing but jumping straight in.

Forty one degrees. The race is nearly over.

Caleb Ewan is all set to win. His team has set him up perfectly.

But something goes wrong.

And suddenly Elio Viviani has got it.

Well, good for Elio Viviani, and guess what, it's going to be forty one degrees again tomorrow.

Everyone heads for the water.