Stage Eleven: Albi to Toulouse - Visualise

Another flat stage.

Although some of the scenery is high.

And even higher with crumbling castles atop it.

No one is looking however.

Caleb Ewan is determined to win today's stage.

He is concentrating deeply.

Visualising his win.

He is sprinting towards the finish, he is just behind Dylan Groenewegen, he is perfectly positioned , he moves out....go, go, go....

Bingo!

But it has not happened yet.

Sweezus is riding beside Sprocket, who is dejected.

His mother turned up at the picnic yesterday and dented his ego.

Don't worry about it, says Sweezus. You ride for the team, not your mother.

Yes, says Arthur, drawing up level. None of us rides for our mother.

It was just embarrassing, says Sprocket.

Yeah I know, says Sweezus. How about leading us out?

Okay, says Sprocket.

He whizzes forward.

Sweezus and Arthur follow.

They forget all about Sprocket's mother.

Another rider is finding it hard to forget her.

She had admired his lucky bracelet. She had been entranced by his meetings with saints.

She had seemed to understand his theories of self-overcoming.

And agreed when he claimed evolution could not be assumed to have finished.

She had offered him mushrooms.

Look at Nietzsche riding along in a daydream, says David.

I'll give him a task, says Vello.

Friedrich, how about going back to pick up some bidons?

Will do, says Nietzsche.

With any luck Grace Swan will be there with Belle and the bidons.

He drops back.

.....

It is now 30 k from the finish.

Mouldy has just threaded through the peloton, causing havoc.

Thirty riders are down, including Quintana, Ciccone and Porte.

But they recover and rejoin the peloton.

Things could be worse.

.....

It is close to the actual finish.

Caleb Ewan sprints towards the finish, just behind Dylan Groenewegen, he is perfectly positioned, he moves out....go, go, go....

Bingo!