I hope that PBP is not the place for villains but hearing of a couple of fatalities (and passing one such scene moments later with recovery awaited), leaves a sad feeling that an event of this endurance on public roads does lead to an aspect of negativity within some elements of society, be they fellow cyclists or road users.
I would like to open a discussion on Heroes.
When I rolled into the final Dreux Controle, I had 3h14m to cover 65km. But I had problems. I had fallen several kms earlier and came in with a bent R crank and bruising. I went straight to the Mechanics where John Juckes (JJ), on the 84hr, happened to be hovering. His French and my desperation saw my crank being bent back, whilst I sorted Controle and a couple scratches at Medical. I rushed this as JJ suggested we would attempt the impossible – Paris in time!! I was already suffering a changed (and painful) saddle, mentally demoralised from the saddle pains and from sleep deprivation and I had ridden into Dreux with Abandon on my mind. But I still had to make Paris, so what was there to lose and JJ was pretty insistent. We left Dreux inspired.
What followed was a TT where we picked up Sekido Yoshiji (Willesden) just outside Dreux and raced home. Yoshi said his time line was 1500, earlier than my 1510, so we just planted it. On the hills and they seemed like monsters (actually 460m of climbing), JJ pushed Yoshi and came back for me. We went through Red lights and made the Mat at 14.59, 2h 48m for the leg, an average of 23.2kph, which after 1230kms and 90hrs seemed a touch impossible just 3hrs earlier. I later checked Yoshi on the PBP lists which gave him a finish of 90:06, based on a 20:53 start time. I can hardly walk 4 days later as my tumble damaged muscle around my prosthetic Left hip joint, so how I managed to ride like that escapes me!
So, JJ gets my ‘Hero of PBP’ Award.
