Bellthorpe, a new climb and another solo win in Spain (video)

This time, the plan was to add this loop to last week's ride. One reason was to add a few more kilometers and get home early without having to ride to the Bay. But rightly, the main aspiration was the 4 km climb, which is known for being one of the toughest in SE Queensland. So we did and I will call it the Bellthorpe Range climb.

I am glad we did it and yes, it is a tough little climb with an average of 9.5% for 3.85 km, going by my Polar. The scenery is fantastic as it is surrounded by State Forest and when you get to the top the view is just astonishing.

Because I said we and because this was such a special treat, I will mention and thank PJ, PK and Darryl (all QSM Team members) for this great ride. Our friend Brian couldn't make it but we will certainly be doing this little loop again.

One thing to remember on the Bellthorpe Range climb, when you think you are at the top, you will find another 200 m of climbing in the next 7 km with some nasty little pinches before you descend to the main road.

It was a tougher ride this time. A strong westerly wind blew during the whole ride and we didn't seem to ride in many protected areas. We worked hard for the seven hours in the saddle and averaged close to 30 km/h for the 200 km ride.

I have to say, it was tough and I was feeling fairly ordinary at some point. The wind and the heat were taking a lot of energy out of me and I only managed by pouring a lot of water over my head and splashing my face with it. In my mind, the thought that the BIG RACE could be just like that in a few weeks time.

All good preparation then!

And the Vuelta? Well, another inspiring finish here, love it!