The elite team poses for a photo before heading out.
Rustem chatting it up with the riders.
Coach keeps a close eye on the riders. Who will make the team?
The women's team passes us, making all kinds of noise. They soon turn around.
Hey Rustem, Smile!
Tom and Rustem heading back to the hotel.
Hey Gary!
The 3 amigos.
The elite team returns from a full day.
Kicking back after a big meal.
Tom snags another photo opportunity with team management.
Dessert on the way to Kas.
Day 4
We left the hotel as usual, but this time a 180 km ride stood before us. Even the elite riders were quieter than normal. The first 20-25 km was fairly easy. At one point we got pass by both the juniors and women's team. They were obviously not out for a 180 km ride.
As we were rolling along, the coach pulled up next to us and started giving instructions. He pointed at me an told me to ride with the lead group. Gary was in the second group and Rustem was the roaming photographer. Before we knew it the pace had picked up over 30+ mph and we were doing a rotating double paceline. It took Gary and I a few minutes to figure out what was going on. The pace stayed high and the rotation was fast and close. This lasted for 40 minutes.
The groups started to slow down again so we thought it was time for a break. They were only slowing to navigate a right-hand turn in-land to the mountains. The pace didn't really pick up, but it remained steady. I lasted to the third climb when it became obvious I wasn't going to be able to hang with the group. I was in the second pair of a steady double-paceline up the mountain. Knowing me and the rider to my left would be taking the next pull only made things worse. The guys really tried to keep me in the group. I would start to fall off the pace and they would literally shove me from behind back in position. I thanked them and drifted to the back and was soon detached. I climbed a bit more and then turned around to find Gary and Rustem so we could ride home together.
We all came together at the corner market and turned back for another 45 km to the hotel. It was a long ride back in a steady headwind.
Back at the hotel, we showered, packed and went to lunch with the team one last time. Afterwards we had cay with the coaches until our Taxi arrived to take us to Kas. It was sad saying good-bye to everyone, but we had a ton of fun.
The ride to Kas was 6 hours through some very winding roads. We stopped once so our driver could pray at a local Mosque in Antalya. We took the time to get some dessert.
In Kas we were met by Ali and his finance Fatos. It was a long day both in the saddle and in the car. Time to do some late night shopping. Tomorrow will be an easy ride around the peninsula and out to Kalcan.
