Friday, November 8, 2013

Tour de Bintan 2013... what an epic ride.

Tour de Bintan 2013, a memory of pain and elation.

 

Preparation

It was many months before November 2013.  Didn't know who was the smart guy who initiated the whole gang to sign up for Tour de Bintan 2013.
The majority of us had only been cycling seriously on road bikes for slightly less than a year.

"Tour de Bintan?" asked someone. "That one is quite tough isn't it?"
"Yeah. But this tour is the closest thing you can come to an UCI organised and sanctioned event," replied the smart Alec. "Come, let's go!"

Months after months passed. And our usual Eastern Loop and Western Loop and the occasional Round island rides became a little more intensive, as many of us woke up to the notion that TdBintan was just rounding the corner.
And we started doing the Kulai Loop in Malaysia, and the 6 Bridges of Barelang in Batam, and some hills workouts back in Singapore hoping that if we were to suffer then, we would suffer lesser in Bintan.