Your suffering was epic! GvA is proud of you…
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Wow, that was a tough start! Like others have mentioned, it’s hard to focus on this when potential WW3/armageddon breaking out.
On a lighter note though, one of my kittens was thoroughly engrossed in the action on screen for awhile. So was I, but halfway through I had company show up. Paused to let them in and tried to “visit” while continuing the workout 
by the time they left there was half an hour left and I faded about where Clara did. My heart rate did not like being sociable-ish. I actually had to pause three times in the final tiny little effort block! (reporting for my flogging gVa) then nearly fell down the stairs trying to reach the bathroom. An exciting start to a momentous ToS in my house.
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Stage One complete, my first ToS. I decided to take advantage of the available window and get a jump on the tour. Waiting to start this tour was like standing at a wedding chapel…you’re 98% certain you want to do this, but that little 2% voice in the back of your head…best to start and get on with the challenge. Struggled a little to find my cadence sweet spot. Happy to be a part of this year’s Sufferlandria tour!!!
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My first ToS. My plan was to go nuclear all the way but I strained my quad last Sunday and was limping around for several days. My orthopedist (also a cyclist) kept me off the bike until Thursday. Then Tapers at 70%. Friday was Primers at 90%.
Stage 1, which I finished today, was supposed to be a start at 70% with the OK to go to 80% if I was feeling good. I decided just to go at 80% and rode that all the way through.
I am lobbying to do Stage 2 at 100%.
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Since my training plan for this year’s Tour was comprised of just scrolling through our funny posts from last year’s Tour, Stage 1 was difficult. I’m on the Just Get Me Through It option, and I still had to dial it down during those last 30 minutes of surges. But - it’s done! I’m liking the ProRides! 
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All done! Found lap 4/6 really mentally difficult…”3 laps to go” was really demoralizing when I saw that there was still over an hour of riding left, but once I gritted through that it started to feel a little lighter, even as the intensity climbed. Really hard session, but really enjoyable.
On to the next. Legs are hamburger so I need some sleep!
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What an opening stage - loving the immersive pro rides. Mega kudos to the fearless ladies of the peloton.
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This is tough seeing all the stories from Stage 1 when it’s not Sunday here until tomorrow!
Looking forward to joining you all in completing State 1 soon.
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The constant variations really took a chunk out of me. This was hard.
Lucinda Brand though, she was a f#cking steam train on fire. First a breakaway and later powers that group back to the bunch… That’s incredible.
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Looks like I might be doing an unofficial alt tour with a delayed start! We’re heading back to a flooded hometown tomorrow. Don’t know if I’ll be able to access the cave and might need to do some cleaning up!!!
C’est la vie!!
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Ps. How awesome were Dave and Dylan riding side by side!! 
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I did Stage 1 at 100%!
No, I am not doing this nuclear, but I had never done a Pro Ride before, so I decided to do it at full bore. I also did a Half-Monty early last week to get myself some updated (higher) numbers.
I found the advice from Elements of Style very useful in this ride. Especially, the advice to keep the weight off your legs and use your core to provide power. This helped a lot with the frequent surges.
Given the rapid changes, I did not find the heart rate advice very useful, except to give me some rough ideas of the top end and some recoveries.
Also, given that some of the freewheeling was followed by surges, I could not stop pedaling because the flywheel inertia could be difficult to overcome.
Also, given this is the first stage of the ToS, I found the advice at the end of the ride, to “manage your recovery” slightly ironic.
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My first ToS and first ProRide, so much fun! Got claustrophobia riding so close to others and with water bottles flying through the peloton but a great experience and time flies by, will definitely be doing more of those after ToS!
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Is it possible to have Tour Eyes and Tour Hunger on the first stage already? Asking for a minion.
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What a great ride - great in that it hurt but was really fun. I am truly amazed with those phenomenal professional athletes riding the real deal!
Stay strong Ukraine!
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Great 1st stage in the books!
Pulled the earpiece out at 1h35 and just TT’d all the way in.
Well done all the other finishers!!
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Stage One done. Didn’t realise I could’ve done it yesterday (I think?) because yesterday is also tomorrow somewhere or whatever but if I can work it out, it might make day 7 a bit less… erm… glorious?
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