Stage 2 - 28th June 2026

The Long Road Back — If yesterday was a "Hello Barcelona" moment, today was a "Welcome to the Tour" reality check. Our day started with a 6:00 am breakfast followed by a 75-minute coach transfer south to the UNESCO World Heritage city of Tarragona. We were in the saddle by 8:30 am, and the heat was already an ominous 27°C.

Neutralised Spirits and Coastal Views — One of the unique aspects of Le Loop is the “neutralised” first feed stop. It’s a brilliant technique where no one can pass until the last rider arrives. It forced us to slow down, communicate, and support each other during the early, “jolly” miles. We cruised along big, open roads with stunning coastal views of the Mediterranean, feeling the camaraderie of the group.

The Sun Takes No Mercy — As the morning progressed, the “famous last words” about the first half of the ride being flat started to haunt me. The temperature climbed to a blistering 32°C, and the Mediterranean landscape offered absolutely no shade. By midday, we hit the first real test of the 2026 route: a Category 2 climb, the Côte de Begues.

It was brutal. At those gradients in 32-degree heat, you can’t really “support” your colleagues; you just grit your teeth and enter a private world of pain. I was literally being cooked by the sun, sweat pouring off me as I lost body salt at a terrifying rate. For the first time, the thought crossed my mind: “Why am I doing this? It’s only Day One of the real riding.” Reaching the third feed stop, the sight of my fellow riders — all shattered and overheating — confirmed I wasn't alone in that struggle.

The Barcelona Maze — The final push back into Barcelona should have been a victory lap, but someone had tampered with our route arrows. We lost over an hour navigating the confusion, which meant even more time being “cooked” while stop-starting at endless city traffic lights. We finally finished the stage with three punchy laps of the Olympic park — including the 13% gradients of Montjuïc Castle — before rolling into the hotel at 7:30 pm.

The Stats

Looking North — I am officially done with the traffic lights of Barcelona. Tomorrow, we leave Spain behind and head into the lush green hinterland of France. It’s another massive day: a transfer to start, 125.5 miles (201.9 km) of cycling, and a 2.5-hour transfer at the end to get us to Carcassonne. We are heading into the mountains, and if today was a test of heat, tomorrow will be a pure test of the legs.