Final flat stage before the punishing stuff begins....

Early start from Tours for Stage 13, 100 mile ride across rolling farmland to Saint-Amand-Montrond, heading South-East towards the Alps.

Not a particularly tough stage to ride (a transition stage in the Tour back to the mountains) looking at the profile, only one Category 4 climb around the half way point, but made tougher by the constant headwind which only turned into a more helpful cross wind Nouans-les-Fontaines, again, just before the mid-way point. The heat and blue skies were back with us but the afternoon heat was cooled by the shade of forest roads towards the end.

Again, lots of roadside decorations from the Tour that passed through yesterday (we are still one day behind the race until Monday!) and one stop for a photograph of a particularly creative decoration that led to a family appearing from a farmhouse to offer free coffee (and local cake). The photo will follow.

Nothing much else to report from the ride, cycling tan line is getting more pronounced (and daft) by the day, 'private' blisters multiply by the day, breathing is getting better and swollen left hand seems to be returning to normal, just in time for the mountains!

Tomorrow will be another early start leaving Vichy (our overnight stop over) for the start line at Saint Pourcain sur Sioule continuing to head South East to Lyon via five Category 4 and two Category 3 climbs, a little more challenging and a leg stretcher for Monday's punishingly long ride, finished off by the Hors Categorie (beyond category) climb to the summit of ,Mont Ventoux (the bald mountain!). Tomorrow is Bastille day, so celebrations everywhere and a big hope for a French rider to win Stage 15 on a legendary Tour climb.

So, as we leave the long straight rolling roads of the North West we gear up, crew and rider, for the punishing days ahead with every ounce of our effort and focus now locked onto Paris, we will give everything to cover every climb, every mile, every inch of the mountain stages (plus the remaining short time trial stage).

Twitter will be back up and running with photo's tomorrow, again, the electronic gadgets prove to be as challenging as riding all 21 stages.

From the crew and rider of Ride 21, supporting and raising funds for Action Medical Research, UK children's charity funding research into breakthrough cures for illnesses and disease that affect babies and children in the UK, this is the reason we wear the jersey.

www.action.org.uk/tourdefrance

Twitter @chrisarmishaw

''whatever you can do, or think you can do begin it, there is no road to which there is no end''    

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