Stage 2- 106km 2000m climbing and one heck of a middle segment!

Today's stage start was a lot less wild than yesterday! 

No crashes or hairy moments to scare us off, just a good speed and a few inconsiderate riders to deal with :) 

Our start went a bit south after James flatted on the rear wheel and we needed to plug it, losing the bunch and having to roll ourselves back into action lost us a few minutes in the long run, but it was eventually a very small price to pay over the course of the full week :) 

Rolling into Waterpoint 1 was smooth and quick, the route was also a fast one with only a few kickers to test the legs. BUT! Once we hit the second waterpoint, we knew we were in for a hard time as the two main climbs of the day, "One Two Three" "Sucker-punch" and "Counter Punch" kept us busy and really turned the brakes onto the average speed and tested what was left in the legs. Cobus was an absolute powerhouse on the climbs, setting a great pace and ensuring we only burnt the matches we needed to. 

After leaving Waterpoint 3, it was game on! We joined forces with an American team we had been riding with yesterday and set a strong pace to finish on a high.

So far we have recovered well, a small nap, all the food a normal person will eat in a week and a shake or two and we're ready for tomorrow!