The past days we have done the three last stages in Zambia, going from Lusaka to Livingstone, near the Victoria Falls. The circumstances were very good: if there was wind it was a tailwind, the road surface generally was perfect, and the temperatures were not too high. The difficulty was in the length of the stages (160, 175, 160 km) which made you arrive in camp a little bit later than we are used to.
I have not experienced any problems in the past stages. The legs are still rotating smoothly, the body is still strong and so is the mind. The bicycle is still running like clockwork. I’m looking forward to the coming stages with confidence.
On Thursday I met a very special person. Riding in a peleton we were passed by a truck with a Zambian cyclist draughting behind it, reaching a speed of at least 60 km/hour. In the first town he joined us, and I had a conversation with him. His name was Felix Mapani, and he was the champion of Zambia. He did not have a sponsor, his bike was an old Italian brand, his derailleur was controlled by levers on the bottom-tube. On his handle bars he had a small cushion like you normally see on a triathlon-bike. When I took a closer look, I understood why: he did not have a left hand or underarm. So he rode his bike behind the truck with one hand! We drank a Coke together and said goodbye.
By now we are over the three-quarter mark, time wise. Many conversations now are about the finish in Capetown, how many days to cycle, and how life will be after the Tour d’Afrique. The big countdown has started.
The statistics:
Travelled distance: 7353 km
Altitude meters: 50000 m
Time on the bike: 325 hours
Average speed 22,6 km/h
Flat tires: 11
EFI Yes