Day 3: Rompin - Kuantan. In the Grand Tours, this final day would be a celebration ride either into Paris, Milan or Madrid. Where battles had been fought and won; respective jerseys protected; where riders entertain the spectators and peloton with crazy antics. Some still treated it as a "race" while others opted to take it easy.

Here I shall award the Euro Cyclist Code of Conduct award to Don Chan.

Thankfully, (or unfortunately, depending on your legs and which floor you stayed in) all the hotels we stayed in this year were in low rise buildings, without lifts. This meant that we did not have to wait in long queues for the elevators, or walking down 20 floors of fire escape stairs carrying our bikes and bags trying to make it to the starting line on time. I had a room on the ground floor this time and all I had to do was walk my bike 50 feet to the carpark. :)

Calm before the storm as we rolled out from the hotel. In the foreground from L-R, Adeline, Gane and me.

As with PCC rides, we were flagged off on time at 6.30am and we had to navigate the potholey lane out of the hotel in darkness. Upon realising that the kiasu rabbits (refer to Day 2) had escaped when Chief Marshall Christine announced the five more minutes to start, it was hammer and nails after the 10km neutral zone lead out. Everyone was trying to hang on to the front pack to get some free speed until suddenly a herd of cows stampeded across the road, effectively cutting up the pack. A rider fell, but was unhurt.

It took the front group 40+km before catching the "escapees" and the pace mellowed down a little which gave us some breathing room to enjoy the kampung scenes and beaches.

Since a picture says a thousand words… enjoy the photos below:

Vong policing the peloton (or enjoying the view of bontots?) to make sure no one gets left behind..

Ach, who do we have here but the the one and only Boon Foo (front)... proprieter of that friendly shop "where everyone knows your name..."

Time to top up the fuel tank with goodies from the support cars. It was a barren 90km from Kuala Rompin to Pekan.

Who's the odd one out?

This group is taking it nice and easy. L-R BK, Vong in LeTua kit, Michael Chik, Debbie, Soh, Boon Foo.

Sprinting for the finish line?

Ah ha - here we have the long lost Gafino - read his article about becoming a cyclist (go to TheDuh.com cycling articles main page)

Friend, long way more to go. You sure all these food will hold up inside your tummy?

Wooden bridge crossing which I dumbly bunny hopped onto it and dropped my chain.

Last pit stop at Kuantan town. The famous Cendol.

I am sure this cool, refreshing desert had never looked so good to a bunch of hot, thirsty and tired cyclists.

Daniel's a Merdeka baby! (note the funky hairdo....)

Thanks for reading, and we'll be back for IS2009!

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