Day 3... where to start with day 3... this was the so-called 'queen stage', a phrase used in cycling to describe the hardest day of any race.

A 70km 'flat' ride across the valley floor (1000m of climbing is why I put the word flat in inverted commas) led us to the foot of the Umbrail Pass, and further above that, the Stelvio.

I was in a bad state. Everything I ate or drank made me feel sick, and I struggled to keep pace with everyone around me.

I piled on cake, coke, energy drinks, energy bars, sandwiches, pizza and nothing worked.

The Stelvio was savage. 17km at 9% gradient, which - for those who don't know much about gradients - is about the same steepness as the hill up from Archway to Highgate. But 17km of unrelenting steep.

It was a slog, but the views around me at least made the pain worth it. The snow surrounding me as I reached the top was breathtaking, as was looking back to see the road that I'd just suffered on snaking its way up.

I had a cry at the top, it was hard not to.

The wind was howling and it was too much for me to feel safe in, so for the downhill I got in the van. It felt like a cop out, but I was in no state to take myself down it.

Next up was the Passo del Mortirolo. This was the climb I'd been most scared of doing. If the Stelvio was savage, this was downright obscene. Long stretches jump up to 16%, which for comparison is about as steep as cycling directly up into the sky. It is one of the most feared climbs in all of cycling, and it was clear why. For the most part I felt like I could barely turn the pedals. It felt like the climb was never going to end, and I continually had to pull over to take some deep breaths and avoid being sick. I was absolutely dragged up the climb by the other riders. The relief at the top and the sense of achievement to complete something that even pro cyclists are scared of was incomparable.

I tried my hand at the descent but in my exhausted state (and with my great hatred of descending) I gave up the ghost halfway down. Another trip in the van to finish the day left a sour taste, but hopefully tomorrow I can come back stronger.

The day was still brutal, even with my downhill trips in the van. 4000m of climbing in 150km... I won't forget that in a hurry.

Here's a link to my day 3 video diary: https://youtu.be/ZjZ3w5Ps1Dg

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