Spacince (SL) to Demandice (SL)

I awoke at dawn after a dry night to see storm clouds gathering, so I packed up sharpish and just in time as the rain started no sooner than I hit the road. I set off happy in the knowledge that my tent and equipment were packed away dry.

This was probably the least attractive stage so far as I stuck to the route on my GPS. The course shadowed the motorway and passed through a few industrial towns.

The rain today had to be seen to be believed! As I cycled up and out of "Nitra" the water was coming down the road like a river.

Large sections of today's stage were on busy roads and clearly the Slovaks are not used to cyclists as far too many of them sped past me at high speed with mere centimetres clearance. It was a stressful day at times as I wobbled and struggled for control in the driving rain as the cars whizzed by.

The northern arm of the Carpathian mountain range that I would cross in torrential rain

Taking some shelter from the rain