At the most beautiful weather I made me on my way at the 17.05 to the 1st Harzer-MTB-Cup to Clausthal-Zellerfeld. I decided to start on the Middle-Distance, 68k`s and 1560DA´S(Difference in Altitude). Well, this should be enough fot the first Marathon race in 2009. Start was at 9:00o`clock for all of the 140 starters.

Care-Free as I am, I ride at the rear wheel of Andre Kleindienst and Stefan Danowski. Both set the speed real high from the Beginning , so I had to let them go after ¾ of the first round. So, I stand ther alone, and tried to get the speed high enough. After a defect from Andre Kleindienst, I got first out of the first round from all of the 68k`s participants.
Sadly, I noticed, that I Overpaced in the beginning and so I try to escape like a venison from the staghounds. Without Success...

Legs were so sour, that there was no Idea of fighting anymore, when 10k before the finishline, 3men overtake me…
So, I reached only the 4th place overall with the awareness, that I have to start a little bit slower in the next race.
You`ve to learn that, even if you are an old XC´ler, that this kind of race last a lil`bit longer..

C-Ya than ….

André Zamponi