The story of the 24h race could have ad many titles, like for example: 24h race in Munich one time totally elsewise or a funny weekend in Munich... or even beer of Munich taste... or common Pirate team rider fluctuation before a 24h race !?!

Nothing is more exciting than planning a Pirate 24h race team…This time I got really mad about it, not only that I had to ride. Planned was for this years 24h race: LOFER…cracked,because one day before the race Jörg Raithmeier canceled, and just 24h before the race its not easy to find a replacement rider…THANK YOU JÖRG. Munich: about 10days before the start, Niels Mortensen canceled because of thick swollen achilles tendom, as a result of too much exercise… The replacement riders ween´t able to ride ( Mallorca, work, fu…ng !?!?) But Niels told me, that think he can handle that. Mondaybefore the event Jörg Raithmeier called (after 3 E-mails) who gave his word for sure,half a year earlier, and wrote that he isn´t able to rde because of a crash a week earlier…THANK YOU JÖRG…the second time ! Replacement riders Daniel Ritthammer ( triathlete) from Munich would start, but before he had to un dust his MTB and he only got time until Sunday 8:00AM…allright….Sadly I missed him in his bureau on Friday to ask him to start. Well…What to do??? Stephan Lüdke ( Dirt Jumper and downhill freak ) will do anything…so calling Stephan: Moinsen Stephan,what you´re up to this weekend, something to do? Yesno, why? I got a fantastic start place at the 24h race in Munich…I heard about you, that you always wanted to ride such a thing…or??? He said, I gotta call Nele, what she is saying…Half an hour later…We´re on board. - YES – But the joy is onkly for a short time, nIels calls again, he was at least three times at the doctor and his achilles tendom won´t get any better. ( taking pills, ointment, taping, exercise break, nothing worked, after half an hour, ist burning and hurts like shit, so he isn´t able to ride. S-H-I-T…What to do??? For a moment of time, I didn´t know what to do. Then I asked Gabi, what she thinks about that, when I´m riding, just for fun !?!? After all I´m an old un-trained fellow, didn´t use my MTB for half a year and got 5-6kg more on my hips… Who care´s. It is already paid for, so I gotta give it a try… Here at the departure in HH, who is looking more sappy??? Our tradionally break is in Kirchheim and leads us again ll the way to a species appropirate source of nutrition for Pirates...to MAC :D In fact it is a secret from Robby K. : I f you wanna win a race you gotta go to MAC in Kirchheim before… Here is a nice picture from my lovely T4, at the arrival in Munich at 5:30AM. All the other caravasn enjoyed themselves while we were building up our campsite and sales booth right in the night. So it looked like after we were ready…the Pirate-camping site. Just before the start, the mood of the team were really good in fact of all the stresses and strains. Traditionally Alex was our starting rider, after him Stephan should follow than Dirk and finally, me myself and I… After a few rounds the balls were twitching... Here Dirk is coming into the transition area. ( In my opinion, they should do something over it,because it became narrow and more narroweach moment) Everytime I´m in Munich, I´m enjoying the wonderful scenery! By the way, down there Stephan is passing… Here a tactical meeting… The “ boss” is wearing the brand new Retro collection in red… …and than it happened…mutiny !! While we´re on the 19th place... Than Dirk made a suggestion...instead of riding the whole night and being knocked over for a week or two, we should drink some beers, to get early to bed, to stand up very early the next day, to get on the bike again, a little bit more relaxed. Well said, after a few hours we all drank up all the beer supply of theevent area,so Alex and Stephan went for the friendly Avia petrol station to get some more beersupplies and came back with some bags of tasteful beer of Munich. Thanks to the man who brought the beer !!! Moments later all were funny and went to bed. the very next morning we all slept too long, and were able to ride only for two hours… Stephan were allowed as the last rider to ride an extra round. …and than we went home again. Tell me why, all the others were so tired? Because in the TV they showed the game of Germany vs. England, I enjoyed myself again over the empty interstate and arrived in Hamburg 6h later. Ronald Prinzlau P.S.: By the way, at the 7th and 8th of august, we on our way to a 8women team race in Duisburg ( I wonder if…) and at the 21th and 22th of august we´re on the start with a senior citizen team (4 men, together approx, 230 years old) for the 24h race at the Nürburgring…there is more reliance of the old fellows… P.P.S.: Nevertheless, I want to compete next year with at least 3-4 teams in Munich, I´m looking forward for your binding acceptance… last not least.... a big thank you to Stephan and Nele, Dirk and his driver Mike, aswell like Alex and his dad, who co-ordinated all the starting time of us, supplied us with food and beverages and of course my darling Gabi, who were helpful on my side.

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