Experience-bulletin of Olaf Fiedler, Pirate Fellow Traveller and rear bike drafter of Rainer van Ellen…

A sunday with a mud bath – Pirate fellow traveller on Tour, or the way I learned, that riding MTB-race is very different as I thought it is. But let us start right from the beginning....well, if you can ride several tours with a roadbike far away over the 100km with quite a good average speed, than riding a MTB-marathon should be one of the easist things in the world and no problem for myself, and if you got to choose between 20,40 or 60km, you choose for sure the 60km. The one and only advantage of this decision was, that on the 60km course were only 65 starters and not so much participants as on the other,like on the 20km – 281 – and on the 40km course 199 participants. So, the start becaem very easy and smooth because I thought for the first time I´ll start from behind and the other thought was, that most of the other weren´t able to ride the beginning speed for such a long time, so it would be became very easy to pass them. I wore all new things and I layed a little bit with my bike my turning the wheels and so the first troubles came with a pond on the street, because I wanted to finish dusty and not muddy. After a few km on the street we turned on forest ways- as announced before – but it was more like a large mud pool for wild boars than a way, and the following path also wanted me to push or carry my bike for a while, but at least no crash in this passage for me or another- but I wasn´t really satisfied with the way I rode and the art of riding. Than I noticed that my sadlle is almost half a meter to high for this terrain, so I put it down – roadbiker are known as people who know everything but they´re open for something new. Back on my bike I noticed that the sadddle showed more to the right than in the middle, so next stop, but at least we´re fast with that. But what followed next? You´re right the next, the third Stopp, because my saddle now wanted to head to the left side of my handle bar, so one more Stopp, with a little bit more time and now everything was right. But than I asked myself, why the heck can the others ride so fast over roots, can ride a fast muddy downhill part and not myself, when I looked at the wheels of the other I remarked that I had much more air in the tyres than the others, no wonder why I ride like on raw eggs, on a roadbike high pressure is right but on a muddy course, not. After a while, I had the technical stuff and I was able able to ride on, but where are the others? Far away, of course… After two more pushing passages and several steep ascents, which hurt a lot because of my cassette ( 11-23), you don´t need a 32 in the town, and so the first round came ro an end. A new surprise waited for me, when I entrered the secong round, the 281 starters of the 20km race, started right before me, because I was far out of time, I now find myself right in the middle of the field but veofre you end up somewhere you don´t wanna end, I slowed down a bit, because arriving healthy at the finish is the only thing which is important. So, on the seconsd round I had some company and was also able to pass some guys. But without other surprises it won´t work, while riding a race in the forest, you always had to look for pedestrians, and don´t believe they will make place for you, no way, you had to make a huge curve around them and so I ended up in a large mud pond, now I know, why my trace, was the only in that direction, luckily it was only knee deep…. The third round was more relaxing for me, because I had the whole ways for me alone, bacause the others were all far away, but lucky me, some guys still came from behind, and so I was able to focus on the riders before me at the horizon and so I pushed the pedals, mobilized all my power and strength and were able to pass 5 of them and so I reached the finish line while the winner ceremoy was hold, but I didn´t want to took part…err…I wasn´t on a podiums place and I wasn´t able to recognize again because of lots of mud freckles and the rest, take a look… The start, of course not with myself in the first row Relaxed at the end of the field, no stress and the colors are still bright It´s nice, when you got plenty of space to ride - with hikers on the side-walk What´s up? Does he walk that fast or is my bike broken and my brakes are tight??? No, that´s not the banana from breakfast at my pants, ist just mud from the forest paths Maybe, for next year, a sign with the water depth? Now, don´t care anymore, ist the 3rd round, now the deal is only to finish As I remember the jersey looked different before the start? Well, the other riders all finished with their shower when I reached the finish… The fast ones, only received a finisher shirt, but I got on fitting to the colors of my pants. You know, the shoes were white before, do you believe that? But where is the blue color of my bike, maybe under the new protecting layer…??? The food supply were all good and a lot, because all participated at the winner cereomy, I could eat in silence… Here is an idea to clean your bike…you don´t wanna know how the bath looked like after it... What I learnded from this? MTB-races are different, even they´re just bikes and my reaction at the finish line…Never again, but while I rode this bulletin, it was really fun and maybe I´ll participate on another race, but with my saddle in the right height and less air in my tyres, but for sure I´ll start in white. Course 60km, 1620m of altitude, 54th place Olaf – Pirate fellow traveller out of the capitol city of Saxony. Cheers...whatever is in the botle…

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