Albstadt

At the 9th of july, we went for the second time this year to Albstadt, to ride the 17th Albstadt bike-marathon. We were four Pirates on the start: Thomas Büttner, Jens Kastler, Kai Engelfried and myself. One week after my 14th place in Singen, I was very highly motivated, even when Albstadt is with 86km a little bit longer. Our starting place in the VIP-box, seduce you to push the pedals really hard right from the beginning, but you know as well, 86km can be very long and hard, if you don´t economize with your powers. So, the tactics, were clear, don´t waste to much power at the beginning. On the first ascent after the inner city of Albstsdt were lots of viewers and spectators, who cheered the sthletes up the ascent. When you reached the top, you had to ride on gravel ways and always up and down, what is really normal for the scenery near Albstadt. But somewhere you have to collect the 1600m of altitude?!?! The ways just climbed up over short and steep ramps. And after 40km you reached the ski-jump-tower of Onstmettingen, it´s like a hot-spot for fans, viewers and spectators. You are able to hear their cheering, the drums and all other stuff from far away and you receive a goose flest and a Alp d`Huez feeling, at both sides of the roads, they stand in more than one line, Albstadt is well known for this behaviour of their inhabitans. That you don´t only ride on gravel or forest ways, was clear, soon you reached the trails, really muddy of the rain on the day before. I was somewhere between sinking or slippering with my tyres,( with to much air inside). And rocks larger than fists on the way, didn´t make the trip easier on the muddy trails, and one or another crashed because of it. But finally after 3:33h I reached the finish, shortly being followed by Jens and Kai, and later Thomas reached the finish and completed our team, but Our time wasn´t enough for the overall win of the team ranking, but at least we were the winner of the hearts. I ended up on the 53rd place in the pro´s class and was satisfied with it, more wasn´t possible today. The contest is a wonderful event and so the results were something like minor matters. Special thanks to my dad for the pictures and also to www.Sportograf.com See you soon at the next race,, Micha

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