The Transalp just ended up a few month ago and everytime, when I talk about it, I tell the fight of my team mate with the mountains….
Ingo´s Transalp!

On the 4th stage the Transalp reveals itself... Until now we did quiet a good job to pass the mountains, on the royal stage with the maximum of altitude it all should come to an end. It was a real f… hard stage. It got 4 surges, which were so steep, you had to ride chain far “left” as possible to avoid getting of your bike. Ingo had to fight real hard on the final surge up to Grödnerjoch. The first technical meters of altitude lead us to the stage finish in the wonderful village of St.Christina.

The 5th stage was one of our biggest adventure day of this Transalp ! We had to ride 3200m of altitude and 83km from St. Chrostina to Sarntheim. A very hard stage, their also were the longest uphill part from this years Transalp with 1700m of altitude. These 1700m of altitudewere a pice, quite a big piece of work, and this part almost finished Ingo to give up. Luckily ther were some friendly supporting viewers on the course, which supported us very much, so it came to a psychology stage. At the end of the day we reached our destination without any crash or puncture, but with a crying and smiling eye….

The 6th stage became the hottest stage ! Right after the start we had to ride about 1100m of altitude uphill. On the whole course we had dreamlike trails with some heavy parts, which claimed victims. On the last surge, we had to go 800m of altitude. We had surges here with about 20% increase at scorching heat and blistering tarmac. In between we´re supprted by the viewers with water and also sometimes they showered us with a water pipe. Followed by wonderful trails and very hard trails on the way to Kaltern.

Just a regular Coke in the middle of nowhere, right in between the 7th stage from Kaltern to Andalo, about 75km and 3000m of altitude were effective like a miracle to Ingo. Today, the mountains wanted Ingo to give up again, but he showed a braveheart, and fighted. Ingo told me at the 2nd catering point, that he´s totally wiped out, how can I manage to reach the finish?!? Luckily at this point, Ingo didn´t know, what else was about to come, because the lst increase up to Andalo, were extremly hard as well, because we already had about 2200m of altitude in our legs.

The 8th and the final stage of this years Jeantex Bike Transalp Tour powered by Nissan, went from Andalo to Riva del Garda. The last 61km and 1450m of altitude. One last time the hymn of the tour from AC/DC “ Highway to Hell” and on we go on the last stage. Ingo had a good breakfast, without any rebellion of his stomach. So Ingo presented himself very strong on this stage. As longer the race lasted, as faster we rode, and we were able to pace up a little bit on the last stage. The highlight of this stage was a part of 800m of altitude with just single-trails, downhill. This made lots of fun to myself. The last 30km we rode flat to Riva del Garda.
In Riva was the long wanted and needed finish. WE DID IT !!!!!

How about me?
I had lots of fun on this years Transalp. It went better than I thought. My advantage was, that I knew what I had to expect of the Transalp from the last years and I knew some of the course. The teamwork between me and my teammate needs some patience, understanding and mutual respect. Ingo is a good man on the roadbike, sadly he had some problems with his stomach. No real food intake = no power in the legs ! But, I pull my hat oh his volition.My Bike (Liteville301) brought me save to finsh ! I was really surprised of the Race King 2.2 from Continental, which displaced my old Nobby Nic 2.1.
No flat or puncture on the whole Transalp.

What´s left from this years Transalp, just memories and the spezial need of sitting in front of the PC on the 6th of december with a pulse of 180 to gather one of the highly demanded starting lots, to participate on Transalp 2010.

Craft Bike TransAlp 2010, watch out PIRATES are coming !!!

Willy

P.S.: Ron, thank you for your support !!!