So, the first race of the season took place in Winterberg. Not a very long track. Not even a kilometer. Expo and most of the spectators congregate at this race more than others. Here the starter ramp takes you over a kicker and into an outside left turn.

Since it was muddy; it was pretty hard to find the right tempo. After a couple of ramps

you got to two doubles, where it was important to ride roundly and make both of them.
Then there was another jump around a turn to a little drop where a small rock field was set up.

Here is where my fate was sealed for the weekend, when, attempting to ride in a totally moronic line, I flew over these rocks horizontally and surveyed the damage after this "Extreme Peeling". My gear shift had been ripped from the frame and where the thread of a screw could be seen shortly before, all I saw was a hole with some aluminum shavings. My weekend was over.
Later on, David (in front in the pic) showed me how to do it right, but it was too late by then.

Andreas