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Roc d'Azur, FRA |
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| Date: |
06.10.2006 |
| Description: |
Mountain Bike Race |
| More information: |
http://www.rocazur.com/ |
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| Diary:
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| 08.10.2006 |
Friday, Marathon Race
87kms, 2200m Elevation Gain
4th Place, 11min back from the Winner, Marzio Deho
It was a chilly wind at 8 o'clock in the morning at the start line. We all had goose bumps, but the rising sun gave us the missing heat back, as well as a late season race spirit.
Soon a leading group was formed with Zahnd, Dietsch, Deho, Simoni and me.
The racing here is technical with lots of single trails, loose rocks and, unfortunately, sharp ones too.
Mid race distance, a sharp stone cut the sidewall of my tire, and the air came out right away.
Since I am fast with tube changes, and there was still a long time to go until the finish, I still saw my chance to win. But the cut in the right side wall was so big. The tube came out and built a nice balloon out there.
It was just a matter of time until it burst again, even though I did not lean my bike into the right corners any more.
How can you fix a flat with a broken tube?
Cut the tube in two, where it is broken (with the teeth if you have no knife)- get the tube together again with a double knot- put the too small tube back on rim-fix the sidewall cut with a empty gel paper- pump it up with an old borrowed pump.
This whole scenario took more than 10min. but I was back in the race again, and on the last real climb I passed a big group of 6 riders, which put me back in 4th place again.
Actually pretty stupid, to still go hard, and not save energy for Sunday's big race!
Sunday, XC
58kms, 1550m Elevation Gain
2.29hrs, First Place, 1.20min ahead of Marti Gispert
Almost as nice as a World Cup win!
The crowd is crazy here on one of the last climbs, as well as at the finish.
The Marathon Race was like holiday compared to the speed we set up on today's race!
But, still after 1.15hr. we were a group of about 15 riders.
A technical climb where Marti went full gas, separated the whole group. I had to go very hard to catch him again, as did Italian road star Gilberto Simoni.
We three climbed together the Bougnon section, where Simoni set up a really hard pace. I was struggling, and already thinking about the comments from the press like: "Sauser get beaten by a roadie."
Luckily right after that "road" climb we went into hard technical climbs, and this was my last chance, and immediately I made up 30sec.
The end of the race is pretty flat and I am not sure if I could have gone for the win there!?
Simoni is a good technical rider and could always stay on our wheels in the downhills. But I still think that he lost too much energy towards the end. He is not used to off road riding, as we are.
It is such a cool feeling to win the last race of the season, and now vacation time!
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GMT
