Last night was not a good night for me, with major stomach problems and sore legs I wasnt sure how today would go, at last nights meeting we were told that today would be the hardest stage almost 50 miles, 8100 ft of climbing and the last downhill is part of the World Marathon Championship course. Woke up at 6am, legs were feeling pretty good, ate my breakfast, got dressed and headed to the start line, all the starts have been right in the downtown areas and lots of spectators.
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| The start line in Lofer Austria |
Again I started in the 3rd group, but it didn't really matter, I'm not here to compete just try and finish this thing! This morning we started at 9am, we'll start the last two stages at 9 probably because most everyone is getting a bit slower. I in the long line and heard the countdown and "GO" It took about 2 min before I started to move. Todays start was much different, we were on the pavement like yesterday, but no backups things spread out awfully quick but were climbing up the first mountain almost immediately. It was a nice steep switchback, legs were feeling great and rode it to the top, I was happy that my legs and stomach were feeling better. After the descent into a town, when were not in the woods or on a mountain were always meandering thru some little village, very cool as there are always people out in some instances were actually in backyards and between homes. At the bottom of the descent I noticed my Garmin wasn't reading any speed, must be the sensor so I stopped and adjusted it, well the first time I gave it a tap with my shoe and knocked it right into the spokes, great so I had stop and fix it, didn't take long but stopping on a descent sucks. We were at some public park/lake and the trail was flooded, things got mucky and wet, my shoes had their first soaking of the day. After we headed along a railroad track, didn't realize it was high speed until I had 2 trains pass me, that was crazy! Now back into another village, here we were told there was construction and the mayor had asked that we dismount and walk the 20ft, they even had people stationed there to make sure we did, wasn't really a problem. One thing I have noticed is that they always talk about the major climbs for the day, but there are so many others in-between that just suck the power out of your legs, just when you think your in a town and its flat, they throw 500 ft at you. Today unlike yesterday I stopped at both aid stations they have power bar products so I threw one in my pocket and another into my mouth. Seemed like I was at the second aid station at the base of the World Famous Hahnenkamm in Kitzbuhel in about 4 hours, My hope was for a 6 hour day. Once we crossed over one of the steepest parts of the Downhill ski course the climbing began. More mountain switchbacks steep at times, wish I had a bit lower gearing seems on the steep sections I am looking to spin more wish I had put a 38 tooth on my crankset dont think I would be walking quit so much. People seem to be walking riding struggling all over the place, then again I'm riding with the just wanna finish this thing group. After a bunch of switchbacks in the woods we come to an area of open ski runs, you look around and its absolutely beautiful, I actually stopped and took a few pictures.
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| Part of the course on Hahnenkamm |
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| Kitzbuhel in the Center |
We kept riding twords ski lodges and hoped that one of them would be the top, we passed 3 of them things got super steep up there. When i started to see snow I know I was close, then I got to area that was all snow covered and guys were putting on jackets for what we hoped would be a fast descent, but that wasnt to be. After a small amount of two track we dropped into a single track which I mentioned was the Part of the World Marathon Championships, it started out pretty ok, very muddy, but the lower we got the worse it got, there was guy in front of me walking I passed by him hit a root and went over the bars, ughh just a few scrapes, this downhill was getting real bad now I mean 5-10 inches in depth all rooted and rocked out, it was a freaking nightmare! I would bet that I walked 70 percent of it, and it went all the way to the bottom. Another fun part was the bridges that just dropped off on the back side, there must have 20 of them. This reminded me of the NORBA Race I did at Mount Snow VT where it had rained for a week and running down deep mud, rocks and roots, just tore up your ankles. Finally I got the bottom and thought ok I'm here, nope wrong town, need to ride to the next one over and yup there were a couple of small climbs. Once I did get to Kirchberg they meandered us around the town, I come around a corner flying there are 2 tour buses and crap load of traffic so I thought I took a wrong turn, I back tracked to check the sign again and sure enough I was right so I cut off one of the buses, he honked at me but at that point he could have hit me and I would have made the finish, I came around the last corner and there was the finish line, I saw my cousin and her husband and then they anounced my name, the commentator came over and shook my hand. Wow I had just finished and it felt great!! Tonight other than the the blisters on each heal, I'm feeling good, I'm gonna have to wrap them real good. After we washed the bike, I showered and rather than go the Spagetti dinner we went to a restaurant near the the camp ground and called it night. Awesome day, one I will remember forever! Tomorrow back at it, once again 8000 ft of climbing but with better descents, 2 down, 2 to go!
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| At the finish in Kaprun |
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| Finished |
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| my shoes after! |
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| Where we went for Dinner |
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