Vaude Trans Schwarzwald 2015

For the fourth time we would be participating in the VTS.
5 days of racing against and together with almost 500 international bikers from all levels, but also the best of the marathonscene were present.
This year was the 10th anniversary, and weather announced to be warm and sunny. Me very happy...

As last year we could count on our personal driver, so we were once again on tour like a semiprofessional team.

Peter Verstraete (Belgian Military Champion XCO) joined us for the ride. He would be riding his first VTS and was staying in the riderscamp all week.

Peter Verstraete

Riderscamp

We left on sunday so we had two days to get prepared in Engen where the first stage would start on Wednesday.

Sara was out for a vengeance after the unlucky Transalp a month ago.

I felt relatively good, so we decided to go hard on the first stage, and see which place this would deliver.

The other 4 stages, we would try to control or even shift up some places.

On Monday and Tuesday, we relaxed and did the recce of the first climb.
Weather was as announced, hot and sweaty...

 Event  1.Etappe_VTS_2015

Good start for Sara.

Long stage with very few technical difficulties, so we almost pushed the big gear all the way.
Result for Sara was outstanding. 7th place in the Elite Women category. Yihaaa!!!!

Event  2.Etappe_VTS_2015

A stage where we could use our climbing skills and Sara was once again very strong from the start, so I had to catch up with her ASAP in order to give some assistance. Mostly mental. Damn, she was riding fast uphill. She managed to keep up the racing pace, and finished again top 10. This was looking very good. Some other girls, who were lot faster last year, were now several minutes behind her in the GC.

Event  3.Etappe_VTS_2015

This stage was announced to be the most technical of all 5 stages, with the whole stage going up and down at a high pace. The trails brought some smiles on a lot of faces, this is why we do it. After a hell of a fight between the girls standing around Sara in the GC; Sara managed to shake them all off at the end, and so sharpened her advantage. I finished 8' later due to 2 flat tires in the last 20k's.

Event  4.Etappe_VTS_2015

Rik Sauser, the event manager, told us this stage is for recuperation, and would be the easiest one of all.
A lot of us, found this one really harsh, and with some nice single trails on the way, I considered this stage as the King stage of the VTS2015.
Sara had not such a good start, so I could be of some assistance during the rare flat parts of the track. Very tired Sara crossed the finishline. She would still keep her place in GC.

BTW, bikes were dirty today:

Event  5.Etappe_VTS_2015

The last stage was going to be the Battle for Feldberg. A skistation at the highest point of the Black Forest. We knew the last climb from previous years, I knew this would be the breaking point for some ladies today. Hoping it was not going to be Sara's black beast this time.

Weather changed completely overnight. It was cold, windy and raining. Me NOT happy this time...

Start was heavy, and I had a hard time catching up with my teamie. After the first technical downhill, I catched up with Sara and she was riding all alone with a strong wind uphead. I put  myself in racingmode, and we managed to catch up some girls. Things were looking good. After 3/4 of race, Sara's fueltank was suddenly empty. On the last climb we were almost to a standstill, and the girls we left behind earlier, were catching up again.

I screamed my lungs out of my body to push her to the maximum.

Result: lost 2 places in the GC, but still good for a 9th place overall. Well done baby.

RESULTS

Due to the "very nice" weather conditions, we didn't stay long.

A quick bite, shower and goodbyes to the friends over there, and we were already heading home. Back to reality.

Once more this wouldn't be possible without the support of our partners: Baloise Insurance, Crankbrothers, Canyon, Overstims, Fizik and Roeckl.

They might see us again next year, but not sure yet. Some other ideas came to mind for next season. More details later.

Sara's out for a little rest now, and then we'll be preparing the last part of the 2015 season.

CU

PS: and Yes, we've got another shirt in the drawer