Double race weekend!

Last weekend was a long weekend so that means time to ride our bike (and camper) even more. There where two races on the calendar. 😀

#mycanyon

My home is where my RV is

 Friday afternoon, right after work we left for the Bike Festival Willingen. Last seasons we had a blast over there. It's a big event with a nice atmosphere and a very fast marathon on Saturday. Not technical at all, but it's special because there are 3 different distances and all riders start together. During the stage you can decide when you finish, after 50K, 90K or 116k.

We ride Crankbrothers

Refueling @pastaparty 

We had to start in the middle of the night at 7:30 AM to be exact! I skipped my warm up on the rollers and had to hurry to get to the start in time.
Only a few days after the BeMC I felt recovered but I had no idea how the legs would feel during the race. My start wasn't what I hoped for, but I did not feel too bad at all. My heart rate could keep up very well, but in the ascents  I had to shift to lower gear as usual. 

Peter joined me during the race, he had to start all the way in the back so the first part of the track he had to overtake about a 1000 riders to reach me. He did have strong legs so he wasn't sure what distance he would ride.

Very early that morning I looked at the profile of the ride and I wrongly read the short distance was 37K. During the race we were riding with 3 women together, after 30K I attacked to make it to the podium, but not knowing how many women already turned off on the short ride. I gave it my all to make sure the other two ladies stayed behind.

I remembered the course a little from the previous years and after 40K I realized I must of had mistaken in the morning. I overtook two more women, but instead of a 7K sprint it became a 20K killing fight with myself and Peter yelling me to the finish. In the last climb I was struggling but I could keep the other ladies behind me. The last descent to the finish is a fast and narrow one so I was pretty safe when we took the last turn to the finish line. The speaker was yelling my name as first girl. Winning like this tastes sweet! 

Trophy

Sunday morning we slept in and left after breakfast in the direction of Spa. A 4h ride to the next race! It had been a few years since we race here, but as far as we could remember it is a magnificent race.

Technical, flowy and very hard! In Theux you can find the nicest single track trails in the broad region. Sometimes not so mucky due to some negative weather phenomena. Here we sometimes call that 'rain'.

start numbers 

But this edition would be a 'positive' one. Predictions were at our side. Sunny, dry, no wind. What does a human/biker need more?
We decided to both race the 95km. Sara starting 10' earlier with the 'beau monde' and I was to start among 'the rest'.

Peter's start

The 95km are all around Theux, but after a smaller first loop we come by and past the finish line for the first time.
This part was sometimes tricky. Due to a short but heavy thunderstorm the day before, some parts were still flooded, and rocky descents were slippery.

Shredding the trails

The second big loop was dry, where the technical parts luckily alternated with fast rolling trails. We knew it would be a long ride so starting hard is not the smartest you can do over here. Riding your own paces and avoiding to ride all alone and enjoying the trails was the tactical plan for today. Soon Sara caught back riders that started way too fast. After starting in third position she moved up to second position after 30K. Even during the second part of the race she could keep the position, but it wasn't easy.

Besides the challenging course, a good preparation, racing other riders and hoping the gods are with you on mechanical level you have to be mentally strong during a 6 hours race.

I on the other hand had a strong ride again. We were the very last wave of the day that started. And most riders in my wave where not in a race mode. I could turn in to the trails with a small group and was able to get to the last riders of Sara's wave (not easy, but always with some spare gears in the back). Enjoying the trails uphill as well as downhill I had an enjoyable ride.

Triggering Sara by overtaking here

In the last part Sara had a hard time to keep pushing it. But in the last K right before the finish I got on to her wheel and by overtaking here I encouraged my baby in my 'old fashioned way' to the finish.

Finishing hard!

Sara finally became third because another female rider who started with me 10' later finished 6' minutes behind Sara.
Another podium to finish this first part of the season.

#podiumweekend

This week was about a lot of rest, getting our bikes back in top shape.

AbsoluteBlake & Crankbrothers Candy 11 pedals

Lunch

Dinner

            VS 














Next weekend we'll be heading to Rhens where we'll be riding as Canyon ambassadors.

P&S

PS: In Theux I've beaten Sara by 10' 😀 Perhaps they'll put this one in the newspaper next time. 😉