We arrived to our accomodation in Films Switzerland (20mins up the mountain from CHUR) late Tuesday evening. Katie fell asleep on arrival I woke her for the best tasting dinner yet and we ate dinner in bed and then Katie was out like a light again she was pretty cut up still with the road rash on the arms and legs and bangs to the head it was best she tried to catch up on her sleep while I went training in a thundershower and located some essential places in the town a dentist just incase and a doctor also just incase.
Wednesday we were eager to check out the racer bike cup track in Chur so we piled into the car and drove down, Katie couldn’t ride for $H!T, one handed and 1km an hour didn’t really cut it she tried to keep up for awhile but soon threw in the towel and decided to leave riding the track to when she could hold on so another easy day for her. Sam and I checked out the track with the U23 auzy boys it took awhile to find it but a local set us in the right direction.
The track at first we thought was a bit roady but as it was ridden roots and rocks were exposed and with some fast off camber sections it made for a bit of fun. The track had a good climb, two fast decents, false flat and a road section so something for everyone.
Race day turned on a stunner over 30degrees and not much wind, as always ladies first - in the 12pm race and then the men to follow.
Katie
Raced day came around pretty quickly, but I had managed to heal up well for race day but it was a pretty painful week more painful in the fact I could not train and was getting really frustrated playing the waiting game by Thursday I could do some speed training but was still unable to comfortably ride single track so I left my track prep until Saturday which was ok as the track was easy to learn.
The start was fine and I was again able to move up the field but this was short lived as after a pinch which we had to run I couldn’t find a rhythm or speed and the other girls road around me like I was standing still. I am not sure but I think I was at the back or very close to last for the first two laps with nothing in the tank the legs were as flat as ever, Carl was great I think he instantly had figured the legs were underdone for the race in that I had not been able to the proper training he instructed me to down a whole peak fuel two coffee shots in one go I follow these instructions so loaded up on peak fuel I started to pick up. By the last lap I was on 14th ‘s wheel and I went past giving it every bit of what my flat legs had they had enough and I went past (maybe it was carls yelling the whole way up the hill as he warmed up) then toward the top I found my self on 13th place wheel I was excited and thought I was finally coming back. But at the bottom of a shoot I got a bit off line and then cramped (a side effect of a little more caffeine than I am used to and a hot day) the cramp caused me to ride out of the decent sitting on my back tire all very exciting and happy to be still upright I went to ride off still holding my position BUTTT my chain was off (due to my crazy ride down the hill) I finally got it free and back on but fell back to 15th.
So how would I describe that race, hard!!! I gave it everything but had nothing so spent the day hurting at the back of the field. I hope this has woken the legs back up and with a race in France this weekend I will be putting them up to the challenge.
Carl
I had a prick of a day, it started off good. I started well I moved up from 30ish up inside the top 15 in the 1st few minutes then the real hill started and the groups started rolling around me I couldn’t do much but watch them go by. By the 2nd lap I felt like I was along way back but on the 3rd I started my come back on the climb I moved around a few groups again and started descending really fast but got wide and hit a sharp stump I had been looking at all week, saying don’t hit that. Good one. I hit that, but for the 1st time in a few years I had a tube in. (We had new tires on that would take a lot of effort to seal and take days to get right and no air compressor so we had no choice but to run tubes). So that went flat in a flash, pretty pist I had to take it easy on the carbon rims so did a bit of walking and watching people go by then on the tarmac did a bit of riding properly would have been faster to run but could be arsed running a few km’s. got to the tech zone changed it and boosted again. That was short lived going from mid pack to really close to the back was hard but I stuck to it and gave every think for a few laps then Nino past me so I was kinda glad I had 1 less lap to do at this race… I kept the hammer down and a few laps latter the 3rd place bunch came past me I held on for a km maybe but the constant pace on the hill I soon blew and just lapping. By 2 laps to go I was really in the Cooked/Overheating/Hurting/Over it stage and really struggled to stay upright on the bike on the last decent I just about had one of the helicopter me of this hill side moments but just saved it to the surprise of the people standing there. I don’t know how but I think I was 39th out of 67 starters 22 of them DNF ed I think Nino lapped all but the top 20 which I think and was hoping to had been in. I haven’t seen results so don’t quote me on anything.
Tubeless is where its at…..
CHUR
Carl and Katie
We have been missing the internet, eager to find out how the Waiariki slalom paddlers and Tyler in the English armature (golf) went this weekend.
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