Bayern Racing

Lined up today for my first "official" BDR race...Nürtingen was only a training race albeit they did serve cokes and pretzels at the end. It was an early start for us since Aichach in Bayern(near München) is about 200km away. I rolled down in the Benz with Elmar and Timur. Scheiss wetter mit regen until about 30km from the start then the sun came out and all was dry. Well it was more of a haze but no rain, and dry roads, and warm temps. I got my number and got set up properly. Course was 7km with rolling terrain and some good windy sections. Layout was quite beautiful and it was properly closed off to traffic the entire way so we could take the whole road. The US could learn something here. They even had marshalls sweeping the corners. After pre-riding one time, I had a good feel for the windy sections and where it might get hard. Some proved true, other parts didn't. I rolled to the start about 15min early as I could see crowds forming. Well, I arrived to the tune of about 25m deep in the starting area. They have me racing C Klasse which is the biggest klasse and usually the sketchiest. The BDR(german fed) wouldn't give me a B Klasse license even though I have a US elite license. So I have to work my way up I guess. Okay so back to the race...over 215starters. By the time I crossed the line, the field was strung out 100m! Fortunately, I did some pre-race mind exercises to know that I'm going to have my work cut out for me to move up but I could do it. After the first lap, I was feeling super. In my head I was thinking, if this is the hardest, then I should have a good ride.

Protocol for the race...go hard for 30s on the uphill sections...slow...go fast...slow...on downhill...brake. Made for lot nervewracking moments. Several crashes...one endo into the newly plowed fields. I came through unscathed. On lap 7 I was making my way up nicely then on the in the last 3km something a few bikes in front(which was the front) went awry. Then i slipped back a little. Worked my way back. Anticipated some carnage on the 1k to go hard right. Positioned myself the best of what position I had. Many started sprinting at 600m...well if you are Cancellera but you aren't. I hid myself and watched the holes open up. Unfortunately the break that had about 30s by the end crossed just ahead. I finished top30. Pleased with fitness. Legs responded well and had good power. Positioning is getting better. It was harder the entire race, i think I could have faired better. The up and down allows to many sketchy riders to stay in the mix. But I'm not making excuses b/c if I was good enough I would have just ridden away or been able to position myself to get into the break. Next time. Timur and another teammate, Daniel Hartman, finished close behind.

Afterwards, I got a kaffee from the race stand set up. At the stand was kuchen(cake), brot mit fleisch(meat sandwich), brezzel(pretzel) and bier. I made sure to read the sign multiple times before ordering my kaffee. I handed over my 1€ only to be told no, its "drie euro" (3€)! I paid b/c I wanted my kaffee and it was only drip. Albeit good drip kaffee but nothing special. Feeling like I was taken to the cleaners I made an effort to remember the menu wording so I could look it up and understand where I messed up. The fleisch sandwiches were only 3€. So it was some type of roasted pork on a roll. Basically about 1/3lb of meat and a small roll for 3€ and coke was only 1€. I wondered why the kaffee served in the mugs was so expensive. Well when I turned my mug in, I received 2€ back. Score! Not really b/c it was owed to me, but it did make the kaffee taste that much better in my stomach. Apparently, as I am learning, the race food is prepared and sold by the families of the club who supports the race. I assume they must keep a dungeon full of kaffee mugs for these events and brake them out. It was quite the operation though. Some were making waffles, some making kaffee, cutting kuchen, taking euros, cutting meat and powdering waffles with sugar. The kuchen was nothing you would expect from the US. These were totally legit homemade delicacies. I opted to stick with my banana, apfel, kiwi and baguette mit käse und marmelade und kiwi(yep, I had sliced kiwi on my cheese baguette). Super tasty!

Chow,
Matthew