The race started after the rain had stopped on still-wet roads, but conditions improved quickly. The pace was civilized on the first few km but that changed when arriving at the first rolling hills. Whilst I was hanging in for dear life, some individual riders escaped and formed a group that managed to break away. I had not been able to count how many got off the front. The remaining race was the usual game of attacking and chasing individuals and groups trying to get away, so the pace varied between extreme surging to get them back followed by slow speed sections and repeats of the same. Entering the final of the 5 laps I could feel my legs were pretty smashed and I thought to put everything into a dig myself, which lasted for a few km until I got caught myself. Shortly later, on the second hill of the final lap, I found myself again at the front and just rode my tempo as I would on a training ride, when I suddenly realized a huge gap had opened behind me. This was the opportunity I had hoped for, so I put the hammer down and managed to widen that gap and rode solo ahead of the main peloton for about 7km, when another rider joined me but at first, overtook me and I couldn't hold his wheel, only to find each other and work together shortly later. Two further riders came up to us with 5km to go, but two of our 4-up group refused to do any work from then on. For me it was most important to not get could by the peloton again and thinking that we were out of contention anyway, I was committed to do the main part of the work of this group. On the final straight though, my legs were cooked so badly, that I had nothing left for a sprint. It was only after the race that I came to realize that our group had a 15th place up for grabs. Finishing in top 20 was my goal, but I am happier to have initiated and pulled through an escape from the peloton for a respectable finish in my first German Nationals Roadrace ever!!!! Also, it made clear to me that I am not top-notch level, there is a class above the level I am on at the moment. Suffering from exercise-induced asthma, I got into trouble breathing on almost every climb, sometimes I had to reduce my effort just to avoid an imminent attack. But having taken the initiative to leave behind the Peloton with a lap to go fills me with satisfaction, especially since the effort was successful and stuck to the end. Overall, one really has to ask the question if it is worthwhile driving 1300km through Germany for a 2-hour race where a top 20 result is a success. Not sure if I will do it next year again, as a 55-year-old...
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| before |
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| after |
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| post-race chat with Heiko Gericke, ex. German Champion Master 4 |
