Not much to say right now! I raced all out for 2.18hr, I pushed out all there was, but I'm 25min down on the Russian winner!
I made some mistakes, 2 x I missed tracks (which wasn't really there!), I had to run/push the last two hills, surely took a wrong route choice or two, but all in all just to admit that in today I was just not good enough!
Need more training, hills & riding skills!
Tmrw is relay, 1st leg on the 2nd team, will finish these Worlds with a good performance.....
Not in mood for more today & I need more food, 3rd time I'll eat after finishing around 1pm, but keeps on feeling hungry! results, maps & pics here
*Mike*
PS Erik took bronze medal!!!! His 1st WOC medal, really cool & amazing ride from our strongest guy - next he'll take gold!
Friday, July 16, 2010
Thursday, July 15, 2010
pRE-Start day!
2nd rest day of the week (one too much in my opinion!) & a chance to re-load for the ultimate fight tmrw!
Friday July 16th 2010 – WOC LONG Distance - 38km – 1.200m climb – expected winner time 110min!
How do you PREpare for that?
Well it’s too late to do anything new, so it differs a lot btw athletes….someone sleep & stay calm all day, others ride the bike for hrs others…do other things!
Well it’s too late to do anything new, so it differs a lot btw athletes….someone sleep & stay calm all day, others ride the bike for hrs others…do other things!
I have had a good active recovery/pre-race day:
· Brkf around same time as usual….Okay I slept 30min extra!
· Relax in bed studying some maps from the model event
· Joined a meeting of the active athletes commission (over coffee and cake;-))
· A nice MTB ride with the guys half way up the local mountain top Serra do Laruoco (Lasse & Erik went all the way, but those guys are gold candidates so let them show off;-)) Picture 1/2-way from top - more below!
· Lunch….still the same buffet as we have had the last 6days!!!!luckily they have Heinz, otherwise!
· Ice cream & coffee with the guys at the local coffee shop….had to move under the umbrella as the Viking skin already burns a bit…on the top!!
· 2hrs cleaning, oiling & just pimping Miss Scott….she is still in good shape & the new wheels/tires does a great job down here in the gravel, stones, thorn’s, down hills etc!
· Shower!!!!
Thoughts before the fight of my life!
Tmrw’s gonna be tough like crazy, I know, just look at the numbers above (or here: 38km, 1.200m climb, expected winner time 110min) but it will be equal for all. The winner will be the guy who managed NOT to over cook in the fight up the hills, but stay fresh enough to chose the right route choices! A wrong choice in this terrain easily cost you 3-4min! We only have 17 controls, so it’s gonna be a lot of pushing MAX btw the controls/choices…a real king stage, where the winner will be the lion..a true champion!
Tmrw’s gonna be tough like crazy, I know, just look at the numbers above (or here: 38km, 1.200m climb, expected winner time 110min) but it will be equal for all. The winner will be the guy who managed NOT to over cook in the fight up the hills, but stay fresh enough to chose the right route choices! A wrong choice in this terrain easily cost you 3-4min! We only have 17 controls, so it’s gonna be a lot of pushing MAX btw the controls/choices…a real king stage, where the winner will be the lion..a true champion!
I hope it’ll stay nice tempered as the last two days i.e. around 25 & some clouds! If not, I’m gonna melt, so PLS all send some ice thoughts to Montalegre tmrw, around 10.45! I start 3min behind my CZ club mate Radek from USK and has Lasse 6min behind! Still believe Top 20 is possible, but it has to be a good (cold!) day!
If interested you can follow our fights "live" with results & pictures here
Finally the Portuguese folk music guys are finished and the buffet is open, so time to dinner!
Pictures from the ride today....it's Lasse & Erik ON the bikes!
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Heat C: 24,7 km, 635m climb, 11 controls, 1.25.25hr, 9th, 8.30min down!
Wednesday Program: Long Distance qualification
What's the deal: all men allocated into 3 heats with 30-33 riders in each - 20 best from each heat qualifies for A-final! Best Q. time = last starter in Final!
What happened:
07.20: Cloudy, below 20 drg, yogurt with branflakes & chocopops, toasted bread with ham/cheese, juice, coffee & bread roll with.....NUTELLA!!! Perfect start & a good day!
08.15: 11 bikes loaded into Das Auto (we have a Crafter Van for our bikes!) Miss Scott inclusive, looking good!
08.29: departure direction Avelelas behind Chaves
08:51: a local farmer stops his van/truck in the roadside I, prepare to drive smoothly around, looks in left mirror for a split sec & catches a black Audi halfway up on my left......BLOCK's the brakes, Horn bottom down & a lot of not nice DK words.....
09.25: arrives at the arena! a small, VERY small mountain village with donkeys & dogs walking around.....
10.42.00: START Long qualification
11.32: get's a Portguese guy starting earlier than me, he follows my back wheel up the hill towards control 7, just before the stop he drops off, he can't keep my pace, YESS!!!
11.41: I'm not ahead on the map & hasen't read the route to the 8th when I punch #7, I stop for a few seconds to read..the Portugese pass me...F*CK!
11.48: I punch the #8th AFTER the P. guy...it's STEEP uphill & I can't closet he gab of 20meters...
11.50: I push 99% & get's closer to the P.guy.....the hill flats out a bit, I push 2 gear up on the back, catch the guy & flies by...YESSS
12.07.25: punch the finish line, Portugese guy is minutes behind, I'm currently fastest in Heat C, I know it's not gonna last, exhausted after a tough race(see details in title) but I'm satisfied...could have pushed a bit harder especially downhill!
13.30: results confirmed, I'm in the A-final on Friday with a clear margin, 9th position means I'll start in the middle of the pack on Friday
13:31: coffee with the DK guys, all qualified, Erik with a clear win(2min) in heat C - a good day!
Notes: Friday gonna be a LONG LONG-DISTANCE!! I'm loosing around 20sec per KM to Erik today, if the same on Friday I'll be riding more than 2.05hrs! The good thing is I feel ok pushing the hills, I'm not the fastest but I'm going!!! Now it's time for price giving for the Juniors who had the middle dist again, as their race Tuesday got canceled due to a misplaced control! Andreas (one of them, we have 3!) got a 6th place & all 4 got into top 17 (gonna be Gold candidates for the relay, just like the seniors!)
Pictures, maps & results here
& here the Danish Team with the Montalegre Castle at back ground!
What's the deal: all men allocated into 3 heats with 30-33 riders in each - 20 best from each heat qualifies for A-final! Best Q. time = last starter in Final!
What happened:
07.20: Cloudy, below 20 drg, yogurt with branflakes & chocopops, toasted bread with ham/cheese, juice, coffee & bread roll with.....NUTELLA!!! Perfect start & a good day!
08.15: 11 bikes loaded into Das Auto (we have a Crafter Van for our bikes!) Miss Scott inclusive, looking good!
08.29: departure direction Avelelas behind Chaves
08:51: a local farmer stops his van/truck in the roadside I, prepare to drive smoothly around, looks in left mirror for a split sec & catches a black Audi halfway up on my left......BLOCK's the brakes, Horn bottom down & a lot of not nice DK words.....
09.25: arrives at the arena! a small, VERY small mountain village with donkeys & dogs walking around.....
10.42.00: START Long qualification
11.32: get's a Portguese guy starting earlier than me, he follows my back wheel up the hill towards control 7, just before the stop he drops off, he can't keep my pace, YESS!!!
11.41: I'm not ahead on the map & hasen't read the route to the 8th when I punch #7, I stop for a few seconds to read..the Portugese pass me...F*CK!
11.48: I punch the #8th AFTER the P. guy...it's STEEP uphill & I can't closet he gab of 20meters...
11.50: I push 99% & get's closer to the P.guy.....the hill flats out a bit, I push 2 gear up on the back, catch the guy & flies by...YESSS
12.07.25: punch the finish line, Portugese guy is minutes behind, I'm currently fastest in Heat C, I know it's not gonna last, exhausted after a tough race(see details in title) but I'm satisfied...could have pushed a bit harder especially downhill!
13.30: results confirmed, I'm in the A-final on Friday with a clear margin, 9th position means I'll start in the middle of the pack on Friday
13:31: coffee with the DK guys, all qualified, Erik with a clear win(2min) in heat C - a good day!
Notes: Friday gonna be a LONG LONG-DISTANCE!! I'm loosing around 20sec per KM to Erik today, if the same on Friday I'll be riding more than 2.05hrs! The good thing is I feel ok pushing the hills, I'm not the fastest but I'm going!!! Now it's time for price giving for the Juniors who had the middle dist again, as their race Tuesday got canceled due to a misplaced control! Andreas (one of them, we have 3!) got a 6th place & all 4 got into top 17 (gonna be Gold candidates for the relay, just like the seniors!)
Pictures, maps & results here
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Finally a medal!!! Updated!
This post is gonna be short, as we're just on our way out finding some proper food to celebrate Rikke's silver medals in the Womens Senior!
Otherwise the Middle distance was one big disaster!!!!!!!!!
Best Dane!
I was BEST Danish rider in the men!!!!!!YES BEST DK i MENS!!!!!!
32nd out of 83, 12min down - a bit lower than the goal of Top 25 (3min up to that one), but it was simply to hilly & rough for me to go any faster.....to weak up, to careful down, BUT I didn't make any BIG mistakes, so if we can get a bit more power in those weak Viking legs before Friday then TOP 25(20) is reachable!!!
Danish disaster:
5 men was disqualified, 3 was Danish!!!!!!
Erik, misses the punch on 2nd last control & loses a 5th place (which is amazing considering he lost his rear brake on control #2!!!!)
Lasse & Bjarke was weak & chose to quit the race after making some big mistakes/wrong route choices in the beginning.....no further comments to that!
Otherwise the Middle distance was one big disaster!!!!!!!!!
Best Dane!
I was BEST Danish rider in the men!!!!!!YES BEST DK i MENS!!!!!!
32nd out of 83, 12min down - a bit lower than the goal of Top 25 (3min up to that one), but it was simply to hilly & rough for me to go any faster.....to weak up, to careful down, BUT I didn't make any BIG mistakes, so if we can get a bit more power in those weak Viking legs before Friday then TOP 25(20) is reachable!!!
Danish disaster:
5 men was disqualified, 3 was Danish!!!!!!
Erik, misses the punch on 2nd last control & loses a 5th place (which is amazing considering he lost his rear brake on control #2!!!!)
Lasse & Bjarke was weak & chose to quit the race after making some big mistakes/wrong route choices in the beginning.....no further comments to that!
Monday, July 12, 2010
Monday morning.....!!!
Just like the guys at TdF we have enjoyed a rest day here in Montalegre & just like the PRO Tour riders I(we) spend it with a little spinn.......but it started like a very NON-typical Monday morning....enjoyed a 2 hr long brkf accompanied by 4 cups of coffee & good talks with some of the DK team mates....off race days you have time to actually enjoy your don't have to wake up & rush of to work (John, I love going to work but!!!!)
Agreed with Erik to go for a short MTB ride, enjoying some nice trails around the Middle dist model event. Unfortunate Eriks crank didn't wanna ride more than 10min, so I was on my own checking out the map & terrain similar to what will wait tmrw.....it looks great & we where in the same area last week for the intervals, but the map is a bit tricky...don't agree at all with the mapper on his choice of track graduation! i.e. what is marked on map as a BIG, FAST track in real life is a bumpy, track with stones, loose gravel, trees hanging in & a lot of water cracks, BUT now I know, so ready for the race!
Miss Scott got the fine tuning with a wash, oil & is now shining ready to kick some A** too...hope she'll kick me up the hills tmrw...there will be plenty of them & they looks nasty steep! Hope I can find a good way around...at least some of them;-)
Middle distance is one of my favorites, not only bcs it's not LOOONG, but also bcs there is normally more controls, more changes of directions i.e. more map technical & risk of making mistakes(that is for the other guys of course!)which increases my changes for a good result...or should do!
So I'm really looking forward to this one & is gonna push MAX while still in control & "on the map" !
The start list has just been published & Miss Scott is rolling out 11.02! Hope it's early enough for the heat not to kill me completely before the uphills starts to eat up the power!
Race info, life results update etc here
The organizers are doing a quite good job down here(apart from the gymnastics at the opening ceremony!) so results, videos & pictures are uploaded quite quick - Y-days pics & video here (40 sec into the video: check out the guy pushing MAX over the bridge!)
Now it's time to enjoy the rest of the "rest day", think I need a pre-dinner snack!
Thx for all mails & FB greetings...nice to hear someone is reading/watching/following.....send some ice thoughts tmrw, will need some coolness down here in the hot, dusty hills!
*MM*
Agreed with Erik to go for a short MTB ride, enjoying some nice trails around the Middle dist model event. Unfortunate Eriks crank didn't wanna ride more than 10min, so I was on my own checking out the map & terrain similar to what will wait tmrw.....it looks great & we where in the same area last week for the intervals, but the map is a bit tricky...don't agree at all with the mapper on his choice of track graduation! i.e. what is marked on map as a BIG, FAST track in real life is a bumpy, track with stones, loose gravel, trees hanging in & a lot of water cracks, BUT now I know, so ready for the race!
Miss Scott got the fine tuning with a wash, oil & is now shining ready to kick some A** too...hope she'll kick me up the hills tmrw...there will be plenty of them & they looks nasty steep! Hope I can find a good way around...at least some of them;-)
Middle distance is one of my favorites, not only bcs it's not LOOONG, but also bcs there is normally more controls, more changes of directions i.e. more map technical & risk of making mistakes(that is for the other guys of course!)which increases my changes for a good result...or should do!
So I'm really looking forward to this one & is gonna push MAX while still in control & "on the map" !
The start list has just been published & Miss Scott is rolling out 11.02! Hope it's early enough for the heat not to kill me completely before the uphills starts to eat up the power!
Race info, life results update etc here
The organizers are doing a quite good job down here(apart from the gymnastics at the opening ceremony!) so results, videos & pictures are uploaded quite quick - Y-days pics & video here (40 sec into the video: check out the guy pushing MAX over the bridge!)
Now it's time to enjoy the rest of the "rest day", think I need a pre-dinner snack!
Thx for all mails & FB greetings...nice to hear someone is reading/watching/following.....send some ice thoughts tmrw, will need some coolness down here in the hot, dusty hills!
*MM*
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Ready, set, GOoooohhhhhh shit a wall!!!
Out of the start, full control, first 3 controls are checked on the map, up on the big ring & stand out of the big road, straight ahead…..was this the roundabout….maybe it WAS….am I too long……Ok, change of plan( route choice) go left here, down the end of the buildings & then just….. F*ck A WALL!!!!F*CK Why??? where can I get over, where can I get through?? Why did you go here, what the F*ck kind of amateur are you…is this your first MTBO EVER?? F*ck, F… F…..! ok, F*ck that, it done, go back to main road, turn left, left again & jump on to the pedestrian area & there we go, 1st control….and here comes the guy who started 1min behind meLarrgggggggggggg…………………………………
????Probably the worst start of a race, losing control of the map & the direction after 15sec!! & then at a World Champ!!anybody who do orienteering (or any sports) know how important a good start is…..especially at a sprint, where there is no time to catch up any lost time(seconds!) I lost more than 60 seconds before the race was even started!
WHY:
Will the day started great, up 06.00, down to brkf at the hotel….waiting for the staff to open (06.00 means 06.21 in Portugal(just like it would have in Hungary!)) yogurt & Nutella(not together) down with coffee & juice, Perfect prep, drive to Chaves in morning sunshine, temperature under 25 drg during warm up, all ready, last pep words from coach Jan & then………………………………………………………
Will the day started great, up 06.00, down to brkf at the hotel….waiting for the staff to open (06.00 means 06.21 in Portugal(just like it would have in Hungary!)) yogurt & Nutella(not together) down with coffee & juice, Perfect prep, drive to Chaves in morning sunshine, temperature under 25 drg during warm up, all ready, last pep words from coach Jan & then………………………………………………………
Then what:
Well after being caught up by the Slovak starting 1min behind at the first I turned all my aggressions into power & concentration & made a almost perfect race home…..would have been in Top 15 if………BUT that’s sport, especially on this level & that’s why you have to applause the guys on the podium, respect!
Well after being caught up by the Slovak starting 1min behind at the first I turned all my aggressions into power & concentration & made a almost perfect race home…..would have been in Top 15 if………BUT that’s sport, especially on this level & that’s why you have to applause the guys on the podium, respect!
After that:And that’s what we just did, a price giving ceremony in the cultural centre of Montalegre…..unfortunate we had to “suffer” a bit before we could celebrate the winners: Team march of all participating nations from the castle, speeches (in Portuguese) , gymnastic & “acrobatic” shows by the local youth teams (sorry to say but they are not gonna win any medals in either gymnastics or acrobatics!)before we finally could celebrate….3 Danish podiums, 1 x silver for Andreas in Junior Men, 1 x 6 for Rikke in Women & finally Erik’s 5th in the Mens.
Andrea’s silver is really F*ing great, not only for him & the Juniors (who btw had 3 guys in Top 10) , but also for the team as we had ONE medal at least & DK must score metal in all disciplines…that’s just how it is!
Move on:
I’m not the only one who was a bit disappointed after the race, but now it’s just to accept the fact that we where just not good enough today(accept for A) & then move on…..tmrw is rest day before Tuesday Middle distance!
I’m not the only one who was a bit disappointed after the race, but now it’s just to accept the fact that we where just not good enough today(accept for A) & then move on…..tmrw is rest day before Tuesday Middle distance!
Result:
BTW I was 28thout of 73 finishers, (2.59 down on the winning AJ from AUS)so my goal of best half is more than archived, BUT what if.......I had gone straight into the 1st & not lost that m……Top 15!!!…ok F*ck that, doesn't help!done is done...Tuesday is next!
BTW I was 28thout of 73 finishers, (2.59 down on the winning AJ from AUS)so my goal of best half is more than archived, BUT what if.......I had gone straight into the 1st & not lost that m……Top 15!!!…ok F*ck that, doesn't help!done is done...Tuesday is next!
Saturday, July 10, 2010
The jersey is on....!
...and though it's a bit small...da'm I look good in red & white:-)
Pimp my Ride
Today has been the famous day before.....T-1.....last chance to fix.....last chance to change! & it looks good!
After a healthy brkf (NO Nutella) it was time for Team DK to "gejl"up the gear a bit.....& man did we pimp that ride!!! Bikes was washed, polished, cleaned where they have never been touched before! So no matter what; DK has the coolest & cleanest bikes!My team mate & one of the big favorites for tmrw - Lasse - choose to take a little too many parts apart, but got some new parts from the local bike pusher, brought in by Bjarke who had to go fix a broken tooth(one of those on the bike!) Miss Scott is however ready to rock'n roll!
Funny story before part2:
As service to all the teams the hotel has turned the parking garage into security storage! The reception girls however are not super happy, they have to go down open the door everytime any of the competitiors want access to his/her's bike....which happen quite often when you have 10 teams accomndated on your hotel...but at least they get out of reception o;)
DK national jersey vs. Mike!
After lunch & a afternoon nap (yes, pimping your bike is a hard work...especially when it's 30+ drg's) it was time to jump into the national trickot & get out on the model event!
1st of all I'm happy we start at 9am & not 3pm, it's F*ing hot! but it's gonna be a fun urban sprint tmrw....will be rough to read the map going up & down the streets & castle of Chaves!very technical & tricky parts with stairs and different "levels"where you can do some nasty mistakes...loosing several seconds!!!
As all know, Sprint, is never gonna be my favorite, so I'm just gonna go out have some fun - startlist's has just been published - I'm out in the streets 09.20 - looks like they'll have "live"coverage with blog & results here
Anyway I look da'm good in that DK outfit, so let fight begin, I'm off to team meeting & then pack the car & then a early bed, we're leaving the hotel 07.15!
Pimp my Ride
Today has been the famous day before.....T-1.....last chance to fix.....last chance to change! & it looks good!
After a healthy brkf (NO Nutella) it was time for Team DK to "gejl"up the gear a bit.....& man did we pimp that ride!!! Bikes was washed, polished, cleaned where they have never been touched before! So no matter what; DK has the coolest & cleanest bikes!My team mate & one of the big favorites for tmrw - Lasse - choose to take a little too many parts apart, but got some new parts from the local bike pusher, brought in by Bjarke who had to go fix a broken tooth(one of those on the bike!) Miss Scott is however ready to rock'n roll!
Funny story before part2:
As service to all the teams the hotel has turned the parking garage into security storage! The reception girls however are not super happy, they have to go down open the door everytime any of the competitiors want access to his/her's bike....which happen quite often when you have 10 teams accomndated on your hotel...but at least they get out of reception o;)
After lunch & a afternoon nap (yes, pimping your bike is a hard work...especially when it's 30+ drg's) it was time to jump into the national trickot & get out on the model event!
1st of all I'm happy we start at 9am & not 3pm, it's F*ing hot! but it's gonna be a fun urban sprint tmrw....will be rough to read the map going up & down the streets & castle of Chaves!very technical & tricky parts with stairs and different "levels"where you can do some nasty mistakes...loosing several seconds!!!
As all know, Sprint, is never gonna be my favorite, so I'm just gonna go out have some fun - startlist's has just been published - I'm out in the streets 09.20 - looks like they'll have "live"coverage with blog & results here
Anyway I look da'm good in that DK outfit, so let fight begin, I'm off to team meeting & then pack the car & then a early bed, we're leaving the hotel 07.15!
Friday, July 9, 2010
Friday fun!
After Y-days hard intervals today was a day of relax & trip to Chavas!
When you're on the go with the DK National Team relax = short ride, 57min, around Montalegre, checking out the local motocross track & the AutoCross track, followed by a nice down hill ride on the paved road.....I suddenly realized I forgot to take pictures so far, so while riding down & took out the camera and shot the guys riding down towards the city....
More pictures below!
Just before we moved to the official WOC hotel, so now we're sleeping sweet in the Quality Inn, nice rooms with Eurosport on the TV! no complaints!
Afternoon was spend in Chavas, where we'll have the 1st competition of these WOC's - The Sprint - on Sunday! We're allowed to walk around in the city & get familiar with the area, checked out the stadium & castle too...seems like it'll be a real cool race there!
Now the Event Center is open, we had our first buffet dinner & it seems resonable i.e. rating: More than eatable!
Power is running out - more tmrw!
When you're on the go with the DK National Team relax = short ride, 57min, around Montalegre, checking out the local motocross track & the AutoCross track, followed by a nice down hill ride on the paved road.....I suddenly realized I forgot to take pictures so far, so while riding down & took out the camera and shot the guys riding down towards the city....
More pictures below!
Just before we moved to the official WOC hotel, so now we're sleeping sweet in the Quality Inn, nice rooms with Eurosport on the TV! no complaints!
Afternoon was spend in Chavas, where we'll have the 1st competition of these WOC's - The Sprint - on Sunday! We're allowed to walk around in the city & get familiar with the area, checked out the stadium & castle too...seems like it'll be a real cool race there!
Now the Event Center is open, we had our first buffet dinner & it seems resonable i.e. rating: More than eatable!
Power is running out - more tmrw!
Thursday, July 8, 2010
A very warm welcome…..!!!
So after a great day of travelling with 4hr stop-over in Lisbon (watching the Spain’s beat the Germans) I finally arrived at Porto last night at 23.30! The DK team mates had been on sightseeing & left a van for me, so I could drive up to Montalegre & at 02.00 Thursday morning I crashed in at a nice bed the nice small “Casa Ze Maria”, which will be our base until tmrw(Friday).
Today the guys had planned MTBO INTERVALS on a map 30min down the road in Boticas! And to make sure I felt real welcome we waited with jumping in the saddle until 13.00….the coolest time of day!!!!!!!
It was great training – 3 x 15min full power – but it’s just as hard, hilly & horrible hot as expected! This championships gonna be F*ing tough!! The tracks here at full of stones and “rolling” gravel & it seems it’s been raining heavily not too long ago, cause there’s a lot of “cracks” in the surface making it very technical to go down(and up)!
Felt completely lost on first round, heat rate jumping to 90% at first hill, the sun just toasting me from up there, but the last two was better & rolling home on the tarmac I felt quite good.
Now, it’s time for a nap before dinner, celebrated the good training with a bread roll with….NUTELLA!;-)
Maps & pictures will come later…the wifi here is not so strong (proudly sponsored by the neighbor!)
*MM*
PS: Just started raining…maybe they’ll really meet my request for Viking temperatures for next week!!!
Today the guys had planned MTBO INTERVALS on a map 30min down the road in Boticas! And to make sure I felt real welcome we waited with jumping in the saddle until 13.00….the coolest time of day!!!!!!!
It was great training – 3 x 15min full power – but it’s just as hard, hilly & horrible hot as expected! This championships gonna be F*ing tough!! The tracks here at full of stones and “rolling” gravel & it seems it’s been raining heavily not too long ago, cause there’s a lot of “cracks” in the surface making it very technical to go down(and up)!
Felt completely lost on first round, heat rate jumping to 90% at first hill, the sun just toasting me from up there, but the last two was better & rolling home on the tarmac I felt quite good.
Now, it’s time for a nap before dinner, celebrated the good training with a bread roll with….NUTELLA!;-)
Maps & pictures will come later…the wifi here is not so strong (proudly sponsored by the neighbor!)
*MM*
PS: Just started raining…maybe they’ll really meet my request for Viking temperatures for next week!!!
Here we go!!!
This post was delayed for 24hrs due to a strict name call for me from the boarding gate!!
Sitting in the airport(Budapest), waiting for the TAP staff to stop drinking coffee & start boarding the plane....will take me to a 4hrs stopover in Lisbon & then to Oporto, hopefully before this day is over!
Must admit that I haven't REALLY felt anything special about going to these Worlds.....it's been a great motivation for training & smth to talk abt at spinn class.....BUT in the taxi on the way here it started slowly & now when job & daily routines slowly moves out of head....NOW I start to "feel it"...I AM ON MY WAY TO A WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP! Not to organize, not to be speaker....but I'm IN THE TEAM!
OK, got the absolute last spot, 4th man in the team, but wtf I'm in!
Am I ready??
Well, physical I feel good, been training rather hard last weeks and not rested so much as maybe would have been optimal, but after the 2 weeks in the Caribbean’s start June & felt I needed some push. So next 4 days will be full rest & then we'll see how well the training has worked!
Well, physical I feel good, been training rather hard last weeks and not rested so much as maybe would have been optimal, but after the 2 weeks in the Caribbean’s start June & felt I needed some push. So next 4 days will be full rest & then we'll see how well the training has worked!
Mental, as you can read from the top here I just realized now that it's time! not sure it's in time, but for sure the only option when you work fulltime up to 5 days before day 1....however I'm not worried, meeting up with the DK guys tonight will for sure move my focus 200% on race days ahead!
(seems flight is gonna be serious delayed, so let's continue with)
EXPECTATIONS to WOC:
well, first & foremost I expect to have a super great time, watching my team mates taking some medals - I expect Erik & Lasse to take medals in all individual races & with Bjarke they have to race for gold in the relay!
well, first & foremost I expect to have a super great time, watching my team mates taking some medals - I expect Erik & Lasse to take medals in all individual races & with Bjarke they have to race for gold in the relay!
GOALS (my own)!
I’m a bit unsure how far my limited (in comparison with some of the guys I gonna compete against) training & current weight will take me, but overall I expect to deliver 4 technical well performed competitions & get into the Long A-final.
Sprint: NOT my favorite discipline! will focus on getting into this WOC with a good feeling & not end up in a blind way!
Middle Final: All riders qualify, so absolute hardest race to be good – will give it 100%, focusing on taking the right route choices & burning the hills!
Long – qualification: Qualify!
Long – Final: 110% on map & push max – we have so few controls (11), 38km to ride & 1200m climb! I.e. 11 X 3km’s intervals with 100m climb each!! BRUTAL, the fast bike riders will be taking a hard pace & the rest of us gonna suffer BIG time, will be pain from start to finish!!
I’m a bit unsure how far my limited (in comparison with some of the guys I gonna compete against) training & current weight will take me, but overall I expect to deliver 4 technical well performed competitions & get into the Long A-final.
Sprint: NOT my favorite discipline! will focus on getting into this WOC with a good feeling & not end up in a blind way!
Middle Final: All riders qualify, so absolute hardest race to be good – will give it 100%, focusing on taking the right route choices & burning the hills!
Long – qualification: Qualify!
Long – Final: 110% on map & push max – we have so few controls (11), 38km to ride & 1200m climb! I.e. 11 X 3km’s intervals with 100m climb each!! BRUTAL, the fast bike riders will be taking a hard pace & the rest of us gonna suffer BIG time, will be pain from start to finish!!
Time to board the plane, next stop Portugal – hope there’s a car waiting at Oporto 23.40 tonight when Miss Scott & MM arrives……here we GO!
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Portugal Warm up - CZ MTBO Cup!
safely back from a nice weekend in the CZ Highlands with a middle and long distance competition!
6th place Saturday in the middle - great race, was fighting hard in the hills, but these guys are fast!!
9th today on the long dist. - was a bit to defensive, trying to safe power & then the handlebar got a bit loose, making it rather unsafe to go downhill (some would say bike at all), but I decided to continue home for reduced speed....was getting tired too! irritated I didn't check all screws before race, but otherwise a great weekend & perfect prep to Portugal as temp was 30drg!
results here
Next week will come a update on expectations to Portugal, Miss Scott's new wheels and a bit other stuff on my mind!
Keep smiling & thanks for reading so far:-)
*Mike*
6th place Saturday in the middle - great race, was fighting hard in the hills, but these guys are fast!!
9th today on the long dist. - was a bit to defensive, trying to safe power & then the handlebar got a bit loose, making it rather unsafe to go downhill (some would say bike at all), but I decided to continue home for reduced speed....was getting tired too! irritated I didn't check all screws before race, but otherwise a great weekend & perfect prep to Portugal as temp was 30drg!
results here
Next week will come a update on expectations to Portugal, Miss Scott's new wheels and a bit other stuff on my mind!
Keep smiling & thanks for reading so far:-)
*Mike*
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