Afxentia stagerace!

So, back to life. Internet is finally working again =)

Races this weekend went a bit up and down from my side. The timetrial started with a 4th place as you probably already know.
The point to point race started good and we controlled the field as a team. Giger was strong and did a good job putting the pace high one the grawel road. I did my best to be in the front when we entered the singletrail to the top and managed to enter first. I set a high and controlled tempo, knowing that the last 3kms was going to be the key to the stage. The last part uphill is pretty tecnical and I managed to open up a gap on to all riders exept Karl Markt. He follwed over the top and I dropped him at the long downhill towards the finish. I had a lead of about 30 sec with 3kms to go when my front tire exploaded in a tight corner. I flew over the bars and landed in the woods beside the trail. Up, checked the bike and found a big hole in my tire. I decided to ride the last on the rim cause I was sure a tube wouldn´t stay inflated much longer than a minute or two in that tire.
I lost way to much time to the front guys and finished 12th on the stage.
It was with a hunger of revenge I lined up to the start of the XC race on sunday. I put in a big effort to try to minimize the front gruop and managed to get away with Karl Markt, Jaroslav Khulhavy and team mate Henk-Jaap already after about half a lap we had opened a gap of about 20 sec to the second group and it grew as Henk had to let us 3 go after 3 laps or so.
I attacked with all I had with about a lap to go but I got chased down on the grawel road. We sprinted as hard as we could and I didn´t have the legs for a win. I ended 3rd and it took me up to 5th in the overall.

I am not that happy about the results this weekend. I am more happy about the feeling I have on my bike. My Anthem is fast and I am enjoying every moment of proper mtb-king!

Next up last race of the Sunshinecup in Limassol on Sunday.

Photo borrowed from the www.

PS. the wheel is straight as a new one with only one big dent. Othervise totally ridable despite about 3kms plus of XC riding…

Stay tuned!

Stagerace!

Today was first stage of the Afxentia stagerace here on Cyprus. It was a timetrial, one lap of the XC course. I had a good ride and hitted the lines I did in training. It didn´t go my way totally and I ended in what I think at the moment at 4th. Top 4 was in more or less 2 seconds. To bad I had some problems passing a rider on the last trail. But hey, that´s racing. Tomorrow we will rock n roll on the Point to Point race. Looking forward to it!

Cheers/ E

Sunshinecup!

At Cyprus since Wednesday and today we rode the first MTB race of the year. It was the first race in their serie, Sunshine Cup.
I had a good race, doing most of the work in the front group. My plan was to do the group smaller and I in the end I was alone with team mate Fabian Giger and Karl Markt. I tried to attack Karln on the top of the course but he was to stron and followed. I made a small misstake and tropped the chain in a downhill which made me lose about 20 metres that I couldn´t close. It was super windy and Karl was to strong.
I ended up 2nd and Fabian 3rd, so 2 of us on the podium wasn´t to bad after all.

I will stay on Cyprus until the 7th of march and race 4 more races before going home. More or less the whole team is here, and later tonight Oscar Saiz will come. We will have a few days for some proper mtb training.

Cheers/ E