24-h-WM Bike on Fire 2013

Posted by Ron Prinzlau On June 04, 20140 Comment

Translated by Bjørn Henschke

The first time it took part in 2014 and not in Maxhütte, but in Rieden on a horse farm. Last year I broke myself my colarbone, it was all right for me that the start of this race was delayed for one year. I travelled there with Stefan Freitag, we organized a SUV for us and had a fantastic place and paddock built up, just we missed our supporters, this should come back to roost.

While we had best weather conditions, we tested our bikes and in the evening we fixed our bikes fort he next day. Because of all the mud, we had to use other wheels.

Having a BBQ in the evening and than we went asleep

Next day, we cleaned everything and just took a look t the other side and Stefan was gone right after the starting signal. Riding a 24h race by 2 is fantastic, you don´t bother the other one so much, because you just him or her, while you´re changing.

Stefan just passed the others. Awesome, at the end we just got one round less than the winning team, they rode one round while we having a defect. Damn it, we are just awesome. All the others told us as well, after the race.

It was my first MTB race for month, I still knew everything and just rode like a clock. Nothing un-usually…

In between, it hurt a bit here and there, but than the doctor taped my shoulder and everything was good again.

While we rode on like maniac, we took the lead by 2 rounds, than I had the first defect. My Gear sprained, awesome no bike service available. Stefan had to ride one more round. Our neighbour helped me and than I rode on.

Than it starts to rain, for 9h right thru the night. Just a giant mud-desert. Munich, Alfsee was nothing. You just saw the lamp, nothing more. The dirt hurt your eyes as well like the rain drops. During the change, no one recognized their team, because it was that dark and all looked the same, after each change, you had to visit the bike wash and to take a shower, both of them located at the far end of the area. ZERO, no time to rest or recover. Eating and drinking just, when you waited for the other to come. It was fucking cold. The other got 3 supporters. Cool, but we still were 2 round in front, but not for long, because 2 times the organizer closed the course for and the foes were rewarded by 30min, Stefan needed a longer rest, but myself rode on…

…until my shifting gear, totally gave up its work, after 6 rounds I yelled at Stefan, one more round and I´ll burst, my shifting gear is broken. Stefan had this weird strange look in his eyes. One round more, I walked more than I rode. Because their was no bike service, he lent a bike from a colleague, and took the gear and fixed it on my bike. Now both bikes stopped, first the repairing. Than 10min later the participants talked about a cancellation of the race. Their were just only 22 riders left on the course, the rest were asleep or went home already. Than a message came, just 16h to ride not 24h. Now we were on the 2^nd place, Stefan was all pissed because of the missing and cancelled last round

At 9:00o´clock, we went to the winner ceremony.

At least the winner of the race, told us, that they both saw us at the winners, even while we rode under really bad conditions. I said nothing about my terminator shoulder and my lack of training.

And because of the fact, that I don´t like to ride pussy races, I rode a 16 h race for the first time and didn´t know why, but at least, I still knew everything. And all off you, who thought, I would not be able to get on the bike again, like some doctors, here my nice greetings for you…