„Jubilee“ Tour de Wendland

 

Posted by Ron Prinzlau on July 18, 20140 Comment

 

Translated by Bjørn Henschke

 

 

 

I participated for the 2nd time at the Tour de Wendland, which took part this year for the 20th time. At the start also lots of international riders. Who rode lots of tours, this and in the last year. That means that this tour was on a high level.

 

You had to absolve 4 stages. The prologue was like a disaster for me, because the short distance had two short parts of more than 10% ascent, and the heavy wind, prevented me of finding my own rhythm.

At the road race, I finished within the main field. Obviously, I wanted to find myself a group, I could ride with, but after a few tries, the riders just kept on watching each other and the decision was being misplaced on the closing time trial race.
pirate14WendlandBefore the time trial was the criterion, on an angled town course. In the overall ranking I shared my place with two other riders, which I didn’t want to have right behind me, during the time trial and decided myself, to hunt some extra seconds on the sprints in between.

Finally it was time for the time trial, I was a little bit exhausted, but highly motivated. Soon after the start, there was a downhill part, on a totally wet street. I really wanted to catch some riders ahead of me and risk a lot. Sometimes I felt, that I my rear wheel lost its contact with the road, while I was riding with about 70km/h on a long right curve. After it, there was a small ascent with about 2%. I wanted the 4 to stay in front, but I wasn’t able to hold it all the time.

 

But at least, I was able to catch the rider ahead of me on the peak, than on the last ascent, I reached the other one who started before me. At the end, it took me less than 30min for the 20km course. This was just enough for the 15th place in the TT and in the overall ranking.