#HILL TOP ROAD NOOOOOOOOOOO

[bitter-goodbyes]

Martins with Annabelle, oh no…

[travelforone-blog]

Randers Bike Week 2017

It really never gets any easier, it actually just hurts more and more. Movie by yours truly, photos by: licenscykling.dk, lalafoto.dk, Melle Waldeck

HINT: First, watch the video above, get into the melacholic mood of green winter roadtripping and amateur road racing, then play the below album and read on ...

Pre-race

Trampen Slaget Vid Lund

Windy AF, with a finish climb, like 100km or so kantvind would DESTROY the peloton, so stay up front 2.5 laps meh, then just 5 places too far back and ... after jumping 3 gaps and getting stuck on the wrong side of the echolon for the whole megakantvind section ... dropped Chilled for a lap or so, chased down a Klubben Cyklisten dude, then Simon&co came riding by, I joined and we did the laps to the end, I dropped my little bunch in the last climb to get the small victory hehehe

Ringen Allians Sturup GP

Ride there for warmup, bla bla bla, start race, Emil goes and we do nothing for 8 laps while he's in a break with Per and some other dude Then I try some stuff, nothing, then Rikard is in break, I try something, nothing, then we sprint Riding home was more fun

Randers

Day 1 - Street race in Aars

Context

30 minutes on a 1.4km lap in town with a MONSTER COBBLED climb Look at it, look at it hard: https://goo.gl/maps/Ywa7WrgGdQw I am sure people get tired walking it for fucking sunday brunch, imagine going all out (yeah, it's a crit so ALL OUT) for about 15 times, into motvind ... mhm Plan: AAAAARRRTHGGGGHHHHH ONE CANNOT BONK IN 30 MINUTES

Race

AAAAAARRRRGGGGHHHHHHHH 3 dudes go, H40, ok, chase AAAAAARRRGHHHHHHHHGHGHGH CHHAASEEE Time check - lap about 2.x minutes, ok, 15 laps AAAAAARRRGGGGGHH That goes on for about 4 laps Legs: KHM KHM Ok, ease off a bit Couple of dudes come round, I join They are going hard aaaaaarrrgggghhh For about 2 laps Legs: KHM KHM Ok, ease off even more, more dudes and Glenn come by Hold on for a lap or so get dropped on the climb GET YOUR SHIT TOGETHER BREATHE, BREATHE, BREATHE FFS Ok, I got this, I got this REGAIN COMPOSURE, CHASE MODE ON Start gaining, we have like 7 minutes to go, I can catch a couple of guys Ok, the hill is not hurting that much puncture NOOOOOOOOOOO FUCK DNF

Fun facts

Cars met going the wrong way on the track: 1 I apparenlty do blowup after 3 laps at cca 350W Cobbles hurt, they also make you feel sorry for your bike That is until you hear A riders GO, then you feel sorry for their bikes

Day 2 - berglop

Context

7 laps of the most hilly lap danish races have seen (according to organizers, I believe them), 7 LAPS Plan - survive, zen for first 2 laps, see what we're dealing with, kittens and cake, kittens and cake, then ... whatver, finish

Race

We go, roads are soaking wet, water everywhere BANG PSSSS People are afraid of turning BANG PSSSSSS People are afraid of descending BANG PSSSSS First punchy climb, all good, legs good, reach top, people are already being dropped jump gaps, all good, maaaan, I GOT THIS, I FINALLY FEEL LIKE THIS IS THE DAY BANG PSSSSS Me? noooo, ufa, close one t t t t t t t WHAT t t t t t t t t THE t t t t t t t t t FUCK t t t t t t t t t PUNKA s s s s s s s s s s s s ssssssssssss Foljebil: do you have a wheel in the car? Me: ??????? WHHHAHAAAATTT TTHHHEEE ... no Foljebil: ok, bye Stop by the side of the road What should I throw? Bike? Naaaah, we know how that goes ... bottle? I already lost too many ... should I rip that sign out of the floor and throw it ... wait, no, smash it into the fence ... eh, messy and muddy ... maybe kick the fence, rip off the sign ... eh, I'm bored now, I hope it does not rain ... (5 min later) make hitchiking sign to passing cars (10 min later) Amager dude comes walking Yo, sup, punka? Yeah, same here ... so, is there a car? yeah, should be ... how's it going, ah, it's going ok ... (we catch up on gossip and transfers, differences in racing Seeland vs Jylland etc.) (10 min later) C and H40 comes by, no Glenn ... hmmmm ... Dropped group comes by, dude crashes in the corner, we comment on the action (10 min later) A tow truck with a flat bet shows up, Glenn and Rickad in the car, bikes in the back - YO, JUMP UP Throw the bikes on, jump in the back and OFF WE GO See the race from the reverse perspective until AB guys catch up and the dude starts flooring it on downhill to not get caught Does not look like a good day to die, with the punka and all ... Get to the finish, get funny looks from people You know, cos it's me, Glenn and Marcus in the back, whole fucking club ...

Fun facts

Rotweilers observed along the course, without a leash: 1 Times thought OMG WE'RE GONNA DIE: 2 Personal bests for: 30s, 1min, 2min

Day 3 - linjelop

Context

8 laps on what was supposed to be much flatter than berglop lap, but was still insanely hilly, like, INSANELLY WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU DENMARK???? Plan - at this point, just make it to the finish with the bunch

Race

Stay up front, stay up front NO MATTER WHAT STAY UP FRONT First climb: ugh First kantvind: uugh Second climb: Ugh Second kantvind: Ugh (did I mention, the lap is a combination of climbing and kantvind sections, always following the climb) Look back: fuck, we dropped everyone (it's like 15 of us) Third climb: UUUUUGHHHHHHHH (fuck I am breathing heavy, am I breathing heavy? dude in front of me looks back ... yeah, I am breathing heavy ...) Robert brings a bunch of people back Hej Glenn! Glenn: UGH Lap 2: PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD DO NOT ATTACK IN THE CLIMBS and they attack in the climbs climb 2: dropped Also dropped on climb 2: Glenn and Richard Chasing group picks us up, we chase and we're back together by end of lap 2 Lap 3: PLEASE FOR T ... whatever, fuck you all Second climb: dropped MOTHER FUCKER Ride for a lap solo, get caught by 4 dropped guys, ride 2 more laps, get a puncture

Fun facts

Personal bests for: 5, 6, 12 min, HR all the way to 2 min

Day 4 - criterium

Context

11 laps on same track as day 3 but shorter and with a new climb (look at it, LOOK AT IT: https://goo.gl/maps/SpqdKYRZUGy), at the end, you get massive headwind, ... yeah, only in Jylland Plan: PLEASE JUST MAKE IT TO THE FINISHLINE

Race

Lap 1: All out sprint to climb, all out climb, all out attack in kantvind Lap 2: -||- Lap 3: ok, shit eases off a bit Lap 4: meh Lap 5: descending to the first climb, doing like 55 passing the polka dot jersey dude on the left as he closes the line and elbows me (literally, pushes me, as, uses force to dislocate me, not like Sagan magic elbow, proper push) into the grass off the road ... and I am like, ok, this is muddy, so my tire will dig in and ... oh, and there is some large stones there as well, ehh, goodbye .... wait, grass is not muddy, hop, back on the road. Ride up to the guy and politely as possible say: excuse me sir, that was a bit rude, please restrain your ... AHAHAHAH, #no: YOU DO THAT AGAIN AND YOU ARE FUCKING GOING DOWN YOU PIECE OF SHIT .... hold your ... DID YOU GET IT? ... line ... IT'S NOT YOUR LINE IF I'M ON IT ... Contemplate: do I have an aggression problem? Lap 6-10: some attacks, lungs are breathing heavier and heavier, I actually try and attack in the kantvind, Glenn does some solid work, anyhow, we're having fun, people are still pushing eachother around, good times, I try and pull/pace up the climb ... fun Lap 11 (last lap): I know they will attack, so I am up front going uphill, like 5th wheel or so, but then there is this dude, his handlebar keep bumping into my ass and I am like: ok, enough aggresion for today, I need some shelter anyhow so I move behind him WOOOOOP WRONG MOVE as they attack he opens gaps FUUUUCK NOOOOO ... .by the top I am dropped, 4 guys come by, I join, all I think is: hold that wheel, hold that wheel, just get the wheel, I love that wheel, that is my wheel, I LOVE YOU WHEEL ... never caught the bunch

Fun facts

By this time racing without velotooze seems weird, like REALLY weird

These help me do what I love, go pay them a visit: Musette 184 RACEDAY