The Austrians love their bikes
More great scenery on the way to Eisenerz
2 miles from Erzberg
06 June 2010, 12:32
At the finish of Erzberg 2010. 5 minutes ago there was an announcement that the leader is about 20 minutes away. I think they said it was Taddy - the favourite trying to make it 4 in a row!
Factory KTM riders: Kurt Caselli, the american favorite in his short-sleeves and Daryll Curtis of South Africa
Ex Trials World Champ: Dougie Lampkin. He collapsed from heat exhaustion while in second place in last year's race... and while lying on the side of the course was knocked unconscious by a rock kicked up by Graham Jarvis who was passing him. He looked pretty focused before the race!
Brit team: FatCat lead by Dougie Lampkin
I heard the name Jaham Garvis announced too... but I think they meant one of the Brits: Graham Jarvis. They started teh race about an hour and a half ago. A spectacle!
'The 500' line up under the Iron Giant
The crowd is starting to gather around te enduro-cross course they will finish on.
Yeah, I didn't qualify. the fastest 500 were fast! I don't know where I was placed in my second run... apparently there was an alcohol fuelled scrummage last night in the paddock when the times came out. There were a few fragments of results sheets, but only 'the 500' were up and intact. Only 1 of my Brit neighbors made teh cut in position 431. well done Chris Bursell!
Go!
This was the second set of climbs after the start... the hill-climbs from Thursday!
The first big descent after the start
Just heard another announcement: the leader is expected in 30 minutes. Guess the last section is tougher than they thought.
It's 32 degrees in the shade, so it's gotta be tough out there!
Those riders should have all fitted cheap Taiwanese tyres!
This was the guy in last place about 200 yards form the start... almost crashing back down to the start...
... and then crashing 50 yards later! The kind of thing I would have done... IF I had qualified
The winner! Taddy Blazusiak - 4 times in a row!
Second place and on the podium for the fourth time - Semi-pro Andreas Lettenbichler on his BMW 450
Third place Dougie Lampkin on his Beta 400 - there were only 15 finishers this year... 5 of them Brits!
My Erzberg Lessons Learned:
- Use cheap Taiwanese tyres for hill-climbs and at Erzberg
- Train to get bike-fit = ride, ride, ride
- These things are more fun when you do them with your mates
More stunning Austrian scenery on the drive home
awesome dude, daryll curtis was one of the team leaders when i went ot south africa, did a bit of sand riding with him. he spent the whole ten days on the back wheel!!!
ReplyDeleteYeah, Curtis is a legend and finished 10th at the Rodeo. You gotta join me next year and take on the Iron Giant! No excuses!
ReplyDeletei will be there!!!!!
ReplyDelete