Erzberg Prologue - Day 1

It was raining when I got to Erzberg - had been raining all night. Mud and water everywhere.

I put some risers on the bars (thanks Igor) as the replacements for the bars I bent in Scotland didn't have enough rise on them. Checked the gas and gave everything a once over. Good to go!

The Prologue is a 13km time trial up the mine access roads. The fastest 500 qualify for the main event on Sunday, the 4 hour Harescramble - this is my objective. My race number is 320 out of about 1800... and we get to do the prologue roughly by race number. Prologue started at 09h00 with the pros and factory riders (all low numbers) blasting off into the puddles.

All's quiet early on Prologue Day 1 

The rain had stopped at about 08h00 so it was looking better by the time I was in the gathering area at about 10h00. I only started at 11h00... hurry up and wait. The plan was to make a good clean run. Not push it too much as I'd never seen the course before and had no idea what to expect.

I rode up onto the start platform. 1st gear... wait for the green light and go! Down the ramp and acelerate hard, up through the gears, looking for the first turn. Here? No... further... whooooah. Hold-up there boy! I brake hard, nearly missing the turn and the bike stalls (we're not allowed to run engines in the 1 hour wait for our turn... she was a bit cold). A bit of nerves there... but only a few seconds lost as I fire her up and gas out of the turn.

There were a few lady riders out there too - 5 or 6 of them beat me!

Fast, wide roads but bumpy as fuck. Sections of cricket-ball sized rocks and some deep pools. I'm slower than I know I should be as I find my feet around the loose, slippery, rocky turns. But pretty soon I get into the flatout-anchors-hairpin bend-flatout nature of the course. It's not all straightforward or well marked.

I get passed early on, but hold onto the passing rider. I always go quicker when chasing... which is not great becasue it means there needs to be someone to chase!

I come around a left hairpin and am a bit eager on the gas in teh wet conditions. The rear comes around and I'm off. Bollocks. 3 riders grouped together pass me as pick the bike up and blast after them. I catch another slower rider. Think I'm at the finish when I not only half way there and slither, slip, slide and fly up the mountain. It's hard work and at speed the bike is bucking and shaking it's head over the rough surface and rocks. I try keep her flat-out. Not so easy!

After about 10 minutes my forearms begin to ache from the extreme workout they're getting. This is where my lack of bike-time tells. 3 minutes later and my forearms are burning. I try relax, but as soon as I do, the bike gets so out of shape and want's to have me off. I have to just grit my teeth and hang on. My speed drops off as I fight the pain. My forearms just aren't working as they should.

Bejeesus my arms hurt! But blasting up the mountain is just oh so much fuckin fun!

A bit of damage from the Rocket Ride the day before

I reach the top without seeing any other riders en-route. Geez! That was fun!

I join the group of about 30 other riders, barely have a few minutes to let the pain in my forearms subside and the guides start up thier engines to take us back. I've done hardly any trail riding, but the route around the back of the mountain is just spectacular. I just soak it all in. Mountains, forest, waterfalls... beautiful! I also get to see just how frikking high we are. We've climbed about 700 metres from the start. Were in the clouds!

Awesome!

Don't think my time was that good because by 12h00 the sun was shinning and everything was drying up. The guys starting later in the day will easily be faster. No worries... we have another run tomorrow.

My daily commute to Erzberg (town of Eisenerz) was pretty

I helmet-cammed my run. I'll get it up on YouTube as soon as I have time to.