Erzberg XVII

The annual carnage on the slopes of the Iron Giant took place this last weekend. I didn't do Erzberg this year for a few few reasons... the main one being it clashed with flattracking at Amman Valley.

Looks like it was another tough race with only 9 competitors finishing (with 4 Brits!)... Taddy Blazusiak taking his fifth win on the trot. Who can stop him? Douggie Lampkin was close this year... only 6 minutes off in second place. Perhaps David Knight should make a return?

Well done to Ian Matthews and Chris Bursell (my paddock buddies at Erzberg XVI) who both made the Hare-scramble and finished 420 and 421. Who's up for it in 2012?

Erzberg Harescramble

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

It's been quite a fantastic experience... one I'd love to do again!

Tomorrow We Ride the Rocket

In Austria. Tomorrow is the first day of my 2010 Erzberg campaign - the Rocket Ride!

It's a hill-climb. Never done a hill-climb before. It's been raining since I got here on Monday night (after a 17 hour drive!) and there was snow as I went over the mountains. It's going to be cold and mushy!

Erzberg - Recce

Had a great long-weekend relaxing and recovering from a cold (and a mysterious virus) in the home of KTM - beautiful Austria. No bikey stuff... well... only a bit.

Did a little day-trip to nearby Erzberg where I'm doing the Erzberg Rodeo Exreme Enduro later this year.

Shit! It's big.

The 45 degree steps are just massive! I have circled a digger... not a common garden digger, but a full-on industrial size digger that needs a lane-straddling truck with flashing lights to transport it. Click on the pic to zoom in...

The Erzberg Rodeo is less than 8 weeks away now... and the last time I slung my leg over the Four-fiddy was more 4 weeks ago... after which I was quite ill. Just about well enough to start training again now. With two Manx qualifying road-races and three rounds of Flattrack between now and Erzberg, there aren't many weekends left to get any training in. Doh!