Big Wheel Racing

I did a race Sunday Dec. 6th in the small town of Külsheim, Baden-Wurtenburg, Germany. Having just looked at the results, I only missed 3rd by 30 seconds. So, a 4th place finish. Would have liked to have done better, but given that we’ve moved and I’ve been teaching and going to school too many hours a week lately, I suppose that’s o.k.

Anyway, I wish that I’d realized that I was that close to 3rd place. I had thought there was considerably more distance than that and was more worried about losing my present position to the guy that I’d battled with for most of the race.

So, on the last lap, I turned on what gas I had and left him behind. I was at the line when he came through and he gave me trouble for turning on the gas and leaving him (i.e “Du hast gas geben!”).

It was probably the muddiest race that I’ve ever done. Other than that, conditions were good. Warmish, but not too much and it sprinkled every once in awhile.

One thing was kind of funny though. Many of the people that started with gears, ended with one gear due to the crazy amount of mud. At the award ceremony we had to laugh abot it.

The course was partially pavement, dirt (farm) roads and then about 25% singletrack. On the first lap about half way through the singletrack I heard something running and turned to the left in time to see a deer (think giant poodle sized animal) coming straight for my front wheel. It missed me by inches.

The rest of the race was uneventful other than battling with a guy named Markus for most of the race and the deep and very slimy mud.

I haven’t been on the team long enough to get my uniforms. So, I’m racing incognito in my Black Sheep Bikes jersey (given to my by a friend).

So, as the first Euro Member of the team, I had to do what I could to “represent”. Hopefully, before too long people will know me by the Red, Green & Yellow of the Big Wheel Racing logos. For now, everyone will have to settle with more pics here. As soon as the pics show up on the “official site”, I’ll be sure to drag a couple over here for you.

This entry was posted on Thursday, December 6th, 2007 at 5:05 pm and is filed under Race Results. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.