Ultracycling

Thanks for the reminder I need to finish reading Adrian's race report.

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It's been a week since I pulled out RBTSE. The thoughts have been a lot, and I am still very ambivalent about it. On the one hand, I am extremely annoyed that it should go as it did. On the other hand, I still think it was the right decision we made. I do Because of the many expressions and the support we have received from people who think we did the right thing. Especially people who know me have said that it could not be different. I'm still leaning up when the annoyance grows up. And that happens often. Over time, however, I am sure that the annoyance will be less. Forgive does not make it completely.

First of all, I would like to briefly describe the events that led to the decision.

First of all let me start by saying that it's hardly ever been enough to know that I and the team from the start of the race had a hard time identifying us with the values ​​of the race. We repeatedly pointed out to the leadership of the race that discrimination was taking place in terms of rule circumvention. Be it from hanging in its fence, lying in the back of follow-up and media cars, and not staying on a racecourse for example long queues. In the first case, the advantage is obvious, in the latter two it gives a clear advantage, as it is easier to break out in these ways. Similarly, the media's constant search for good pictures has compromised the safety of the riders. In many cases the media cars were only a few meters ahead of us on downhill runs, and with the poor roads of Russian roads with many deep holes, we would not have a terrible chance if we drove in one of them at 50 km / h. Likewise, the media cars did not pay attention to the other traffic when they drove on our often-busy roads right next to us to film us for long periods of time. Every time we have mentioned this to the race team, they have weighted the face of the race and either overheard our objections or told us that it was what we could expect from such an event. No warning has been given to riders or media people for these actions at any time.

When it came to such an extent that I felt obliged to withdraw from the race, it was due to an event where it simply became too much. An event among many previous ones, but where this would be the last nail in the coffin.

At the 12th stage of the race, the Russian rider, Shchebelin, sticks after approx. 6-700 kilometers away from our four-man group like a rocket from a cannon. We have three other chases, but Marcello quickly stops contributing. My thought is that he will hang on to the next foodstop and then continue while Pierre Bischoff and I will sleep. I will prevent and put an attack. Marcello can not follow, and I hope Bischoff will come up. He does. Then we start a cooperation and over the next few hours we set Marcello by 13 kilometers. Suddenly, Bischoff gets it bad and must take a break. I choose to wait just as he has been waiting for me. After half an hour, Marcello is one mile from us. I yell at Bischoff that there is a departure since I want to maintain the distance to Marcello and thus defend my third place over the course. We get on the bikes, but Marcello pick us up. He moves on in an attack and over the next three to four kilometers he is 200 meters ahead, obviously tired. We can not fail to approach him, and when we are 50 meters away, I tell Bischoff that either we will be behind or move now. He answers that he thinks we should take Marcello to the next food station about 20 kilometers ahead. "OK, nobelt," I think. "There are also 500 kilometers to reach yet." Nevertheless, I am amazed. At a break after a short break, we talk to the team that it was strangely run by Bischoff. I then drive over and confront him with the question of whether him and the running director have signed an agreement that Pierre will ensure that all riders come to Vladivostok. "Yes, little," he says, smiling. I can feel the fury rolling over in me. "Why should we wait half an hour at Marcello?" I ask without hearing the answer. I have already taken my bike and started to drive myself to the foodstop. Here we are met by a smiling running director who says "Great guys, did you bring Marcello too?". Here the film breaks completely for me, and I let my anger go beyond a few bottles that make trips to the ground. I feel robbed, like a doll in a staged race that is for commercial purposes.

I then choose to move on from the foodstation myself. Marcello tries to follow, but I quickly distance him. Pierre comes up to me after half an hour. We have a brief but heated debate. He believes he helps give the race a good reputation and spread the ultra-cycling sport. I think he helps to strike the race after the race management's interest and runs its commercial