What a weekend for us, the Merkur Cycling Team. Should we actually do our laps at the Nürburgring and contest one of the toughest GCC races with 150km/3000hm, the weather over the "Green Hell" thwarted our plans. Shortly before 16:00 p.m., the race was finally canceled completely due to a storm and strong gusts of wind.
An alternative program was needed to get rid of the grains (and after all, we had already eaten for 6 laps at the ring 😉 ). Then the suggestion came up to start together at the Arberradmarathon in Regensburg – one of the largest popular sports events in the region. As a result, a large part of our team and some drivers from the GCC teams Bürstner Duemo and Strassacker traveled to Regensburg, where we found ourselves a little later on Sunday morning at the start of the 250m route. At 6 o'clock sharp, the tour started, which was to take Friedrich, Stefan, Bernd, Mani, Alex and myself over the heights of the Bavarian Forest.
From the beginning there was not much to feel of the leisurely marathon character. The Radteam Herrmann stretched out in front of the field right from the start and pulled the speedometer needle strongly in the direction of 50+. Only the first slight climbs around km 15 brought some relaxation and we were rewarded with the morning sunbeams over the front Bavarian Forest.
The calm didn't last long, however, as Stefan plucked up courage shortly after Falkenstein (approx. km 30) and picked up the pace. Most of the leading group of around 50-100 people were probably a bit surprised by this, and I too looked skeptically into his face after the jump at his rear wheel: "You know what you're doing?" But from the euphorically cranking Stefan came only a few sounds that I couldn't understand, which I interpreted as a YES. But in the end I knew what my team-mate could do and I trusted him. In the end, we pulled away with a group of five: Stefan Räth (Merkur Druck), Bene Schäffer (Sparkasse Kelheim), Nino Ackermann (Bürstner Duemo) and another driver, whom we were supposed to lose before the ascent to the Arber. The group harmonized perfectly in the leadership work and when the peloton reached the first big climb at Lohberghütte, we had already worked out a 5-minute lead.
But that was by no means a reason to rest, because 150 difficult kilometers still lay ahead of us - especially for the last 40 flat kilometers with supposedly strong headwinds, we could use every minute of buffer!
We managed the Arber ascent together at a moderate but brisk pace, which quickly brought us closer to the unloved, steeper Bretterschacht. As usual, we skipped the refreshments at the foot of the mountain and climbed step by step up the ramps - to the junction to Brennes and then to the left into the long, steep, unyielding straight up to the cross-country skiing center at the summit.
Done! What follows is what is probably the fastest descent on the circuit down to Bodenmais, where speeds of 100 km/h are not uncommon. There is still time to take stock... how do I feel, what are my legs saying, what's next... can I do it?! But of course! Coming this far, Kolmberg/Maibrunn shouldn't stop us either...the 3rd of the three big climbs on the lap. At this point in time we no longer had any current information about the distance between the pursuers, i.e. "Keep up the pace but don't overdo it!" Stefan had already exhausted himself through the intensive management work and ultimately left us at the Kolmberg catering (small stop at the probably the most beautiful refreshment station of the round). The three of us moved on and my legs seemed to be getting better - after being a bit tired at the Bretterschacht. Fighting the steep hairpin bends up to Maibrunn almost gave me a little pleasure and when we reached the highest point at approx. 850m, it gave me a lot of motivation again! Especially now! Bene, Nino and I didn't lose any time on the descent and only had our eye on the short, crisp climb at Ascha. Contrary to expectations, he was to become Bene's executioner, which didn't exactly diminish my concerns about the 40km flat. But we gave it our all and, luckily for us, caught up with Mani, who did the 170 km lap and actively supported us on the last few kilometers back to Regensburg.
In the end we reached the finish line with a decent lead and a total driving time of 6h47min, which is quite impressive on this route with 243km/3400hm.
During the subsequent cozy get-together on the Volksfestplatz in Regensburg, everyone was able to tell their personal story about the tour, enjoy the sun and one or the other cyclist. In any case, we agreed: it was a more than successful alternative to the canceled Rad am Ring, great training and preparation for what awaits us in the GCC: Bochum, Dresden...
For me personally, with this success, a little dream comes true… to finish first at my home marathon – which is where everything started for me.
Guys, thanks for being there!
Best regards,
Your Christian.
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