The Crazy German

This explains the tour the France car that I passed on the climb up to my shack yesterday. Seems there is a stage start down in the valley about halfway though.

Been there done it long ago as a kid can confirm its a nasty little surprise

There recovery is sometimes à bit weird I was quoted 6 hours after à 360k ride in Corsica so we did the remaining 250K after a short sleep, Garmin said I was fine but I felt quite broken myself

I am 1m84 80kg and for castelli bib size up two sizes from L to XXL recently got some winter bibs cos they where cheap in XXXL and they even aren't too big.

That was 90% the motorbike's fault, left way to late and blocked the view of the corner, then hampered his line choice stopping and likely brroke his consetration also. That cut all his rythem though the corner. Motorbike Driver should be banned for rest of the event.

Voeckler was definitely not a nowhere cyclist he was quite (very) good. Lacking just this little bit compared to the very best. He was just very good at playing the underdog and faking suffering when the camera was near(an then still be there an hour later when the group was only a quarter its size). Although I respect his quality as a cyclist I dislike the fake personage.

I can do you three in thirtu seconds Geert Van Bondt Jeroen Blijlevens and Pete van Petegem thats 100% sure

Make that 3

Jasper know's he just bought a nex car apparently

It can be very lonely if you are relatively fast as well and start early. Back in the days long ago I rode it one it took us about 10 k's thats about 15 minutes to roe up the 10 teams that started before us. At least it was out nd back so we crossed some teams on the way back later on. At least we had the beer tent and pool just for us at ht efinish for quite a whie

I thought of you and that one recently whilst climbing a mountain in Corsica. Saw a nice waterfall going from 1400m till 2100m and told a guy about you and Ivor taking a bike up such stuff. His response it should be doable on foot there is some tracks on the bottom part and I have climbed the top part before. So I hiked up the normal way and came down the waterfall including a lake/pool swim. No leopard though just some dead mountain goat bones. Brought back some lovely Freedom memories, didn't take a bike though i was dead scary already on foot.

Yep I had recced mordor and JT was told this by the race office and encouraged to catch me instead of takling it alone. He had already caught me days earlier but made such a mess off Struishoek that he was again a half day behind. I laughed my ass of about halfway through Mordor I had packed my maps a tthe first campsite and rode on memory and feeling. About halway through I can't really spot the track quickly so JT asks and gets his map out and asks where are we? I said no clue. How many river crossings have we done, again I say no clue you are the co-pilot. And the map he says? We don't need Maps Marnitz said no maps just have a recce and think like a Kudu. We found some Kudu tracks and bent reed and found the track quickly after that. Think JT started to grew some grey hair that day. He did wrote me anice thank you note left on my mapboard as he figured I could'nt get bothered to get up early (no gate times back then). Nice chap wa had a lovely ride to Prince Albert in the next two days with lots of laughter before I had to see some medical attention in P-A before continuing my lesurly ride with the old toppies to Wellington. After he asked me at Bucklands to let him tag along he called his wife. Don't worry I just asked some kid called the Crazy German and he's gonna take me along if I can keep up with him. Not sure if that really inspired confidence to his wife. Good memories those days on the trail and the time I spend out there with Johann Komander Rissik who sadly left us earlier this year. (Johan did get a drawn Mordor map with lots of tips in ice cream box and I made one the next year for JT aswell. They apparently laughed their ass off with my notes, left at the fallen three, right at the dead Kudu...

So 2 3 and 4 went into Mordor at night and will soon make it out, but not soon enough to catch the morning convoy. Still proud an jealous of you JT. Still remember JT asking me nicely over dinner(after having ridden himself to bits to catch me near Kleinpoort) if I could take him on a guided tour through Mordor on his and my first Freedom Challenge. His nav and trails skills have cought up in the mean time with his already strong engine. Go boy clap it

He's been stuck at the first river crossing for two hours since last light. Looks like he is sleeping there crossing that place at night is a dream but its a privilivege for few to pull it off.

She know's she can I have ridden with her makes, you eyeballs bleed uphill !