Reevax in the oven
Despite a few attempts we did not succeed to send a our report and pictures yesterday, but hopefully it will work out ok today.
Last night Domie and me choose to spent the night in the tent, as foreseen, but Kroki opted for a bed in the mountain cabin as he didn’t feel too well. Probably the burning sun has something to do with this, as he drove convertible the whole day. A strong mountain wind makes our tent swing from left to right, and to avoid a stiff neck in the morning we crawl deep in our sleeping bag.
7 AM: daybreak at 1600m of elevation and a 360 degree postcard panorama. A simple breakfast with coffee, tea, eggs, and jam have to bring us over the Cretan mountains, we hope.
A short status update: Domie, yesterday with a more then empty gas tank read: completely wasted -, has recuperated quite well this morning, as far as its possible to recuperate from such demolishing work. Kroki, suffering from too much sun had a good nights sleep, but he skips breakfast. Also my head was cooked by the sun, and a muscle in my left upper leg feels hard and stiff. Today’s stage should not be so hard: only 80 km with more then 30 km asphalt and 2200 vertical meters.
The first 8 km are a true Domie-paradise: on the not-too-technical offroad downhill he winds himself through the pointy rocks and laughing goats down and comes even before the mighty Tsjech on the asphalt. My pace is clearly lower, I definitely do not want to crash and save the material, especially the tires.
The Greek summer sun has started its summer-offensive and the sweat drops are running down our face. Go your own pace and do not follow anybody is my advice as this Transcreta race is already now super tough and promises to be a real killer race. After 35 km I join Domie and Anthony and we stick in each others neighbourhood. ON the next asphalt climb the golden rule comes up again: each his own pace !
With our English bikecolleague I continue the ride. A bit further we can enjoy the Cretan humor: at a crossing there is a rock with a painted sign pointing left. The paint has run away upwards, which is at least suspicious. Still we try this direction, but quickly discover that something is wrong. Retour and surprise, surprise, the rock is upside-down with the sign pointing right. A jeep with 2 Cretans drives away quickly.
With temperatures above 40 degrees and no shade on the whole stage, I feel like a boiling kettle that has been too long on a hot cooking plate. At the last service point, still together with the British guy, the fountain water cools us down: I make everything wet to get my system temperature down and with already 72 km on the tacho it can’t be too far anymore.
But An seemingly endless asphalt pass appears at the horizon and cuts through the dry mountain flange. My companion has left me for a while already and confirms the stage is heading that way. The pace drops far below 10 km/h despite the slope not being that steep, riding is more crawling. Kroki’s encouragements are more than welcome as in this heat I will not survive for long anuymore.
Finally I can cross the imaginary finish line in the little village of Askifou after about 5 bours. Domie arrives 20 minutes later. In total it where only 95 km and 2200 vertical meters, but despite being careful not to waste any energy, it was surprisingly hard. Also the other participants share this opinion and some need more then 10 hours to finish the stae. Incredible, but it proves what this stage was all about. Hopefully everybody has a good nights sleep so we can start the next stage.
Pepe
Stage Info – What the organizer says
Distance: 125 km
Ascent: 1950 hm
Results
Stage result
| Heren | ||
| 1 | Rodozlav Siebl | 04:07:31 |
| 3 | Paelinck Peter | 04:57:32 |
| 4 | Sacre Dominiek | 05:16:33 |
General classification
| Heren | ||
| 1 | Rodozlav Siebl | 07:50:45 |
| 2 | Paelinck Peter | 09:27:23 |
| 4 | Sacre Dominiek | 10:15:19 |
Foto album
Transcreta Race 2006
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Transcreta Race 2006
Vechten om de bike in de fietstas te krijgen
Fighting to get the bike in the bag
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Transcreta Race 2006
Afscheid nemen van de supporters thuis
Saying goodbye to the supporters at home
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Transcreta Race 2006
Reevax gepakt en gezakt in de luchthaven van Luik
Reevax ready to go at the airport of Luik
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Transcreta Race 2006
Wachten op het transport naar Kissamos
Waiting for the transport to Kissamos
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Transcreta Race 2006
Ontbijt met Thomas, een van de helpers tijdends de race. Na de foto gezien te hebben, is hij prompt naar de kapper gegaan.
Breakfast with Thomas, one fo the helpers during the race. After seeing this photo, he promptly left for getting a haircut
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Transcreta Race 2006
Aan Domie's BMX is niet veel werk om te monteren
Domie's BMX does not need a lot of work to assemble
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Transcreta Race 2006
Culinaire specialiteiten uitproberen (eigenlijk gewoon the vreetzak uithangen)
Trying culinary specialties
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Transcreta Race 2006
Ook het hotelzwembad werd getest en goed bevonden
Also the hotel pool was tested and found to be ok
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Transcreta Race 2006
Kissamos heeft het meeste klare zeewater van heel Kreta
Kissamos has the most clear seawater from Crete
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Transcreta Race 2006
Eerste kennismaking met Kretenzische offroad wegen, heel veel mogelijkheden voor lekke banden !
First test on Cretan gravel roads, many opportunities for flats !
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Transcreta Race 2006
Reevax klaar voor de start in Kissamos
Reevax ready for the start in Kissamos
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Transcreta Race 2006
10 van de 12 deelnemers klaar voor de start
10 of 12 participants ready for the start
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Transcreta Race 2006
Domie over de Kretenzische gravelwegen
Domie over the Cretan gravel roads
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Transcreta Race 2006
Nog snel een schietgebedje voor de laatste klim
A quick prayer for the last climb
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Transcreta Race 2006
En die mag er wezen, 4,5 km over grove gravel en stenen
And that's a tough one, 4,5km over rought gravel and rocks
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Transcreta Race 2006
Domie ziet af vandaag
Domie is suffering today
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Transcreta Race 2006
Start 2de etappe: direct bergaf
STart 2nd stage: immediately downhill
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Transcreta Race 2006
Domie is goed bezig
Domie is doing well
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Transcreta Race 2006
Machtige killem onder een brandende zon
Mighty climbs under a burning sun
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Transcreta Race 2006
Eindeloze slotklim naar Askifou
Endless climb to Askifou
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Transcreta Race 2006
Zonsopgang in Askifou
Sunrise in Askifou
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Transcreta Race 2006
Gunther en Domie
Gunther and Domie
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Transcreta Race 2006
Highway to hell
Highway to hell
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Transcreta Race 2006
Beloning voor een dag afzien
Reward for a day of suffering
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Transcreta Race 2006
Kroki onderwe op het parkoers
Kroki on todays stage
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Transcreta Race 2006
Pepe in de afdaling
Pepe in the descent
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Transcreta Race 2006
Als toetje een supersteile klim
A supersteep climb as dessert
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Transcreta Race 2006
De camping in Axos
Camping in Axos
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Transcreta Race 2006
Kroki's auto na 4 dagen: een klein beetje stof
Kroki's car after 4 days: a little bit of dust
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Transcreta Race 2006
Tre3intje
Uphill train
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Transcreta Race 2006
Domie is gecrasht
Domie has crashed
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Transcreta Race 2006
Kroki zorgt voor een extra bevoorrading
Kroki makes for an additional water station
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Transcreta Race 2006
Nog enkele deelnemers van vorig jaar...
A few participants from last year ...
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Transcreta Race 2006
Groooooote ijscreem als beloning
Biiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiig icecream as a reward
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Transcreta Race 2006
Moeilijke klim langs de kust
Difficult climb along the coast
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Transcreta Race 2006
Droge en stoffige landschappen
Dry and dusty landscapes
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Transcreta Race 2006
Domie's cassette is gebroken
Domie's cassette broke
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Transcreta Race 2006
Stikkapot een beetje schaduw zoeken
Looking for a bit of shade
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Transcreta Race 2006
Veel supporters onderweg
Many supporters on the way
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Transcreta Race 2006
Slecht nieuws: de wedstrijd wordt gestopt
Bad news: the race is stopped
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Transcreta Race 2006
Over de weg naar Agios Nicalaos
Over the road back to Agios Nicolaos
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Transcreta Race 2006
Het Kreta- WC-moment, eindeloos wachten op de plons !
The Kreta toilet-moment: endless waiting for the plunge !
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Transcreta Race 2006
De pijlen waren soms makkelijk te vinden ...
The signs were sometimes easy to find ...
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Transcreta Race 2006
maar mobiele pijlen maakten het dikwijls extra lastig om de juiste weg te vinden!
but mobile signs made it often hard to find the right direction !
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Transcreta Race 2006
Any closer and I'll have you for lunch !
Any closer and I'll have you for lunch !
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Transcreta Race 2006
De residentie van de familie Geit
The residence of the Goat family
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Transcreta Race 2006
De officiele finish-bevoorrading van de organisatie
The officiel finish-catering station of the organisation
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Transcreta Race 2006
De finish-bevoorrading georganiseerd door Sybille en Angelique. Bedankt dames!
The finish-catering organised by Sybille and Angelique. Thanks ladies!
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Transcreta Race 2006
Radek Sibl wordt toch nog tot officieuse winnaar gekroond
Radek Sibl is crowned unofficial winner
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Transcreta Race 2006
De pijnlijke afloop wordt volgens dokter Jan het best verteerd met ...Appeltaart !
The painful end is, according to doctor Jan, best digested with... Apple pie !
