Taking the wrong way
After the so-called easy stage of yesterday (ahum), today no shit on the program (excuse my language). For your information: Rob, our Dutch colleague doesn’t start anymore today. With the Cape Epic just behind him is this TransCreta race too hard.
At 7h10 AM the gun goes for the next part of this TransCreta. From the start Radislav, but especially Anthony go hard and make a big gap. Domie, Gunther and I go more easy and stick together for a while. When a few kilometers ahead the 2 leaders turn back because they can’t find any signs anymore, we continue the race with five. A lot more fun then the lonely suffering of the past days. The signs are even more difficult too find today: at many places the paint is covered with dust or eroded away by the traffic, so we definitely need our 10 eyes to find the right way. Once in a while we correct a wrong sign back in the right direction, so that the guys behind us find their way. This is an nice indication of the friendly atmosphere amongst the riders.
Talking about teamwork: Domie is in good shape today and wants to do some work in front for me during the first section of the stage. this way you can save some energy , he says, but I do not want that my teammate has to pay the check at the end. Thanks anyway, pal !
After about 45 km we fill our Performance drinking bottles and start the 1000 altitude meters climb of the day, towards Psiloritis, the highest mountain of Crete. While Radi is apparently still sitting on the toilet of the local tavern this guy is so strong he can afford this Anthony and I start the climb. An easy rideable and not ttoo steep gravel road winds its way up through the olive trees. Today we do not have so much problems with the heat: a cool mountain wind and the luxury of shade make the life of a marathonbiker a bit easier. Climbing goes well and the distance with the following group grows steadily. Oh yes, after 1 km the Tsjech mountain goat passes me like a high-speed train and flies up the mountain. During more then one hour we pedal the bike up the mountain, once in a while enjoying the magnificent views on the northern shore of the island. I even think we can see Rethumnon.
When I think we can almost start the downhill , Radislav comes back down with the message that we are on the wrong way. Shit! We then continue up the mountain instead of taking the downhill. We call the organiser and after a 10 minute break we are back on the right track, the same track that the Tsjech said was the wrong way. In the meantime the English guy is in the lead. The short technical singletrail over a mountain ridge is beautiful , but not really my thing. This way the five of us are back together at the 2nd water point. Typical detail: Also here no sign of a sign, untill we find out that the organisers have put there own banner over there own signs !
We have already more then 2000 altitude meters, and it is not finished yet. Once again same scenario and same rider sequence as before. On the mountain pass the jeep with Kroki comes towards us. You should see how much dust is in there ( i mean the jeep, not Kroki, or….).
That the organisers nickname is schotter’ (german for gravel), becomes clear during the downhill: at high speed we fly over the pointy rocks and hope that frame, rims and wheels will hold up. The material is really suffering here, but so far no problems with the Orbea’s, despite the rocks flying around.
Knowing that this bumping around is not my best thing, I know that the others are right behind me. I only have to cross a little village and then towards the finish in Axos, well, that was what was meant to be. Suddenly there are no more signs, and I am doubting about the right direction. I used my best Greek to ask the way to Axos. This guy sends me along the eastern side of the little mountain village, so I enter it from the wrong side and can’t find the finish. After crossing downtown-Axos twice good for publicity though I decide to make a phone call to ask where the finish might be. And yes, there is somebody with the chrono. I did get a free city-cruise, but the I-do-not-know-how-many-times-I-lost-time make for bit frustratio nand a fourth place. And my teammate working for me this morning ! Shame on me!
First a shower and then getting drunk. Waiter, for me a …. Greek coffee.
Pepe
Stage Info – What the organizer says
Distance: 103 km
Ascent: 3150 hm
.
Results
Stage result
| Heren | ||
| 1 | Rodozlav Siebl | 06:28:40 |
| 2 | Sacre Dominiek | 06:48:30 |
| 4 | Paelinck Peter | 07:01:09 |
General classification
| Heren | ||
| 1 | Rodozlav Siebl | 20:41:40 |
| 2 | Paelinck Peter | 23:18:27 |
| 4 | Sacre Dominiek | 25:21:12 |
Foto album
Transcreta Race 2006
-
Transcreta Race 2006
Vechten om de bike in de fietstas te krijgen
Fighting to get the bike in the bag
-
Transcreta Race 2006
Afscheid nemen van de supporters thuis
Saying goodbye to the supporters at home
-
Transcreta Race 2006
Reevax gepakt en gezakt in de luchthaven van Luik
Reevax ready to go at the airport of Luik
-
Transcreta Race 2006
Wachten op het transport naar Kissamos
Waiting for the transport to Kissamos
-
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
-
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
-
Transcreta Race 2006
Culinaire specialiteiten uitproberen (eigenlijk gewoon the vreetzak uithangen)
Trying culinary specialties
-
Transcreta Race 2006
Ook het hotelzwembad werd getest en goed bevonden
Also the hotel pool was tested and found to be ok
-
Transcreta Race 2006
Kissamos heeft het meeste klare zeewater van heel Kreta
Kissamos has the most clear seawater from Crete
-
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 !
-
Transcreta Race 2006
Reevax klaar voor de start in Kissamos
Reevax ready for the start in Kissamos
-
Transcreta Race 2006
10 van de 12 deelnemers klaar voor de start
10 of 12 participants ready for the start
-
Transcreta Race 2006
Domie over de Kretenzische gravelwegen
Domie over the Cretan gravel roads
-
Transcreta Race 2006
Nog snel een schietgebedje voor de laatste klim
A quick prayer for the last climb
-
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
-
Transcreta Race 2006
Domie ziet af vandaag
Domie is suffering today
-
Transcreta Race 2006
Start 2de etappe: direct bergaf
STart 2nd stage: immediately downhill
-
Transcreta Race 2006
Domie is goed bezig
Domie is doing well
-
Transcreta Race 2006
Machtige killem onder een brandende zon
Mighty climbs under a burning sun
-
Transcreta Race 2006
Eindeloze slotklim naar Askifou
Endless climb to Askifou
-
Transcreta Race 2006
Zonsopgang in Askifou
Sunrise in Askifou
-
Transcreta Race 2006
Gunther en Domie
Gunther and Domie
-
Transcreta Race 2006
Highway to hell
Highway to hell
-
Transcreta Race 2006
Beloning voor een dag afzien
Reward for a day of suffering
-
Transcreta Race 2006
Kroki onderwe op het parkoers
Kroki on todays stage
-
Transcreta Race 2006
Pepe in de afdaling
Pepe in the descent
-
Transcreta Race 2006
Als toetje een supersteile klim
A supersteep climb as dessert
-
Transcreta Race 2006
De camping in Axos
Camping in Axos
-
Transcreta Race 2006
Kroki's auto na 4 dagen: een klein beetje stof
Kroki's car after 4 days: a little bit of dust
-
Transcreta Race 2006
Tre3intje
Uphill train
-
Transcreta Race 2006
Domie is gecrasht
Domie has crashed
-
Transcreta Race 2006
Kroki zorgt voor een extra bevoorrading
Kroki makes for an additional water station
-
Transcreta Race 2006
Nog enkele deelnemers van vorig jaar...
A few participants from last year ...
-
Transcreta Race 2006
Groooooote ijscreem als beloning
Biiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiig icecream as a reward
-
Transcreta Race 2006
Moeilijke klim langs de kust
Difficult climb along the coast
-
Transcreta Race 2006
Droge en stoffige landschappen
Dry and dusty landscapes
-
Transcreta Race 2006
Domie's cassette is gebroken
Domie's cassette broke
-
Transcreta Race 2006
Stikkapot een beetje schaduw zoeken
Looking for a bit of shade
-
Transcreta Race 2006
Veel supporters onderweg
Many supporters on the way
-
Transcreta Race 2006
Slecht nieuws: de wedstrijd wordt gestopt
Bad news: the race is stopped
-
Transcreta Race 2006
Over de weg naar Agios Nicalaos
Over the road back to Agios Nicolaos
-
Transcreta Race 2006
Het Kreta- WC-moment, eindeloos wachten op de plons !
The Kreta toilet-moment: endless waiting for the plunge !
-
Transcreta Race 2006
De pijlen waren soms makkelijk te vinden ...
The signs were sometimes easy to find ...
-
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 !
-
Transcreta Race 2006
Any closer and I'll have you for lunch !
Any closer and I'll have you for lunch !
-
Transcreta Race 2006
De residentie van de familie Geit
The residence of the Goat family
-
Transcreta Race 2006
De officiele finish-bevoorrading van de organisatie
The officiel finish-catering station of the organisation
-
Transcreta Race 2006
De finish-bevoorrading georganiseerd door Sybille en Angelique. Bedankt dames!
The finish-catering organised by Sybille and Angelique. Thanks ladies!
-
Transcreta Race 2006
Radek Sibl wordt toch nog tot officieuse winnaar gekroond
Radek Sibl is crowned unofficial winner
-
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 !
