Team Giant Report, Champerey, SUI World Cup #3
Champerey WC Report
Now, as globetrotting bike racers we face various challenges. Being in shape, food, travel, sleep, navigation, luck, etc. Over the years a respectable skill set develops to deal with said challenges. One skill set I’m still struggling with, however, is controlling the kid in a candy store syndrome that strikes when we get plopped smack dab in the middle of an absolutely stunning environment. This happened in Champerey, Switzerland this week, where we were allegedly staying to compete in a World Cup #3 on Saturday. Driving up the valley with the 3000 meter Dents du Midi towering over the perfect village nestled above a gushing glacial creek I immediately identified the kid in a candy store syndrome that would control the rest of the week.
I was still confused and eating muesli on Tuesday morning as Emmett pulled out a map and asked for some route planning advice. We settled on her riding a couple passes and looping it out however possible. This immediately gave me rest day envy. Kelli’s out exploring and I’m just supposed to go for a spin? Boo, Hiss. The comprimise was to counteract her multiple pass ride with some local exploring. First up was the “Galeria” a trail blasted in the face of a 100 meter limestone cliff. Unsure of the legality of the ride, I put on my best dumb American face and set about railing one of the more entertaining trails I’ve ever been on that just happened to be notched into a wall and protected by a two foot tall rickety wooden fence. Awesome. From there, responsibility took over and I went to suss out the race course, which, it turns out, was simply transplanted from Essex Street Hill in Bangor, Maine. Perfect, I’ve ridden there a few (hundred) times on the classic slimy rocks and roots sprinkled over false flats and steep climbs. What a nice surprise. As I wondered how Kelli’s trek was going, feelings of guilt started to seep into the candy store for our esteemed Soignieur Ms. Brutsaert, whom I suspected was still at the hotel trying to e-mail pictures to Giant for posting on the Ride Life website. I walked in just as she was getting her bike shoes on and made the international gesture for “come quick, sweet trails await”. Ten minutes later we were mobbing down perfect rocky switchbacks to the creek and on down an uber-classic (and semi-overgrown) river trail. Even more perfect. Oh, dang it, I forgot it was a rest day, oh well, one more steep climb wouldn’t kill me. So long as I could make it back and be napping before Emmett got home from proper training… I just barely made it.
The next day our incredibly accommodating British hotel staff pointed me up into the hills toward the Col de Cou for a classic ridgeline singletrack in the high alpine. After an hour forty and 1100 meters of climbing everything from pavement to goat paths I reached the Col, classic as it were. Unsure of where the trail peeled off amongst the cow tracks, I considered consulting with the gaggle of ten-year-olds who were milling about, evidently enjoying a class field trip, but then noticed a prominent ribbon buried with snow along it’s climb to the ridge. Must be what I’m looking for. Turns out it was. I haven’t seen storybook ridgeline singletrack like that in a long time, or ever. Popping over rolls with huge peaks in the background and cows wearing proper massive cowbells in the foreground before fading into old-growth forest was an afternoon to remember. You can see from the photo.
Ah, right, we were there for a race… Good thing Thursday was deemed an emergency day off in order to rest up from the weeks playing. One of the most scenic ice baths I’ve ever taken finalized the (less than optimal) preparation for Saturday’s showdown. Unfortunately, Kelli felt the effects of her week spent riding up huge hills and never really got it going in the race. It was the kind of course that if you weren’t charging, you weren’t really going to have a good day. She finished it out midpack somewhere and went out to do some more exploring in the afternoon…
I was pretty sure I was still tired from the week’s riding while standing on the start line. Turns out I wasn’t. Or even if I was, it’s June now and I’m in shape so it doesn’t matter. What a relief. After holding my 63rd position or so on the start loop (walking festival) I observed my ability to shift into a harder gear and pedal faster at will. Combine this with the fact that I was riding the glorious Anthem Advanced, giving me the option to take irresponsible (and entertaining) lines at speed and get away with it, and it appeared that I was going to have a banner day. Then it started to downpour. Even better. Definitely going to be a banner day. With this in mind, I started passing guys like it was my job, working into the top twenty after about three laps, then continuing to ride through guys as the sun came out for the last half of the race. Somehow I wasn’t derailed by two of the clumsiest dismounts (by dismount, I mean falling off the bike while it stops suspended by roots, trees and course tape, much to the amusement of the throngs of spectators) I’ve ever had and kept the momentum rolling all the way into tenth place with two to go. I was within striking distance of Thomas Frischneckt in 8th but just couldn’t get there. I’ll settle for 10th and the realization that the hard work does pay off eventually. Julien Absalon won over local hopes Christoph Sauser and Nino Schurter, a battle I got to watch unfold a couple minutes up the serpentine course. Those guys are fast, but not THAT fast…
Now it’s back home for a few days of bill paying and such before the Park City, UT NMBS this coming weekend, then we go to the homeland. Not one but two World Cups await in Quebec to close out June, I can’t wait! Maybe we’ll see a few of you there…
Cheers,
The Team Giant Euro Crew,
Adam, Kelli, Elke and Tom.
Special thanks go out to Giant for setting us up with Elle and Tom for Euro support, this level of racing isn’t possible without a solid crew, those two are best in the business for sure, at least we got one good result to make them proud. (and earn some prize money to pay their hotel bar tab…)
Oh yeah, it looks like by riding fast I secured myself a spot on the Pan Am Games team (if the UCI updates the world rankings by Tuesday…) This is a great opportunity to travel to Rio de Janiero, Brazil to compete as part of the US delegation on July 14th in this once every four years event. Unfortunately, it ixnays the possibility of doing the cool racing in July swing of the Cascade Creampuff and Downieville Classic. Maybe in 2009…