After I started at RBDM for the first time in 2021 and had such a great experience with my team, one thing was clear. In 2022 I have to start there again and this time improve my time on the mountain bike compared to last year. I came to Lienz on the Wednesday before the race to inspect the competition course again. There was 30km and 1600hm to overcome. The uphill is divided into 2 sections. First with a 500hm rise, a small 100hm downhill, which is very technical and led over stairs in the forest and root carpet with stones. This was followed by the 2nd long climb, this time 1000hm in a row.
Our mountain runner Toni Seewald started the race at 10 a.m. on Saturday September 10th, 1800m later he handed over to our paraglider Axel Gudelius as 19th, who then flew back down to the Dolomitenstadion and handed over to me. Now things got serious and I gave it my all right from the start. I started the race on 14th place, my legs felt good, I was able to push well on the new mountain bike with my PIROPE XA30 LIGHT and rode up the first climb about a minute faster than last year.
I was careful going into the trail because I almost flew over the handlebars there last year. Mastered confidently, I went into the 2nd climb with 1000hm, I found my pace and rode a good pace up the mountain. I was able to make up a few positions, but unfortunately I also lost a few positions. I rode with the Mountainbike Legend Alban Lakata for a bit, but the pace was too hard for me. In the long downhill over the ski slope, the grass was still wet from the short rain. I don't feel very confident, but there was nothing to give away now. Arriving at the reservoir, the well-known "Lakata Trail" takes you back to Lienz. Then a few small climbs and downhills until after 1:59:25 (over 2 minutes faster than last year) I handed over to our kayaker Martin Schusser as 15th.
We were well in the race for a TOP20 result in the whole field, but there was also an "amateur classification" in which we finished 5th and therefore on the podium. Overall, we ended up in 18th place. What a day - we were thrilled. We are definitely coming back again next year, even stronger and faster.
