GOOD EXPERIENCE IN NALS

[Translation: Crispen T.P. de Lange]

The Sunshine Cup at Nals in Italy was a tough experience on a demanding course, including lots of climbing and tough descents. Even though I'm not feeling totally on top of things physically, I still felt strong and managed to master my goals for the day very well. Many of the best riders were not present at the start, but still it was a great experience for me to win the race.

We're back in our little apartment in Heubach-Lautern which is to be our base for these two weeks. The race yesterday at Sunshine Cup in Nals in Italy was very giving and was exciting. The actual race has a great atmosphere, is well organized and has a very demanding and exciting track. The race time of only one hour and fifteen minutes was possibly a little short, but still acceptable because of all the tough climbing which requires many more days of restitution than a flatter course.

TOUGH EXPERIENCE

The last week has been a tough one, regarding training. We've had to adjust slightly so that my legs wouldn't get too worn out. So the race yesterday was a positive experience, with a feeling of strength in my body. I also managed to work actively with areas for improvement that Kenneth and I have arrived at before the race. It gives us both a good feeling, and extra energy for me who gets to experience these things in my body and system.

It's a special feeling, to sense the strength despite tiredness in legs and muscles because of very much training lately. Then it's extra nice to see that I can still improve details through a race like the one at Nals yesterday.

HOLIDAY IN ITALY

We would like to say that if you're interested in a fantastic holiday experience together with your bike, or would like to hike though mighty mountains and between fairytale castles, we can warmly recommend the area around Nals in the north of Italy, right next to Bolzano. We got to stay at the Hotel Wilma (www.hotelwilma.com) which provided us with lovely rooms, delicious food for breakfast and dinner, in addition to enjoyment for both body and mind. They also have an impressive wine cellar offering practically everything within courses and sampling.

We drove to Nals yesterday in our great Multivan car, on Friday around lunch time, together with our mechanic Ralf, and used just under five hours on the trip. We got to do a couple of rounds on the race track on Saturday morning, and had an otherwise relaxing afternoon with massage and a bit of time for the press and talking with other cyclists. It's a true pleasure to be invited to take part in races in Italy like the Sunshine Cup, where the organization can offer very exciting race-tracks, a good setting and very good prizes.

BUNDESLIGA HEUBACH

It's Monday evening now, and it's been a sort of free day here in Germany too, like in Norway, when the calendar shows May 1. We've had two relaxed sessions today, a good massage for my legs, and a lot of rest. We've made a good dinner here in the apartment this evening and are soon going to bed. Tomorrow we're training on the track that will be used during the Bundesliga on Sunday, and that will definitely be a tough day for cyclist and bike alike.

Bundesliga here in Heubach will offer huge climbs, steep and long and demanding in every way, plus descents which are anything but chances to relax, with lots of twists and turns, and loose sharp rocks. This race is very impressive and over 10.000 people are expected to come and watch.

I hope you're all getting to experience spring, sun and summer, and lots of energy for cycling these days. The weather gods here in Heubach have promised sun and summer with temperatures over 25 degrees Centigrade for the next days. Under these conditions, it's great to be a cyclist, no matter what one's goals and level might be. Have a good day of exercise!

Cyclist's greetings from Gunn-Rita and Kenneth

Multivan Merida Biking Team