12 July 2008
Race Report by Jenn O'Connor
Well I finally won the Salzkammergut Trophy, and what a great feeling. It was a close race between myself and Austrian Ruth Hagen as we traded places for the lead throughout the race. My time was 15 minutes faster than last year on the same course, despite the rain and mud. That's right, mud! The Salzkammergut this year was a different challenge from 2007. Thunderstorms the night before the race set the scene, and it was raining steadily as we lined up on the starting grid.
I knew the rain would play in my favour, as it would keep things cool and turn the singletrack descent back into Bad Goisern into a mudslide. I was confident that whilst my speed on the fireroads might not win me the race, I figured I would be untouchable on a steep muddy descent.
The race started with a climb up to 1000m, and I rode steadily, staying with the leading women. Andy had managed to get a better starting position this year and was just behind me. I was in second place for the first first fireroad descent, which was fast and mucky, with grit spraying everywhere. Andy sped off into the distance, making the most of every descent, knowing his 6'4" frame would drag him back on the long, steep climbs to come. All the riders were completely caked in mud for the second, shorter climb, but I had a small lead over the other women at that point and pressed on to open it up.
The singletrack descent was fast and slippery, and just as I'd hoped, I overtook riders by the dozen as we dropped back into the town.
The mid part of the course is about 25km of false flat (slightly uphill) through the valley and around the lake. I came off twice on the wooden footbridges, which were slick as ice and taking everybody down. The key to this section is to get in with a group and work it like a chain gang. I managed to work with a couple of guys, but the group grew too big and the change of pace was brutal, and I soon found myself alone again. Ruth had better luck, and flew past me in a bunch. I let them go, knowing I would be able to catch her on the climb if I saved my strength.
The third climb is the biggest in the race, climbing from 500m to over 1500m in just 15km. It's harsh and steep, and gets steeper towards the top. I caught up with Ruth about halfway up, and was feeling unstoppable. My full suss Endorfin put the carbon hardtails to shame as I sped up the mountainside, taking back the places I'd lost on the flat, and more besides.
I had a clear lead again for the descent into Gosausee, and finally caught Andy, as the big climb had beaten him into submission. I chased him down the fireroad, knowing I would have to save every second if I was to hold onto my slender lead. I talked myself through my cornering drills, moving the bike under me and keeping my weight over the wheels. Andy and I had ditched our semi-slicks in favour of chunkier Fire XC Pros for this wet race, and it was the right choice. I knew that if I could get into the last climb with a good lead then I would have a chance of holding it through the 20km flat drag to the finish.
I hit the last climb still in the lead and attacked it. Andy shouted encouragement as I disappeared up the hill. The sun came out and beat down with a vengeance, but I ignored it and rode harder than ever. My climb had turned out to be my best weapon, and I was using it.
The final drag back to Bad Goisern would be my weakness, but I was luckier this time and fell in with a fast-moving bunch. I was glancing over my shoulder, expecting to see Ruth closing in on me, but our group sped down the road and I was soon negotiating the final forest singletrack and cyclepaths into Bad Goisern, still with a clear lead. I won with 10 minutes to spare, but sprinted for the finish line, just to be sure.
The men's 109km was a proper sprint finish between Grand Tour superstar Gilberto Simoni and Columbian Leonardo Paez, fresh from a top 5 finish in the marathon worlds last weekend. Simoni won the sprint and took the win in just four and a half hours - awesome!
Unfortunately Simoni chose not to attend the prizegiving party later in the evening, so I didn't get a chance to stand on the podium with him, which was a bit disappointing.
Andy finished about 10 minutes after me, having stopped to scoff four ham sandwiches at the last feed zone. He was 143rd in the men's race and 144th overall as he manged to hold off the other women.
Frenchman Thomas Dietsch won the 208km race in 10 hours and 9 minutes. It is a real honour to be counted amongst such a great lineup of winners.
109km Women
1st Jenn O'Connor (NZL)
5.56.45
2nd Ruth Hagen (AUT) 6.07.28
3rd Petra Kottova (CZE) 6.17.20
Andy 143rd (men) 144 overall
6.03.20
109km Men
1st Gilberto Simoni (ITA) 4.29.59
2nd Leonardo Paez (COL) 4.29.59
3rd Heinz Verbnjak (CZE) 4.38.27
208km Men
1st Thomas Dietsch (FRA)
10.09.14
2nd Ondrej Fojtik (CZE)
10.16.17
3rd Stefan Danowski (GER)
10.22.24
208km Women
1st Andrea Huser (SUI)
13.18.12
For full result go to www.tophy.at/results
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