Two dutchmen, our dear secretary Helmuth Dekkers, and his friend Roland Schuyer; both over 200 BIGs in the general classement, managed a german austrian tour in this end of the month of august. In the beginning, a monster, never biked all the way by nobody, since the new asphalt has been a little destroyed and gravelled by the winters and the "slopy slopes". Even more, to cycle some sections of the last 4 kilometers requests courage, crazyness and some quality like in a circus...
In the photo, Helmuth on a 40% section...
Let's read the commentaries of Helmuth and Roland :
HD : " It's a terrible climb. The first part to See Alpe (4.25km) has many pieces of 20-25%, but that was still doable on the bike. Then there is a relatively flat piece but then the misery started. Pieces of 30% or more. In some cases I could cycle from one flat piece (in the hairpin turn) to another. Then I could catch my breath again ...
(by clicking on "read more" just below, the full commentaries)
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and take on another piece. Some pieces I made it only partly as it was so steep at places that I swung from one side of the road to the other and if the swung was too much ended up besides the road. And then it's impossible to get going again of course. So some parts we had to walk and push the bike upwards. Some parts were steep and with some gravel on it and then the rear wheel started spinning and that means also the end of cycling. According to my buddy, Roland Schuyer, I managed to cycle about 80% percent (estimate) of the last 3.5km. What a brutal climb! Weather was not too good and the Nebelhorn did really lives up to its name. In the upper part we had some fog and rain. I've uploaded a photo that I'm working on the 42% piece (we think it is in the slope) and shortly afterwards I had to step down. See pictures at Nebelhorn where you see me with the red rugsack. I have in places with the help of Roland made a new start but without his support this was not successful as you simply don't have enough momentum to start cycling again. And also not to click into the pedal again. Anyway, we have cycled the Nebelhorn as far as could and claimed it. And we have gained an adventure that we can tell to others."
RS : "This is the hell on cycle earth. Gravel, rain, slopes over 30%, twice fallen to the ground. I was glad to be back in Oberstdorf. Helmuth managed to cycle over 80% of the last 4 km, I did only come to somewhere about 70%.
Afterwards, beer tasted great ;-)
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