KVDV's Race Report01/05/07 - Frankfurt/Main - Rund um den Henninger TurmCrash festivalOnly two days after the tough event in Göttingen, the next race for the T-Mobile Cycling Tour was already on the agenda. Not just another race even, the Henninger Turm in our home base Frankfurt! As I had gone quite deep in Niedersachsen (see my race report), I was not overconfident for the 102km rush through the Taunus with some of its steepest climbs. On Monday I spent half an hour on the ergobike in the morning and another 1h15 on the race machine in the evening. That was probably not a bad idea as my legs felt loose on race day.
I've done every single Henninger cyclo race since 2002. The inaugural event was wet and I crashed on my knee with many others on a large oil spot in a descent off a Bundestrasse. The year after I surprised myself by finishing 55th. Then we had the apocalyptic edition of 2004: pouring rain all day. Intermediate times on Rupersthainberg put me around 35th spot when I slipped in the sharp corner to enter the long descent to Kelkheim. My rear wheel was badly damaged and the tyre flat. My love-hate relationship with this race continued in 2005. Forced to start in Block C I blew myself up entirely trying to get to the front before the climbing zone. I finished 175th or something like that. But last season I returned with a vengeance to conclude the race in 14th place!
Coming from Köln and Göttingen with satisfying results, I knew I had the legs to stick with the first group again. Still, the Taunus is unforgiving and the difference between 100% and 80% can make a hell lot of difference. As it turned out, I didn't have any major problems hanging in there with the fastest. The famous 20% stretch in Eppstein went 'fine'. However, as in Göttingen, I have to admit that's all I could do. Attacking or counter attacking did not come to my mind. A nasty crash of three, four riders in Glashütten forced me to put my foot on the ground and gave me some concern. The pace was quite high and standing still on a piece of false flat was not really ideal. It took until just at the foot of the steep Rupertshainsberg to get back to the leading group. In the nick of time! The climb was rock-hard, no point denying that. But I guess it was that way for everyone.
After Rupertshain it was fast downhill to Frankfurt City, with two bumps in Kelkheim to break the speed. Then the fun was over.
Masses of slower riders on the 'flat' 75km distance merged with our group of some 40-50 riders in Kelkheim. Surely it was unfortunate timing but this was wild. It was nearly impossible to distinguish who was with us and who wasn't! Upon entering the cobbled climb out there, it was simply a matter of too many riders on too narrow a road. In a reflex I personally jumped on the terrible footpath next to the cobbled street. I saw two fast guys crashing as they couldn't pass slower riders. On top, I accelerated but I had no clue where the leaders were. Somebody else hammered down in the descent and I followed. Brief, total confusion.
Luckily, we didn't have the feared inline skaters there at that moment...
Gradually our group got back together after a number of kilometres but now obviously also included 75km riders who were giving it a shot to follow our pace on the remaining flattish 40km. I sat comfortably in there with Cyril, who had joined us in the descent of Rupertshain. My main concern remained avoiding crashes. Because yes, every now and then you heard them around you. Entering the city there was a big one again in front of me. I hope all these people are okay because their crashes looked pretty bad! Needless to say it spoilt the fun.
Anyhow, as we passed the ECB's Eurotower and rode along the Main to Konstablerwache I took the lead on the bridge. I expected an attack on the sloping Darmstädter Landstrasse - where the pro race starts and finishes- and I thought I better be up front when that happens. There was no real attack, though, just an increase of pace. Then again down to the Main and via a cycling lane (!) filled with slower riders we headed back to Höchst. Taking the bridge towards the Main-Taunus Zentrum I took Cyril's wheel in about 15th place when suddenly two slow inline skaters appeared ahead of us! The poor woman was obviously shocked when riders going for victory were storming passed her left and right, some - like the guy pushing me to the left - narrowly avoiding a heavy collision. These escapades made me lose momentum and Cyril's wheel, but I just got it back in the penultimate 90 degree corner when... the guy ahead of Cyril missed his corner completely, went down and took Cyril with him! I slipped but did not tumble over them. My sprint was destroyed and after such a thriller I could not really be bothered to get myself up to speed again for the last 200 metres. Cyril, who was doing his best ever T-Mobile race, crossed the line afterwards, shaken, disappointed but unhurt.
Then we got an email from Gary Weir who returned from the Giro della Sardegna saying he did not witness a single crash all week.
These are my personal experiences of this year's race of course, but many other participants also complained and reported a large number of crashes. As mentioned above, the situation in Kelkheim may just be due to bad timing - but still. The organisers should try to find a solution to avoid these bottlenecks. The stretch from the City back to Höchst which partially went via a cycling path along the river is hard to imagine for someone who didn't experience it. The final kilometre around the MTZ is asking for trouble. And having skaters on the same roads is just not helping matters. It's such a shame as the course through the Taunus remains a highlight of the season.
The Henninger results to this day are still purely netto time based. This puts me in 46th spot, 18 seconds behind winner Stefan Rademacher (Team UGS), Cyril in 68th. The entire ECB team did a splendid job, the results can be found elsewhere on the blog. Only sad that Elin did not get what she deserved: third place on the podium. That was awarded to Reni Brunner due to the netto-time rule. Hopefully she will get the points for third place in the T-Mobile Cycling Tour ranking.
FACT SHEET:Name: Henninger Turm
Date: 1 May 2007
Venue: Frankfurt/Main
Type: Race (T-Mobile Cycling Tour)
Distance: 102km (900hm)
My Result: 46/1440 (finishers), 2:34:40, avs 39.568
Info:
website Event rating: 1/5
Fans of big climbs must have felt their legs itching yesterday afternoon, seeing Gibo Simoni repeating his 2003 win on the Monte Zoncolan, arguably the steepest climb in Europe ever taken up in a Grand Tour. Figure this: 10km with an average gradient of 12%, several stretches above 15% and a maximum of 22%!
