NAUDERS - After a full week of ignoring the bike, I had hoped my right knee would have recovered sufficiently to go for a strong result in the Dreiländergiro, held in Nauders, Austria. An easy-paced ride with my companion Guus van Domburg and the sunny weather on Saturday had in any case given me some morale. Unfortunately, I underestimated the difficulty of the Passo Stelvio (2757m) and halfway up the very long (24,6 km) and steep climb my knee felt like it was being stabbed.
I was riding comfortably in the top 10 of the leading group at that point, but had to let go. The final 6, 7 kilometres of the Stelvio were probably the most painful of my cycling career and I could only still use force with my left leg. I remembered from my participation in 2006 that there's a big Verpflegungstelle with medical assistance in a Swiss valley town following the descent of the Stelvio. Better to retire there than do a U-turn to Nauders, which would have meant going up another climb at the Austrian/Italian border. To my astonishment the two medical assistants at that post could not offer me anything but a massage and a plaster! An ambulance was no option and they also couldn't organise any transport back to Nauders. Amazingly, there was also no "besemwagen" - a bus following the race to pick up those who give up. A bit strange for a mountainous event with 3000 participants. So, my choice was: either continue on the bike for another 100km or hitchhike. Wunderbar.
I got back on the bike and pedalled slowly towards the Ofenpass, avoiding to apply any pressure on the knee. At the foot of the climb I got caught by a group of 15 riders and was able to attach my waggon. I discovered that when I pedalled on souplesse and at a constant rhythm I could still develop a certain speed. As long as the gradient wasn't too steep, of course. This way, I managed to stay with the best riders of this group. After the Ofenpass, there's a descent to Zernez where we had to halt twice for red traffic lights. That cost a few minutes. Then, it was 40 km saliscendi towards the Swiss/Austrain border and the Reschenpass, which would bring us back into Nauders. I got dropped once on a steep bit where some guys accelerated, but apart from that moment I surprisingly had no problem keeping up with the constant high pace. On the 5.5 km long but fluent Reschenpass I somehow had no pain whatsoever and dropped all 20+ riders of my group and came in 63rd at the finish in 5:51, only a fraction slower than 2006 - despite everything.
Classic ueberlastung is what I was told afterwards. Rest and some good local massages would be the key to recover. I could forget about my two main goals of the season, La Marmotte and the Granfondo Zoncolan (Carnia Classic).
Link to Dreilaendergiro
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