News 2005

News 2005/01

26. March, Settimana Internatinale - Stage 5
It's over. I finished my first tour with the pro's. Today I had nothing left at all. Every little bump hurt like hell. In the climbs I lost contact with the peleton and had to chase to get back in to the group. A hard fight. "Don't give up" was my only thought. I got to the finish in a small "Grupeto".
What now follows is a long journey across Europe with a night in Switzerland, one in Cologne and one in Gent (Belgium). On Tuesday we have to race again. Until then, recover well!
25. March, Settimana Internatinale - Stage 4
Another very difficult stage with a mountaintop finish, wich is nothing for me, is over. I tried to get into a break early, but the pace was high right from the start, so I couldn't get away. Then I just wanted to stay with the peleton as long as possible, because I didn't want to arrive at the finish outside of the timelimit. Overall I felt good today, but I am looking forward to the end of the race.
24. March, Settimana Internatinale - Stage 3
Unbelievable, today I managed to fall off again. At the feeding station our masseur was handing out bags. As I was riding close behind a teammate, our masseur was not ready to give me a bag as well. So I went closer towards him and he swang a bag out to me. It got hooked up with the right brakelever and pulled my handlebar arround. Shame! Now I have a few more wounds and bruises.
Otherwise it was a quiete stage until the finale, wich was very fast. We couldn't support Jan to the optimum in the sprint. Due to his class a good 5. place resulted.
23. March, Settimana Internatinale - Stage 2
My longest race so far is over. According to the programm we were supposed to ride 206 km, on my bikecomputer I had 220 ! That happens quite often in Italy.
During the first hour the pace never dropped below 50 km/h. Thereafter things settled down a bit. The finale over the mountains was very fast. I tried to keep up as well as I could, but it was not easy after the distance we had covered already. After the race followed a transfer to the hotel of over 100 km. So I am really looking forward to a nice comfortable bed.
Tomorrow we will try to get a topresult with Jan Svorada.
22. March, Settimana Internatinale - Stage 1.2
We knew that we did not have much of a chance in the team timetrail this afternoon. Some of the material for the timetrail bikes has not arrived yet. So before the start we agreed not to go flat out. Out of the blocks, and we were racing with full power. At least I was! But it did not really get us anywhere.
The pain because off the crash in the morning is not too bad. I use a lot of icepacks.
22. March, Settimana Internatinale - Stage 1.1
Today there was a lot of action. As early as 6.30 in the morning Stalder and myself where woken up in an unpleasent way. The UCI wanted some of our blood for a dope test. Unfortunately that's part of our profession.
The peleton at the start of the first stage was worldclass. We had to race 8 laps with a short climb. In the last lap I got over the hill well and tried to get to the front. About 5 km from the finish, in a lefthand corner, I was riding on the right side,I was forced off the road by some riders in front of me and crashed in to a fence. That was it! When I got near the finish there where several riders on the ground, waiting for an ambulance. Not a pretty sight!
My right thigh is hurting a bit, otherwise I am OK.
20. March, Klingnau
The first podium for our team! The race went well for us. Several teams worked together to catch the leading group in the last lap. We all rode for Jan Svorada. He was placed well for the sprint and got the 3. place.
My condition has improved a fair bit. With the next races I should get into a nice rhythm.
13. March, Mendrisio
At about halfway of the race I managed to get in to a frontgroup with approximately 20 men. Team LPR was with 5 riders very prominent. 4 laps from the finish they attacked and broke up our group, until 3 of them got away. I could not follow them. After that there was no more harmony in our bunch, and in the last lap some riders from the main group cought us. In the sprint I did not have enough strength and grit.

I am glad to know that I am on the right path. Thanks a lot for the encouragement and cheering from the side of the road, this way it's really fun to race.

9. March, Ticino
Good news for everybody who likes to watch bikeraces and enjoys traveling to Ticino. This Sunday I can start in Mendrisio as a member of the nationalteam.
The weather in Ticino is perfect. I have increased my training again. Don't forget, sportsman of the year on Friday in Aadorf!
5. March, Aadorf
After a rather quiet week, that's concerned with training, I will be going back to Ticino tomorrow. Unfortunately I don't have any races this weekend. Until Thursday I will be working on my basic endurance in Ticino, to be ready for the long professional races.
On Friday, 11. March at the townhall in Aadorf at 7.30 PM there will be the election of the sportsman of the year 2004. I would be happy to see as many of my fans as possible. Entry is free.
27. February, GP Lugano
The GP Lugano was also very difficult. Unfortunately I never found my rhythm.It cost me all my strength to keep up with the main bunch. Going into the last lap I was still with them. Then in the climb up to the San Salvatore I blew up. I changed to a smaller gear and took it easy to the top.
From what I have heard there is more snow at home, I am not very happy about that. Let's wait and see.
26. February, GP Chiasso
GP Chiasso, it's up and down all the time. I tried to attack early, but I could not get away. From this effort I could not really recover anymore. The cold I had the past week was still affecting me a little bit. 3 laps from the finish I had to call it quits. A very hard race.
Now I hope to recover well, because tomorrow will be another hard day.
24. February, Ticino Switzerland
I am in Ticino since yesterday. A huge pile of snow in front of the house forced me to flee, after only spending 5 nights in my bed at home. Unfortunately I got a cold towards the end of the trainingcamp in Riccione, but I feel better every day and there should stand nothing in the way to start the races on the weekend.
15. February, Trofeo Laigueglia
Now my first race as a professional is behind me. It was for me like a worldchampionship. The race was a big event and made me nervous. I am more or less satisfied with my result. I finished the race in the second group. During the last climb I had to change my front wheel, because I hit the back of the bike of another rider. But even without this incident I could not have finished in the first group. Towards the finish everybody was very nervous and the pace was brutaly fast. I still have to work a lot and hard on myself.

Now we will travel by car across Italy back to Riccione, and at the end of the week I can finaly go home.
13. February, Riccione Italy
The spring has arrived in Riccione, but I have not been able to enjoy it yet. Today we had the first 200 km ride in this camp, and that with an average of over 34 km/h. On top of that we also climbed to an altitude of over 800 m above sealevel. I am glad, because tomorrow we have an easy ride on the programm, and there will be some individual- and teamphotos taken.
On tuesday Florian Stalder (my roommate) and myself will have our first race as professionals. We will see how well I recoverd from the hard training in this camp.... Let's see how far I will get.
6. February, Riccione Italy
I got over the first week and already feel very tired. I try not to use the big chainring as often as possible, to keep my legmuscles relaxed. Today during a trainingride Jan Svorada asked me in italian: how are you feeling? I answered him , I am a bit tired. Then he said, everybody is tired, this is our profession. I took notice of what he said. Jan is a phenomenon on the bike.
Otherwise we are living very well here. My new bike is tops. The laundry I can just place outside the door of my room, and every other day I can have a massage. What do I want more.....
30. January, Riccione Italy
Now this is really the start of the season 2005. I had my last workingday at the office on Friday and today I arrived in Riccione for a 3 week trainingcamp with my team. For the first time in my life I will be able to fully concentrate on cycling. A new challenge.

Special regards to the whole team at Fritschi & Ehrhardt AG, my former employer.