25-07-05

Well after a bit of a sorry start, racing got underway. It was pretty sad to start with as most of the girls did not want to race but they decided that they might after all.

Our team was right up there with the wins, a few of the firls got a few placings in the first few days, they won plenty of sprints and managed to get a 2nd pave overall on the final placings.

My day starts with sorting out the bikes from the day before, working out what the girls want to race in the way of bikes, wheels and gearing for the day. Sorting out if there was any problems from the previous days race, and sorting them. Most of the problems we got sorted in the first day or so as most of the girls had thier bike with them when they traveled to the race. Some of them were in pretty bad condition, some of them were sweet.
Loading up the team car with all the spare bikes for the stars, a couple of neutral bikes and a pile of wheels just in case of punctures.
Transporting the bikes they will be racing to the start is always fun, as there is no speed limit in Germany, (there is I think, but no one knows what it is), all the mechanics from all the teams race to the start to get the prime position for the team bus, or rider transport. Getting passed by a van when you are traveling at 180km/hr in very small country roads can be a good wake up for the day, better than the coffee they serve us anyway..
Here we do the final checks on the bikes, not that we need to as they are perfect of course, but human nature says check them just to look busy and to make sure sure. That extra sure is important.
Sort the team car out with lunch, drinks for the riders, food for the riders, etc.
Full radio checks for the team before they warm up, and the race radio.
Then we set the girls on the way to the start.

Part two will be posted in a few days as this internet place is closing, I want my computer back....