Needless to say, racing in the Alps was a memorable experience that rivaled any event I've imagined. The competition was stellar, the scenery magnificent, and the level of difficulty unmatched. The trip itself was not without its challenges, but in the end I can look back on my European experience and have a new appreciation of what the athletes in the 'Tour' endure, and be comfortable with the fact that I've competed at the highest level in the sport. Realizing that the race filled up in less than 3 minutes and over 1000 hopefuls signed up within 10 minutes for one of the 520 2-person team spots, notes the popularity of the event.

The week started off in turmoil, due largely to the airlines, reminiscent of our adventure at the Adventure Racing World Championships where V & Rammune reached the site without their equipment. This time, I arrived in Munich without my bicycle or gear and waited for two days in the airport with promises of it being on the next flight. Sean proceeded to the race start without me with the hope I would eventually join him. In the end, a generous hotel owner made arrangements for me to borrow a helmet and shoes and the bike sponsor, Felt, lent me a demo so I could start the race. We barely made the start and our shuffling to the wrong position immediately left us at a 7-minute disadvantage. I ended the first day exhausted with an extremely sore back due the borrowed equipment and tumultuous start, but we were on our way in 24th position among over 500 teams when my bike finally arrived. Like an adventure race we put the past behind and concentrated on the race laid out before us.

Reflecting back, we realized the magnificence of the terrain we encountered. We were able to hold our position among the leaders and on the over 100 mile fifth day, the longest and most difficult, we decided to hammer the course and ended a respectable 19th. As we stumbled into our hotel we discussed the toll our bodies were taking and the fact we had not been fully able to appreciate our surroundings so decided to kickback and enjoy the experience. Some of the other teams had extensive support, but we maintained a competitive edge.

The race itself was the most organized extravaganza I've ever participated in, barring none. The logistics of feeding, housing, and organizing 1200 athletes in 6 tiny towns through the center of the Alps was flawlessly executed. Every stop and each grueling route was meticulously planned out. Paramount to an event of this stature was the nutrition required and it went off without a hitch. One can only imagine the climbs and blind descents, but volunteers were ever-present with warnings, advice and encouragement. The ascents were like none either of us had challenged, and at one juncture we looked up on 48 winding switch-backs that took us up over 8,000 feet through snowy passes. We often entered tunnels where quick transitions left us with little or no vision and we were forced to rely on our lines and distant lights at the end of the tunnel to take us through the darkness. The days were relentless and race organizers, unlike the Tour de France's, did not give us an easy day throughout the week. Maintaining our position throughout, allowed us to have first crack at the food as we were the first to arrive in the staging area each afternoon. This was the only advantage we had and each team in the 'A' group was reluctant to give up position since this was our only luxury. The hotels fed us each morning and the post race-day meal was a food frenzie among the 1200 competitors so nutrition was not an issue. I returned home with all my body fat as a result, a fact I had not predicted to be the case.

I can't say enough about the people we met during the week. The 'locals' were genuinely enthused to have us in their back yards and made every effort to accommodate us. Our language barriers were never an issue and people went out of their way to allow us to enjoy their surroundings. Sean's broken cable, my snapped seat post screw, and using a rented bicycle and borrowed equipment for a day was not enough to deter our spirits, but didn't help us in the overall standings. Cycling in Europe is at another level as we competed with Olympians, Professionals, National Champions, and past and hopeful Tour de France participants in the same event. In the end, it was all good and worth the effort...