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angiekoppacelli
VB Team Member
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Posted: Wed Oct 21st, 2009 08:43 am |
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This was my first year racing in Europe and since my husband works for the U.S. Army on a civilian contract, that made me eligible to compete in the series.
The first race was in Aviano, Italy, but we missed it, and several others (try to make them next year  )
So my first race I participated in was in Hohenfels, Germany. The race course itself was technical, fast paced with little time for recovery. I really enjoyed this race, mainly due to the great course and the promoters did a great job, even providing a yummy post race meal and beer! My husband Justin also won the men's race after a long year of rehabbing a broken femur, knee and tibia, so it was double the fun!!
The next race was in Ansbach, Germany, another 1st place! It was another fast paced race. It was rainy and cold, and the course was all sorts of sloppy, but I had so much fun and despite the amount of mud I ate on the course, it was a great race!
After Ansbach, we headed to Garmisch Germany. This race took place in the Bavarian Alps. The race organizers were super awesome, having great wursts and bavarian beer post race. This race brought out the fast German locals. 24 hour Phenom, Andi Strobel, Europe's basically fastest endurance cyclist and his wife even came out to race. We also met Ken Bloomer, Indy Fabs rep here in Europe,,,and super fast, gave my husband great competition...But anyway, this race was so much fun, although I was first in my category and the US Forces first place, I just didnt have the legs or aerobic capacity that day. I enjoyed the course, it was pretty much a hike a bike, mud fest, as it was wet and moist, but I got a great workout, as the next day I raced the Ritchey Marathon in Oberammergau, just a stone's throw from Garmisch-Partenkirchen.
The NATO school was able to have a US Forces race included into this race. Hundreds of people were on hand for this race. I raced against 30 women that day!! Now that is how I like it!!!! I ended up in 10th place. I have never been to such an grueling race. First off, it was pouring, and cold...the course went out of the heart of the quaint Bavarian village town, into the picturesque hills, passing the green pastures of alpine cows, with their bells ringing (imagine the Sound of Music). Then up into the mountains! Great singletrack and awesome views. Sometimes I was so amazed at just how beautiful it was, foggy, cold and very rainy, it was still beautiful! I felt like I needed to pinch myself sometimes. "Im actually racing in Europe, in this beautiful country?!!!" We actually climbed a mountain! It was a forever seeming climb, but when the decent came, OMG!!! It was so muddy, big 'ol mudholes, rocks, all kinds of obstacles! I actually got a flat tire in this race, and lost some time, I think I could have done even better, had I not the flat, I had to get a spectator to loan me his pump in my worst German speaking ever!! (I forgot my pump, big NO-NO) So glad for the accommodating spectator and my Stans wheels, they held the air 'til the end!!
By the time I finished, I was so cold and wet, my feet were actually prune wrinkly from all the water in my shoes! It took a good hour warm shower to offset the feeling of hypothermia!! We rented a cute little cabin that weekend and just had the best time with our bikes, our kids and each other. Man, memories in the makin...
The last race in the series was back in Hohenfels, the US Forces Championships. Again, the course incorporated some awesome singletrack, but it was a shorter course, but very grueling. My competition was very close on my ass the entire time, so I feel that I never could recover, definately pushing the zones in that race! I was able to pull away at the end from my closest competition and finished 11 minutes in front of her. The promoters once again, put on a great race!!
At the end I was awarded US Forces Series Champion and the Championship that day. It felt good. Especially since it felt like it was taking a while to get my fitness back after I had my daughter in 2006. I never set out to win anything this year, I just wanted to get the fitness I had before, and I started riding again for the FUN factor, I guess it paid off!
I really had fun promoting Velo Bella at the races. The funny thing is that people always smiled when they saw the jersey, even the most sternest German, especially if flair was involved! They would always say "Disco" to me, which I guess is funny because disco is fun and dancing and full of life and I hope to be associated with such things! I guess sometimes the jersey brings out the bella beams in everyone (okay, maybe not the competition.. I had fun and it made me remember to enjoy the little things... Things we sometimes forget to remember!
Thanks VB, and the sponsors, I really love my Stans wheels, my crankbrother pedals do the job in the mud that seems a constant out here, and the bella beams seem never ending from all the great team mates out there!
Hope next season is just as bright!! Ciao!!! Angie
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Cathy Boland
Administrator
| Joined: | Thu Dec 14th, 2006 |
| Location: | Andrews, NC |
| Posts: | 258 |
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| Frizzle-frazzle: |    |
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Posted: Thu Oct 22nd, 2009 02:24 am |
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| how cool! Congrats!
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Miss Mary
VB Team Member
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Posted: Thu Oct 22nd, 2009 05:37 am |
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| woohoo!!!
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BethWellie
VB Team Member
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Posted: Fri Oct 23rd, 2009 12:38 am |
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Angie! That's awesome! Congrats. I'm hoping we can score an assignment to Germany next. That series sounds like so much fun!
Great job!
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angiekoppacelli
VB Team Member
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Posted: Fri Oct 23rd, 2009 03:08 pm |
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Thanks so much guys, it was so much fun! Beth, that would be great if you could get over here, its a bit lonely...
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