Robin Ovenden, Adam Wojtkiewicz, Ian Cabot and Erik Le Brun, the “Jersey Rough Riders” (all members of the CCC), set themselves a gruelling challenge when recently competing in the 2009 Trans Alp Challenge.

The event consisted of eight stages totalling 646 km and over 22,000 metres of climbing on rock and gravel paths, starting in Germany, passing through Austria and finishing on the beautiful shores of Lake Garda. Now in its tenth year, The Trans Alp Challenge is the godfather of marathon mountain bike racing, with many of the top European and International teams competing for its coveted title. So popular has the event become, that all 1500 places were allocated online with an hour.

Stage 1 did not bode well, as competitors were greeted with 3 degree temperatures and 15cm of snow on the upper passes – in the middle of July! After careful consideration by the organisers, the first stage was cancelled – a first in a 10 year Trans Alp history.

By days 3 and 4 the epic climbs, with an average of 3,000m of climbing daily, with all varieties of weather conditions and fast tarmac and off-road descents with speeds in excess of 80 km per hour, it was starting to take its toll with many competitors retiring through injury or sheer exhaustion. Erik unfortunately was one of these, having ridden most of the previous day with severe knee pain, he had no choice but to retire and try and have a few days of rest and recuperation, with a plan to try and ride the final stage into Lake Garda.

In the very competitive men’s class, Robin and Adam were having great success, and apart from two broken chains on the first day and a faulty back wheel on the third, were managing to finish within the top 70-80 each day. They finishing the seventh and final stage in 78th position overall in a time of 32 hours and 39 minutes – and were the first British men’s team.

Now riding solo in the masters class, Ian was battling a war of attrition, riding steadily and consistently at his own pace. By the final stage Erik’s knee had improved enough for him to join Ian for the final manic stage into Riva del Garda. Ian finished outside of the official ranking (because of solo ride) but in a very credible 41 hours and 6 minutes. A major achievement and the culmination of 6 months of hard training and commitment. Erik was naturally bitterly disappointed but, in the famous words of Arnie
“I’ll be back“.

Other notes/highlights: puncture on motor home in the middle of a thunder and lightning storm at 1am in the morning in the middle of nowhere on the way there. Same again on way back but in heavy traffic and heat wave outside Milan. Heavy snow coverings on stages 2 and 3. 2 broken chains and a broken back wheel. Robin’s fourth Trans Alp and maybe last…maybe!

See www.bike-transalp.de/englisch

...and there are photographs of the event here

Event profiles: