PRE-RACE
After several days of sunny, warm, and dusty weather, the forecast for Day 5 was continuous rain. This prediction proved accurate. In the pouring rain, we faced the first climbs and descents. Although my legs didn’t feel great before the race, I managed to find a good rhythm and keep up with my direct competitors. The race, already challenging due to the heavy rain, became even more difficult for me due to two technical issues.
On the climb to Col de Valdingarde (km 21), I had to stop to tighten my gear lever. Due to the mud, some uphill sections were unrideable, and even walking, the incline was only achieved with great effort. In one of the following trails, the rear brake felt very spongy and showed almost no braking power, leading to a fall. Fortunately, the fall was relatively minor, and I was able to get back on my bike. However, upon starting again, I discovered that the rear brake was no longer functioning. I had to continue for 3 kilometers to the next technical zone using only the front brake.
There, the mechanic explained that the brake pads had disintegrated due to the sand/mud and that he couldn’t help me further. For a moment, I considered abandoning the race but decided to continue using only the front brake. The descents became even more challenging due to the defect, and I lost some time. But motivated by the cheering spectators along the route, I pushed on towards the finish line.
After 3 hours and 25 minutes, I crossed the finish arch and was happy to have completed the race. I was also very pleased with my 22nd place in the overall standings of the Roc Trophy.
Johannes Keller
