*Chapter 11*

Rollercoaster

 
 
There was a brief respite of almost level road that I utilised to put my race cape on and take both a mouthful of energy bar and a long swig from my heavily depleted bottle – it might be cooler and damper today but you still get through some liquids. Josh and Innerthausen did pretty much the same; the delay of a couple of seconds wasn’t enough to worry about.

“The girls were right, mädchen, you are a devil!” The German stated as we started to roll towards the first of the dozens of turns that make up the descent to Meiringen.

Humph!

“Well let’s not let that Swiss oik beat us to the finish.” I stated.

“Lead on, fraulein.” Paul offered.

Grrr! I looked to Josh who was still puffing from the climb.

“What he said.” My teammate prompted.

If that’s the way it is. I nodded back and turned my attention to going downhill. The first leg took us rapidly to the first hairpin, there was a bit of wash on the exit, hmm have to watch out for that as we go down. Then it was on to a fast if less than straight section towards a tight bend around which I could see our quarry turning, the lead car in view some way ahead of him.

I revved the twelve sprocket until it would go no more, crouching low over the bars, the undulations giving a couple of interesting moments as the speed headed closer to seventy kph – I swear I left the ground on the exit of one dip. Although the road is fairly narrow, the bends have a little more width, tarmac that I needed at that next proper corner as my brakes did their best to get me down to a manageable speed. Out of the corner and try to recover some of the dumped speed, I sensed more than saw the others trailing in my wake.

The next bend didn’t need such drastic braking but nevertheless the speed was down to under thirty by the exit. So far the surface has been reasonable tarmac but I was mindful of the warnings of a less than perfect road on this descent. More revving, cut the apex, brake, drop through the corner, rev – the road moved from the alp into a forest of larch that somehow kept the road surface much wetter than above.

As the road threaded through the trees the gradient increased, crouching forward being replaced by a more rearward weight distribution. A couple of bends then a fast run across a meadow before returning to more woodland and a road surface holding a considerable amount of H2O. The road took a sudden dip and disappeared into a tight left-hander, the surface of which was almost non-existent – shit!

I managed to get enough speed off to make the turn – just; my tyres were almost on the slippery grass verge at one point. The surface was pretty much washed out down into the next hairpin which kept the speed down to the teens for the turn. By the sounds behind, I didn’t dare turn to look; the others were having similar issues.

The forest receded to be replaced by the first signs of habitation since the summit, a farm house across a meadow to the left then the road was confined by at first wire fencing, then as we dropped further, more substantial field boundaries. At least the surface was back to reasonable tarmac now as we dodged this way and that through the fields. Was that the lead car I just saw? Nah, couldn’t be.

Another tight bend around a barn and whoa, I’m heading straight towards one of those post buses! I grabbed at the brakes before realising it was parked and an expectant crowd started to cheer. I corrected my course and recognised the car park from last night – right on!

As the road levelled and straightened I chanced a glance behind, Paul and Josh were still there, not hard on my wheel but certainly close enough to say we were still together. There it is again, I’m sure that’s the lead car. The roads now are mostly well surfaced and wide all the way to the bottom, not only that but drier too, I hope Super Mario hasn’t got too much lead.

I flicked across the bridge before first Josh and then Innerthausen swept past me, I snicked into top and was soon latched onto the German’s wheel. On the narrow roads off the top it was no disadvantage to be a solo rider but on these wider and more open stretches for me at least a small group can make excellent progress. We quickly reached the first pair of hairpins and I think we were all equally surprised to see Pellini only just exiting the lower turn.

Whilst that was quite unexpected so was the figure of Desgrange a similar distance behind us when I glanced back up the hillside. Hmm, this could get interesting. Josh and Paul were now really turning up the steam, my lack of bulk causing me to struggle a little to stay in contact. Down through the next set of bends Michael made contact, the odds of us catching the Swiss immediately improved, especially as his technical descending skills don’t seem that great.

“Didn’t think we’d see you again.” I noted.

“You don’t get out of a promise so easily, Bond.”

“The Swiss isn’t far ahead.” I offered.

“Now that is good news.” He grinned back.

With Michael added to the rotation my contribution became nil, it was a struggle to keep in contact on the steeper bits, I got back on each time they slowed for tight corners but after the Zwirgi hairpins their superior mass allowed them to tail me off as speeds hit seventy kph. Even under braking couldn’t get me back in contact now, hopefully no one else will bridge the gap, particularly thinking of Martinez.

I didn’t see it happen but when we turned onto the main road to drop into Meiringen the others had caught the Swiss. Providing I can stay this close, I guess I’m about five seconds back; I’ll hang on to the yellow, result! Although the road drops towards Meiringen it’s much less steep than the descent from Zwirgi so the others bulk became less of an advantage.

Down past the Hotel Tourist and I was holding the gap then as we approached the turn into the town Innerthausen went for a long one. The Swiss made an attempt to follow but Josh jumped on his move allowing Michael to slip through. I’d lost a few extra metres but there’s still a little over a kilo to the line.

I was eyeballs out chasing, if I can make contact with Josh and Mario by the line I’ll get the same time and not lose any of my advantage. Up into the town and a few spectators cheered us by, we must look a sorry lot, bedraggled, filthy our jerseys covered by a motley selection of race capes. With Michael and Paul a little over twenty metres ahead, there was no way I could bridge the gap before the line but I was within a length of Josh and Mario, job done.

The crowd of watchers over the last two hundred were quite vociferous in their encouragement and I prepared myself for the line. The Swiss made to make a fight of it but Josh matched him taking the line a wheel ahead behind the German and Belgian escapees. I followed through crossing the line with a grin and a raised arm.

Whilst I haven’t made the podium today, I still get to do the drug business and the shattered field were still not all in when I exited the caravan with Josh.

“Ah reckon some’ll be eliminated today, man.” Josh suggested.

“Yeah, I hope none of ours though.”

“Come on you two, let’s get you into some dry togs before the presentation.” Jemma stated guiding us towards the Hotel Meiringen, host to today’s stage.

“All ours in?” I queried.

“Sal is in the bus with about another dozen girls, should be here soon.”

“Bum.”

“They should be okay, your friend got the girl’s category but even she was nearly ten minutes behind you guys.”

“I guess things have blown up a bit today, like.” Josh mentioned.
 
 

Paul got the drop on Michael to take the stage, Josh was third at three seconds, although I was a couple of lengths behind they gave me the same time. I’ve retained both my jerseys; Mark has however dropped to sixth having lost over seven minutes on today’s stage. On the other hand Josh has moved to third, Pellini is in second, Paul and Michael now fill fourth and fifth slots respectively but still over a minute in arrears.
 
 

“What a day.” Mand moaned. Oh yeah, Mand is now top three in the girl’s event behind Roni and the Swiss girl and a couple of seconds up on Tali.

“It had its moments.” I agreed between pulls on my cappuccino.

“Says the mountain goat.” Jamie noted.

“Youse didna do so bad, man.” Josh observed.

Indeed Jamie finished in the second group just over two minutes behind us but well ahead of Cav and the others.

“I didn’t think you could climb so much in one go.” Sal put in, although she strictly speaking finished outside of the time limit, the judges let all her group of finishers continue – it would’ve wiped out most of the girl’s event otherwise!

“Bloody steep.” Cav offered.

“Both sides.” Laura agreed.

“Yer shoulda seen Drew go down, I didn’t think she’d make a couple of em.” Josh supplied.

“You’re only jealous, yer big girls blouse.” I blustered to try and cover Josh’s slip.

“I dunno how you guys can go down so fast, it was well scary on some of those corners.” Claire stated.

“Practice?” I suggested.

“So how come you didn’t contest the finish, Drew?” Mark asked.

“Apart from getting tailed off? I told Michael and Paul I wouldn’t if we contained that Swiss kid.”

There were several raised eyebrows at that revelation.

“I can see the logic,” Darren allowed, “get them to do the dirty work and reward them.”

“Would’ve been good to win another stage though.” Geth mentioned.

“Don’t be greedy,” I grinned, “we’ve still got the two main jerseys and we’re only a few seconds behind the Italians for the team.”

“You mean you’ve still got two jerseys.” Mark put in.

“Karma?”
 
 

Dinner tonight would be at the hotel but we have about three hours to kill beforehand.

“Has everyone brought their dirty kit down?” Caro queried, poking her head into the Stube where we were drinking our coffee.

A round of affirmations suggested we were all on the ball.

“Drew?” she pressed, “I didn’t see your bibs?”

“I thought I put them in.”

“Let’s go look, if anyone fancies a walk, Mr Bond will take you up to the gorge, it’s a nice evening and it’ll do you all good.”
 
 

I headed up to the room I was sharing with Josh, “I’m sure I put them in Caro.”

“You did, but I thought you’d like to get your er, vests washed too, I’ve got the other girls’.”

“I was gonna do them in the room tonight.”

“Fetch ‘em out and I’ll put them through with the rest, no one’ll know they’re yours.”

“Thanks, Caro, it’s a bit embarrassing with Josh, well you know, getting changed and stuff.”

I opened the door and we both went into our room.

“But he’s okay with things?”

“I think so, it’s a bit awkward at times but he doesn’t really say much.”

I bet he doesn’t, pretty much forced to share a room with the prettiest girl on the team, what boy would complain? Caroline mused to herself.

“Come on, fetch your bras, we don’t want the others getting suspicious.”

Apart from them being mine I was a little bit more embarrassed as both of my race bras were wearing some er, unladylike stains.

“Sorry they’re so grubby.”

“No worse than the others.” Caro suggested, now come on, your dad’ll be waiting.
 
 

© Maddy Bell 25.01.14