“Of course it’ll be different on a weekday,” Con enthused down the line.

For the last half an hour I’ve had a blow by blow of her induction thing in Mayen.

“Uh huh,” I agreed trying to put a little enthusiasm into my response.
“You’re not really listening are you?”
“I am, honest.”
“So what did I just say?”
“Something about being different in the week?” I think.
“Hmm, let you off, so how was the Kabin?”
“Quite busy, you know, walkers and trekkers, Hen and his mates stopped for a bit, got a bit rushed a couple of times.”
“Don’t make me feel guilty.”
“Wasn’t trying to Con, if anyone should be guilty its me, I’ve hardly been pulling my weight what with galivanting off racing.”
“We did know that was gonna happen from the start Gab,” she pointed out, “and you put stuff in without being here.”
“I do?”
“Of course you do dummy, the pies, the flyers, boards out on the cycle track and lets face it we wouldn’t’ve had the telly people at the opening if it wasn’t for you.”
“'Course we would,” I blustered.
“You think they go to every cafe opening? Course they don’t, they came because you, the local celeb was involved. You girlfriend are news.”
“Now you’re winding me up,” I told her as I felt the colour rising in my face.
“Nope, lets see now, what has Gertie covered in the valley recently? Opening of the sports track, the Weihnachtsmarkt, opening this place then there was the return of the Weltmeisterin last year of course, anything I've missed?”
“The Weinprinzessin?” I suggested.
“Hah, you weren’t even there but you were mentioned as a previous holder, face it Gab, you are famous, heck, you’ve even been on the cover of Stern, what three times?”
“Erm four actually,” I admitted.
“And that's without the Ahr Post nearly every week.”
“Okay, okay, you’ve made your point, I still feel guilty though.”
“So where’re you off to in the morning?”

And so I bored my BF with the plans for Bavaria which she dutifully listened to for the next twenty minutes.

Bavaria always sounds like its a long way off but it covers a huge area from Austria almost up to Frankfurt, there are smaller countries. So our destination, Wertheim/Main is only about two hours of Mum’s driving away, in the Hymer with a diversion into Neuwied add another hour, an early start but not too ridiculous. We stopped a bit short of our destination for breakfast at Spessart services.

“Okay folks,” Dad started as we tucked into our repast, “Caro will follow you down, I’ll go with Darren and get set up, you know where you’re going Josh?”
“Aye Boss, right as we go down the hill then its straight to the river and then left along to the HQ.”
“Fine, its only about twenty five, thirty K so you should be nicely warmed up, leave in fifteen?”
“We got time for another coffee?” Gret asked – she’s worse than me.

Down to the river, huh, that's a laugh. We got a few strange looks as we rode through the motorway services but of course we exited not onto the A3 but onto the local road at the rear. The first few metres were downhill but virtually as soon as we turned off the main road we started climbing.

Josh set a comfortable pace from the front, a steady piano which allowed for conversation – just, on the climb. It wasn’t steep but the surface was a horrible tar and chip effort that made things less than comfortable but we made steady progress up through the Spessart woodlands.

“I’m really gonna miss this,” Lor opined.
“Me too,” I agreed, its not the same when there’s only a couple of us.”
“Manda’s staying in Germany?”
“’till the end of the year I think.”
“Lucky her,” she sighed.
“So you doing sixth form or something when you go back?” I asked in an attempt to change the conversation.
“I’ve got a place at college, still not sure what I’m doing mind.”
“Don’t you have to tell them when you apply?”
“Yeah, well they said you can swap if you change your mind.”
“So what did you put in for?”
“Photography?”
“Sounds pretty cool, better than hospitality studies.”
“Hospitality studies?”
“Yeah, that's me, well boring.”

The climb was pretty much continuous for several kilometres before dropping through a village and our speed increased significantly. Weeks of riding as a group kept us in a compact group even if it was tempting to let it go when the road dropped more steeply. It flattened out some and in seeming moments we were riding alongside the lazy green waters of the Main.

HQ for todays event was a playing field on the edge of the town which is where we found the joint BC / Apollinaris encampment. Dad, Angela and Darren had been busy in the thirty minutes before we arrived, the shelters were up, food and bidons laid out – everything except race numbers (well we have to actually sign on to get those). Dad had timed things to perfection, we were almost last to surrender our licences, the BC permits no longer raising comment after a summer of riding these events.

We gathered with our fellow competitors in the main square of old town Wertheim, across the river from the parking field, well this is it. Of course we had to go through the usual introduction stuff, yeah I know it goes with the territory but it can get a bit wearisome. It wouldn’t be quite so bad but it points me out as top target all the time, at least as series leader I get to avoid that horrible National champions jersey – I really hope we can have a rethink on the design for next season.

The church bells started tolling ten o’clock and we began todays hostilities. Of course the first bit was neutralised – just as well, the narrow cobbled streets down to the river really aren’t suited to a hundred or so bikes and well wishers clogging them. I suppose starting on the front row does have its advantages, the sound of clicking cleats and cursing behind suggested not everyone found the transit zone as easy. There were more spectators out on the main road, all cheering enthusiastically as we picked up the lead car and started the days exercise.

In theory, today we ride up one side of the River Main to Gmünden and then back down the other side. Of course it couldn’t be that simple could it, for starters there isn’t a road all the way along both banks which means a couple of detours into the surrounding hills or as in the case with this first few K actually using the same road. The real start was only a short way further along as we departed the town but as a Jungere League event its a long way to go at a little over a hundred kilometres.

Of course all the usual suspects are here, some new faces of course, some regulars missing. I spotted Izzy earlier, both Fran and Barbie are here somewhere, Inerthausen and Degenkolb are both here, yup its a top notch field. Any other time I’d be weighing up my options for the win, on paper it should end in a big gallop for which I’d expect to be in with a good chance.

I’ve got a different agenda today though, I don’t want to win – its not like I need the points for the series or anything. No, today is all about making the BC lot look good – not that they aren’t but you know what I mean. Of course I can hardly get the rest of the field to not race and if I simply just do nothing that’ll as likely encourage action.

It was Josh who brokered the answer but for now its business as usual. The road hugged the river as we set off up stream, the trees offering shade from the already warm sun above us. As we made our first small detour away from the river there was a bit of activity behind and the first action of the day was on.

You always get this, locals who ‘know’ the roads out to show the visitors that they aren’t so hot – as if. It never works of course, if they were so good we’d know them anyway and the more experienced of us know the form. The would be escapees, one from Würzburg, the other wearing an SC Taubertal jersey went on a short uphill and quickly gained a few dozen metres.

Not that it did them much good, by the next village they were barely holding twenty metres and that was without any concerted effort to bring them back. Regardless of what jersey I’m wearing it seems that I, and the rest of the Apollinaris team are the ones to watch – if we don’t move no one else does. Oh for some anonymity.

“We doing this hen?” Josh asked sliding back to me.
“Doesn’t look like anyone else is going to move.”
“Where we said?”
I checked my comp, “’bout five K then.”
“Done,” he agreed before drifting further back into the field.

This bit of the Maintal is quite narrow, the river taking up most of the valley bottom, the hills rising fairly steeply away from the water. As a result any deviations from the river mean a bit of a climb and after checking out the old ADAC road atlas in the house, our target point jumped at me. Oh there’s another climb from the river a few K further on but that’s a bit obvious, no, the climb into this Marktheidenfeld place is much more ‘me’.

I cautiously moved up the peloton, well you don’t want to start from thirtieth wheel do you? Izzy gave me a querying look, I gave a shrug back – we might be team mates for Canada in a couple of weeks but today its every girl for herself. The river is quite sinuous, you really can’t see more than about five hundred metres ahead along the valley and so I was a little surprised to see the yellow town board I was looking for. Deep breath Gabs, not far now.

I took a pull from a bidon, the signal to the others that I was ready, it also allowed me the chance to quickly check the dials on my shoes, yup snug. The map wasn’t accurate enough with the contours to identify the lift off point but as we took a sharp right hander into the houses it was time. Around me everyone was changing down to tackle the climb, everyone but me, as the pace started to drop I made my move.

By standing I kept on top of my higher gearing sprinting clear of the bunch and past the locals still a few metres ahead. I could see the top of the steeper than expected ramp maybe another four hundred metres away, a flick of the shifter lowered my gear allowing me to sit and keep the pace going. From behind the sounds of response were interspersed with some unladylike language but I guess it was coming from the lads.

At the top our route joined the main road into the town and a much less steep slope back towards the river. I quickly changed up one, two sprockets and got my head down to chase the lead car. It’s a nice smooth surface through the centre, another change in grade had me heading pell mell towards the river before I spotted the lead car making a right turn, oh sugar.

Thankfully the Polizei were holding the traffic so with a deft flick I gave myself enough extra road to take the corner with just the merest dab of brake. I got myself down into a more aero position and started building my pace to full on testing effort. A dodge around a roundabout and the town was history, the river back on my left, the tarmac sandwiched between orchards and the water.

I was still alone a couple of kilometres later, the guys must be doing a top job of keeping the dogs at bay. Should I take a look back? They could be just out of earshot and I’d never know, no that's defeatist, nope just keep going Gabs. Well whatever, I need to eat, the actual feed is quite a long way off yet, I dug into a jersey pocket and retrieved a slightly squidged jam sandwich.

My lead couldn’t be that big as there was no indication that the neutral service was behind me, I didn’t so much ease off as not push quite so hard, even for me an eighty kilometre solo effort is perhaps a bit much. Away in the distance I could see a church spire, is that where we turn away from the river? Concentrate Bond, keep focused.

I was still alone when the road did eventually bear away from the river and as it started to climb I finally heard signs of pursuit. A allowed myself glance under my arm, looks like a small but select group have come up to me, they took their time. My speed dropped a tad which allowed the pursuers to reach me more quickly, Innerthausen, Degenkolb, Gethyn and Daz – spot on.

“Couldn’t let you have all the fun Bond,” Paul grinned coming alongside.
“You brought friends,” I noted.
“Well they kinda insisted.”
“Hi guys,” I greeted as the rest came through and now, a quick rearward glance confirmed, the service bike was behind me.

Maddy Bell © 20.07.2018