27 July: prologue, team
time trial
Sausheim (4.2
km)
Noch nicht lange dabei und schon fällt mir die Ehre zu, ein
Renntagebuch für das Team NetApp zu schreiben.
Heute Nachmittag haben wir unser Hotel in der Nähe von Mulhouse
bezogen. Ein Teil reiste aus Raubling an, der andere Teil aus
Kelmis. Wir bleiben die ganze Rundfahrt im gleichen Hotel. Dies ist
für alle sehr angenehm, da wir nicht immer ein- und wieder
auspacken müssen. Das Zimmer bleibt für eine knappe Woche
eingerichtet. Beim Schweizer muss alles seinen Platz haben.
Der Prolog zur Tour Alsace bestand aus einem 4km langen
Mannschaftszeitfahren. Speziell daran war, dass die Zeit nicht für
das Gesamtklassement zählte. Es ging also 'nur' um die Verteilung
der Wertungstrikots. Wir harmonierten ausgezeichnet und legten eine
gute Zeit. Im Ziel waren wir erst auf dem zweiten Rang und am Ende
reichte es noch für Platz 6. Morgen folgt die erste richtige Etappe
und wie aus dem Profil zu entnehmen ist, wird es schon ordentlich
zur Sache gehen.
Bis dann,
Andreas Dietziker
Descent start of the tour
Although I haven't been a member of
Team NetApp for very long, now I have the honor to write a race
diary.
This afternoon we moved in our
Hotel near Mulhouse. One part of the team came from Raubling, the
others from Kelmis. We are going to stay in this hotel for the
whole tour which I appreciate a lot. Like this we don't have to
pack and unpack our stuff all the time. The room will be set up for
almost a week. It needs that everything is in order for us
Swiss.
The prologue of the Tour Alsace has
been a team time trial which led over 4 km. Its peculiarity has
been that the time doesn't count for the overall classification. So
the 'only' point was to deal out the classification jerseys. Der
Prolog zur Tour Alsace bestand aus einem 4km langen
Mannschaftszeitfahren. We rode a harmonic race and reached the
finish line second. In the end we ranked sixth. Tomorrow will be
the first stage and as you can see at the profile it's goint to be
challenging.
Talk to you tomorrow,
Andreas Dietziker
28 July: Stage 1
Colmar-Cernay (156.4km)
Goodbye overall classification
After an extensive breakfast we
were on our way to the start in Colmar - in the pouring rain. When
we arrived my parents brought me a delicious Crostata which my
girlfriend has made. I really love this shortcrust with apricot jam
- almost as much as I love my girlfriend :-)
Happily the street dried very
quickly and the sun came through. A little after the first climb an
eight rider group got away. Nobody in the peloton showed a reaction
so the lead increased more and more. Due to the fact that only six
rider per team are allowed to compete at this race it's almost
impossible to control the race. So we tried to escape on the first
of three local laps. After Tassilo stepped up the speed in the
plain, Huub, Jan and Alex tried to speed up at the three kilometer
climb. The peloton felt apart, but at the descent most of the
riders kept up again. A little later I put in an attack together
with a competitor, but it was hopeless. We had to admit that it
wasn't possible to catch the lead.
Therefore a preliminary decision for the overall classification
is made. Now we concentrate on a stage win.
Talk to you tomorrow,
Andreas Dietziker
29. Juli: Stage 2
Strasbourg- Bischoffsheim (153.8 km)
What a race!
Whereas yesterday nothing really
worked out as intended, today was a really successful day. That
makes it a lot easier to write a diary ;-)
While driving to the start in
Strasbourg, we managed our way trough a 7km long traffic jam. Alike
in Colmar yesterday, the start was right next to the cathedral in
the city center- but the cathedral in Strasbourg was even more
impressive than the one in Colmar. A great location, surrounded by
a lot of tourists.
After approximately 30min of
neutralization, we attacked right from kilometer zero. Once all of
us ran out of steam, five riders broke away without us - I think
Heppe (Jens Heppner) was about to freak out in the team car. With
two mountain classifications of the first category as well as two
of the fourth category we knew it still was a long way to go. But
after the long hilly section of the stage, we caught up with the
head of the bunch and the peloton became a lot smaller.
On the demanding four final laps,
18km each, we were in the comfortable position to be represented
with three riders in the first group. Jan, Alex and I were
attacking in turns until Alex and a competitor broke away on the
last round. Predominantly, he took the victory and moved up to a
great second rank in the overall ranking! It was a perfect day for
Team NetApp! I guess nobody would have expected that after
yesterday ;-)
Until tomorrow,
Andreas Dietziker
30 July: Stage 3
Illzach-Huningue (178.9 km)
That was close!
This morning the alarm didn't ring
until 9 o'clock. I was happy about that because the first two
stages have been challenging. Also I wasn't able to fall asleep
immediately after all these emotions of yesterday's race. After my
usual breakfast with muesli and baguette we had another rest
because our hotel was close to the starting area.
The race was characterized again by
many attacks. But the course didn't feature so many climbs than the
last two days. It didn't get dangerous until 20 km to the finish
when a group of 15 riders took off from the field. In fact we had
Gotti (Alexander Gottfried) in that group but the second rank of
Alex (Meenhorst) was in danger. We reacted at once and kept up. But
this chase has been too exhausting to sprint for the stage win
later on.
During the race I had to deal with
two delicate situations. At the ascent of the first mountain it got
really tight at a chicane and I touched the shoes of another rider
with my front wheel. In doing so a spoke broke. After that the
wheel was wobbling but it didn't grind at the brake pad, so I was
able to ride on.
The second time I rode a descent
with 70km/h when a rider on my left side hit a traffic island and
crashed. He was sliding right next to me and I was only hoping that
he wouldn't cross my way. This was really close!
Unfortunately Alex dropped from
rank two to three in the overall classification in the end.
Now regeneration has top priority.
With some healthy shakes and massages we are perfectly taken care
of at Team NetApp. Towards the end of a tour only the best will be
remaining.
Until tomorrow,
Andreas Dietziker
31 July: Stage 4
Bioscope - Carspach (147 km)
As the profile of the stage was
similar to yesterday's, we chose the same tactics. Alex and Tassilo
should save their energy, Gotti and Huub were supposed to sprint
along or close gaps and Jan and I rode along with all
bigger groups. This worked out excellently and being such an
international team consisting of a Kiwi, a Dutch, a Czech, a swiss
guy and two Germans, it was a lot of fun.
Until the first ascent, Gotti and
Huub didn't let any dangerous group break away. Climbing towards
the first mountain classification of the second category, I broke
away with a group but during the descent, the peloton kept up.
After that, a group of 15 riders - amongst them Jan - broke away.
The alarm bells rang for all other teams and they had to work
really hard in order to catch them. Alex managed to break away with
the next group, the Leaders' team couldn't close the gap
immediately and the group gained a maximum advantage on the peloton
of 2 minutes. Understandably, the other escapees didn't want to
work together with Alex, as they knew that together with the third
of the general classification they would be kept on a short lead.
Therefore, Alex dropped back into the bunch.
With 30 degree Celsius, we rode
calmly for the remaining part of the stage, saving our energy for
tomorrow. Only Gotti's pulse rate was sent up once again, when he
crashed into a plastic post at 60kmph in the middle of the street!
Thank god, the post yielded and Gotti remained on his bike.
With five mountain classifications
and the finish at the Ballon d'Alsace, we are looking forward to
the queen stage tomorrow. We are going to give everything to
reap the benefits of the good preparatory work of the past few
days!
Keep your fingers crossed!
Andreas Dietziker
1 August: Stage
5
Ribeauville - Ballon
D'Alsace 146,3 km
Just off the podium
This was clearly the most
challenging stage with 3.000 meters altitude. We controlled the
peloton after the start. Gotti didn't let anyone break away. When
we reached the Grand Ballon (1.350 meters) the field felt apart.
Jan, Huub and myself rode in the leading group. Then we decided to
wait for Alex because it would still be a long way to the finish.
During the descent I got stung by a bee. Thank god I'm not
allergic...
After the field has been reunified
again the race got very nervous. No team was able to take over the
controll and attack followed attack. Huub took off from the field
with a group and even rode as soloist for a few kilometers. I
followed the the next group. We kept up with the lead quickly.
Unfortunately Jan and Alex missed the break away and Huub and I
were the only ones from our team who rode in this deciding 30
riders leading group.
When we reached the final 7km climb
to Ballon d'Alsace I wasn't able to keep up with the first riders
and rode in the lead of a second group. With two kilometers to the
finish I took off from the group and kept up till 10 seconds. With
this great performance I moved up to rank four in the overall
classification. But when your are just off the podium you are
annoyed that you couldn't make it on the podium.
After this successful stage race
where everybody of our team did a great job, we are going to
recreate for a few days to be well prepared for the next races.
So long,
Andreas Dietziker