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| crossing the line with Ro and Seppl running behind |
Following the blow by blow action of a sporting event is an unusual pastime for us. The last two days though have seen us glued to our smartphones and checking the ‘RaceGoat’ tracker that was broadcasting the live positions of a dozen cyclists who, for reasons only known to themselves, have chosen to take part in one of the cruelest sporting events imaginable. They are racing cyclists vying to be the quickest to cycle 1,500 km, non-stop around Austria. That’s several days and nights in the saddle pedalling like mad!
So why were we, in sleepy Hyssington, so riveted to this foreign race? Why were we following the feeds ‘til 2am last night? It’s not as if we are great sportsmen ourselves and we make generally feeble spectators.
Well the winner was Franz Scharler who smashed the race record and came first after 59 hours of exemplary cycling. He was more than an hour ahead of his nearest rival who was a decade younger than him. The youth look wasted but Franz looked like he could go on for ever when he posed for a photo with his beaming support team moments after he had powered up the ramp to finish the race at 2am. The race was supposed to have finished in daylight hours so the bleary eyed officials had had to give up their beds to greet Franz who, quite literally, caught them all napping with his speed and superhuman endurance.
Franz had slept for just five minutes during the race and, with every sinew screaming, had averaged 24.7km for 1,500 km which included the fearsome ascent of the Gross Glockner.
He had achieved this astonishing level of performance by meticulous and dogged preparation for a full year. Every detail had been worked through with his 9 man and 2 van support team. Every calorie was counted and every drop of fluid calculated to get him along that endless road. But it’s the determination that made the difference and the quiet, unassuming confidence of someone totally prepared. Physically, mentally and logistically.
So who is Franz? Well he is a plumber from Salzburg by day who, against all expectations, has just proved himself to be an elite endurance athlete at the top of his form. Much more importantly he’s Berta’s boyfriend and she was with him every step of the way. Leading the support crew and chatting in his earpiece to distract him from the pain, the fatigue and the massively sore bum!
So that’s why we were riveted to ‘RaceGoat’ into the small hours last night. That’s why Sally was texting messages to Berta, her niece, who translated them into German and then read them out to Franz whilst he strained every muscle to stand on the winners podium today.
Well done Franz and well done Berta. You are a sensational and formidable team who just achieved an extraordinary thing.
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PS Franz broke the race record by 6 hours!