The experts, Denison in this...
The experts, Denison in this case, show how easy it really is.
The rest of my event was from the view of a journalist where I rode with the blogging crew of Casten Steffen (www.enduroblog.de) and Martin Kettnerr (press manager for the Erzberg Rodeo). These guys ride from spot to spot along the course, like three or four other teams just like them. They shoot pictures and type out little bits of information about the riders on the course. Then comes the tricky part of finding a signal strong enough to upload the information so it can be posted live on the web site. I've never seen two guys in unfamiliar territory so good at finding bars in the middle of nowhere with Wi-Fi. It is forward thinking like this that gives the Romaniacs a presence, around the world, as a really awesome event.
During the last few days I also rode a few sections of trail on a number of different bikes, from a KTM 400 to a Husaberg 570 to get a better impression of how the 390 really stacks up. (Wait for the November issue of Dirt Rider for the test on the bike.) I got to watch the top riders go through some unbelievably tough sections and make it look easy and I saw some of the Hobby riders struggle with stuff that should have been easy. Shows how fatigue plays a big role in competing in a race like Romaniacs.
There are not may pictures...
There are not may pictures of me riding from the first day but here is one as I try a hill for the fourth time.
A lot of the questions I get asked about the event is, "How tough is it?" Especially for the Hobby class. Well, the days are long and the trail definitely has some challenging sections, but for most of the guys that are all rideable if you are a good rider. Having the ability to look at a section and see the proper line goes a long way compared to charging into it at full speed and winding up stuck or worse, off a cliff. Being in good shape and being ready for some 10-hour days would be a proper way to be prepared. The Expert class offers some additional mileage, more duration of tough trails (all rideable, at least for the first few riders) but you'd better be a serious A rider to begin thinking about it. The Pro class is just plain sadistic, watching the videos does not even do it justice. And this year was claimed, by the riders, to have been easy since the conditions were mostly dry.
The interesting thing was to watch the Pros go through a section and make it look easy. They would never rev the bike up and never spin the rear wheel. The trials skills of the top guys was evident (this pushing the level of the sport to make sections even more difficult, since they make it look too easy) and their skill in putting their wheels right where they wanted them, using the spring of the bike to make it turn instead of using all muscles, the control to link a few sections together into one effortless motion rather than stopping each time and losing precious momentum. Then came the experts. Way more throttle, way more spinning. Way more energy and in the end a lot of pushing. It was eye opening for sure and makes me think about getting better traction every time I ride.
So along with this story I've added a photo gallery and some captions of my week in Romania. It sure felt like a defeat from the racing prospective, but it was a pretty good time none the less. If I can ever get back over there to go and do some trail riding I for sure will do this. Somehow I have to resign from doing the pro class and think more along the lines of expert, at least in the Romaniacs.
This isn't a picture of me,...
This isn't a picture of me, but most of my day one looked a lot like this, usually worse.
Even the top pros line up...
Even the top pros line up and take a second look at sections before attempting them. This is early race leader Xavier Galindo watching Lettenbichler take a line up a cliff.
Half-way through the first...
Half-way through the first day I was a shell of my former self. Cramps, pain and no more GPS was an indication that I should throw in the towel.
The wall ride over the river...
The wall ride over the river was scary looking but rather easy compared to the trails we'd been riding all day. Unless you fell in!
And a few did. This cable...
And a few did. This cable bridge claimed more than a few riders including Gerhard Forster.
Martin Kettnerr, Carsten Stefen...
Martin Kettnerr, Carsten Stefen and our Romanian Guide would rip out to a section, take some photos, get some news and rip back to the first place they could fins with Wi-Fi access. It was a blast to ride and trade stories with them.
I rode a KTM 400 for a couple...
I rode a KTM 400 for a couple of days too. I celebrated the fact that I rode to the top of a downtown Sibui, Romania building on my dirt bike with a smoky burnout.
Team USA kept charging along....
Team USA kept charging along. Here an issue with a loose axle gives the blogging team something to write about.
More of what the Red Bull...
More of what the Red Bull Romaniacs was really like. This was likely a hobby section. How can you tell? The bike is not in a free-fall. That would mean Expert section. Pro section? The bike is in the air.
Third place finisher Cyril...
Third place finisher Cyril Despres was not this happy after the race. The race promoters took out the section he put a lot of time on the leaders through and then he chose to go around a hill (after trying to get up it for 45-minutes) that, in the end, two other riders (Lettenbichler and Chris Birch) made so he was gifted with a 2-hour time penalty.
New Zealander Chris Birch...
New Zealander Chris Birch never really had a good day. He got cables stuck in his wheel, had some serious GPS issues, got horribly lost, but still plugged along to take second on the podium in the end. It was a classic case of never give up for the likeable KTM riding Kiwi.
In the end Lettebichler and...
In the end Lettebichler and his factory BMW proved a lot of points with determination and crazy skill.
It was the riding like this...
It was the riding like this that makes me want to go back for more in Romania.