Maros Bike Marathon 2011

Bad luck and frustration.

This is what I can say about the last important race of the year and one of the best organised races in Romania, not only because it's a UCI race.

I planned to race the short distance again and to force again a podium finish. I started pretty slow but I was increasing the pace after the end of the first climb (around 18km from 50). I was gaining time on the descends but I was praying not to cut again the tires. After I've finished the hardest downhill without any problems I thought that this might be my day.

But this wasn't like this... I cut, like last year, my rear tire somewhere... Rock, glass or wire, I don't know but I got a 4mm cut. The sealant was pretty good because I didn't had to use the pump but I had to stop pretty often to shake the wheel and the sealant to fill it. So I've lost like this more than five minutes, but if I didn't won, it means I am not good enough, no matter the problems occurred.

I might say that I was lucky because a lot of other riders had flats even with thicker tires so I can't blame the tires. So from now on, for the rocky marathons, where I can't change the wheels like at the XCO races, I'll use only Conti ProTection tires ! For a few extra grams I can save a lot of time.

Hope that the tire cut curse is over for the next races and also for the next edition of Maros Bike Marathon, because I am planning next year to win the short distance race no matter the sacrifices !

No matter this year result, my dad was there to support me and I can say that I really appreciate it. I also would like to thanks to everyone that cheered me up during the race at the feeding zones or on the rest of the course. Also big thank you for the photos !

More photos can be seen if you CLICK HERE

Thanks again to to Maros Sport for all the support but also to the other sponsors and partners: Ashima, Continental, Cratoni, Syntace, Joe's No Flats, Xpedo, Adidas Eyewear,Sapim,Thule,Grip Grab, Rest Wise, VDO, KMC Chains, Power Cordz, Kool Stop, Zakudo and Buff.

Thanks a lot for reading and next time hope you'll read better news.

Cheers,

Vlad

Later Edit: Eli, congratulations for the organisation of this race ! It was better than any other before and it will be worse then the following ones !

Stubalpen Marathon - Austria

Now you will understand me that I comming back so late with my race report, I had yesterday (Friday) an exam and I tried to learn and I had also some luck.

Anyway, going to Eurobike we thought that we should race when we come back, even if are pretty tired, because I don't have everyday the occasion and the chance to race in Austria.

So after Eurobike, we went near Graz, to Maria Lankovitz (the name of the city or village). After eating in the middle of the highway due to a blocage we arrived there and registered (the guys from the registration office were a bit amazed that we really arrived there :-)) )

After that we've mounted our tent, I've prepared dinner (of course, pasta) and we tried to sleep.

Next morning at 9:30 was the start, a damn fast one. The most important riders and were at the medium distance, where we were racing too. Even if it was a small race, it didn't matter, we tried to do our best. First climb was really hard and I tried to keep in front but was pretty hard as I was still felling my legs tired, After the first feeding point a short, fast and dangerous descend was in front of me. I've reached there around 6 riders, but I didn't knew what was expecting me a really long a hard climb on a road. After the first km I was reached by 4 riders and I tried to keep really close to them. I've managed and I walso let them in front of me on the following downhill as it was really dangerous, rocky and really wet. When I had my chance I've passed some of them and pushed as hard as possible.

We had also a short push-bike zone and after that the last descend. Near the golf field I knew the course and I've push it to the limit so the 35km were finished after 1h46minutes, on the 12th place. Eli finished on 14th place, so congrats to him, to the organizers and the rest of riders as the race was better managed than any other Romanian Marathon.

Another thing that you can't see here are the crowds that are cheering you, no matter who you are, but that's Austria and we are here in Romania. Hopefully things will change and we will grow up.

I was happy with my run, considering all the fatigue from the Eurobike.

Now I am preparing for the Maros MTB Marathon, my home marathon, my major goal is to get a better time than the last year. But 'till then we still have 2 weeks so I try to prepare wisely.

Thanks again to to Maros Sport for all the support but also to the other sponsors and partners: Cannondale, Ashima, Continental, Cratoni, Syntace, Joe's No Flats, Xpedo, Adidas Eyewear, Sapim, Thule, Grip Grab, Novatec, VDO, Kool Stop, Zakudo, KMC and Buff.

Balaton MTB Festival

Back again,

So this is the first time when I post twice in the same day... because my lack of free time.

After a few plans my, me team mates Eli and Oli, Luci and Susu from Mures and Dan from Buzau, decided to race at Balaton MTB Festival, a UCI Class 2 Race.


We got in the cars and went from Hungary. Everything was great, but was too hot, so I said: damn, what will do there?? We arrived there, again at the camping as we are use to it, is nice and cheap (we thought that is cheaper, but not at Balaton :-)) ). We registred first for the OX race, but after that we had a surprise. They changed the race course due to the rain in the last week so now we had a course 100% in the sun, without any technical descends (crap). In the next morning at 8AM I've checked with Eli the race course... really dissapointed. A UCI course 3 km long? And we had to run 10 laps. They had problems with the timing chips so they delayed the start with 10 minutes, and another 20 + 10 so we ended up starting 1 1/2 hour later, at ... 38C.

I had an awful start, and a lot of riders passed me, but after the second lap I started to feel my legs stronger and had a better ride. I've finised 25th, -1lap on the winner, so it's better that I've supposed.

I must let you know that I am really dissapoited to see that such a festival, if you can call it like this, with so many volunteers, such a big registration fee (at least for our pockets in such an economical crisis) have so many lacks in the organisation of the races.

If something like that would happen in Romania, everyone, every single person would trash the organisers, but if this is happening in Hungary, can happen to everyone. In my opinion is outrageus.

Hope that next year they will do their homeworks better !

I would like to say a thank you to Maros Sport for making this trip possible but also to the other sponsors and partners: Cannondale, Ashima, Continental, Cratoni, Syntace, Joe's No Flats, Xpedo, Adidas Eyewear, Sapim, Thule, Grip Grab, Novatec, VDO, Zakudo, KMC and Buff.

Some more photos can be found HERE

Cheers,
Vlad

Budapest again

Sorry I am coming back so late with the race report, but I was so busy. I got back from Budapest where it was the Buda Marthon, as far as I remember the 8th edition.

As I am still tired and still not trained as well as I want it, I've went for the short distance, as it was better preparing for the 2nd UCI race in Romania: Lornion Trofe - UCI C3.

I am happy that I start to feel my legs better and stronger. I had a good start and I felt pretty well on the climbing parts.


On the descends I didn't push very hard because last time here I had a flat tire and now with the Joe's No Flats Sealant I was more secure, but I've preferred to keep myself for this week end.
I've finished 7th, at general at the short distance, my team mate Oli 8th and Eli 10th on the long distance. Congrats to them !

As it was the 1st of May, after the race me and the rest of the boys had a non-alcoholic beer.


I'm glad that we were a lot of Romanians at this race, from my team Maros Racing, from Targu Mures and Dinamo from Bucharest.

Was also the first race with my brand new wheels: Novatec rear hub, Project 321 Lefty hub, Sapim CX Ray spokes, ZTR Olympic rims and Joe's No Flats Tubeless Kit. HERE are some photos and real weight (w/o the qr).

I hope that I'll feel even better for this week end race and I hope that the rain will stop as the Mures course has such a 'lovely, chocolate' mud.

I would like to say a thank you to Maros Sport for making this trip possible but also to the other sponsors and partners: Cannondale, Ashima, Continental, Cratoni, Syntace, Joe's No Flats, Xpedo, Adidas Eyewear, Sapim, Thule, Grip Grab, Novatec, VDO, Zakudo, KMC and Buff.

Here you have a movie made by Eli, my team mate:

Some photos from Budapes cand be found HERE and more photos from Maros XCO UCI race HERE.

Cheers,
Vlad

2 in 1

... meaning 2 races in 1 post.

I am coming back, posting on my blog, after a short break. I was so busy and tired that I didn't found the necessary time and mood to inform you about my latest... let's say: actions.

Due to some medical and family issues I've training only about 60-65% as planned and I am still feeling week, but I try to catch up and be strong in the races that will come, but I wanna see the positive part and stay optimistic and that's the only way to be successful.

Now, let's talk about the races.

On 18th of April me and my team mates went in Hungary, well to the Slovak border to race at Balassagyarmat in the Hungarian Cup a UCI C2 Race. As we didn't had a car, I took my dad's car. Like the Flintstones we managed to get there somehow even if in the last 50 km was really difficult as the road was very twisty and there were a lot of animals. The course was in Slovakia, and for me was fun to pass the border several times on the bike that days.

The course was really difficult. Even if I like more the descends there were hard and gnarly but suited well for my Cannondale Scalpel. After driving from Romania to Hungary, I was tired, as I am not used to drive so much and I didn't catch up with the sleep, this being a major factor.

The races also started really late, as they had a lot of categories. I had a bad start and I've planned to do my race to finish it. The temperatures were pretty high so I was drinking a lot of water. Almost half lap I was without any liquid and that caused me some cramps, loosing some time in last lap. I've finished 24th (52 general ranking)at Men Elite, Tudor on 22 and Eli on 17th. Oli had a flat in 1st lap and he quit the race.

I was not pleased with the result, but with all the factors involved in my training program I must admit that was fine.

I was so tired after this race but I had to drive back home. From Oradea I let Tudor to take us home as I was exhausted.

After the race in Hungary we had to prepare for the FIRST UCI Race in my hometown, Cluj Napoca. Race sponsored and organized by Maros Sport. Eli, my team mate did almost everything. He did and extraterestrial effort to make it big. And he did it ! I also wanna apologize to him that I didn't had the time to help him more than I did. Was nice that we had an article on Cyclingnews.com and on Freecaster.tv

We also had tunned team car and new equipment :D

I was very excited as it was the first important race after a long time. I had a lot of friends on the course cheering me up, including my girl friend. Obviously ALWAYS of people who only think that they know everything. And I'm not the only one who noticed these things.

Anyway, I had a great feeling to hear a lot of people cheering me up, I even got a new nick name: Vladone :-))

First 3 laps went really nice, I was feeling really well and really strong, but in the 4th lap I started to had a stocmach ache and I couldn't push it anymore. I've finished 14th overall and as far as I know 11th at Men Elite. My team mate Eli was 11th, so close to the UCI points, Tudor was 13th and Oli didn't finish due to some problems. I had an advantage running home that I could set up the bike well.

I hope that on the next races I'll do better and improuve my performances because right now the only one to blame for the results it's me. I have probably the best bike in the world, which didn't caused me any troubles running really really well. I would really like that all the races to be like this one.


Once again congratulations to the riders, to Eli and Tudor Maros for making this possible, to my girlfriend who came tu support me, to all the specators who cheered me up, to Mr. Zsigo for helping us at the feed zone and to all my sponsors: Maros Sport, Cannondale, Ashima, Continental, Cratoni, Syntace, Joe's No Flats, Xpedo, Adidas Eyewear, Sapim, Thule, Grip Grab, Novatec, VDO, Zakudo, KMC and Buff.

Next race will be at Budapest, on the 1st of May.

See ya soon.
Vlad

PS. I will update the photo gallery soon and let you know

Later edit:

Untill you will see more photos with the new equipment I will post a photo with it to see how it looks. Hope you like it, even if it still needs to be 'tunned' a bit

other links:

- results on cyclingnews.com

- article on citynews.ro

- article on campia-online.ro

(soon I'll update my picasa gallery, when I'll have more photos)

a short movie from www.campia-online.ro

UCI races in Romania for 2010

I've found out lately, I admit, with the smile on my face that this year we'll have seven, yes 7, UCI Races in Romania. We didn't had so many UCI races in all our previous history. So this is a good thing. These races and some other (if I know well) will matter for the Romanian Grand Prix, something like the World Cup Series. So we will have our own smaller World Cup.

So I am looking forward for these races and I hope that everything will go well. Bellow you have the races dates:

World Cup Champery course

Roel Paulissen, one of the Cannondale Factory Racing member posted a nice helmet video from Champery Wold Cup Course. Let the movie speak: