Today the weather forecast sunshine and good times. Well mostly sunshine and 20 degrees but good times can be had by 20 degrees so it’s essentially equivalent.
We headed off neutralised to Feldkirchen again and then shortly after started climbing. Due to the profile of the stage I thought it would be a good idea to get a fast bunch so worked hard on the climb. My legs were already cooking slightly by the time the rolling climbs had finished and we began descending. Still I had got an ok bunch and so I sat at the back of it and we cruised along.
The problem with my approach is that by the time we got to the next major climb I was a bit tired still and so I couldn’t keep up with the bunch. I ended up getting to the top with just a few other guys. We descended and the small bunch worked well but I was still too slow. I kept up for a while but then spotted a big bunch behind us and wondered if it was worth riding hard when we would most likely be caught up.
Another guy dropped off the back and although we could have got back on the bunch we were indecisive until it was too late. He had ran out of water and I offered him mine. We worked together until the bottom of the last hill climb. As the climb began the big bunch caught us and there were cyclists everywhere.
I managed to float at the front of the bunch for a while. I was now also out of water but spotted Sebastian, from previous years, up ahead and asked him if he had anything left. He graciously gave me a bottle to help myself to and we talked for a while before the climb got too steep to continue.
He rode off ahead and although I kept going my legs were fading a bit. Some cyclists began to pass me. The last steep climb to the finish line was really hard. Leonie cheered me on as I rounded the last corner. Bernd, standing below the finish line, ran the last few metres with me crossing the line.
The finish was at a nice castle which was made nicer by the fact they were serving Kaiserschmarrn in the restaurant to all the participants. I grabbed a plate and headed back down to the last corner where Leonie had been secondered into triggering the cameras on the last corner.
All-in-all a good stage but a shame my legs died a bit in the end.
Tour de Kärnten 2019 Stage 5 Burgenrunde
Time: 03:11:32.3 Place: 183 Cat Place: 86