My absolute favorite mountain bike marathon in Austria. There are many different distances in the SKGT, but route D has the most single trails integrated - definitely my first choice.
I started the race with starting number 4, super motivated. With 2 other teammates at the same distance, it was not only about a good individual result, but also about winning the team ranking (the 3 times are added together). The pace is high right from the start, as are the temperatures, constantly drinking electrolytes was very important. I rode the first climb with an average of almost 400 watts and thus found myself in 5th place. The trails were extremely awesome to ride, mostly dry with a few slippery sections. I felt really fast with the podium within reach. Halfway I was handed a bottle, everything worked out perfectly.
After 1200hm I rode the last climb and my legs started to hurt. I slowed down a bit and tried to eat well again. The watts became less and less and my speed slower until I was caught by a group of 3 riders just before the highest point of the course. The 3 guys worked very well together and I couldn't keep up - slipped back to 8th position. Finally got the final climb behind me and it was a long downhill waiting for me, my legs close to cramping, small climbs in between made it really hard for me.
The last kilometers to Bad-Goisern were flat and fast, I pressed the pedals hard again until suddenly both thighs cramped and locked out - I had to stop, it was impossible for me to continue. My teammate caught up with me and gave me an "anti-cramp shot" to drink, after a few minutes I was able to ride again, luckily still in 9th place. I finally finished the race in this position - just like in 2022, this time however, I was rewarded with 3rd place in my class and victory in the team classification. My teammates from the Nora Racing Team both had solid races.
