It is the fear of old ghosts. There's no doubt about it. The sight of the poisonous green plastic chokes my throat. The last time I rolled under a start and finish arch, it had just been dismantled. Five hours of agonising for nothing. Now I'm standing in the pedestrian zone in Schladming, fearing re-traumatisation. In just three days I will double the number of my marathon starts. On the fourth, I will have my baptism of fire in the mountain time trial. The Alpentour Trophy is the name of Austria's biggest UCI race, which is taking place for the 25th time this year. 25 years of professional, epic and tough racing is enough to intimidate a marathon greenhorn with unshaven legs. In the starting block, my gaze zigzags: sinewy muscles everywhere under smooth, tanned skin. What I can't see anywhere, however: Bikes from Cervélo, Mondraker or Storck. I've decided to ride a different bike every day - a test under real conditions for the equipment and for me.
I chose racing bikes that should perfectly fulfil the current specifications for marathon full-suspension bikes: Full carbon frame, telescopic seat post, plus suspension travel. I can't fall back on experience, because all three candidates are exotic bikes that BIKE has never tested before. That means: I do have some experience. I had to rely on the same rim-tyre combination of the Storck for my very first marathon start eleven years ago. I skidded through mud up to the bottom bracket on my father's bike for four hours and put it back in the garage completely destroyed. That got me a reprimand. Luckily it's supposed to stay dry today.
Shootout race bikes up to 7999 euros: These are the marathon candidates
Marathon test under real conditions
Heat battle
Rubber rubs over tarmac at the narrow sections. Stress and nervousness are palpable in the start phase. There is not enough space for everyone. Someone shouts something in Czech. The Alpentour Trophy is celebrating its anniversary with a field of 430 riders from 25 nations. They all push themselves up the first climb and through the gravel descent into the next valley. The pace is brutal. I am all the more confused by the slow pace on the first singletrail. Over the next few days, I will be amazed again and again at the rudimentary riding technique amateur racers dare to use on the course.
I top up at the first refreshment station. "Iso? Iso?" a woman shouts at me. "Iso! Iso!" I shout back. It's hot. Over 30 degrees in the shade. There's none of that on the next miserably long ramp. I make up a lot of places as I pedal backwards, swallowing one group after another. Can the marathon comeback succeed after all? "Great!" an overtaken rider shouts to me. "How much longer?" I think, but have no air in my lungs to answer. I join three Danes. We are ten times higher above sea level than the highest mountain in their home country. By now, my body temperature has risen to unhealthy levels. Looking at the figures on my bike computer, my blood still freezes in my veins: Half time only. Later, I am punished with nasty muscle cramps. The marathon god doesn't like exuberance.
The Austrian desert
Camels drink 200 litres of liquid in 15 minutes. I drink twelve a day. That's not enough. Constant deprivation characterises stage two. Too few supplies, too little speed, too little energy. Today I rely on the Cervélo. Fortunately, because the small 32t chainring saves my arse on the queen stage. The Sonnenalm on the Rittisberg deserves its name. UV exposure and Sahara dust concentration reach their peak. My kettle is under pressure and about to burst. I boil my own brew and switch to survival mode. The risk of heatstroke suddenly seems frighteningly real. With tunnel vision, I stoically follow the rear wheel of the rider in front of me. Only the next refreshment station breaks my trance. A kindergarten group greets us with la-ola. Senior citizens offer water in their driveway. I have race fever and the whole region is cheering me on.
Only flying is more beautiful
Day three. Overnight, a thunderstorm has washed the panorama clean of the end-of-days look of the Sahara dust. I hurtle down a ski slope on the Mondraker at 70 kilometres an hour. There, in front of me: a bike helmet with the Red Bull logo. I take off at a gully and overtake ski jumping legend Andi Goldberger in the air. Awesome! Nobody can stop me today. My bum pinches from the changing saddles, my feet ache from the battle with the carbon soles, my stomach bloats from the constant powder fire, every muscle is tired. And yet the body has become accustomed to the constant strain. It's fascinating how quickly the psyche first processes pain and exhaustion as routine and then even romanticises it after crossing the finish line. It must be the magic of the multi-day marathon.
Suffering pressure
Pure psychological terror! No Hollywood director could come up with a more dramatic scene than the mountain time trial on day four. The starting order is based on the current position. Under no circumstances do I want to be caught by the Belgian behind me and shift up a gear. Back on the Storck, I squeeze every last watt of energy out of my legs. The gradient of the trail ascent to the Schafalm is too much for every other rider. At the top of the mountain, hidden in the fog, the moderator can be heard.
I'm no longer just panting, I'm panting loudly, but I stay on the bike. The system is hopelessly at the limit and the first bodily functions are switched off. A long thread of drool connects my wide open mouth to the top tube. When I finally roll over the timing carpet, all that's left around me is puree. Disorientated, I just stand there for what feels like an eternity. As Miss Dachstein Highness hangs a finisher's medal around my neck, I have to be careful not to throw up on her feet. My empty gaze goes back and a deep sense of relief sets in: The finish arch is still standing.
It takes me 66 minutes to complete the eleven kilometres and 1100 metres of elevation gain on the individual time trial, during which I push my physical limits like never before. The trail has a gradient of up to 22 per cent. The Czech Filip Rydval manages it 21 minutes faster than me. - Jan Timmermann, BIKE test editor
Test marathon race bikes: data and grades
Thanks to the slim flex-pivot design, the Cervélo frame has a huge weight advantage of 408 grams compared to the Storck - even though the Storck frame is one size smaller. However, the Cervélo still loses ground in the uphill classification due to its downcountry approach. Storck is the best climber with a firm chassis and light wheels. Meanwhile, the expensive Mondraker has hardly any weaknesses and is a force on the downhill. Victory on points for the Spaniards.
Conclusion from BIKE editor Jan Timmermann
I almost forgot how tough and satisfying mountain bike marathons can be at the same time. On the steep slopes around Schladming, bikers don't get anything for free. By and large, all the test bikes are race-ready. Ergonomics, bottle transport volume and suspension control: In the heat of racing practice, however, small technical details can cost a lot of nerves. Marathon riders will find the most convincing overall package at Mondraker.
Info Alpentour Trophy Schladming
The race covers a total of 8570 metres in altitude over 200 kilometres and four stages. The race starts every morning in the pedestrian zone of Schladming. Unlike many other stage races, this simplifies the logistics for participants and organisers immensely. The first three stages each include a separate mountain classification and end with a descent to the valley station of the famous bike park. There is a refreshment station at least every 25 kilometres. Stage four is an individual time trial on the mountain.
- Stage 1Hauser Kaibling, 60 km 2130 m altitude difference
- Stage 2Ramsau Dachstein, 70 km 2760 m altitude difference
- Stage 3Reiteralm, 59 km 2580 m altitude difference
- Stage 4: Planai Schafalm, 11 km 1100 hm
All you can eatThe entry fee (from 425 euros) includes a daily dinner where the highlights of the day are presented. Based on our editor's race consumption, the buffet must provide around two million calories every evening. The mountain time trial ends with a pasta party on the mountain pasture.
Supporting programmeCity Sprint children's race, One Day Marathon over three distances, live timing, hotel packages, childcare
Jan Timmermann
Editor
