*Chapter 2*

And They’re Off!
 
 
“Er…” I offered.

“Ach sorry, Innerthausen, Paul Innerthausen.”

“Tali was um, telling me you were riding.” How much of a doofus does that make me sound?

“Mark, everyone calls me Cav though.” Mr C offered his hand. “I think we crossed wheels in Poland last spring.”

“Of course, you are the sprinter no?”

“That’s me.” Cav grinned.

Temporarily forgotten I did the introduction thing for the others and after a few minutes everyone was laughing and joking like old friends.

Claire tugged at my sleeve, “do you think this is alright? Caroline did say we weren’t to get too friendly with the other teams.”

“I think she meant getting, you know friendly. I know most of this lot anyway so we’re only talking to my friends and team mates.”

“I guess.” She allowed.
 
 

Paul at some point managed to separate me from the others.

“I imagined you to be bigger Fraulein Bond, Thalia makes you sound like a giant.” He mentioned in German.

“Erm.” Full of chat me.

“I look forward to racing against you, the others all look to you as some sort of cycling goddess.”

“They do?” fame and now deity.

“How could it not be so, you get others to do the hard work, distribute gifts then are embarrassed by your success – and of course everyone I know fancies you.”

Eek! “Everyone?”

“Well the lads at least.” He amended.

“This race, it is new territory ja?”

“I guess.”

“The other teams, they do not like us, they will work against us.”

“They will?”

“I am certain, we are cast as the bad guys, you English they think are second rate.”

“That’s not very fair.”

“Its not, you have some influence on your team I think?”

“A bit I guess.”

“Perhaps we can help each other out – not be too hostile on the road?”

“That’s not allowed is it?”

“Maybe, maybe not, who is to say? In the race we perhaps look for any friends we can.”

I can’t argue with that, I’ve done that, agreed a sort of truce more than once but this is on a different level.

“So you suggesting we team up?”

“Nothing so formal, only perhaps we don’t try so hard to work against each other? Think about it eh?”

The conversation was interrupted by Manda, “Drew, you fancy a quick boogie?”

“Er sure,” I turned back to Paul, “seems the dance floor beckons.”

“Mädchen! Think about what I said.”

“I will, nice meeting you.”

 
 
“So what was all that about Bond?” Mand enquired as we joined the cast of dozens on the dance floor.

“Not a lot.”

“Looked like he was trying to chat you up.” She offered.

“Not me exactly.”

“What do you mean, not you?”

“Well he thinks maybe our two teams could perhaps help each other out a bit, he reckons the others will be ganging up on us.”

“Is that allowed?”

“Not officially but how do you prove it?” I pointed out.

“So what’d you say?”

“Nothing really, he might be right, he might not.”

“We shouldn’t mention it to the others, not yet anyhow.” Mand pronounced, I couldn’t disagree.

“See how it goes tomorrow I guess.”

I think we were the first to leave the do shortly after ten, if we are being serious about things partying to whenever the night before is a bit daft.

“Everyone have a good time?” Caro enquired as Steve headed us back towards our accommodation.

“Interesting.” Geth offered.

“Is it always like this?” Laura asked, “not that I’m complaining.”

“Not always, this is one of the bigger events on the circuit, invites can be hard to get, we’ve not had a team here for over ten years.”

“Sugar.” I allowed.

“Took a bit of wangling I’ll tell you.” Steve added.

“Best show ‘em what they’ve been missing then.” Mark opined.

“Oh they know Mark, it was your and Drew’s results that got us in!”

Nothing like a bit of pressure then.

“Shitza!” I noted.
 
 

“Everyone okay?” Dave enquired as we waited to be called to the start of Stage One.

I’m pretty sure everyone was a bit nervous, it’s all right riding in domestic stuff but full blown international stuff – well it’s a different matter. So okay, maybe a few of us with more experience were less nervous but still, my stomach at least was doing somersaults.

“Remember what I said earlier, believing that you should be out there is half the battle – don’t cower at the back, look to Drew and Mark for direction, our main concern today is getting everyone to the finish within the time limit.”

“Time limit?” Darren queried.

“Yes Darren, they will set a cut off based on the winners time, it’s usually a percentage of the time. As this is a mixed event there will be a male and female cut off – they can decide to ignore it if it eliminates too many riders but don’t count on that. Mark, Drew, you both okay with the plan?”

Tough luck if we’re not I guess, essentially I get to marshal the troops and Cav rides his own race, if it gets to a sprint we both get to give it a go but we don’t race each other – as if that’s likely to happen.

We both nodded our agreement.

‘Gross Britannien!’ The PA announced.

“Good luck, be safe.” Director Brailsford told us as we started the short ride to join the rest of the peloton.
 
 

Once lined up I let Mark do the final pep talk, “remember, no heroics but lets show this lot what we’ve got, safe ride everyone.”

Everyone mumbled agreement and then it was game on, a bit of chat over the PA then ‘attention, funf, vier, drei, zwei, eins, allez!’ the Helvetia Cup was underway. Being rated only just above the tarmac we were starting at the back of the pack, some 120 riders in all – the neutral zone out onto the main lakeside road at least gave a chance to move up a few places. Mark, with Josh and Jamie in tow were up in the first half of the race by the time the flag dropped to start us properly outside the Verkehrshaus.

For me, the most disturbing thing was that every flippin’ lamppost had a copy of that damned poster on it – how’d they do that so quick? Today’s route, essentially a big loop to Schwyz and back would be a constant reminder that I’d been conned into being Gaby yesterday afternoon, that damned poster was everywhere!

Although the stage is officially classed as flat with only one climb rating KOM points at about eighty five kilometres. However the first climb was soon taking us away from Lake Luzern and as you might expect a couple of chancers made the first attack less than five kilometres from the depart. With such a big bunch, all reasonably fresh the move was pretty much doomed although it did show up the level of some of the girls taking part.

At least all our crew were still in the pack, even if it was towards the back – I looked for Roni and co, as I’d hope they were mixing it with the mid pack riders. So okay they are supposed to be the enemy but they are still my teamies right?

The wide rolling road across to Küssnacht soon had us bowling along at a reasonable forty kph – fast enough to make escape difficult from the front and just as difficult to rejoin if you are off the back. By the time we transited the town Team GB were all safely mid field with Mark and his deputies sat in the front twenty, a place I was itching to be. Orders are orders; my chance will come – perhaps today but certainly tomorrow.

Zugersee hove into view as we dropped under the autobahn and I realised that we’d been here on our training ride yesterday. Apart from the half hearted attack on that first climb no one seemed particularly interested in racing which at least meant the work load was light. The morning cloud was quickly receding, the forecast mentioned thirty degrees later on – at least our time in Italy has let us acclimatise somewhat.

We were almost an hour in, approaching Cham when the first of the day’s crashes occurred. I didn’t see it happen, no doubt someone clipped a wheel and in seconds twenty riders were on the deck including yours truly. Sugar!

“You okay Drew?” Claire asked, grabbing my bike as I got to my feet.

“Think so, anyone else down?”

“Don’t think so.”

“Lets get going then.” I suggested.

Hopefully nothings happened up front, we’ve got best part of a minute to get back and no bunch as such to help us.

“Drew!”

“Ron, you go down?”

“Ja, share the effort?”

“You bet.” I grinned, now things’ll start moving.

With riders strewn up the road it was relatively easy to bridge the gaps, the three of us sharing the pace – so okay Ron and I did the lions share but Claire wasn’t slacking. We caught up to Darren who had latched onto Stefan and Hans – we might not have planned it but it seems that we are drawn to each other. By the time we reached Zug our little group had grown to about thirty riders, the main peloton in sight but still perhaps fifteen seconds ahead.

A quick check suggested the other girls were up ahead, I couldn’t be sure but I’m certain that I spotted Mand’s white tresses a moment ago.

“What do you reckon Drew?” Daz asked.

“Its pretty flat for the next leg, no point in wasting energy, they aren’t far ahead.”

“Stay up front though eh?”

“Out of trouble.”

“Sure.”
 
 

As we turned to follow the lake southward I looked out over the sparkling waters – you don’t get views like this in blighty, blue skies, mountains, busy lakes, yeah, well cool.

“Shitza!”

“What’s up?” Claire asked.

“Flat.” I sighed – all I need. I thrust my arm skyward and steered towards the curb.

“Should I wait?” Claire suggested.

“No keep going but tell Daz.”

“Kay.”

I hope he takes the hint.

© Maddy Bell 03.01.14