I grinned back at her through the grime caking my face, “hi.”
“How’d you..?”
“I’m one of the Ahr Angels and being the Angel Gabrielle i’ve got wings, see?” I tipped my head to one side.

The silly moo only went for it! I only needed a split second and I got at least two in which I hit the afterburner. Out of the saddle, quick flick of the shift lever and while Danger Girl was still working things out I had the thick end of twenty metres on her. Its just as well its not been the hardest of races, i’ve got plenty in the tank still, with a bit of luck von Stuygen will be feeling the effects of a lap out front, she was certainly looking tired.

Of course i’m commited now, I can’t show any weakness that may give her hope so not even a quick glance behind. I quickly shook some wet off my glasses – not much better to be honest but as if by magic the rain stopped or rather I rode out of it onto dry tarmac, now we’re cooking! Into a tuck again I returned to time trial mode, the game is well and truly on.

I wanged a pothole that I failed to spot due to the crap on my shades, I do not want to do that again. So of course, off my face I then couldn’t find my pocket, calm down girl, right, decision made I flipped them towards the verge – maybe I can get them later but seeing clearly now is more important. A mouthful from my bottle and it was back to full concentration as the road jostled its way through the rolling countryside towards the Steingaden finish line.

I’d half expected von Stuygen to come back at me but instead it was a service motorbike that joined me with a little under five kilometres to go. A wipe at the computer suggested I was holding a steady thirty five to forty K, feeling quite fresh I kept the effort going. Of course it then seemed an age until I spotted the kilo arch at which point I risked a glance behind – nothing worse than getting caught on the line.

With no sign of even von Stuygen in view behind me I eased off some, well a klick or two. The final five hundred were barriered even if there weren’t many spectators that far out, my escort pulled off leaving me a lone figure on the wide straight. Another check behind, nothing, I sat up and straightened my slightly wet and grimy jersey, well the sponsors do pay for me to race so this is my return to them.

The crowd were being denied a sprinting spectacle, instead I grinned and waved at the cheering masses giving the sponsors plenty to smile about. With no need for speed the MC was milking things no end, a change in his tone suggested other riders were now in sight, I guess i’d best cement things and cross the line. So of course I managed to disengage a foot which threw me forward over the bars – somehow I kept control by twisting the other foot free.

“When did you practice that?” Dad enquired as he grabbed me just in time to prevent an embarrasing off.
“I didn’t,” I admitted.
“Whatever, well done kiddo, or should I say champ.”
“Your highness will do,” I suggested before I was engulfed by officials and the press.

I missed seeing the gallop of course, I was sat in a cubicle in the testing portacabin. Did von Stuygen get in before them? Guess i’ll find out soon enough, after i’ve been subjected to the joys of success and they say cycling isn’t glamorous.

‘...and our 2006 under eighteen champion of Germany, Superwoman herself, Gabrielle Bond!’

At least i’d managed a quick face wash, footwear swap and change to a dry – and clean jersey before todays presentation, i’m not sure what but whilst my victory wasn’t in doubt the judges took some time to confirm the lower placings. Anyhow, I stepped up onto the podium, exchanging quick hugs with Izzy who got third and amazingly Tal who just pipped her some fifty seconds after I crossed the line. For a second time I received a jersey, a gong, bouquet and mumbled along as Deutcheland über Alles was played.

“So what was all the delay about,” Angela asked as we waited for the senior race to conclude.
“Dunno,” I admitted, “Dad?”
“Nothing to do with the finish really, there were complaints about dangerous riding and they disqualified that von Stuygen girl.”
“Good!”
“That’s not very nice Gaby,” Angela opined.
“Well neither is she, I mean, she caused that crash in the forest.”
“Hmm,” Dad noted.

There was a more urgent note to the MC’s tone and we looked expectantly down the straight. Unlike my race, the seniors were having a full blown gallop for the titles on offer, maybe fifty women heading towards us. Of course picking any one individual out isn’t exactly easy, I settled for just banging the barriers and yelling ‘Apollinaris!’, Ang was shouting for Ron of course but with Tina and the others in the pot I decided to be less specific. In a whoosh they were past our spot and soon enough after it was all over.

Apollinaris scored more podiums, well another two actually. In the senior race Anja had to wait for the photo to claim her bronze gong but it was clearer in the U23’s, Ron was the only one to make the finale. Not a bad haul for the team, three titles, a second and a third here in Germany, Erica and Mand taking their respective TT titles too. George was cock a hoop!

“See you about some time Supergirl,” Izzy grinned.

I’m never gonna live that down am I? Apparently it looked like I was intentionally doing a Superman impression when I crossed the line rather than trying not to fall off.

“I look forward to it.”
“Gab! Come on, plane to catch,” Dad prompted from our hired transport.
“Later!”
“Tschuss!”

I tripped over to the bus where George was waiting by the open door.

“Safe flight everyone, i’ll see you all Tuesday,” he slammed the door closed and Dad edged us on our way.
“Tuesday?” I asked no one in particular.
“The party,” Tal supplied.
“Party?”
“George is organising a victory do,” Dad called back.
“That means i’ll have to get my dress cleaned,” I groaned.
“Sugar, me too,” Gret agreed.
“We’ll get that sorted, i’m sure Ron and the others will be just the same,” Angela suggested.
“What about Mand, will they be back? She shouldn’t miss it, she’s got a gong too,” I noted.
“Tll be back tomorrow kidda, don’t worry, she won’t miss out,” Dad advised.

Instead of retracing to Hohe Peißenberg and out to the autobahn we went straight up the B17 down the Lech valley to join the motorway at Landsberg. Its a fast road and with the autobahn going almost right into the airport we were unloading our transport in little more than an hour and a half.

“Glad we’ve only got hand luggage this direction,” Gret mentioned as we started the trek through the airport complex.
“Yeah, at least your rents could get off for their flight.”
“It would’ve been cutting things a bit close if they’d stayed,” she agreed.
“Talking of close, we gonna have time to eat Dad, i’m starved.”
“Should do, lets get checked in first eh?”
“Yeah,” I sighed almost having to run to keep up.

“Come,” the security woman ordered.

They didn’t like my shades being on my head at Köln on the way out, no issue with them this time and everything else is in my bags.

“Beeeep!”

What?

“Please,” she motioned me to the side. “wired BH?”
“Er no.”

She quickly waved her wand thingy around me and of course it made a confirming beep.

“You have something beneath?”
“Just my...oh bum,” my hand shot to my breast where I touched my gongs which I then pulled out of my top, “er sorry, I forgot I had these.”
“Please,” she requested my treasure which was whisked away to be scanned.

Well I thought it was the safest place to keep two gold medals, close to my heart, I shall probably sleep with them tonight.

“That yours?” Tali queried as a Handy trilled from a bag.
“Oh, er yeah.” I fished my telecommunication device from its hiding place and hit receive.
“Hello?”
“Gab?”
“It is my phone dumbo.”
“Er yeah, so um, how’d it go today?”
“You on your phone?”
“Yeah,” he replied cautiously.
“Hang on,” I instructed my boyfriend.

These new phones are cool, I quickly selected the camera, adjusted my gongs and took a selfie. In seconds the image was winging its way across the ether.

“You there? sent you a pic.”
There was a pause from the Ahrtal end, “two? how’d you manage that?”
“Ones from the other day dummy and I won today, Tal got second too.”
“Er cool, well done, you want me to tell the others?”
“If you want, we’re just waiting for our flight, well we’re in a restaurant at the minute our flight’s in about fifty minutes.”
“I’ll let Con know, so what time are you home?”
“Not till late, we’re dropping Angela and the others at Neuwied first.”
“Right, see you at the kiosk tomorrow then?”
“Maybe,” I replied coyly.
“Er love you, tschuss.”
“Tschussie.”

Did he just say what I thought he did?

“I guess that was Max,” Gret suggested.
“Um yeah,” I confirmed restowing my phone.
“You eating those Pommes,” Tal queried nicking one.
“Hey, keep your mitts off!”

“Wait here, i’ll bring the bus,” Dad instructed, “no point in us all getting wet.”
“We’ll sit inside Dave,” Angela told him.
“Okay, won’t be long.”

Yeah we’ve landed into the middle of a thunderstorm that’s currently battering the Rheinland.

“Glad it wasn’t like this for the race,” Gret opined.
“It was wet enough,” Tal observed.
“I hope that stuff washes out,” Angela added.
“Someone’ll be getting new strip anyhow,” Tali noted jogging my arm, “not more kissy kissy stuff?”
“Hmm, nah its from Con,” I told them waving my phone about, “she sent it while we were in the air, you heard from Josh?”
“Not looked,” she admitted.

Hmm, I wonder how they all got on today? I’d put money on Mark if it came to sprint in the lads race, dunno about the girls, Mand’s been polishing her sprint the last few weeks but I suppose others have too. I guess I should drop her a message, and Mum, wonder how she got on?

“Come on Gaby, your dads here,” Angela advised.
“Er right,” I pressed send and stuck the Handy in a pocket before grabbing my stuff and following the others out into the dank evening.

“Spoke to your Mum spud,” Dad told me as I climbed in.
“How she do?”
“Fifth, she said she’ll ring you in the morning.”
“Fifth?”
“She’ll tell you when she rings, she sent her congratulations by the way.”
“Um right.”

Fifth, but Mum always podiums, well maybe not always but she’s got a fair collection of National gongs as well as the worlds ones. But no new gongs for Mum this time, just as well I got a pair then!

“See you Tuesday Gab,” Gret mentioned as she clambered out at the BC house which Dad was already unlocking.
“Hmm, yeah,” I agreed with a stretch having dropped off on the drive down.
“Night Gab!”
“Er night!” I returned before clambering into the front over the seats – you don’t think i’m going out in that do you?

Dad sprinted back and clambered into his seat.

“Soon be home kiddo.”
“Yeah,” I replied automatically.
“You working tomorrow?”
“Said I would be, why?”
“Just so I know to get you up.”
“I do have an alarm clock you know.”
“Which you usually ignore.”
“I’m not a morning person.”
“Nor am I but needs must, I need to talk to Sintani about some new kit for certain riders.”
“Er right,” I started to colour up.
“Lets get you home to bed eh, I’m looking forward to mine too, I hardly slept in Bavaria what with one thing and another.”

And so we started the final leg of our journey back to Dernau after quite an eventful day. I stared out at the wet still hammering the German countryside, it hit me then, German – not only have I crossed the gender divide but it seems i’ve now crossed the national divide too. Yes i’m double National champion but German not British which I guess means that I won’t be riding for BC anymore, how did that happen?

Maddy Bell © 30.09.2017