Nearly one week has passed since I reached the finish-line of this year’s transcontinental race in Meteora. During this week I had some time – just when I was not eating or sleeping – to think about this race and what happened during those 10 and a half days that I spent on the road. Still I can hardly describe my feelings about the race which from my opinion clearly has to be called a race – and should definitively be ridden like a race – and at the same time is so much more than only a bicycle race. Keeping in mind that it’s only a bicycle race is what saved me from loading tons of material, which I would never need, on my bike. It is also the set of mind that helped me to stay focused during the race. All that counts when you are on the road is to get closer to the finish line. Somehow this is a very simple rule and at the same time it is a really radical determination on doing nothing but riding your bike for some days in a row. What happened while racing this race was much more than what you expect doing a bicycle race. Passing different landscapes, meeting different people and dealing with all kinds of bodily experiences – heat, hunger, thirst, tiredness, pain, loss of concentration but also euphoria – is a mixture which cannot have any other outcome than excessive demand for your mind. And so you experience so much more than only a bicycle race! Stole this picture from @jprobertson #tcrno6cap143 #tcr #tcr06 #tcrno6 #rideon

Breakfast before leaving to the balkan! Had a hard day yesterday, hope today will be better. #tcrno6cap143 #tcrno6 #rideon

Keeping the motor cooled. Or at least trying to… #tcrno6cap143

Keeping the motor fueled! Somewhere in Czech Republic. #tcrno6cap143 #tcr06 #rideon #ungefährHalbzeit

Mit schiefem Helm, aber angekommen – Cp2 am Sedlo Mangart ist geschafft. Jetzt nordwärts gen polnisch – tschechische Grenze #tcr #tcrno6cap143 #rideon

Just reached checkpoint 1 of @thetranscontinental ! Only 3000km to go… #tcr06 #tcrno6cap143 #rideon #endspurt

First real stop after about 400km. Riding at 35°C is killing me! #tcr #tcrno6cap143 #10gradwenigerwärenauchok

I’m ready for @thetranscontinental! Heading to Geraardsbergen tomorrow. Starting from there to Meteora Greece via Bieler Höhe, Mangart Saddle, Karkonosze Pass and Bjelašnica. Follow the race under http://www.transcontinental.cc #tcrno6 #tcrno6cap143 #bikepacking #rideon #paralane #bestorganized

After race Bier nach einem großartigen und harten Tag bei der Salzkammergut Trophy!

Endlich wieder zusammen radfahren! Morgen früh um 5 ist Start bei der Salzkammergut Trophy!