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In the middle of September of 2018 the popular individual and team trial around the Attersee took place.

Once again there was a direct duel between Wolfgang Hoffmann and Felix Schneider at the King of the Lake. Both riders of Team Chase were optimally prepared for the race. For Wolfgang it was a late highlight of the season with specific training on the TT bike, for Felix it was the end of a long season with many kilometers on his Rams Cycling timekeeper. The weather, as so often in the Attergau, showed its best side. Mild temperatures and a constant tailwind on the second half of the course provided new personal best times for many participants.

With the new “CHASE me” aerorim valuable seconds could be won on the mostly flat course. The optimizations through the Chase armrests and carbon extensions on the white Rams Cycling enabled a significantly more aerodynamic position of the arms and the head in comparison to last year. With just over three minutes ahead of his 2017 time Felix got the 39th place.

Wolfgang was able to distribute his performance really well over the 47 kilometers around the Attersee. He also significantly undercut his 2017 time. The internal duel went to Felix again in 2018.

As every year, Sankt Georgen in Attergau became the centre of the ultra-long distance cycling scene again this year. The  Race Around Austria will host the first Austrian Championships in this discipline in 2018. Champions are determined both on the extreme distance (2200km – 30000m of elevation gain)in singles, doubles and quad events, as well as on the faster 560km course around Upper Austria, the so called “Challenge“. The Austrian topography with countless altitude meters, high Alpine passes and the unstable weather give the Race Around Austria the title of Europe’s toughest cycle race.

Team Chase started at the RAA Challenge with Felix Schneider and Bernhard Weis, after the participation in the 2016 (2nd) and 2017 (6th) team competition, now for the first time with solo starts on the big stage at the market place of Sankt Georgen. On Wednesday 15.08 they started at 17:05 in the race around Upper Austria. The time predictions were between 19 and 21 hours of racing. The multiple RAAM and RAA winner Christoph Strasser was also at the competition.

Team Chase at the RAA Challenge

The first quarter clockwise along the borders of the province was marked by few climbs, but all the faster country roads and even some tailwind. The time trial specialists were able to set the pace here. With the new Chase Me aero wheel and the Chase AeroPerformanceSystem cockpit, Felix was able to keep an average of 37.5 km/h up to 160 km of the race, just before the Danube bridge near Niederranna, and thus the second place.

The following section through the Mühlviertel held a considerable amount of altitude meters ready and went from hill to hill over crests and valleys. Rollers made up for time here. This strenuous section extends into the night until Freitstadt.

Mental Strength – From Freistadt, a high degree of concentration and resistance to emerging fatigue is required. The route offers hardly any variety, the night is dark and the energy level after 340km with an average of 32 km/h (after 11 hours) has dropped significantly. Here it was also where the support team had to act at short notice. Felix became suddenly tired and could not keep the track despite high speed – a dangerous game. A treatment break of about 8 minutes by the phyiostherapist brought momentum back into the last kilometres of the approach to the Hengstpass.

The race entered its final phase. With 140km to-go the Hengstpass stands in the way of the starters, not an unsolvable task, since the road does not rise above 7%. But exactly here it was the duty to be able to make up for the lost positions by the forced break. Only a few minutes separated the places 3 to 8, the RAA Challenge is an individual time trial, which is always exciting to follow due to the small time intervals. After the first flat kilometres at the base of the Hengstpass, Felix changed to his Rams Cycling road bike with the mountain-suited Chase Up wheels. With 250 watts it went towards the sun, up to the summit. In the meantime, the night regulation, which according to the regulations lasts until 6:30 a.m., was abandoned. In this increase alone, the team was able to drive two places well thanks to the perfect use of the material and mobilisation of the reserves. Starting situation after the Hengstpass: 6th place.

Race Around Austria Challenge – Chase – Foto: Peter Maurer

 

Arrived at the top the descent was tackled with the time bike. The following flat piece by Windischgarsten Felix unwound in the usual aero-position. Unfortunately, a rail crossing at Steinbach am Ziehberg stopped the rapid race to catch up. The collected experience of the last years let the supervisor crew react quickly and they postponed the change to the racing bike by 1 km, got rid of the superfluous nightwear and provided the athlete with necessary food and drink. The loss of time was limited to about 2 minutes. In the same rhythm Felix attacked the upcoming Ziehberg, again followed by a fast descent on the time bike. Now there was only one ascent to Gmunden, short and up to 12% steep. With gels, caffeine and all available reserves Felix fought his way up the ramps towards Attersee. Ranking after the last obstacle with 270W cut: 4th place.

Arrived at the summit the usual scenario: Changing to the time bike to hide deep in the aeroposition. The distance to 5th place had to be kept constant, not to take any risks on the last 30 kilometres past Mondsee, heading for the starting and finishing place Sankt Georgen in Attergau.

The last painful waves were attacked with euphoria and the incessant cheers of the crew from the support vehicle.

 

Race Around Austria Solo Challenge 2018 – Ziel – Foto: Peter Maurer

The town sign marked the finish: At 11:26, after 18 hours 20 minutes with an average of 30.7 km/h Felix finished 4th at the first Austrian Ultra Long Distance Championships. Click  here for the results.

 

For Austrian triathlon, the Ironman in Klagenfurt (Carinthia) is one of the biggest flagships in the scene. The race is internationally known and renowned. The long distance competition covers 3.8 km of swimming, followed by 180 km of cycling and completed by a 42 km long marathon. Each of the disciplines offers a special scenic feature. Swimming through a turquoise-blue Wörthersee with drinking water quality. The two 90 km laps of the bike course lead along the southern shore to the Fakeer See, over the Carinthian hinterland with a great panoramic view, back to Klagenfurt. Along the canal and through the heart of the city, the participants are constantly fighting against exhaustion and time.

In the short term there was the possibility to get a spot for the sold out spectacle. So it came to the Chase debut at an Ironman event. For Felix, basically a bike specialist, this meant full concentration on a good cycling time.

The aerodynamically optimized material should form the basis for a fast wheel split. A skinsuit with an accurately pinned starting number, a disc wheel in a striking and matching design, fitting the Rams Cycling time trial bike and the newly developed  Chase APS – Aero Performance System– a handlebar cockpit for time trial, track and triathlon bikes that enables an aerodynamic and at the same time power-saving posture.

 

 

Over a distance of 180 km, the management of forces as well as the fluid and energy balance is of the highest importance. Turning into the red area once too often or skipping a feed zones could affect overall performance.

The first lap was marked by many overtaking manoeuvres, but did not reduce the average speed. The Pacing was around 220-225 watts and felt good until halfway through the second round. Both the ascent to the Faker See, as well as the Rupertiberg with more than 300 watts could be attacked to immediately return to the aeroposition and to bring the bike up to speed.

After an average of 4:53 and 36.5 km/h Felix was able to park the bike in the transition zone.