Last weekend one of the Belgian classics was on the mountainbike menu: the Houffalize Bike Marathon. The course stays one the of the highlights of the race-season and now that summer has packed it's bags and moved to a sunnier location, the trails consist mainly of rocks, mud, and more mud. Only Pat and Pepe at the start the of XXL distance of 118 km, Kroki won another long week in Berlin for work and has to do without bike during the weekend.
After 6 hours of hard work, the finish on the Place del'Eglise is a nice reward. Pat finishes 20 minutes later, meaning Reevax takes 5th and 8th place in the masters category! Read more...
No race on the Reevax program for last weekend, but the itch was a bit too big for Pat, so he decided to check out Burg Reuland where the Belgian Championships mountainbike marathon for police took place. Luckily there was also an open category, as Pat in a uniform would not work very well :o) The course promised 90 km and 2000 meters of climbing through the Belgian Eifel area, at the German border.
Pat gave everything he had and after a bit less then 4h45min he finshed exhausted but satisfied as 3rd master and 11th overall. And with that he deserved a big ice-cream ! Read more...
The marathon in Neustadt an der Weinstrasse is known as Germany's most technical marathon. it is each time again a lot of fun to play with the bike on the many singletrails. Technical downhills, roots and steep climbs with rocks and steps are plenty and despite the relatively "low" amount of climbing, it is a tough course. On top of that the sun is regularly coming out between the cloud deck to make for a perfect bike weekend.
Pepe and Pat start as usual for the long distance of 100km and 2300m of climbing, while Kroki sticks to the middle distance of 53 km and 1300 m of climbing. Pepe fought himself to 2nd place in the masters category after more then 5h of racing, a little bit later followed by Pat on a 7th place. Kroki ended up on the 59th place in the men category. Read more...
Last week the Reevax team was present at the Erbeskopf, the highest mountain of the Reinland-Pfalz region in Germany, and the location for the marathon with the same name. On staurday it became already clear what was waiting for us: an extremely hot day of suffering. The trackls are dry and dusty, and the sun is burning. Next to the extremely tough course, we get a pre-heated oven for free tomorrow.
During the race only misery for Pepe: first he got stung by a bee that got caught in his helmet, followed by shifting problems to finally end up in the scenery. Pepe still finished 6th in the seniors-2 category, followed by Pat on the 14th place. Kroki finished 46th in the seniors-1 category of the 65km long middle distance. Read more...
The Spessart marathon in the little German town Frammersbach is always a nice race. An incredible amount of supporters along the whole course, nice atmosphere and ambiance before, during and after the race. On top of that a tough course in the mountains of central Germany. No alpine climbs, but a high off-road content with a nice mix of gravel roads, dark forest trails and fast downhills covered with roots, stones and holes. And all this under a big summer sun !
Pepe, ounderway on the longest distance, succeeded to get on the 3rd spot of the podium again in the seniors-2 category. Kroki choose the 65km distance and finished 107th in the seniors-1 category. Read more...
Last weekend the complete Reevax team was at the start of the marathon in Willingen. Already a classic for years, but since 2 years with an improved course with more trails and more climbing. After almost 6h of racing, Pepe finished on the 3rd place in the masters category of the longest distance of 122km. Pat had a complete off-day, was totally waisted after the first loop, but stubborn as he is he continued on the 2nd loop to finish on a 38th place in the masters category of the middle distance of 96 km. Kroki raced the short distance course and finished 95th in the Men category. Read more...
The complete Reevax team is ready at the start location of the 2nd main goal of the year: the Trans Germany ! From the start in Garmisch-Partenkirchen at the base of Germany's highest mountain, we have to conquer 300 km and 10000 meters of climbing in 4 stages to finish in Bregenz at the Bodensee, Germany's biggest lake. The startnumbers are ready, the Orbea's are clean again after the Saarschleifen marathon, only the weather is not ready yet. Rain and winter temperatures, with last night even snow above 1000m.
The coming week we will try to bring daily reports and photos from the Trans Germany, so you can follow the race with all details from home. This news page will not be daily updated , you can find all details about the Trans Germany here !
Last weekend the complete Reevax team, on its way to the TransGermany, decided to make a stop in the Saarschleifen MTB marathon. The beautiful singletrail course was changed into a slip- and slide-party due to the rain of the past days. Mud-lover Pat had a smile up to his ears, but also Kroki and Pepe had a lot of fun in the steep Saar-river valley.
Pepe finished 5th in the seniors-2 category of the longest distance, followed by Pat on a nice 10th place. Kroki finished 48th in the seniors-1 category on the middle distance. Read more...
The weather was perfect. The course magnificent, and the trails were in never better condition. The Reevax-crew was there and the supporters enthousiast. These were the circumstances of the Ardennes Trophy 2010. An edition during which Pepe had difficulties to get up to speed and on a 11th place in the masters-2 category finished. Pat on the other hand took off like a rocket, got lost and crashed on top of that, during which his right eye was saved by his Evil-Eye sunglasses. He finished 48th in the masters-2 category. Read more...
After months of back problems, a risky surgery and months of revalidation , Pat was at the start of Les Cimes de Waimes with a startnumber on his bike. With an obvious lack of fitness and in cold and wet weather conditions he managed to beat the mud of Waimes to finish in 56th position in the masters-2 category. Read more...
Yesterday the first edition of the Rally di Romagna ended, which was won by Pepe in the masters category. What was foreseen as a few days of biking in sunny Italy, became a nightmare. The thoughness of the course, the terrible weather conditions and the length of the race made this adventure extremely hard. Only by hanging on and thanks to the invaluable suport from home, this Rally di Romagna turned into a succes. All details about the Rally di Romagna are here !
This evening Reevax leaves to a brand new European stag race: the Rally di Romagna in the Italian Apennines !
350 km and 13000 meters of climbing wil have to be conquered in 5 stages and a prologue though the northern Apennines. Pepe showed his good form already the past weeks. Kroki has still doubts about his knee and will try to finish the race. We go for it !
The coming week we will try to bring daily reports and photos from the Rally di Romagna, so you can follow the race with all details from home. This news page will not be daily updated , you can find all details about the Rally di Romagna here !
Last weekend the Sorpetal marathon in Sundern was on the Reevax program. Pepe went for the long distance, while Kroki - still having knee problems - wisely choose the 55 km and would see hoe far he got withut pain. The weather was excelllent and the dusty trails perfect. Pepe showed to be in good condition and finished 3rd in the masters2 category. Due to problems with the automatic time registration, the exact results were unclear for a long time and by the time there was finally a podum ceremony organized, Pepe had to rely on Zoef to receive the rewards. Kroki's knee held up to the walking pace and he finished 149th in the masters1 category.
Read more...
Last sunday Pepe was at the start of the estafette race in Bladel (NL) for a 4h solo-ride. Pat is still recovering from his back surgery, and Kroki has problems with his knee and needs to stay on the side for now. The course is fun with many curvy singletrails between the trees, once in a while a straight section and de double "climb" of the Pals bridge across the highway. And with a nice and warm sun, the day is perfect.
After 4h of hard work, Pepe finishes in 6th place. Read more...
The past weeks Pepe and Kroki were in Gran Canaria to train and race in the local marathon. Besides many trainingskilometers and a lot of climbing, we regularly took a sigletrail along the way to improve our technical skills. Magnificent weather, magnificent landscape and fantastic possibilities for bikin, both on- and off-road made a succesful week. Read more...
The new race season is knocking on the door, so it is the right time for an intensive training. The next weeks the Reevax team will move south to Gran Canaria, for training, and to race the Open MTB marathon of Gran Canaria while we are there. On the program for Kroki and Pepe next week are hard and long trainingkilometers. The following week Kroki is by Zoef and Pat, recovering from a succesfull operation at his back.
Arrived just too late to take along to Gran Canaria is Pepe's brand new Orbea Alma G Team. But he can be drooled over, together with Pat's Orbea Oiz Carbon, during the next week at Megabikecenter Xaveer.
Due to Pat's back problems and heving to cancel the Cape Epic, we had to rethink our race program for this year. Added to the calender is a new 6-day stage race in Italy: the Rally di Romagna. The Trans Germany, that take splace int the Alps this year, is again part of the program. On top of that the calender is further filled up with marathons. The full race calender can be found on this page !
Due to Pat's back problems and a broken finger for Pepe, Kroki was on his own during the 6h of Halle. And with exactly 120 km on the bike in the past 8 weeks, the preparation was not exactly optimal.
The course is extremely though with a lot of deep mud sections.
After 2h in the race, in the 7th lap, suddenly: pfffrrrrttt. Legs empty, no pozer anymore, pace drops with 7-8 km/h and Kroki is hardly moving forward. Knowing that this will not get better anymore today, and it is still almost 4h to go, he drops out of the race. Conclusion: Train first, then race ! Read more...
Unfortunately life does not always go according to plan, and unforeseen circumstances are part of everybody's life. Also with Reevax this winter:
After anexciting, succesful lottery we finally managed to get our hands on a ticket for the well-known Cape Epic in South-Africa. Pat and Pepe in the masters category and Zoef as Epic-tripper, riding part of the course at the side of the race. Everything was ok: registration finished, flights booked, training on schedule.
Beginning of november however a little cloud in the clear blue skies: during a simple movement, an enourmous pain in Pat's lower back. At first everybody thinks this is innocent and will go away after some days of rest, but the pain gets worse and almost unbearable. Around Christmas there was even a hospitalisation, without result. After 10 weeks the sky is filled with dark clouds and Pat's condition has gotten worse instead of improving. Absolutely no chance to ride a bike, let alone train for an event such as the Cape Epic, which is rapidly coming closer.
Hoping is one thing, but sometimes a bit of realism is not bad. As a team we decided together to cancel the Cape Epic and other plans for 2010. The cause of the pain is still unclear/unknown, as well as a solution. At this moment the most important thing is for Pat the get back to a normal life without pain. Only then we look further. The Reevax calender for 2010, already fixed for a big part, is now being adapted to the new situation.
Practically this also means that following items are up for sale:
- 1 team ticket for the Cape Epic 2010 (2 persons). Info on http://www.cape-epic.com
- 1 ticket for the Epic Trippers (1 person). This is a recreative MTB-event on the side of the race and an excellent opportunity for someone that wants to experience the Cape Epic and the atmosphere in an active way, without doing the full race. More info onhttp://www.daytrippers.co.za/cape-epic-cycle-tour-2010.php
If interested, please contact: info@reevax.be
We want to wish you all the best for the new year, as well on social, professional; personal and of course sportive level. But especially a good health !
Great parties and a prosperous 2010 !