Thought it could be interesting to do a quick take on where everyone is at who I either trained with or just came in contact with here in The Bosch over the past few months. There was a great influx of foreign athletic ability this year, maybe more than ever, but as summer turns to autumn, they disappear as race day nears.
Christoph Sauser (sauserwind.com)
Sauser left Stellenbosch for some time at home in Switzerland, before joining four other Specialized world champions for PR in the USA, as well as do testing on the totally revamped 2009 S-Works Epic. Christoph is technical genius and I couldnt imagine a candidate better for research and development. After more time training in the Alps, he came back out to Stellenbosch, with his entire Specialized Factory Racing Team with him for a week of tyre testing in and around Stellenbosch, as a lead-up to the 2008 Absa Cape Epic which he road for his own initiative: songo.info. After three brilliant days, time in yellow, and a demonstration of sublime form, his partner’s knee got too inflamed and had to withdraw.
After riding with Sauser for an easy spin (easy for him maybe) yesterday, and hearing how focussedly positive he still is, the Epic was not according to plan A, but perhaps it will work out for the better. He’s off on Tuesday, will race a Swiss Cup as prep now which he wasnt, and then the real racing starts in Houffalize at the opening world cup.
Fraser Cartmell (frasercartmell.com)
Crazy Frazy spent every last day his visa would allow him here in the Bosch with us, and we grew rather attached to the great guy. Even got to spend the last few days with him here in the apartment. Frazer did quite a lot of racing in SA, and left for a two week block of visiting family and friends back home in Scotland, signing some new deals, and getting set for an American 4 race trip, where he’ll be based in San Diego mainly. The first race was sort of en-route, and Frazer raced well for 6th, and was having a cracker this weekend, in the mix for the podium at the Californian 70.3 when he started looking for porter loo’s and placed 8th as consequence. St Anthony’s and Wildflower are going to be his.
Tim Don (timdon.com)
Thankfully I didnt join Tim for any midday sub 3min/km run sessions in an acclimatization attempt for Beijing, only a long run and some swim sessions. I could see he was finding exceptional form, and despite only getting onto the tartan a few times while here, he had enough speed and class to place third last weekend at the opening IT World Cup in Mooloolaba, Australia. The podium there may well be the Olympic one. In a different order I hope. It was amazing watching from a distance and listening down the grapevine how he executed a near perfect, uninterrupted base phaze here in the Bosch.
Andreas Raelert
Radio silence I’m afraid. Guess the focus must be turned up full tilt. But Andreas is getting set for the ITU world cup in Madrid, on the 25th of May. Its the big German qualifier and one spot of their three is still up for grabs. Hoping Andreas’ form is coming on well.
Silvio Bundi (bundicycling.ch)
Bundi was based with Christoph for a month preparing for a mountain bike season ahead of mainly Swiss Cup races for the Swiss Team he races for, but he will be doing some of the UCI world mtb cups on the continent, and as a outside chance, he’ll have a go at qualifying for Beijing. Bundi is going well, and placed 12th this past weekend at his first race at home, a Swiss Cup in a very competitive field.
My family got a new Ridgeback puppy, which is now called Bundi.
Ritchie Nicholls
Ritchie outstayed them all just about, and I’m unsure how he was going to settle back into training in British weather. But then he was off to the Med for a training camp at Majorca or something a few days after departing here. He was running phenomenally well here, and picking up his swimming well enough to start knocking on the right doors this season. Maybe even an Olympic one.
Lothar Leder
Seems Lothar never made it to the NZ Ironman as planned, must be the carrot cake and coke on or after every ride that caused the diversion. Will be interesting to track his season, as he really is in a now or never situation.
Horst and Patric
I have no idea. They disappeared without trace.
Xavier Gomez
Luckily I did no more than one swim session with him, in which I was lapped twice every 400m. He one the Mooloolaba World Cup last weekend and seems to have benefited from his two training blocks in Stellenbosch.
Ricarda Lisk (ricardalisk.de)
Still hasnt raced a big race, after two successful warm up events in South Africa. A month till her first world cup race I think.
