Bikeblog.nl - Part 2

Enduro, the new black!

by Tanja on November 22, 2011 in Events with No comments

I have here for you, enduro events for 2012. Bare in mind that dates may change, always double check before you leave home! It’s rumored that IXS will organize an enduro cup in Germany, dates will be updated when they come available.

EASYPHONE CUP 2012 (Belgium)
4 March : Esneux (Parc du Mary).
29 April : Sart Tilman (centre sportif).
27 May : Ovifat (remontées en téléski).
1 September : Burnontige (Ferrières).
23 September : Neupré (champ. Wallonie)

5-6 May Metabief
27 May Transvesubienne
13-15 Juli Mountain of Hell
10-12 August Trek Bike Attack
22-30 September Trans Provence

23-24 June Maxiavalanche Andorra
16-22 Juli Megavalanche Alpe d’Huez
4-5 August Maxiavalanche Cervinia – Italy
17-18 August Maxiavalanche Are – Sweden
1-2 September Maxiavalanche Auron – France
15-16 Oktober Maxiavalanche Flims – Switserland
24-25 November Megavalanche Ile de la Reunion

Edit 1

Dates “1001 Enduro Tour, le championnat régional d’Enduro VTT des Alpes-Maritimes”

12 february – RALLYE HIVERNAL DE LEVENS
1 april – RALLYE FREERIDE DE SOSPEL
29 april – ROCH’ABADIE
13 may – ENDURO DES MERVEILLES
10 june – ENDURO DE ROUBION
8-9 september – ENDURO PORTES DU MERCANTOUR
23 september – ENDURO DE GOURDON
7 oktober – TRÈFLE VÉSUBIEN
4 november – ENDURO DE CAP D’AIL
(http://www.1001sentiers.fr/en/index.html)

Nigel’s tattoo

by Tanja on November 17, 2011 in general news with No comments

My teammate got a new tattoo yesterday, it’s very well done. The simplicity of the contours are enough to recognize the bikes… can you tell them apart?

Ross Schnell’s moustache maintenance tips ;-)

by Tanja on November 15, 2011 in Video with No comments

For all you moustache wearing Movember guys, some tips from Ross Schnell (awesome last name)

The Trek Slash, in association with the C3 Project and Ross Schnell bring you, “The mountain biker’s guide to moustache maintenance.”

If you too have found yourself with unruly and overgrown facial hair on your upper lip during the month formerly known as November, follow these tips for pruning, sculpting and shaping your way to a better, healthier riding experience. Visit http://www.trekbikes.com/c3 to learn more about Ross and the C3 Project.

Source: updown.soulonline.nl

NSMB review of Scratch (and compared to Slash)

by Tanja on November 14, 2011 in Gear, Video with No comments

I just read NSMB’s review of the Trek Scratch Air and this made me so happy I have a Slash on the way expected januari! Check out this video and tell me this didn’t made you want to go out and ride:

On crashing and how your mind can destroy your comeback

by Tanja on October 11, 2011 in Training with No comments

So, what do you think? About a year after I crashed, after a year of hard work getting into shape: I CRASHED! AGAIN! With a concussion and bruised kidney once again. I can not understand how a biker comes home with a bruised kidney… twice! So I’m benched again, hopefully this time not for 3 months, I’m aiming at 6 weeks tops. But you never know. Should this put a mark on the plans I had for riding next year? I don not have any intention to subscribe to a yearly kidney issue, that sounds like a bad thing. So, should I give up on full-on downhill? Is enduro downhill still acceptable? I could get run over on a road bike and end up worse. Sports can be hard when it’s kicking your ass… so how do you come back from that…

Getting all ZEN on you

Crashing is hard on the body and hard on the mind. I usually have one rule when it come to riding and risk-taking: I want to go back to work on Monday and ride again next weekend. That’s a rule that applies on any day of the week: I like my work and I like riding as much as I can. So, what do you do when the body has finally mended and you are ready to get back on that iron horse? Is your mind ready for it or is it still hurting?

When you are most happy on the bike, when everything works out and you are on top of the world and there’s no thoughts just riding: we have flow!

When you’re riding in the flow your mind is not telling you what to do (‘be careful of that rock’, ‘don’t go too fast here, remember last time’). A state of flow happens when your mind doesn’t interfere and you just ride. You have your skills and experience, the situation at hand matches your level of riding and there’s the right amount of challenge ahead of you. There’s no need for the mind to add anything to this equation, you just ride. This is where flow lives. So now you can go out and look for it… can you?

This is what your mind does

When your body has mended but your mind is still hurting, your mind maybe hurting your comeback. It gets easy once you understand the (limited) tricks your mind uses to sabotage your comeback; or any other obstacles for that matter (trying to quit smoking, or eat healthier, work out more? Keep reading). Your mind can only grab back to events from the past and make us believe that it can prediction the future. Sure we can learn not to burn our fingers. But when we start to believe we can actually predict the future; we can’t get back on the bike, not really quit smoking or get into shape: and we’re in trouble.

Can we learn to ignore these false predictions? Because it makes sense to not ‘get burned’. When do we learn a valuable lesson and when are we buying into the bullshit…? You know! Like you know when someone’s lying to you, you know when your mind is feeding you thoughts with false predictions. You can just take notice, and not get carried into the drama of it all. And soon you’ll naturally enter the state of flow without a hurting mind interfering and things get easier, yeah you might even consider yourself ‘zen’.

If it’s getting back on the bike, don’t throw yourself of the Champéry Worldcup track to start with ;-) Baby steps, start to enjoy yourself first, find the flow and stop believing to your thoughts. Dont’ tell it to shut up because that won’t work. Just go out and do.

On goals

Once we’re on the subject of zen and learning not to believe your thoughts. I’d like to go one step further; don’t set goals. Getting attached to reaching those goals, will get your mind involved and knock you right out of that state of flow.

Especially when you go out and the first ride out isn’t that most enjoyable ride ever; they’re coming to get you! Don’t believe them, just go out again and ride. Just riding is what makes me happy, sure I have certain wishes to win races or be very good at something, but a day of just riding is putting smiles on my face. And you know what: these flow rides is when you grow. I dare even to say: this is when you become the best you can become. And perhaps you can become first on your big race, if you’re into racing. Not get stressed with thoughts on goals and expectations, is when you start winning. You’re fit, you’ve got the skills and the track is ‘made for you’; no reason you shouldn’t win. If you see Danny Hart’s championship-run in Champéry, I bet you he’s not thinking for one second about losing or winning. See that whip?? That is utter flow and enjoyment and that’s where great performances come from.

Photo by Fraser Britton

Anneke Beerten World Champ!

by Tanja on September 6, 2011 in general news with No comments

Photo: http://www.pinkbike.com/news/World-Championships-2011-Prokop-and-Beerten-win-4X.html

In case you missed in, last Saturday Anneke Beerten on her custom Trek 4x fully took home the rainbow jersey after winning in Champery. It was a hard race where even Fionn Griffiths raced on a DH bike, can you believe it! Anneke was unstoppable, read her proud and happy press release:

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 4-CROSS, CHAMPERY
For many years I’ve been hunting for this rainbow jersey, and this weekend I finally WON the World Championships in Champery, Switzerland.
I can hardly express my feelings what this World title means to me, after crossing the finish line all the emotions came out…. I’ve finally done it, it’s a dream come true!!! I won the rainbow stripes!!!

Racing was tough, the track was the hardest one of this season, but it was perfect for my new custom made Trek full suspension bike. Qualification, did not go as smooth as I had planned, I made a small mistake in the rock section and qualified in 3rd. I was a bit upset qualifying in 3rd because I knew this inside start gate was going to be so important.

Race day came and I felt more ready then ever, I knew it was going to be a hard race but i was committed to give it ALL. I won my earlier rounds and in the final we had the 4 fastest qualified women. I probably had the best gate of my life and went to the inside from lane 3 as soon as I could to close the gap into the first corner…. the rest of the run down was so crazy, the crowd was super loud and it was just one big adrenaline rush down the hill. YES, YES, YES……World Champion.

I want to thank ALL the people who helped me over the years. So proud to have you all as my sponsors and I can’t wait to wear those stripes next season.

Next event: Interbike, Las Vegas, USA.

Results:
1. Anneke Beerten
2. Fionn Griffiths
3. Celine Gros
4. Melissa Buhl
For more info and to stay up to date please check: www.annekebeerten.com
See you all at the races……keep on riding.
Thanks,
Anneke

Slash up close and personal (video)

by Tanja on August 26, 2011 in Video with No comments

Beertens’ new fully 4x ride

by Tanja on August 19, 2011 in News with No comments

This picture has surfaced a few weeks ago on pinkbike, but I hadn’t noticed why it was posted. You may know that Anneke Beerten is doing really well this year, won the overall cup and we’re all pulling for her to win the worlds on friday the 2nd. If she’s going to pull it off, it’ll be on this beauty. A custom ride, based on the slopestyle frames McCaul and Semenuk ride with. Goodluck Anneke, go fast!

Trek Bike Attack 2011 – the pictures

by Tanja on August 16, 2011 in Personal, Racing with No comments

Sportograf took some spectacular photo’s this weekend, they specialize in event photography and provide the riders with an extra reminder. I’ve bought photo’s before, but I’ve never been this pleased about riding pictures before. Eighter I have a weird look on my face (still do at times, not gonna show you all of them ;-) ) or the perspective is not very thrilling. Here are some of my favorites of the weekends Trek Bike Attack:

So a big thank you to Sportograf for making my Trek Bike Attack 2011 even more memorable!

Read the full report: Trek Bike Attack 2011 – the aftermath

Trek Bike Attack 2011 – the aftermath

by Tanja on August 15, 2011 in Personal, Racing with No comments

This morning we found the sun had left Lenzerheide/Churwalden en it was a little easier to leave this beautiful place to go back home. Only 24 hours before that I left to hotel to take the bus to the Rothorn uplift and placed my Remedy in line 5 around 9am. The Rothorn Gipfel was bright and sunny, but very chilly. Last time I was one of the last riders in line 0 all the way back, so it was a first for me to get up this early. In time to go back down and chill for a few hours before race day.

Qualifying for line 5

Saturday is usually raceday too, racing for your place on the start grid. Last time I had a DNF because of 3 flats. I was determined to finish without flats or any other type of problems. And preferably within 25 minutes. We had done 6 runs on friday and I did just the bottom-part on saturday morning because of the huge line to go up. This one run felt perfect so I left it to that, went into chill-mode and waited for our time to go up. This year a massive amount of Dutchies entered the race and we all started 15 seconds apart, a Dutch invasion on the Rothorn Gipfel, it was just awesome! Annemieke was the first to open the race for us. I think I was nr 5 and I struggled a little with the first tight corner, but got into gear soon after. I felt pretty strong and I had the time on my new pretty purple Raceface bars, this to remind me to keep peddling. (I have a tendency to just cruise sometimes), the last section in the woods I had some back-pains and that was a little distracting. I crossed the finish and found out my time was 21:43, oh yeah I had done it! Eventually I was 16th overall (57 women) and first dutch girl. Us dutch girls had a little friendly competition going on who was going to finish first this weekend. I texted my trainer and she gave me solid advice: sure this is a good result, just don’t get to excited, it’s sunday you need to focus on.

Back to raceday

Sunday, raceday! We had several hours to go and arrived at the top around 12.30, right on time to go find our bikes. I had chosen a very stupid place to start. I had thought it was smart to stay near the mountain wall, but that was a very tight spot and I had no way to move. The signal sounded, René Wildhaber was on his way to another victory and we where walking towards the first slope. I finally got on the bike and it wasn’t for long I tumbled over the bars. That was a pretty nasty fall, but I was more worried to get back on and not fall behind the fast riders too much. Because that would lead to an advantage of riding instead of walking on the technical trails. We still had to walk quite much, but I was much better than last time. After the race we compared stories, and we all had to walk a lot and all had to squeeze the brakes more with so many people on the track. And mainly that was more exhausting than just letting the bike rip.

I passed the Talstation and took off my goggles and prepared for the uphills that where waiting for us. I tried to stay cool and take my time for it, but in the meadows I needed to stop to prevent from hyperventilating. I looked up and there was my friend Belinda, we complained a second about the heat and walked on. I expected us to ride on together but I think her Stinky was holding her back too much. The climbs where taking it’s toll, the evidence was very visible on my Garmin. If it had colors it would be bright red, 99% of the max. That would explain for the dizziness. Wanting not to give up and not able to get the pedals go around, I just kept walking. In the last uphill I eventually got up the bike again, and tried to enjoy the last 2 km’s, the trails and the scenery. I made it across the line in 1:05 (25th place out of 57 women, 44 finished).

I took a while before I could enjoy this result, I was very happy I improved my time and I won our friendly competition. But it did hurt and the heat was overwhelming in a way that left me a little unsatisfied. Soon it turned into dedication, this leaves room for improvement! The potential to improve over this result is just waiting on the surface, it just needs more work. Maybe a lot of work, but I have to tell you, it’s been so much fun getting to where I am now and I’m actually proud of the progress so far.

Hopefully I’ll be there next year in Lenzerheide, with more skills and power, to take on the competition of the fastest Dutch girl in the Swiss mountains. Girls I dare you!

Results

The “best of” riding pictures

http://bikeblog.nl/2011/08/trek-bike-attack-2011-the-pictures/