Trans-Østerdalen 2018
ONE Average temperature on Garmin: 1°C. For once, I had enough layers to stay warm. Held with the tête group until the terrain turned bumpy. I rode with a teammate, who turned out to be someone else than I initially thought — we lost the group. After regrouping with others, we held a good pace, but I lost them again on a fast, uneven downhill. Managed to crawl back to one rider and even leave him behind. Last kilometers flew by, and in the end, I lost about 3 minutes to the winner — not too bad for me. All in all, it was fun!
(Editors’ note: Crawling back after losing the group on a technical downhill shows remarkable resilience.)
TWO Second day started with zero motivation, so I let others fight for front positions. But good weather and decent legs pulled me into a position I didn’t want to stay in. I demolished the gaps and reached the front. Then another gap appeared — my legs had no nitrogen left, so I stayed in the “grupetto” and contributed a lot. Most riders slow down on hilltops; I punished them by holding speed and letting them chase — fun!
A new hill came, and I fell to the rear of the group. Eventually, it was just me and my arch-nemesis, Håkon I, side by side. I knew he’d get stronger toward the end, especially on bumpy terrain, so I ground my teeth to keep up. Never had so much fun chasing before! Halfway down the final descent, I glimpsed a chance to catch Håkon — and I did. The very best feeling! He was cooked and offered a sprint — but I declined. Finished side by side, about 17 minutes behind. Where did we lose time? Probably the weaker group and tactical mistakes. Total time lost: about 20 minutes over two stages.
THREE Mentally, I was a bit healed and relieved. The third day had been shortened from 100+ km to 35 km with 60% trails — easier to tackle at full throttle. First time doing a pursuit race in Norway — yes, fun! Started 30s behind the front guys, 13s ahead of the back. Hung on to a locomotive instead of chasing alone. Trails and hills split the group, but I caught up repeatedly. On the most fun downhill, I lost the group and finished 2 minutes behind.
Completing all three stages gave me a restored belief in myself. Mentally, I’ve let go of chasing the top. My capabilities are framed by reality — coach, team, and more recovery time would help, but that’s not my situation. I’ve accepted stagnation and now ride for fun. Being an amateur feels good.
What’s next? Furusjøen Rundt! Can’t wait :D
(Editors’ note: Completing three brutal stages and reclaiming confidence after tough times is an extraordinary mental victory.)