On the 1st of August there was a bicycle race in Kalmar, Sweden: Kalmar Grand Prix. Or actually there were two bicycle races: Kalmar Grand Prix Open and Kalmar Grand Prix Elit. The open version was open for anyone who wanted to pay the entrance fee and ride either 70 or 140 kilometres. Parts of Ensliga Bergens cykelklubb entered the 70 kilometre race, but... Well, to be honest our results were nothing to brag about. Our aim was to end up in the top half of the results, but even though our average speed was over 31 kilometres per hour we ended up in the bottom half. To be in the top half you had to ride at least 33.8 kilometres per hour. So there's our goal for next year! Hopefully also next year the distance will actually be closer to 70 kilometres - this year it was 66.489 kilometres, according to the organiser, when we asked him.
That being said, we thought the race was great! The weather was perfect, the countryside outside Kalmar is beautiful and even in the smallest villages there were people out, applauding, cheering and supporting all the riders. It was great, and very well organised.
The open version was ridden during the day and then, in the evening, was Kalmar Grand Prix Elit. There were 38 riders entering the race (we think) and even that might not sound like much it was quite impressive! The set-up was that the contestants rode one lap around the centre of the town - about 1,66 kilometre - then as many laps as they could for one hour and finally two finishing laps. In first, second and third were... Umm... Sori, we don't remember their names! But they looked happy afterwards, up on a stage receiving their prizes. So let us just show some photos that we took.
(The starting line)
(Notice the castle in the background. Nice, isn't it?)
(The riders entering the town centre, through the one of the town gates.)
(The compère, former elite cyclist Roberto Vacchi. He's still good, though! He won the 70 kilometre race, in 1 hour 38 minutes!)
(The organiser Jan Hammarkvist)
(Third place (right?) cyclist,
second place cyclist
and first place cyclist
who had some difficulties opening his champagne bottle, to shower.)
Ride safe!
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