Getting ready.

Grant getting ready for the final time trial.

It's a chilly 50 degrees and foggy.

It's getting warmer out.

It did warm up in the afternoon, it's just about 50 deg now.

Time to eat.

It's cold and rainy outside everyday. But we do get 3 full Austrian home cooked meals and in the afternoon, OMA'S cake.
How do you wanna lose weight eating like this?

Time to take a break.

An afternoon nap and hot shower after a cold rainy ride is what's needed.

We will never complain about South Florida a being to hot again.

Nice sunny St Johann morning. Under 50 degrees before noon.

A sad day for cycling

3 guys were hit by a car today during Grant and Tom's race in Kirchdorf. 2 German Cyclist are in the hospital in critical condition and 1 cyclist from the Netherlands lost his life at the scene.

The two German cyclist had to be air lifted by helicopters

It's truly a sad day at the St. Johann World Cup race and a sad day for cyclist. 

Not like Miami.

Possibility of snow on top of the mountain today.Crazy weather in August. Its under 50 degrees.

End of the day.

Finally at 10:30pm in the poring cold rain, we got ourselves a great room. A great room for a great price. Has a flat screen and all. This was a Bad day with a silver lining ending.

Always stay positive and you can rely on good friends. Thanks Hilda for hooking the guys up with a great room in our old hotel central. They remembered us and Hilda welcomed Tom with a big huge hug and said "here is my favorite German Miami boy". She even offered to feed us. Feels like home (almost) And Grant kept solid food down for the first time in 3 days, so all is looking better.

After They had a bad race week. Those 5 trophies they had won? They forgot in the hotel in Hartberg. what a week this has been. The Hotel just called and asked where to ship them.

This was a real Euro trip for the team. 

Not our normal type of day cycling.

First we spent 2 hours at the doctors office.
Then checking out of hotel and loading SUV in pouring rain. 
Then saying goodbye to all our friends at the time trial course, in the Rain 
Then 5-6 hour car ride to St Johann in Tirol. After about 3.5 hours we are stuck in a Dead stop traffic jam. ( see pictures) 

Not our normal happy podium pictures

Doctors orders....

Grant waiting patently in pain at the Dr office.

The official results are that he has a bad viral intestine infection.
Dr asked "why did you wait 3 days?".

Now Mr Potter is bedridden for 5 days. that means No bike, No work, and No exercises for 14 days.

Also Dr told Tom should not be around Grant, because it's highly contagious.

A bigger problem is there is a 6 hour car ride ahead of the guys from Hartberg to St.Johann, Tirol.

Still not going well.

Grant is still very sick and not getting better. We are on our way to see the doctor. He is all bummed out because he wanted to win today's time trial.

And we have to move out of the Hartberg hotel today and drive to St Johann in Tirol for tomorrows world cup race.

So this years world championship race did not go well so far.

Will let u know what the uncle doctor has to say.

Friday

Another sick day at camp Stradalli :)
 Let's hope tomorrow we'll be a better day for the time trial event.

Hanging out with some friends.

Last night after the race, Grant talked about not feeling good and did not even wanna eat. Then it started, we ate before the race and he got sick, now 24 hrs later the doctor said he has food poisoning or some kinda bad stomach bug.

Needless to say we did not race. Grant is sick in bed While Tom playing nurse.
So because we did not start the race we are out of the overall.
So no World Champion overall win in 2013 Masters Hartberg World Cup stage race .

So all our hopes are now on Susan Shook racing her Stradalli Salerno Di2, still in the yellow leaders jersey today.

Let's just hope Grant will be better for tomorrow's team time trial and Saturdays individual time trial.

Full moon.

Maybe that's why we didn't make the podium today because the full moon near Transylvania.

Stage #6

Not much to say about today's road race besides it being super fast, super hilly, and with narrow roads.

Grant road great as always but was being watched like a hawk by all the European racers. Especially form Austrian leading champion who has 8 guys racing for him and his team


No podium tonight. So it's time for bed and ready for tomorrow's road race #7.

Some updates from the guys.

Some updates from the guys.

Tom Steinbacher:

"This racing stuff in Europe is just insane. I'm not sure why I'm doing it. Yes its fun sometimes and very challenging but painful and crazy."

"I chased on after the second climb. I bombed down hill with my eyes half closed, praying, and possibly peeing my shorts. I had a guy behind me when I turned into the corner and all I heared was a loud crash. A few seconds later I looked back and there was nobody left. So far not sure what happened to the two guys behind me. Hope they are ok and healthy."

"Why do I do this?" 

Grant Potter:

"4th stage I ended up 7th way to steep at the end . Today stage was a RR 3 laps then 16k to finish I had an amazing race totally not my terrain the first lap we hit the climb in the forest . I was sitting top 20 half way then the attacks came we had the under 23 s in our race , the group exploded . I was in a group of about 30 that got shelled but im in 2nd GC and im not giving up. The leader had 10 guys in race . I chased and gave these guys the elbow no one would help me so I put in the gutter in the cross wind and shelled them. I caught the group at the base of climb 2nd lap got dropped again then chased back on again last lap I managed to hang on climb. Soon as we hit the windy section I started attacking 3rd attack I went clear solo . I was so jacked from chasing I had nothing to loose I stayed away about 20k the last 6k climbed up a 12% pass .I had 1.30 on what was left of group and was seeing triple . I got caught 2k from finish and ended up 5th what a day then froze coming down Mountain and had to ride 40k back to hotel. Still in 2nd got to try take some time back tomorrow."