The Oktoberfest Week 3: Win The Sufferfest’s ‘A Very Dark Place’
Last week we offered you the chance to win a copy of The Sufferfest’s latest training video A Very Dark Place. All you had to do was regale us with a tale of heroic suffering – riding through the cold, riding through injury, or riding against the good advice of other more sane and rational people. However, after being inundated the previous week when we sought from you stories of failure, my worst fears about my readership were once again confirmed – aside from the few hardy souls able to boast about overcoming suffering and achieving glory, the rest of you are all weak, soft, sorry excuses for cyclists. It’s clear this blog attracts losers rather than winners.
So this week we’re returning to safer – and perhaps more familiar for you lot – territory. We want to know about the time you managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory…
Frandy Schleck find themselves alone with just Gilbert in the closing stages of 2011′s Liège Bastogne Liège. Do they make use of their numerical advantage to put pressure on the Belgian? Do they harness their superior tactical knowhow to outwit their opponent? Or do they just lead out Gilbert and get crushed in the final sprint for the line? Yup, you guessed it…
Have you been pipped to the post – raised your arms in a victory salute only to see an opponent sneak under them and across the line first? Attacked at the foothills of a climb, only to be reeled in and passed by the chasing bunch? Tell us when you’ve come close to victory, but have been too weak to win. With the help of The Sufferfest’s A Very Dark Place we can give you the chance to be a winner not just an also-ran.
As with last week, just post your tales of suffering in the comments section below, or email them to inthesaddleblog@gmail.com, before the end of Monday 24th October. Sufferlandrian Head Coach David McQuillen will choose the most cringeworthy tale of falling at the final hurdle, choking under the pressure, or quite simply of allowing your natural loser nature shine through.
1 Comment
Marc Durdin
October 24, 2011OK, so this is my mate’s story, not mine. I got dropped from C grade on the third lap of the course, so my story is a bit boring. His story was a little more fun. If this entry wins, I’ll have to give the video to him
I know it’s mean to tell his story for him, but you should have seen his face!
It was Iain’s first race. The Grindelwald Challenge, an tough 75km race with four laps of a lumpy course, followed by a steep 14% climb to the finish. He entered in D grade, sensible for a first race. He stuck in the bunch for all four laps and was sitting pretty for the finish. Attacked on the steep pinch with his unusual 34/28 gearing and got 50 metres ahead. Raced over the crest, pushing for the line 200m away, doing well, changes gears to sprint and…. drops his chain. Passed in the last 100m and comes second.