"I've been dreaming 17 years of winning this race. But there was only one day I really believed I could do it: and that was today!"
With a breath-taking effort in the run, Timo Bracht secured the long-desired victory at Challenge Roth. On the occasion of the thirtieth anniversary of the Best Old Race, Bracht finished with a time of 7:56:00 hours and added his name to the long list of champions. His team colleague Niclas Bock had problems with his food energy intake and had to put up a big fight to finish his race. His working day ended after more than twelve hours.
Never before "in the thirty-year-old history of the Challenge Roth had there been a line-up as strong as this year's", announced the organizers at the award ceremony in the large festival tent in Roth in front of thousands of triathletes. It was an award ceremony which Timo Bracht will remember for quite a while. The athlete from Ebersbach received standing ovations for his sensational win. Until half way through the finishing marathon no one would have predicted a clear win of Timo.
After the 3.8 kilometre swim Bracht found himself in the lead group, laying thus the basis for a successful race. Soon a group of ten athletes formed a leading group on the bike. And here it was Bracht who ensured time and again a rapid pace. Even when Nils Frommhold, who would finish the race in second place, increased the pace, putting a few minutes between him and the chasing pack, Bracht always felt he was in control of the situation: "In the swim I was able to keep up any pace and on the bike I was controlling everything, so I knew that with a fast marathon I had good chances of winning this race." And right he was! Step by step, second by second Bracht was closing the gap to Frommhold. Now there was tension in the air and a dramatic race unfolded: "On the first ten kilometres the gap remained almost the same and even afterwards I had to work very hard to claim victory. Still, I knew that I could do it", declared the new Challenge Roth Champion one day after his triumphant win. "I had problems at one stage, but when I overcame those I was able to put on the pressure and knew that today everything was possible." The last kilometres were enjoyed thoroughly by Bracht and when he finally reached the stadium in Roth he was celebrated in style for his great race. The coming two weeks will see him regenerate and then Bracht will announce the next races of this season.
A finish in 1,404th place and nonetheless proud
Bracht's team colleague Niclas Bock experienced that joy and sorrow are never far apart. After a good swim and a solid first half on the bike, the youngster had to give up any hope of keeping up with the leading athletes. Bock had massive problems with the intake of food and his energy supplies during the race and was not able to race to his full potential. The marathon then really tested his endurance: "I knew that I had fallen far behind and that this day I would achieve nothing. Yet my determination to reach the finish line and not to give up was so great that I never thought about dropping out of the race", Bock told us. The final 42 kilometres took him more than six hours and finally he finished in 1,404th place. His sheer willpower was rewarded by the spectators with respect, pats on the back and encouraging words. He will also take a break now to plan the rest of the season.