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Review of the EuroCycler season 2006
For most of you it’s the middle of the cycling and triathlon season. For EuroCycler it’s the end of the season which means it’s time to review reflect on this past season and provide you with information about things to come.
A few notes about what happened after your return from Europe and what is coming next year with EuroCycler…..click on pictures to enlarge them.
The year 2006 did not start with cycling but rather skiing since Europe in January is more enjoyable on the slopes of the Alps than on the roads. Richard Debrot led a small group of former summer cycling guests through the Swiss Alps, from deep powder skiing to steep moguls and fast carving turns.
For some “Serious Fun”, they stopped in charming chalets for hot chocolate and spent evenings in rustic restaurants dipping bread in cheese fondue and white wine, the traditional Swiss style.
 The EuroCycler staff then relocated from the still snow covered mountains to the clear roads and much warmer weather in Girona, Spain to host the first week of cycling training in early March. While Richard was cleaning his car from the last spots of Swiss Snow, Englishman Jack Kershaw had to clear his bike from the sand he picked up in Noosa, Australia, a place that prepared him well for the weeks coaching and guiding EuroCycler guests. After Spain, Jack became English age group Triathlon champion and will represent his country at the ITU World Championship in Lausanne, Switzerland early September.
Among the coaches of EuroCycler’s triathlon weeks this past April were Andrea Brede and Olaf Sabatschus, both from Germany and professional triathletes. EuroCycler’s May trip to Brazil was Olaf’s attempt to win IM-Brazil a third time in a row but, unfortunately, some nutrition issues and a particularly strong performance by Argentinian Oscar Galindez and Australian Luke Bell put the German defending champion third, 10 minutes behind the winner. Olaf’s finish time of 8 hrs 25 Minutes was still very respectable given that he walked portions of the marathon run. This finish makes Olaf the most consistent professional IronMan athlete with seven podium wins in seven races. Based on his experience, Olaf was elected German National Long Distance Team Coach, ensuring that German’s will maintain a nation of powerhouse triathletes.
Andrea Brede who led EuroCycler’s women’s week (and whose specific foot and leg exercises made us all sore for awhile!), had a stellar performance at IronMan Germany in Frankfurt. She had her biggest smile ever crossing the finish line, winning in 9:16:17  to become IronMan European Champion. A total of 300.000 enthusiastic spectators were on hand to witness all three disciplines of the race. Thousands gathered around the Römerberg to cheer the racers in their final meters and provided a warm welcome for the champion. Well, maybe we all need some more of Andrea’s special foot exercises.
At the end of June, EuroCycler piloted a new project - a training camp (ride promo video here) for a small number of guests in Switzerland, some used it as preparation for the IronMan race in Zurich. It was said that this race was much tougher than Kona due to a bike course loaded with climbs. Watch the the athletes climb the heartbreak hill here. The event was also a nice opportunity to reunite with several EuroCycler Spain guests who flew in from Turkey and the States. Another small EuroCycler reunion happened at the Challenge of Quelle-Roth and in Frankfurt. Other EuroCycler campers competed in Nice and Coeur d’Alene.
  And then, in July, EuroCycler’s flagship: Tour de France. The truth of cycling does not reveal itself until you conquer several mountains along the Tour. On the program were climbs like Tourmalet, Col de Menté and Peyresourde in the Pyrénées and Alpe d’Huez, Madeleine, Glandon and others in the Alps – and to really learn about your cycling, ride them on consecutive days. View the Alpe d’Huez downhill video here. Guided by Amir Vitis of Switzerland and Dan Maker of England, both experienced EuroCyclers, and with Ascanio’s support team, all guests made it well over these climbs, all with pain, some with a bit more pain, but all as very happy campers who toasted to a fantastic finale at Fouquet’s on Champs-Élysées in Paris.
 Some of you might have mixed feelings about the future of the Tour in its aftermath. I took the liberty to share some of my thoughts and posted them on our forum, see the post Cycling after Tour de France 2006 ? By the way, Landis' B probe tested positive, August 5th.
Now we are in the process of designing the 2007 program while at the same time we can see our coaches and many of our guests race at numerous events between Europe and the United States. Have a look at Kona in October, and cross your fingers for Andrea.
 The 2007 season will start in February with some tailored Ski vacations in Switzerland and as of March we will host the first cyclists again in Spain. The April weeks are dedicated to Triathlon and then in June we have a week of cycling in Switzerland planned. In July we will be in France again at the Tour which will start July 7th in London, and go clock-wise through the country, meaning first the Alps followed by the Pyrénées.
Olaf and Andrea will be joined by former USAT National Team coach Denny De Priest as our coaches next year. We will have the pleasure of cycling with Dan and Amir again, as well as with Jack from the UK, and maybe a surprise that we reveal in due time.
If you are interested in one of our future trips you can put your name on the wait-list for Spain or France or simply send us an email. Also, if you have a specific request for you or your group, feel free to contact us and we will discuss with you how we can crank out something tailored for you.
Happy cycling and best regards
Richard Debrot and The EuroCycler Team
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EuroCycler's mission is to connect enthusiastic endurance athletes
everywhere with premium sport in the world's best locations.
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