Deutschland Tour Part II (Stage 3)

(As usual, I don't have any good pictures. I don't care. I want to be
there and see the races with my own naked eyes rather than through
the finder.)


Can't touch this!

There is a NO-NO in cycling sport which has to be respected at any
cost.

You should never touch riders during the race.

It is dangerous. You may accidentally push the rider off the balance.
You never know. There is an exception to this rule as to any rules.

Unless the rider invites you to touch.

What am I trying to say? I touched Team CSC riders twice during
the race lately because THEY induced to me do so.

Here, I have a picture of Kurt-Alse Arvesen coming up to me. As he
passed me, he put up his left hand with palm wide open. What should
I do? Of course, I gave him my left hand, a high five.

Today, August 12th I was at the feed zone, somewhere 1 km after the
end of the feed zone. I was waiting for the race to arrive. Two-man
breakaway passed first followed by the peloton.

They came quietly so I missed the photo opportunity.


The peloton was controlled by Team CSC and Fabian Cancellara
was the leading man. He recognized me and yelled, "Hey..." He then
raised his left arm high with an open palm (Descente logo was visible)
and swerved toward me.

What should I do? Of course, I gave him five.

I reapeat, "You should never touch the riders during the
race unless the rider invites you to do so."


Chronologically, I left home around 2:00 AM and arrived at
Ruhestein, a summit point after the feed zone around 4:00 AM.

It was a starry night. It was still pitch dark. I took out my
painting equipment and started painting.

"Jens Voigt, Andy Schleck, Bobby Julich, Chris Anker Sorensen,
Fabian Cancellara, Juan José Haedo, Volodyimr Gustov,
Alexandr Kolobnev", in other words, all the Team CSC riders
and "CSC" several times.

"Go LEVI" and "Vai Manuele MORI Dal Giaponne"

Go LEVI because I met the Leipheimers at TdF 2007.
Vai MORI for a MORI fan.

The painting was done by 5:30? AM, I think. Then I moved to
Mitteltal, the small village located near the ravitaillement. On my way
down to Mitteltal, I tried to find the signs, debut and fin de
ravitaillement but did not. So, I parked my car in a parking lot in
Mitteltal and slept.

I woke up around 9:30 AM and drove near Obertal. The ravitaillement
was between Mitteltal and Obertal. I slept until close to noon. When I saw
Euskaltel-Euskadi and Quickstep's team cars, I decided to get up.


The ravitaillement was like this. You can see the steep grassy hill up front.
The riders were going to climb after the lunch.

The team cars gathered among me. As usual, I went to Team CSC
staff and had a chat. I painted "Jens, CSC and yellow jersey" beside
the Team CSC car.

As written above, I waited for the race to arrive about 1 km from the
end of the feed zone. After the high five, I picked up three musettes
of Rabobank, one Euskaltel-Euskadi, one Gerolsteiner, One Quick Step,
one Liquigas, one AG2R and one Gerolsteiner bidon and one
Skil-Shimano. Some of the musettes still had munchies inside.

After that, I drove to Offenburg, the finish. I arrived at the finish
around 15:40. I parked my car and walked up to the race course,
It was 500 meters from the finish. The publicity caravan was still
there.

These are the "Chaperon" people waiting for the targeted riders to come
home.


Alexandr Kolovnev came home.


Volodymir Gustov came home. He later recognized me and we exchanged
hello. All Team CSC riders and staff who participated in Critérium du
Dauphiné Libéré knows me better now. He was there, too.



Fabian Cancellara came home. He was way behind the peloton. I am sure he
was not feeling good. He was to abandon the race the next day. But he
padded me on my back as he passed. The picture is blurry but this is all
I got.


Here is Jens Voigt immediately after Anti-doping control and TV interview,
giving out his autograph to so many people. he was sitting on a trailer that
carried the media box or other stuff installed at the finish.