Sparkassen Giro in Bochum

I am back. This was the second time I visited Bochum to watch the race.

Last year (2006), the race calendar was different. Giro in Bochum and
Hainleite in Erfurt were held after the Deutschland Tour, all of which
were amazingly won by Jens Voigt.

First Jens Voigt won the Deutschland Tour, which was a great feat. I was
happy and lucky to witness his great performance in the last 5 stages.

It was decision made on the spur of the moment to visit the two
races in Erfurt and Bochum immediately after Deutschland Tour
because I had that week off to follow just DT.

It was a surprise, a big surprise that Jens won Hainleite. The next day
I asked a soigneur at the ravitaillement. "Was he (Jens Voigt) not
supposed to be taking it easy after DT overall victory yesterday
(in Erfurt)?" I was told that he was. I also asked, "He is not going to
do anything today, right?"

I remember hearing Jens Voigt commenting his feat. The interviewer
asked something like, "How is it possible to have so much power left
after DT?" His answer was something like, "The motor sometimes
runs by itself."

This year, Jens Voigt has to make his presence here because he is the
defending the title but I knew he would not try to win in Bochum.
He has a bigger title to defend, the Deutschland Tour.

Enough talk.

Here is what happened.

I saw Mrs. Erik Zabel and Rik Zabel (and the dog, of course). I saw
them last year, too. Last year, Rik was on his bike. He was about to make
a round along the course. His mother said something like, "Come back
after making a round along the course."

I did not hear what she said to him clearly but I guess this is what
she said as I saw her gesture a circle with her index finger in the air. 
I remember also that at that time Mrs. Zabel's cellular phone had a
ring-tone of "Hips don't lie" by Shakira.

I saw them during TdF 2007. I saw them at the start of Stage 5. The dog
was in her bag. They were apparently heading for the Milram team bus,
where their beloved man was waiting for them.

That day, in Bochum, I was passing through a crowd near the start/finish .
A high-tone voice drew my attention. It sounded like, "Warte mal, Rikie.
(Wait a moment, Rikie)" And a young man stopped and turned back to the
woman. That was Rik and the woman was naturally his mother.



Team CSC riders signing on the board.


Discovery Marco Palo. Some Asian riders.


There were cheerleaders there.


The man in Norwegian champion jersey is going to wear T-Mobile jersey
next year. Deutsche Telekom is yet to decide whether they extend their
sponsorship with the professional cycling team but it seems like that
they will.


Robbie McEwan was asked questions in German and he understood it and
answered in English. And then he also commented briefly in German
about the parcours of the race.


The Milram squad with Erik Zabel and Alessandro Petacchi was popular.
Petacchi seemed to be tired.

The German champion, Fabian Wegmann, was also there. He examined
his number on this back before finding the place to sign. His number was
39.


These are the winners.
1 Andy Capelle (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Tönissteiner
2 Tom Stamsnijder (Ned) Gerolsteiner

They grabbed cold drinks from the soigneurs after the finish.


With my lightweight and thin digital camera, this is the closest shot I could get.


The Unibet.com staff. They loved "Metallica". They were playing their tunes
and turned the volume way up. The man (darker hair) shouted, "Awesome
audience, Metallica, etc." to the passing spectators (for example the woman
in the photo). He was having a good day.


The breakaway: Martin Pedersen was consistent. He finished at 5th.


This woman won the second place.


I have with me a race number, which I picked up in front of park inn. It
seems that it belonged to "171 Becker, Christina". Speaking of souvenirs,
I got a musette from a Team CSC rider, perhaps Matthew Goss. One
bidon from Sparkasse, another with Penco logo on it.

There was a small publicity caravan and I got 3 safety vests, one organizer
that hands on the back of front seat (both from the local Renault dealer)
and a lanyard from ABUS.