Cycle 4000 kilometers from Lake Garda to the North Cape in Norway in a maximum of 22 days: With this challenge, extreme cyclist Askan von Schirnding from Kochel am See had a new experience for him.
Kochel am See
- He still hasn't removed his starting number 179 from the saddle.
The competition meant everything to him.
But after four and a half days, Askan von Schirnding (27) broke off in the ultra-distance race "North Cape 4000".
No matter how much his head wanted: his body no longer cooperated.
Because of his ambition, Askan von Schirnding has to give up at “North Cape 4000”
The Kochler extreme cyclist from Schirnding in Rovereto, Italy, started with the highest level of motivation (we reported).
He wanted to go to the Nordcap in Norway in July.
The prerequisite for the 4000 kilometer challenge: You have a maximum of 22 days.
But von Schirnding had set his goal even higher.
He wanted to be first.
Without compromises.
"To be honest, I haven't thought about anything else but this race since the beginning of the year," he says.
He did not implement a precise training plan for this.
“I just cycled a lot.
Certainly a few thousand kilometers. ”But it was precisely because of his tireless ambition that the extreme athlete from Kochler failed after 108 hours.
104 of 108 hours spent in the saddle of the racing bike
At first it went like clockwork.
After just one day, he was consistently ahead.
Von Schirnding cycled and cycled.
After the start in Italy, it went via Slovenia, Croatia and Hungary to Lake Balaton.
From there on towards Lithuania.
“It was in Poland that I noticed for the first time that I was getting neck pain,” he reports.
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The picture shows Askan von Schirnding on the way to the start in Rovereto on Lake Garda.
© private
No wonder: after all, he spent over 104 of the 108 hours in the saddle of his racing bike. “I didn't sleep at all the first night. And then always less than an hour a day, ”says the 27-year-old, describing his self-imposed exertions. The first time he slept in Hungary. After 933 kilometers and a 15-minute break. Otherwise, the 27-year-old ate and drank - how could it be otherwise - while driving. “I ate a chocolate bar about every hour,” he reports. In addition to cola, it was his staple food at the time. “You can find it everywhere and always at the front of the checkout, so you lose the least amount of time. Bars also have a lot of carbohydrates, ”says von Schirnding's nutritional concept during the tour. It was also not possible to drink too much. "You always have to take breaks to buy again."
Hallucinations accompany Askan von Schirnding on extreme bike races to the North Cape
Hallucinations were a constant companion on his way.
“Everything turned once.
I no longer knew what was really moving and what wasn't, ”he reports.
And laughs.
“I then went to sleep for 20 minutes at a church.” As the days went by, he decided to lie down only when he really couldn't stand on his feet any other way.
Just why
"I was in the flow and obsessed with the idea of staying first."
The extreme cyclist finally destroyed himself on day three. “I saw on the live map that someone probably wanted to know: The second one came closer to me and was only 70 kilometers away.” Von Schirnding's solution: “I continuously walked at a rocking pace - that is, standing - through high tantra. That almost finished me off. "
It was finally over after four and a half days.
The neck pain got worse and worse.
“In Lithuania I couldn't keep my head up.” His last act of desperation was to drive on with his head back.
But it didn't help much anymore.
Von Schirnding had to admit: “My unconditional will backfired.” So he made the decision to break off, which was unthinkable for him a few days ago.
“That was about 70 kilometers away from Kaunas.” He also conquered this stretch on the bike. “It was probably the toughest kilometers ever.” When he arrived in Kaunas, an Instagram fan sponsored him a room where the cyclist could relax could.
Askan von Schirnding perceives the journey home by bus as a humiliation
“The next day I went home.
By bus.
That was a pathetic humiliation. ”He had never felt so bad mentally.
It took him about three weeks to recover.
"I was endlessly disappointed in myself."
He used the time to reflect.
“I have to change something about my sleep management and rhythm,” he says.
He is now in a training phase again.
For the next race.
Early October in Morocco.
Of course, you can also go there by racing bike.
"With a view to Corona, I very much hope that it works," he says.
He also has new courage in the luggage of his twelve-kilogram bike and equipment.
Because von Schirnding says: “In retrospect, I won more from my failure than I could have won if I had won the race.” For example, the experience of noticing when the limit has been reached.
What will he do differently in Morocco?
"Nothing.
The route is only 2100 kilometers long.
And that's how long I kept up with the system at the North Cape. "
More info
About Askan von Schirnding's tours are available on his Instagram channel (@askanvonschirnding) and on Youtube.