Markus Kalb: That was the "Tour de France feeling"

Created: 08/17/2022, 09:58

By: Dieter Priglmeir

The last five kilometers were exhausting, but the spectators carried Erdinger to the finish.

© Private

Markus Kalb raves about the flair during his competition

Erding – Markus Kalb already has a few triathlon competitions under his belt and in his legs, "but that was the coolest of my life," enthuses the 43-year-old Erdinger.

The German Triathlon Union (DTU) had nominated him for the European Championships for the age group 40 competition.

The association does this based on the results.

"It was of course a huge honor for me," says Kalb.

And the electronics engineer justified his nomination, coming in 32nd out of 65 athletes from all over Europe.

"As expected, it was a very tough race," says Kalb, emphasizing: "Right from the start".

Numerous spectators lined the Karlsfelder See when the athletes plunged into the 21-degree water at 9 a.m. on Sunday morning.

"An optimal temperature," says the triathlete.

Kalb and Co. had 750 meters ahead of them.

"Unfortunately I couldn't keep up with the leading group." The level was already very high.

After 12:25 minutes, Kalb got out of the water, swung himself into the saddle and set off to catch up, which was a hopeless undertaking, because he had to cover 10 of the 22 kilometers alone.

This is disastrous in a race where slipstreaming is allowed.

"Until I caught a group of bikes, that demanded a lot from me," says the man from the Erdinger Active Team.

The bike course, which Markus Kalb completed in a good 33 minutes, was 22 kilometers long.

For a long time he was out and about alone, so he couldn't save his strength in the slipstream.

© private

However, he was always loudly cheered on by the many spectators on the side of the road.

"That was the Tour de France feeling." And it got even more extreme on the Olympic grounds, where after the bike course, which he had completed in 33:31 minutes, the five-kilometer run was still pending.

"Insane," enthuses Kalb.

“There have always been a lot of people in Erding and cheering you on.

But what's going on in Munich is a completely different thing.” Every athlete was cheered on, but as a local hero he received a completely different boost.

The fans would have added a few decibels to the volume.

This loud wave literally carried him.

At least almost.

The run over the Olympiaberg was also a tough challenge for his legs.

He puts it this way: "The five kilometers gave me the rest." After 20:53 minutes he crossed the finish line, the last few meters on the blue surface where the European champions were crowned the day before.

“It was all like the elite runners.

The association did a great job organizing that,” says Kalb enthusiastically.

After the race there was still a cozy chat with the athletes from Turkey, the Ukraine or the other corners of Europe.

"That was great too, because I don't compete internationally that often," says Kalb, who will now enjoy the remaining days of the European Championships.

"For me now, it's time for a break."