The Beskid loop is such an event that you are waiting for a whole year and you really want to visit it, and when it starts, the only dream is to make it over. This year, on the occasion of the tenth anniversary, an additional distance was played on 3 loops - 230 km. So instead of going as usual PRO consisting of deadly rounds (which looks like YES), I decided on a race reminiscent of the royal stages from the Grand Tour.

"We're All Going To Die"

Let me put it straight: the goal was a box in the Open classification. This race was supposed to be the peak of the season (of course, psychic, because my "training plans" do not usually go further than 7 days ahead). A very long route, many hills, familiar roads and the weather - everything fitted. I do not know how it happens, but every year the weather conditions are almost the same: clear sky, low wind and a minimum of 30 degrees as the average temperature from the whole race.

30 people stood at the start. Compared to the other distances, it is very little, but each one is individually congratulated for this decision. Mr Wiesław, the organizer of the event, asked for a good day if we really know what we are doing. The car moved to 8.00, followed by us.

"Today is cruel. Tomorrow, even more cruel. The day after tomorrow is beautiful "

The beginning is a driveway to Zameczek. The Szyrcula Pass is 5.2 km with an average gradient of 5%. 10 minutes drive and everything is known, it will not be easy. The group is immediately divided and 8 people stay in addition to me. This is my companions for the next lap - such a Hateful Eight. I am quietly hoping that, like Tarantino, everyone will die (of course figuratively). I can feel and hear loud breaths around me, it's a nice feeling. There is nothing better than to hear others torment you more than you. I can see, however, 2 people in the front, which, by giving this pace, are clearly unshakeable - serious competition and I suspect that they are much stronger than me. As it turns out later, the order is completely different than I would bet.

The first exit and I know I will be losing to them going down. In total, about 2-3 minutes on each lap (which lasts 2.5 hours), but that's not a problem. The route is so long that it is not a serious loss. We ride nicely, after changes, on flat we do not go below decent 40km / h. The first buffet placed on the 45th kilometer is olewamy, because the temperature does not exceed 25 degrees and the bottles have a safe supply. We do not bend over too much, it's OK. Along the way, even some COMES fall in. The leg is quite fresh, it will be a good day. I look at my companions and I calculate who looks strong and try to assign people to the age categories. Here is a spoon of tar (whatever it is) in this upcoming barrel of the honey for the organizer - it would be really nice if it would be easy to distinguish people traveling at different distances and in different age categories. Anything, even a simple, self-adhesive seat belt in various colors. It would save us awkward questions about age.

"Freedom begins where fear ends"

along the way I pass such a text on one of the pillars. If it was written correctly, he should be in my opinion on each of the peaks. Correctly it means: "speed it starts where fear ends„.

Salmopol, the largest driveway in the area (10km / 4%) passes quickly. We are still going quietly, but we feel that the next laps, on which the temperature will increase by some 10 degrees, will be difficult. We get the summit in less than 29 minutes, which is a result worse by 3.5 minutes than KOM. It's like a chasm, but given the conditions, it seems a good result. At the top we have almost 8 minutes of advantage over the second, 15-person group. At the exit I lose about a minute again, I can not overtake the cars as well as the others. However, I'm tightening downstairs, and before we even get off the main road, I'm with everyone. I go forward and stop for a moment with my teammates Absolute Bike Team, who immediately exchange water bottles for me. This is pure profit, because 15 seconds later I am in the group again, who still has to stand on top of Stecówki to replenish the supplies. Despite this stop, I drive her in 11 minutes, this is my 3rd result in history, even though I've tried many times. It's still fine and I feel like new.

"We can be heroeeees ... just for one day"!

Everyone is standing, I grab a cup and go to the exit, after all, they will reach me before it ends. A bit crazy and bold, but I'm going. There is no segment there - probably because of security. Whoever ever came down this road knows what transverse gutters can do on the road and gravel in corners. I never knew a serious accident there, but I often see people in a ditch. A motorcyclist comes to me at the bottom, he will spend some time with me. I turn around, I do not see anyone. I pass the most serious walls along the route. Despite the first visit from the mountains with the compact this year, they are not easy, the wheel spins in place, I lose unnecessary watts. The motorcyclist informs me about the minute of advantage - I decide to speed up and see what happens ...

I know what you think now. I left the group at the 90th kilometer - there were still 140 in front of me. It had no right to go, none. It seemed sensible in my head, however. Maybe they did not notice that I was leaving. Maybe they will not cooperate. Might will decide to go the average pace. After all, it's a bit unkind of me, but maybe a motorcycle that protects me (which accounts for 50% of the vehicles that go with us) will make the route less secure for others and will slow down at intersections. Somehow I put it together and move as much as God gave in my legs: quickly, but not enough to travel. I recall the level of fatigue that I can hold alone for 100km and keep it. From the first 20 kilometers of lonely driving, I reach an average of 42km / h. The man on the motorcycle comes up from time to time, informing me of the advantage over the group: a minute, two or three - it grows. The legs are still fresh. Riding with a motorcycle is the best I have had for a long time. Effectively blocks my traffic at every intersection and I fly as well. I'm like Sagan in Richmond ... at least until it turns out that I'm not. 

A huge estimate for gentlemen securing the route. To huddle behind us at the speed of the turtle for over 8 hours, in full dress and still not lose concentration on any of the intersections. For my part - thank you very much.

"A tractor in front of me, a truck behind me
on the back I'm panting like a pedophile

... so much that it is not a truck, but a peloton.

I stand on the third cafeteria to top it. By moving from him, I see a group behind me. Then I see them all the time, in the back on the horizon. They are not approaching, but I can feel their breath on my back. We keep an even distance. I say that it does not make sense and slow down a bit, we connect. The psyche hurts.

The road is like a road, there are some holes, some traffic, sometimes a bend, but nothing disturbs, full of comfort. The second climb to Salmopol begins again efficiently and stably. At the top, I achieve my second result in history. Something bad happens, however, about 4 minutes from the top. Maybe it's the fault of a crazy water bottle, where instead of izo, I had water. Maybe I ate too little gels, or maybe just a momentary bomb. I calculate the calories and actually: 4 gels and 5 water bottles during a 5-hour drive is a serious mistake - I still have the pockets full. So I'm making these improvements and I just have to wait. The tip is a torment, I drive about 11km / h. The main group, now consisting of 5 people, leaves me, one friend stays with me. He drinks the cold Coke he got a moment earlier. He leaves me down, but a few kilometers later I see him standing in the shade, on the side of the road. It's over for me. I do not have anything to tighten down on flat, it does not go flat. So I'm shooting like a grandfather and waiting for a power that can never come.

"You and I had the sun to rip,
saddle time, catch up with the wind,
open the gates to daylight "

because everything was perfectly prepared. We arrived the day before. Everything was done up, the equipment did not disappoint. It was supposed to be beautiful, sewn worse than always.

By force of will I roll over to Absolute boys who stuff me with calories. I get a baptism that the pockets are still full, but do not let me stay. I throw sugar and move to Stecówka. These 4 kilometers take me 6 minutes longer than last ...

It's not like I'm run over. No shortness of breath, legs hurt, but not as they can in the worst of times. It hurts everything, including the back, but compared to race one month earlier, which included Mortirolo, I feel much better. Just what. I have nothing to go with. I feel my legs rinsed. Like a car that has no gas - everything works, but it will not go (from this place, I would like to greet a Trafik who acted the other way round: he had gas, he was not driving). I would like to spin, but I can not. As I close my eyes, I feel dizzy and feel that I can fall asleep in 10 seconds. However, I still live, at a rate similar to those who finish the PRO distance - I go among the bellies. At the top I have 9 minutes of loss to the host, it has grown well for a few kilometers of driveway and a few descents.

"Quitting is the easiest thing to do"

I fight for a while or continue, but I decide to go downhill and use the technique "I will go ahead as far as I can, and I will worry later". Exactly 20 minutes drive and I stand on the roadside, in the shade. The walls turn back. The leg has nothing to go on. Quick calculations and it comes out to me that at this rate, if I do not die of cooking my head, at the finish line in about 3.5 hours - there is no point in getting so tortured. For the first time in his life he decides to let go and go back to the finish line ... in front of me from 200 meters vertically, which I just went down. It takes me 15 minutes to make a decision - for the first three hours I do not regret what I did, because I know it could not have been different. Soon another races and an epic expedition, so it's a shame to risk.

"Non, je ne regrette rien"

As always, applications are drawn, but of course I will not apply them in the future. I will only try to remember about food, because escapes are always good. Even those doomed to failure and nonsense. One day I will get it, and for now I will be satisfied with the new shade of a tan that appeared after a few hours in the oven.

Organizational as usual without any complaints. Good route protection, buffets in order, no queues, no arguments, cool package. The level has been the same for years - very good. The only thing you can grapple with (in addition to the above-mentioned designation of participants per category / distance and those funny numbers on the steering wheel) are prizes. It is known that no one goes for the prizes, but the discount vouchers for tires for PLN 50 for category winners are a bit ashamed. I'm not saying that you have to give big cups, but something small, local would be great. Just like the Tatra Road Race, which starts the next weekend. I do not know - a sheepskin bucket, a stuffed lamb ... anything.