Helene Valerie Fruhwirth

It’s the 7th of February and at the moment I am in San Remo on champing place. We just drove down from Perinaldo to have a look in our Email accounts. 10 minutes before I walk along the beach and it was great. I am not a big fan of the beach and salt water but it was nice.
Today we trained in San Romolo. It’s a great track. Lot of rocks. At the moment i have some problems with my rear shock…. It doesn’t work and I cant feel my legs after a run. So I am not sure what we are doing. Because I have to ajust my shock.

I will let you know and read my news..

Bye bye see you miss DH

At the moment I am in Auch, a City located near Toulouse. Hmm, what are we doing here? My rear shock doesn’t work. I think I hasn’t been working at all. I was on the phone all day; I don’t wanna see my mobile phone bill at the end of this month. I am at the Manitou France distributor office.

What happend the last days? After Perinaldo, we changed our plans and travelled to Ste Maxime instead to Barcelona. We took part at a french national cup. It’s located close to St. Topez. It was a good track. Completely dry and some jumps. One gap and many burms. The only problem was the crowd of people. Heaps of young stars. I think about 300 racers or more. So we could only do 3 training runs on Saturday and no one on the final day.
I endend up 5^th and Petra 3^th. First Sabrina Jonnier again.
I had a crash in my final run so I am not so satisfied with my result.
Nico Vink, the dolphin Trek rider lend me his spare rear shock. I had luck otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to ride my bike well.

I hope the mechanic fixed my rear shock. If yes we are going to Gouveia, International Maxxis Cup race in Portugal..

I will keep you up to date.

Miss DH

It’s Sunday morning, about 8 o’clock and we have our race today. It’s a Maxxis Cup E1 race and it seems to be a World cup. So many good riders. The Atherthons, Gracia, Ragot, Tracy Moseley, Fabien Barel, Matti L…. and a lots of others.

It’s a hmmm i can’t say good track but it’s allright. Many jumps with flat landings so very shit for the body and the bike too. Petra’s rear and front shock doesn’t work good any more.

I have to hurry up. Training starts at 8.

see you LENE

Back again… to Valencia…

I decided to stay longer in Valencia…..and I’m on my own for a while. The french guy drove home to his place.

The weekend was great. I was in Vall d’Uixo (Maxxis cup race) located on the east coast of Spain. Sunshine, good vibes, many people I knew, and a good track (about 2:30min). And the icing of the cake was that I won the race with more than 3 seconds although I washed out one burm. Second was Miriam Blas and third Mireia. In the men’s class, David Vasquez won with Ivan Olego on the second place.

I felt good on the track but I don’t get used to the terrain conditions here (dry/ lots of rocks and slippery). The shuttle way was horrible, but the organisers tried their best. Too many riders too many cars and not enough space. So I decided to cancel my training on Saturday morning cause it didn’t make any sense, as you couldn’t ride without to being stopped by a slower rider ahead of you. I just walked down the track and looked for the best lines.

I enjoyed the whole weekend a lot. I meet a lot of people and some of them are Elena and Gonzalo, two incredible personalities. Gonzalo has the opinion “geht nicht gibts nicht” — roughly translated this would mean “Won’t work? Doesn’t exist!”. He is a Spanish Mac Gyver. He made a complete Motorhome by himself, a four wheel bike, a Downhill frame…. and many different things. He plans to built a small “Doppeldecker” Airplane.

He made also a rear axle for my bike. One made by aluminium so it’s much more lighter than my last one. (200 grams to 90 grams YEAH). Elena is cool and it’s also nice to talk with a woman. She is the same age like me… Sometimes it’s to much maleness for me… stupid jokes…

Pytter the owner of Turyciclo, a bike shop in Valencia helps me also out. (THANKS)

Yesterday I was in village, hm I don’t know its name, but it was so cold. In the night, I think it was freezing. We slept in Gonzalos country house. Very pretty….But for me definitely too cold (no central heating and all is made of stone)

Now I will go and cruse around Valencia with Manfred Nagl, an Austrian rider (Nailracing). I met him at the race. With a surprise to meet the Nailracing Mafia there.

on you tube you can see a video of Gouveia

See you LENE

I am on the way to Auch with Gonzalo. My car is still at Fabien’s place.. at least I hope so.

The weekend was a little bite disorganised… Maybe disorganised isn’t the right word. I think I just not used the Spanish way of living. To sum it up in one word “SLOW”. Instead of leaving Valencia at 14 o’clock we were on the road at 17:30. The others ate late and went late to “bed”. All 7 persons slept in Gonzalos van. You could open the roof so 3 person slept up and 4 down. Every person had about 50 centimeter space to sleep (more or less) It depended on your sleeping style. Hmm and then snorring people too.. I don’t have to mention that I didn’t sleep very well. BUT the training day was very good and very funny. I liked the track a lot. It was totally different to the track in Vall d’Uxo. No rocks and not dry as it rained and was muddy. Not too much but enough that your clothes and protection were wet until the next morning. We cooked in the evening and took a shower, ate a friend’s place somewhere in St. Andreu. Not knowing, that the 3 other riders, who slept last night up in the car, had decided to sleep in the friend’s place, we stayed in the middle of St. Andreu with the car. It was loud and I could not sleep. In the morning the three others didn’t tell anything and went back to Torrelles… We didn’t know the way back very well and so Gonzalo and I missed the training in the morning…we weren’t in time. Perfect —- I was sooooo angry about everything and everybody. What a crappy day. My first run was horrible I didn’t find my rhythm and I was so cold. The weather conditions were worst than the day before and it was much colder.

I was not very happy about my run and in my final run I tried to do it better. I ended up 2^nd but I was still not satisfied with run. I did some mistakes. I have to forget about this weekend.

I need a warm bed, more than 8 hours sleep an early dinner and a training run in the morning to ride well.

See you miss DH

YEAAHH at the moment I’m in Monaco. Visiting my friends from Kona…
I stayed one night in Auch with Gonzalo and after lunch I left Auch… I drove about 5 hours to St.Tropez-Les Issambre. There are living friends of my parents who fortunately went on holiday these weeks and so I had a place to stay for 2 nights.
Yesterday I was in St.Maxime for a second time. I really like the track so that’s why i came back. The weather was fine and the track was dry. Bastien, a local rider, was with me and his friend (THANKS!!! a lot) drove us up the whole day.
In the evening, I will drive to Sospel to visit other Austrians riders. And tomorrow – hmm – I hope I can go for a ride. At the weekend I will go to Pay or Torino or to Switzerland….

I will see

LENE

The last days were nice so nice. Totally different to the other days, weeks. No racing just playing with the bike, going out, enjoy the city live…  I spend some days in Genova with Alberto Accettulli, an ex Kona rider. He lives there. I wanted to visit him on the way to Italy but I couldn’t make it so I made it on homeward journey. Genova is a very interesting city. You can find everyting there you just have to keep your eyes Y-open. From the rich and beautiful to the gangster drug dealer neighborhood. Narrow alleys, old buildings, lots of small groceries, thousands of shoe stores, a church on every corner, thousands of lively moped rider…. and a crazy italien car driving style… I was overstrained when I wanted to cross the road by foot – by bike it was good but by foot uiuiuiui perilous. But I had a knight in shining armor how held my hand.

One day we went for street riding on the other in the skater park. I was the second girl who has ever ridden there. I think for the Italien Skater and rider i was an alien. A typical italien girl doesn’t make any sport and especially not riding a bike. The main goal is to be beautiful and get a sun tan and find the newest shopping trend that’s all what they are doing. The last day we went in a bike shop. Alberto’s rear hub broke down and I fixed it for him. The owner of the shop didn’t say hi or good bye or looked at me nothing it was like I didn’t exist. But he wasn’t the only one. BIKE and GIRL no way…

The last afternoon I spend with Alberto on the beach. Lying on a stone and listening to the waves. It was so hot and I got a sun tan- yeah now I was like an italien girl…I was so lazy and I enjoyed it after this very exciting 6 weeks travelling across europe.

see you LENE

Back home….After nearly 7 weeks I arrived in Austria. I have a lot to work through the impressions. Many things and many moments happened which I will never regret and never forget.
The last year I was on tour too. It was such an adventure (NewZealand). I was alone, didn’t know somebody and had no idea about the country. This time I travelled around Europe, but I knew a lot of people so it was easy to organise. Organise is maybe the wrong word because to sum it up my plan was to have no plan.
I came home with the expectations something has changed, like everytime but like everytime I am realizing, with my first step in my house, that nothing has changed. The same people are waiting for you, (I mean good to know that someone is waiting for you) you here the same stories from the same people, you have to do the same things…
I have to realize again that nothing has changed. It doesn’t matter how long you are away, it is always the same. I don’t want to say that it is positive or negativ.
At the moment I am very tired. I think I have to take it easy. I can’t do everything at one day. One friend told me one day “ gotta get the most important things done first”.

See you LENE

SUN/RAIN/SUN/WIND/HAIL/SUN/RAIN hmm and than SUN/WIND….. wired weather…

On wednesday I arrived at Santiago de Compostella with 2 other Austrian riders. I checked my luggage through and so it’s always exciting „Will I get it? Or is it lost?“. Standing at the conveyor starring at the black whole…. This time I got all my stuff in one piece.YIPI (I flew with Iberia, maybe it is important for someone).
Thursday we walked down the track. My mechanic, Chris fixed my bike perfectly. It was kind of strange to have somebody with you, who does everything for you. I’m absolutly not used to it. In a way I was irritated and stressed. All the years I did everything by myself and suddendly there is one who makes all. I should have been relaxed but it wasn’t easy to left my bike to someone else. On friday, I felt good on my bike. I didn’t make every jump but it was all right. All the years I missed it to compete in Vigo, because I was injured. This time I made it and i was happy to see a lot of riders again. I would not say that I have heaps of friends in the dh circus but with some persons I can talk more than just „hi how are you, how was your winter“ – For example- Jenna Makgill a Kiwi lady. We had a lot of fun when I was in New Zealand and so the fun continued in Europe.

At the final day I was soo nervous I can’t explain. I rode so bad. I didn’t find my rythm I didn’t hit the right lines and i made two big mistakes.. I ended up 17th. The position isn’t that bad but my time. wohhh. 44 seconds behind the first lady Sabrina Jonnier. It was nobody’s weekend apart from Mario S.. Boris T., Georg S., Tom W. and Mathias S. crashed in the qualification run and Anita and I in the final run. I was very gutted. But yeah that’s racing and I have to learn to cope with the situtation. AAAAAAAAAAnd i am not injured.
On Sunday we went out. We are: Anita, Tom, Chris, Niki and Dominik (two swiss riders) and I. We went bowling. I haven’t tried it before and it was sooo funny. I mean bowling in generally isn’t that funny but we had so much fun. We At the beginning sometimes we made strikes but the more alcohol was ordered and later it got the more pins kept standing straight. I didn’t drink anything, everybody who knows me knows that. So at the end I looked after the group and drove them home to the hotel. After the two bowling rounds we went to the riders party. Honestly apart from dancing it was borring. Everybody was standing there and ordered one bear after one. Yeah that was the weekend in Spain.

Today I will pick up Kai Crow from the airport. A Kiwi (NZ) rider. I travelled with his cousin, Hadley around New Zealand and so I know him. He will stay in Europe until September and we will compete some races together. So I think you will hear a lots of funny stories and see funny pictures in the next months.

See you Lene

On Friday Kai and I got the privilege to ride on the new freeride trails in Wagrain. The bike park hasn’t opened yet but Stefan the Marketing Co Manager drove us up to the top so that we could do some runs. We had luck with the weather. The sun was shining and we used the day to make a photo session. The bikecrew is like a big family here. Everyday they are eating together in familiar atmosphere. We were very welcomed. It has nothing to do with racing, pushing your self or looking for the best and shortest line. Here you go for a ride to spend hours with your friends, doing heaps of runs without getting tired and hanging out at the evening at one of the most beautiful parts of Austria. The bikepark has an own park patrol which is made up of about 5 people. They are doing all a very good job. All are riders who are knowing how a bike park has to look like.(Whistler style). The park has a new big wall ride. Just huge, but so build that everybody will have fun. The obstacles are for everybody even if you are beginner or pro rider. It’s a good track with big burms and it was just amazing how much forest was setting in motion to built this park and it’s still growing. Over the summer thew want to built 6 new single tracks.
Thanks for the nice day.. See you soon Lene (On the 16th of June is the Bike Opening and I will be there)

Kai on the big wall ride

Thanks to DVS for the new shoes

100 pros, 10000 spectators 1000000 fans….Okay okay it wasn’t like that. Buuuuuuut it was a great weekend. The sun was shining and the track was great. I got really bad sun burned on friday afternoon or was it saturday I am not sure- whatever. I didn’t think that it can be that bad because i nearly wore all the time my helmet. Kai the Kiwi guy was with me he got sunburned too.But apart from that his jetlag is getting better and I think he enjoys Austria a lot. I have a new bike rack for my car now it’s so easy to transport the bikes. I should have bought this thing much earlier……I can transport so much more stuff in my car and I don’t have to be a logistician to squash everything. So yeah the race- the weekend. I did some good training runs on friday an sunday. No crashing just some problems with my fork and my rear shock. Both were /are leaking. I will get it fixed 2 morrow … Hopefully.

It was my first austrian cup since I don’t know. I was long time away- Last year I was injured at the end and during the year I competed at the World cups and in Canada. A lot of things has changed in my opinion. Lots of new faces, good bikes, expensive parts, well styled and dressed, lots of fast riders and motivated young people. I think a good new freshening wind in the austrian downhill society. The only thing i missed was the legendary rider party… It supposed to be a karaoke night but nobody was motivated to embarrasse themselves. Probably because it was the night before the race. Anyway my qualification run and first run was okay and my final run was great. Not brilliant cos I made 2 mistakes. But I ended up 3rd. Behind Anita Molcik and Petra Bernhard. Kai ended up 21st and was happy his goal was finish the first race in europe with being not last and no injured. So yeah well done mister Crow…

Next stop is Wagrain and then Schladming. National Champs.

see you LENE

I/Petra/Moni

Professional mess keepers

That’s what I am loving

Boris I and Miriam hanging out in the finish area
4 Cross Training

hmm long time ago that i took part at the austrian national champs. My last ones were 2004. But this year yipi I could race . The starter field was very reduced because a lots of women injured themselves. Anita Molcik injured herself on Saturday at the 4x training another woman on Saturday and one other on Monday. I wish all the best and quick recovery. Also Angie H. When I heard about the crashes for one second I thought about how it is to be injured and that got me the creeps. So avoided to talk about that during the weekend. I was very focused on my training runs, my mental and physical condition. The track is very hard (Schladming) I mean you need a lot of power. It is also a track where you never have time to relax for a second you have to be concentrate on every section. A lot of riders made mistakes or crashed. To have a perfect run was nearly impossible. On of my best friend Boris Tetzlaff he had his perfect run.He is the new Junior national champion I was so happy about his victory. I got to know him when he was about 15th. He was so talented and I helped him as much as I could. Now he beat all the older riders. He is so cooool. In my opinion he will become one of the best riders of the world when his output curve is increasing like it does in the last years.

Back to my runs. Saturday I ended up 3rd. The race didn’t count for the national champs because we weren’t enough austrian woman. I felt not very good on the track. I don’t like the Schladming 4x course. Tracy Hanna from Australia won. Second was Petra Bernhard. In the men class Michi Staufer (Petra’s boyfriend) won. In my eyes a great performance because normally he doesn’t race 4X or downhill. He is a Motocross rider and bet all the guys who are training all over the year just 4X, with a heavy downhill bike. Just incredible 4 me.

Back to my runs. My training runs were good I know the track very well so jep it was a easy training. I didn’t make heaps of runs just few non stop runs. On Monday was the final day. About 180 competitors from all over the world were racing. Kai’s friends were also there. The two stage Team. KIWIs everywhere…..I felt good at the start I wasn’t that nervous, just a little bite. I ended up 4th in the international ranking and 2nd in the national raking. Tracy Hannah got first, Petra 2nd and Daniela Bossard 3rd (AUS/AUT/SUI).The men class won Filip Polc, 2nd Markus Pekoll, 3rd Sam Blenkkinsop (SVK/AUT/NZL). Junior class : Boris Tetzlaff/ Georg Sieder/ Matthias Stonig. Funclass: 1st Alexander Mikowitsch (Congratulation Alex)

So yes now I am soooooooo tired. Yesterday we drove to Wels where the EHS dudes were fixing my rear shock. Today I stood up at about 6 o’clock to drive to Vienna to got my car air condition repaired and no I will take a day off. Just doing nothing that’s my plan.
see you LENE

I am finally made it here. Some of you knew that my journey was almost canceled, because I hurt myself at trampoline course at the University just 10 days before my flight date. I twisted my ankle really badly during I tried to do a back flip with a front flip.

my ankle after the flight from London to L.A. I got worse after…

I knew now that I should not go trampoline jumping before I want to do such a trip. Now I know…But finally I am sitting in New Zealand at an Internet café. I feel a bit dizzy and it spins me. I feel the jet lag symptoms.

At the moment I am staying at a friends place with Kai and on the 5^th I have my first race.

At the national airport in Aukland. Nearly done.

I don’t know yet if I will be able to race because my ankle hmm needs time to heal. I will see how I feel on the bike. Pedaling down the street is all right but hmm racing I will see.

The days before I left were very busy. I had to do so many things, things were delivered just at the last day, getting my license, printing the logos on my jerseys, finish my bike, get my spare parts, going to different doctors, buying Xmas presents, finish my study writing, and of course the big question is my ankle all right and will I go.

Apart from all the stress I had a very nice Christmas evening with my family and our neighbors like every year. The ironic thing was that I was on crutches like last year.. hmm I don’t want to make it to a habit. I was lucky that I got so good medical support. I had a MR date in just 2 days, normally you have to wait more than 2 weeks in Vienna.

I was also invited to the Frontworx Christmas celebration which was so great

What else happened? I’m riding Morewood this year but I wrote that before. It is company settled down in South Africa. I tested it for a few days at home but not really on a downhill track so I can’t wait to ride with it on a real DH track. I have also great parts on it. I ride Marzocchi forks and rear shocks, Sun Ringle Rims, Thomson seat post and steams, San Marco Saddles, Shimano parts, Michelin tires and a Syncros handle bars. And I’m pimped by Sombrio race gear, 661 protection and Iriedaily casual clothes. I still have Generali as my main head sponsor and new is Frontworx, which is represented on my jersey and on my bike frames. Frontworx is an international IT Consulting company which settled down in Vienna. So these are my racing news. My private news are, that I was very productive in the last 2 months and wrote my writings to finish my studies. One topic was about Sport sponsoring and the other is about Athletes hit the road. Both topics were very interesting and I gain a lot of benefit of my researches and my science work.

So the next days I will hopefully get fast used to the time difference of 12 hours and be able to ride my bike. I mean that’s one reason why I am here.

I will keep you up to date and check my web blog on my homepage there will be pictures of my journey.

See you LENE

kai and I

 my one and only

My ankle is all right. It hurts sometimes but I tape it and wore the bandage thing. So it works. I really like the track. It’s very dusty and I feel good on my new bike. Some jumps stresses me I hope I will have sorted it out tomorrow in practice.

I have already a sun burn. The sun is really aggressiv here so hmm 50 seems not enough for my baby skin…..

So yes that are my news. I will write more after the race.

see you lene