Ötztal Cycle Marathon - "Done"
Joe Ramming spent seven months preparing for his first Ötztaler Cycle Marathon* with TOUR. He reached the finish line in 11:24 hours in 2342nd place out of 4527 men. We spoke to Joe shortly after the race.
The Interview with Joe Ramming was conducted by Robert Kühnen
TOUR: What was your first thought when you crossed the finish line in Sölden?
Joe Ramming: Awesome, done! It was very emotional, I shed a few tears.
TOUR: Will you be taking part again?
Joe Ramming: Probably not, because the Ötzi will be pushed back to autumn next year (Ötztaler Cycle Marathon 2024 changes date again) and the Bavarian summer holidays get in the way. That's an item on my bucket list that I've ticked off for now.
TOUR: How did you pace yourself?
Joe Ramming: I kept exactly to the wattage figures. At the start, I was overtaken by 3400 riders, all of whom were banging down the hill like lunatics. I passed three pile-ups, but luckily I was able to avoid them all. I then made up one or two places on the mountain and on the following descents.
TOUR: Was it difficult to put the brakes on a bit at the beginning and let so many people past?
Joe Ramming: Not really.
TOUR: Did you catch any good groups along the way?
Joe Ramming: I always had good groups or individual riders as companions. On the way to Innsbruck, but also on the Brenner Pass, where there was a bit of a headwind and we gave each other slipstream. About 15 nice people asked me on the way if I was the one from the TOUR series. That led to some good conversations.
TOUR: At what point were you sure you could do it?
Joe Ramming: From the start of the Timmelsjoch. The Jaufen was tough and warm, but I didn't ride it on the last groove. When I got down to St. Leonhard and my legs felt good, I knew I could do it. The only thing that could have stopped me was a circulatory collapse due to the heat.
TOUR: What was the highlight of the route?
Joe Ramming: Drive past the "Timmelsjoch" sign.
TOUR: The Timmelsjoch is considered a killer, how did you experience it?
Joe Ramming: Especially hot. It was 43 degrees at the bottom. The mountain is tough because it is twice as long as the other mountains. I didn't find the climb itself a problem.
TOUR: What have you learnt about your body during the preparation?
Joe Ramming: That I can improve despite my advanced age. With a consistent training structure and a slightly different lifestyle, I've felt better and stronger and I'm not going to let it all go tonight. I'll still have a beer afterwards.
TOUR: Which training session would you have liked to have done without?
Joe Ramming: To the VO₂max intervals on the roller.
TOUR: And which training session would you not want to miss?
Joe Ramming: I really enjoyed the basic training in winter and I will continue with the sober training sessions.
The 43rd edition of the Ötztal Cycle Marathon will take place on 1 September 2024.
