Factory Team at the UCI Gravel World Series in Millau
Strong performance and mechanical bad luck
The UCI race in Millau, France, went very differently for the three members of the Protective Factory Team.
On 15 June, the UCI Gravel World Series race in Millau (France) was on the programme, one of the most scenic but also most physically demanding races on the calendar. The Protective Factory Team started with Andreas “Schrotti” Schrottenbaum, Luca Dressler and Theresa Rindler-Bachl, in excellent weather but with plenty of climbing and technical challenges.
Solid top 15 finish for Schrotti
With 13th place, Andreas Schrottenbaum achieved another strong result in the elite field of around 60 starters. Right at the start of the race, two long tarmac climbs of over 400 metres of climbing each were waiting. Schrotti reached the first summit around 20 seconds behind the front, then deliberately switched to his own rhythm. “I knew the race would drag on for a long time. Instead of desperately hanging on to the lead group, I did my own thing, and it paid off.” Over the course of the race, he picked up several riders who dropped back from the front and held his own in a strong chase group. His technical skills paid off especially in the last 80 kilometres, which ran over increasingly coarse gravel.
A brief scare at kilometre 70: the carbon mount of his bike computer broke, and Schrotti only just managed to catch the device. Nutrition did not go entirely to plan either: “I overdid it a bit with gels and isotonic drinks and was sick several times.” Even so, he held on and missed 6th place by just over a minute. His choice of equipment, with the Schwalbe Pro One R (front) and RS (rear), proved sensible, especially on the gravel section.
DNF for Luca: puncture drama despite strong form
Luca Dressler had big plans for Millau and was in top form. On the very first climb he broke away with a small lead group and was actively riding at the front. But luck was not on his side: on the
rolling plateau after the first climb he got a front puncture that proved treacherous. Despite plugging, the tyre kept losing air. Several stops, help from a spectator with a floor pump, but nothing worked for long. “When I then started losing air at the rim as well, it was clear: that was it for today.” By chance, Luca later met a support crew member he knows, who drove him back.
Early exit for Theresa, but her form is right
Theresa Rindler-Bachl also made a flying start to the race. She rode the first long climb in the lead group and even set a new personal best for 20-minute power. But on the first descent came the setback: chainsuck. She had to stop and untangle the chain, and the group was gone. “I fought my way back and felt really strong, but at kilometre 50 it was over. The gears suddenly stopped working.” A mechanical failure that prevented a possible top result. Even so, Theresa stays positive: “My form is right, and that is the most important thing.”
