Day Five - interview with Three Cyclists from La Haute Route

Wednesday 24 August 2011

Location La Salle-les-Alpes

Name	Jaka (Jake) Jausovec jj-cycling.com
Where From	Slovenia (Ljubljana)
Age Bracket	25. Time on ITT 47:06
Why Haute Route	I’m quite good at uphills in Slovenia, I’m also editor of a cycling part of the magazine in Slovenia - Sokol Magazine - outdoor magazine, 1/3 cycling, 1/3 outdoor, 1/3 fitness.
Bike	Carrera Hercules
Secret for Haute Route	Slept at altitude for 3 weeks at 2,500m in Slovenia in a tent. I also have my own mechanic and helper (Tadej).
Top 3 Excuses	I’m not the guy with excuses - this is why I wear the t-shirt ‘shut up legs’

Name	Brett McDonald
Where From	Brisbane Australia - based in Zermatt
Age Bracket	33
Why Haute Route	I haven’t spent any time on the bike in the last 6 months so I wanted to get on the bike. I have driven through here before, so I’ve always an ambition to ride the course as well. It is almost impossible to do it alone so to do it as an organised route, perfect.  SIC - Brett works at 2900m at Monte Rosa Hut 10k from Zermatt.
Bike	BMC - something - rented - alloy 105
Secret for Haute Route	Get as much rest and recover as you can
Top 3 Excuses	Lack of bike time this year, you can be fit but not bike fit (see above for reason). I have a sore neck and crook knee (reconstruction) but these don’t stack up, I’m not expecting to win.

Name	Andrea Scharrer
Where From	Regensburg Germany
Age Bracket	44 - first in total time (!) at this point. Time on ITT 56m
Why Haute Route	We wanted to do one thing together, I did one thing like this, the TransAlp, with a friend of mine now I wanted to do it with my boyfriend Mario. I have never been in this area before and this was a good chance to see and ride parts from the TdF.
Bike	Canyon - F10 - 2008
Secret for Haute Route	I drink beer, wine and sometimes I smoke cigarettes. I can’t hold discipline, I like to live.
Top 3 Excuses	If there is wind, I can’t ride. The hill was not steep enough, 3-4% I hate, the steeper the better, so I love this riding! Not even 8% is steep enough. I have also have a 11-32 cassette.