Klaus is a fit retired gentleman who has cycled two epics with Tour D’Afrique: Cairo to Cape Town in Africa and Cartagena to Ushuaia in South America. He and his wife, Helle, live in this quaint, historical town. The races began and finished in the central square of Vordingborg. Erma, Klaus, and I walked from their home to the square to set up a booth promoting the various tours offered by the TDA. We were joined by Gustav, a Dane who had completed the African epic in 2013.
Within minutes of our arrival, the youth race had begun. Cycling in teams, the teens sped around a 18 km circuit that covered the surrounding countryside. It did not take them long to return to the square. There were a few spills due to the slick surface as it had rained. The road rash was cleaned up by the medical staff in the adjacent booth.
There is strategy to these races with a few pace setters pushing forward, followed by a peloton and then a few stragglers. Some riders faded and did not finish.
The first group finished to the applause of the audience. Medals were granted by officials followed by bouquets and photo ops. There is pride in the cultivation of a generation of competitive cyclists.
The women began and their cadence was equally impressive. Some are professional riders in Europe and you can see the training regimen must be gruelling.
The second race was attended by the same fanfare and respect for their achievement.
The race of competitive riders culminated with the professional Danish cyclists. The race was approximately 200 kms. and the winners took about four and a half hours. Impressive speed and skill is required to maintain that pace. Throughout the race, the progress of the peloton was recorded and broadcast live to the crowd in the square. After the close finish, the winners were properly feted and awarded prize money. The national anthem was played and photo ops available for the admirers.
Klaus and his wife, Helle, a school principal, humbled us with their hospitality. We enjoyed a meal of local fish in the harbour and bid farewell to Helle who was off to work early the next morning (her school district is a distance north from Vordingborg)
Their cosy (gezellig in Dutch) home has a well-kept garden and plenty of room to store bikes and gardening tools. Each morning, we were treated to a hearty breakfast and multiple cups of coffee.
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