Comments/Commentaires ALLGAU MEETING B.I.G 2009

François Candau (Fr)

Fini les maillots bleus à étoiles jaunes ou blancs à damiers noirs, me voilà de retour dans mon costard cravate. Le meeting fut vraiment une réussite, une coupure totale.

Sauf cas de force majeure (comme disent les assureurs) je serai présent aux prochains.

Un commentaire : BIG Challenge is a climber but also an international challenge. The major interest of BIG (for me) is to meet people sharing your cycling passion from everywhere in Europe. We exchange through mails, newsletters and website forum all along the year. During the meeting, we meet at last. We share climbing experiences, our different cultures, we learn to know each other. We speak many different languages but we all have the same dictionary : the Superlist of 1000 Bigs. BIG meeting is the place where I feel I am an European.

Voilà je ne vais pas tarder à me mettre à la prochaine newsletter qui sera colorée aux couleurs bavaroises et tyroliennes. Je te la soumettrai, Daniel. Encore bravo et merci à toi, Marc, Helmuth et les autres.

François

Enrico Alberini (It)

Anche quello di questo anno è stato un raduno bellissimo. Non importa se ha piovuto o se c'è stato il sole. Abbiamo fatto insieme quello che ci piace fare, andare in bicicletta a caccia di big. Ci siamo rivisti o conosciuti per la prima volta con la voglia di scambiare le nostre opinioni nelle lingue più diverse. Purtroppo è finito troppo presto ! Grazie agli organizzatori, sempre molto bravi.

Même celui-là de cet an a été un meeting tres beau. Il n'importe pas s'il a plu ou si il a fait beau. Nous avons fait ensemble ce qu'il nous plaît faire, aller en velo à chasse de big. Nous sommes revus ou y connus pour la première fois avec l'envie d'échanger nos opinions dans les langues plus différentes. Malheuresement il est fini trop tôt ! Merci aux organisateurs et bravo a tous.

Enrico

Rudy Dewez & Bernard larcier (Be)

Cher Daniel,

Cher Helmuth

Cher Marc et autres complices que je ne voudrais pas oublier. Nous vous remercions trés sincèrement pour l'organisation du meeting Allgau 2009. Merci pour votre bonne humeur, votre accessibilité, votre énergie dépensée pour la réussite de celui-ci. Vraiment de grands moments de bonheur, de découvertes , de nouvelles amitiés et de Big's supplémentaires.

Rudy & Bernard

Daniel Gobert (Be)

Some of you asked me if it was the best meeting ever seen in the B.I.G's life. One has always the wish at the end of a meeting to say "yes, it was the best one". Of course, but each meeting has his particularity on my own.

The first ones in the 90's have for them the simplicity and the great knowledge between the members.

Drielandenpunt saw the new jump for a future with the BIG's meetings.

The swiss Jura had a cold weather but had also a good group, a game quizz and a big ambiance.

Trento had the particularity to link us with the UIC and the italian members.

Flanders had a sunny weather and a large group, unifying the old and the new members.

The regional meetings and crossroads created some friendships always alive now.

The recent Allgau meeting has been the longer meeting, with the most different countries (10), a bad weather but like in Jura a good ambiance with a good quizz game. You'll be able to see in the table of the members present in our different meetings that several members came in many meetings but that for example, few among the members present last year were still there in the current year's meeting. For me, it has reached a top (just like said by François) of our european way with the first time the real meeting between eastern and western countries. Allgau has been for me a confirmation that people of different countries, with different ways of life, different salaries and different ways to cycle can communicate throughout a same passion. Allgau has been a kind of important step reached. I'm already looking to the next one... like in a climb, hairpin after hairpin. Let's take the new hairpins altogether !

Daniel.

Gabor Kreicsi (Hun)

I managed the Regional Meeting in Matra and I managed the first Crossroad in Siongrie, but the Offical Meeting was a one level up for me.

I have many-many nice moments. On the first night when the cars arrived a row and I met some of them famous (for me) members.

The collective breakfast and dinners. The funny and professional Quizz and so on.

There were all very good days for me!

Thank you Daniel, Helmuth and Marc!

Gabor.

Gabriele Brunetti (It)

I would like to thank you Daniel, Marc and Helmuth for the successful organisation, selection of the location and hotel (Youth Hostel for 50-yr older!) and for the friend atmosphere as if we were friends for long time.

I am happy for having had the opportunity to meet friends from 10 countries, spend the evening to talk about our passion. The surprising Quiz challenge was a great fun !

I liked also the BIGs especially Hahntennjoch and Ehrwalderalm. Please apologize me if I did not join the main group for climbing. I am used to cycle in the early hours in solitaire roads, I rely on the weather forecast or the sky observation and I try as much as possible to anticipate or wait the bad weather to pass. In Oberstorf my focus for the BIG and the fear to waist precious available time was even stronger. I am pleased to get my goal in term of BIG. I promise that at the Liguria Crossroad I will dedicate my time to human relationships, cycling together (with the slower friends) and act as a guide for eyeryone.

Desidero ringraziare molto Daniel, Marc and Helmuth per l’ottima organizzazione, la scelta del luogo e l’Albergo (un Ostello della Gioventù per noi ultracinquantenni !) e per l’amichevole atmosfera come se fossimo amici da lungo tempo.

Sono felice di aver avuto l’occasione di incontrare amici da 10 paesi, trascorrere la serata a parlare della nostra passione. La sfida a squadre ai Quiz è stato un grande divertimento !

Mi sono piaciuti anche i BIG specialmente Hahntennjoch and Ehrwalderalm Vi chiedo di scusarmi se non mi sono unito al gruppo principale per le scalate. Sono abituato a pedalare nelle prime ore del giorno, mi affido costantemente alle previsioni del tempo o sulla osservazione del cielo e cerco nel limite del possibile di anticipare il cattivo tempo o di aspettare che passi. In Oberstorf la mia concentrazione sui BIG ed il timore di perdere tempo prezioso disponibile è stata perfino maggiore che in altre occasioni. Sono soddisfatto di avere raggiunto il mio obiettivo BIG per il raduno. Fatemi promettere che al Crossroad Liguria dedicherò il mio tempo alle relazioni umane, a pedalare insieme (con i più lenti !) e farò da guida a tutti.

Gabriele

Ferenc Suplicz (A)

Ich freue mich dass unser Treffen so gut gelungen ist, und hoffe noch auf viele Weitere. Danke. Wenn ich ein kommentar zum meeting schreiben könnte, würde ich folgendes sagen: (vielleicht phrasenhaft aber war):

If I were a commentary on the meeting could write, I would say the following: (perhaps rhetorical, but it's true): /

Ein gemeinsames Ziel verbindet uns. Zehn gemeinsame Ziele schweißen uns zusammen. Tausend gemeinsamen Ziele können uns zu einer Gemeinschaft machen.

A common target unifies us. Ten common targets weld us together. One thousand common targets can lead us to a community.

Egy közös cél összeköt minket, tiz közös cél összekovácsol, ezer közös céltól közösséggé válhatunk.

Ferenc (Ferix)

Helmuth Dekkers (NL)

We did it again! After my first meeting in Trento and the second one in Flanders I can say: "We did it again!" And then with "we" I do not mean the organising committee.

Oh no, I mean all the members who joined and turned this BIG meeting again into a memorable event. For me it shows that BIG is not just a challenge. It shows it's also about people! And great people they are!

They offer their friendship and hospitality without restrictions. They are fanatic too ;-) Not only when cycling or talking about BIGs (Remember the discussions and talks about the Nebelhorn) but also when playing a simple quiz game.

But there is always the friendship and of course the recognition of the passion we share. As long as we have members joining the BIG meetings the BIG meeting shall be great. Every single one of them but they will all have their specific charms.

So I want to thank all BIG members whoi joined and I am looking forward to the next BIG meeting. Until we meet again.

Kind regards,

Helmuth Dekkers

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President's speech - Allgau 2009

Bienvenue à Oberstdorf pour le huitième meeting officiel du B.I.G
Welcome in Oberstdorf for the eight official meeting of the B.I.G
Willkommen in Oberstdorf für die achste amtliche Treffung des B.I.G
Welkom in Oberstdorf voor de achste officiële vergadering van B.I.G
Benvenuto in Oberstdorf per l'ottavo raduno ufficiale del B.I.G
Bienvenidos en Oberstdorf para la ochova reunión oficial del B.I.G
Szívesen lát -ban Oberstdorf részére a nyolcadik tisztviselo találkozó-ból B.I.G
Bun venit înauntru Oberstdorf pentru art.hot. opt oficial adunare de la B.I.G
sirsnigi sagaidit colla Oberstdorf prieks astonnieks mitins B.I.G

Non, ce ne sera pas le discours de Pâques du Pape ! Soyez rassurés ! Notre religion ici s'appelle cyclisme, notre petite église n'est que la haute montagne et je me contenterai de deux langues.
No, it will not be the speech for Easter of the Pope ! Be quiet ! Our religion here is the cycling activity and our small church is only the high mountain and it will be good with 2 languages.

Ces dernières semaines, tout comme vous, dans certains groupes lors de réunions professionnelles ou familiales, chacun expose ses vacances.
Those last weeks like each of you, in some professional or familial groups, each one has to explain his holidays.

Beaucoup d'entre eux parlent de mer, plage, piscine, allongés sur un fauteuil les pieds en éventail sous le soleil, et pensions tout compris.
Many of them talk about sea, beach, waterproof, sofa and soda, body and fingers largely exposed to the sun, and pension all inclusive.

Et toi, ils disent.
And you, they say.

Eh bien, euh ! Je vais faire du vélo !
Well, well, well,... I'm going to bike !

Ah le long de la mer ou des lacs, ça doit être gai !
Oh, along the sea or the lakes, it must be funny !

Non, en montagne, je préfère la montagne.
No, in mountains, I prefer the mountain.

Oui, je connais des copains : ils descendent à pleine vitesse en VTT.
Yes, I know some friends : they make downhills with terrible speed with their MTB !

Euh, non, nous, on grimpe !
But we, we climb !

Quoi, vous grimpez des trucs comme l'Alpe d'Huez ou le Mont Ventoux ?
What ? you climb something like Alpe d'Huez or Mont Ventoux ?

Oui.
Yes.

Et cette année vous allez en France, dans les Alpes.
And this year, you go in France, in the Alps.

Non, en Allemagne, dans l'Allgau.
No. In Germany. In Allgau.

Quoi, mais...????
What, but... ????

Et là vous avez en face de vous des yeux mi-étonnés, mi-admiratifs, et mi-moqueurs (ça fait trois demis je sais ça dépend de la longueur des demis, je ne suis que prof de math)
And then, you have in front of you some eyes half-astonished, half in admiration... and half smiling-laughing (it gives three halfs, I know, it depends of the length of the halfs, I'm only a mathematic's teacher)

Puis, dernière phase, ils vous lancent l'inévitable et terrible question : "mais pourquoi ?".
And last but not least, they throw their last and unavoidable question : "but why?"

Pour leur répondre il nous faudrait 2 vies et nous n'en disposons pas. Alors, nous nous contentons souvent de soulever les épaules et de passer à un autre sujet.
To answer to this question, there must be 2 lives and we haven't. Conclusion, we just put our shoulders up and we speak about other topics.

En fait, un cyclogrimpeur ne se demande jamais pourquoi, il se demande toujours comment. Si après 5km du Riedbergpass demain, ou du Nebelhorn mardi, il se demande pourquoi, il s'arrête sur place, il retourne son vélo et retourne directement et le plus vite possible chez lui pour visionner le 2345e épisode de Top Models.
In fact, a cycleclimber never asks himself why, he always asks himself how. If after 5km in the Riedbergpass tomorrow, or in the Nebelhorn tuesday, he asks himself why, he stops there, he turns his bike back, he quickly goes back home to watch the 2,345th broadcasting of an american soap.

Un cyclogrimpeur se demande comment. Comment venir en Allgau, comment y loger, comment s'entraîner pour y être prêt, comment arranger son vélo pour parvenir à grimper les BIGs de l'Allgau. Jamais pourquoi, toujours comment.
A cycleclimber asks himself how. How to come in Allgau, how to find the good accomodations, how to make his training before coming, how to manage his bike to be able to climb the BIGs here. Never why, always how.

C'est pourquoi (oh, pardon, c'est comment) nous sommes heureux de nous retrouver entre nous au moins une fois l'an pour éviter ces questions et ces yeux-là ! C'est la raison du meeting annuel officiel du BIG.
It's why (oh, sorry, how!), we are happy to meet us together at least one time a year ! It's the reason of the annual official BIG's meeting.

Malgré nos huit pays différents, malgré nos huit langues différentes, nous partageons ensemble ce grain de folie, cette sorte de pétillement dans les yeux après la réussite de l'effort que d'autres n'auront jamais, cette quatrième dimension du sport qui fait qu'au contraire des coureurs pros qui grimpent pour gagner de l'argent, nous dépensons de l'argent pour grimper.
Instead of our 8 different countries, instead of our 8 different languages, we share together this kind of crazyness, this splitting light in the eyes after our success in our efforts that many other ones will never have in their life, this twilight zone inside us that makes, that in the opposite way of the professional racers who climb to earn money, pushes us to lose money in the goal to climb.

Malgré tout, ces personnes proches qui nous accompagnent dans notre vie tous les jours, nous nous devons de les remercier de nous laisser assouvir cette passion parfois si dépensière en temps qu'est le vélo. Même si elles ne nous comprennent pas toujours, c'est souvent l'équilibre entre elles et nos grimpées qui nous construit.
Nevertheless, those persons so ner from us in every day of our life, we have to thank them to let us free to manage our passion. Even if they don't understand us always, it's often the balance between them and our passio that built us.

Donc nous sommes là pour 5,4,3,2 ou 1 jours pour rouler à vélo et satisfaire notre passion bien sûr mais aussi pour la partager avec des gens qui nous comprennent.
Then, we are here for 5,4,3,2 or 1 days to ride on the bike and to activate our passion of course but also to share it with people who understand us.

Bref, pourquoi l'Allgau ? Oh pardon, comment l'Allgau ?
Shortly, why the Allgau. Oh, sorry, how the Allgau ?

Certains d'entre vous qui me connaissent trop bien doivent penser : Allgau parce que Nebelhorn.
Some of you who knows me too much must think : Allgau because Nebelhorn.

Certes, certes, mais cette région a aussi le grand avantage d'être à la croisée des chemins au centre de l'Europe, facilement accessible à tous. C'est aussi une destination normale en fonction des meetings officiels ou régionaux précédents qui ont vu le Bénélux, l'Italie, l'Espagne, la Hongrie ou la Suisse comme sites ou ceux à venir qui visiteront l'Angleterre puis la France.
Yes, yes, but this region also has the advantage to be at the cross of our ways, in the middle of Europe, easily reachable by everybody. It's also a normal country according to the previous official or regional meetings sit in Benelux, Italy, Spain, Hungary or Switzerland and those to come in the future in England and France.

L'Allgau offre des montagnes bien au-dessus des 2000m mais la plupart des ascensions cyclistes se terminent entre 1000 et 2000m. Proche du Tyrol autrichien, elle est caractérisée par un grand nombre de maisons noires individuelles ou fermes cubiques disséminées le long des routes. Elle offre un nombre impressionnant de promenades au coeur de la nature et encore vierges d'un tourisme trop commercial. Avec des roches calcaires et des paysages grandioses portant jusqu'aux Alpes suisses.
The Allgau region offers mountains over 2000 m but the main part of the cycling climbs finish between 1000 and 2000m. near the austrian Tyrol, it has the characteristic to show black familial houses or squared farm-houses alone and all along the roads. It gives a great number of ways in the hart of the nature and always virgin of some kind of too commercial tourism.With Calcarian stones and landscapes going until the swiss Alps

Nous avons fait ou ferons au total 5 étapes pour ceux qui font tout. L'étape d'aujourd'hui visitait les splendeurs de la vallée du Lech autrichien avec déjà 2 très beaux cols. Demain, nous roulerons lors d'une courte étape avec quelques fortes pentes en plein centre de l'Allgau pour le découvrir. Dimanche, nous aurons notre plus longue journée sur le vélo aux alentours de la frontière allémano-autrichienne. Lundi, nous irons en voiture en Bavière pour la journée des lacs. Enfin, mardi, ce sera le challenge du terrible Nebelhorn avec ses pentes à 20 voire 30%.
We have made or will make 5 stages for those who are doing everything. The stage today visited the spendid austrian valley of the Lech with already two very beautiful passes. Tomorrow, we'll ride a very short stage with some steep sections in the center of the Allgau region to discover it. Sunday, we'll have a longer day around the german-austrian border. Monday, we'll go with the car to bike in Baviera : this will be the day of the lakes. And finally, tuesday, we'll have our Nebelhorn challenge with its terrible slopes of 20 and even 30%.

Le soir, nous nous retrouverons pour le repas du soir à 19h et nous aurons demain après celui-ci un jeu quizz entre nous qu'Helmuth a longuement préparé avec moi. J'espère que vous y prendrez beaucoup de plaisir. Après-demain, nous aurons après le repas un débat sur les meetings du BIGs et le challenge en lui-même mais uniquement si vous le désirez en vue d'améliorer les choses. Enfin, le dernier soir, nous aurons notre verre de l'amitié offert par le B.I.G.
In the evening, we'll meet us together for the lunch at 19PM and we'll have after this lunch tomorrow a quizz game between us that Helmuth has longly prepared with me. I hope that you'll find it funny. One day later, after the lunch too, we'll have a debate about our meetings and our challenge to ameliorate it if you have the wish to do it. The final evening, we'll just have a drink offered by the challenge, a drink to say good-bye.

Voilà. J'espère ne pas avoir été trop long. Je vous souhaite tout le meilleur du monde durant ces quelques jours. Mettez-vous en plein la vue, plein les jambes et faites le plein d'amitié. C'est tout le mal que je vous souhaite.
OK, I hope not to have been too long. I wish you all the best of the world during these few days. Take plenty in the eyes, plenty in the legs and be full of new friendships. It's all the worse that I wish for you.

Merci d'être là ! Vive le BIG !
Thank you to be here. Hurrah for the B.I.G !

PRESI-DAN