AND IF THOMAS FRISCHKNECHT AND FLORIAN VOGEL WENT TO PORTUGAL

If those guys went to Portugal I would like to spend the all day with them to share some experiences and learn some of the tricks they use on the trails.

An my wish becomes a reality. And STAND JASMA invite the guys from SwissPower Team for a riding day in Sintra with 40 km splited in 3 parts and with a workshop and lunch in the midle of each part.

With the meeting point in the Palácio da Pena car parking at 9 o'clock, I've arrived soon to join the first guests, among them names as Lino Barruncho (tri-athlet); Luis Leão (marathon national champion - Elite) and Ricardo Marinheiro (Cross Country national champion - cadet)


And a few minutes late the most wanted guests that have to take a bunch of first photos. In that case with one of the riders of TEAM M&M - Nuno Machado (a Portuguese Epic Rider)

Time for the last bike improvements, and the ride beggins. The first K's take us to a short single track a litlle bit tricky that ask for extra caution and some brake touch. This trail lead us to the place for the Work Shop,Barragem do Rio da Mula, where Friscki and Flo share experiences and talk about the Scott Spark and Scale. The weapons they use for race.

Also time to learn something about training, to see the light richey wheels, and to ear about the competition level in switzerland.


Than we ride again for some climbing to Peninha and time to talk with Friscki about the 2008 Cape Epic, where he is going for training and where I go to enjoy as part of Team M&M with André Malha - lucky me!!!

And then when we're preparing a fast downhill in direction of Cabo da Roca, the accident of the day. One of the guys starts to jump in the small rocks on the ground, and in one of theese uncontrolling jumps he've been "spitted" from his Scale and fall in the ground with some noise and violence. He gain some small marks in the face tha make him remember from his ride with the swiss power Team in Sintra. And after 10 minutes he stars to remember where we are and for what.

After lunch a quick visit to Cabo da Roca the Wester point of Europe. And then it's time to climb. It's true the return for the car parking will be tougher than the morning, a lot of climbs lead us to the cars and for the end of day. Time for a last conversation an last photos and that's all.

In the road back home I've got this strange feeling of riding with a legend a promisse from MTB.

At the end I should TX Stand Jasma for a riding day that I'll keep at my mind

Tx a lot and ride a lot

Nuno Machado#50

P.S. Sorry for the English but when I've to chosse beetween ride and improve my english, I always ride.