Vätternrundan registration – How it works

Anyone who has missed the traditional event in recent years should take the opportunity to attend this grandiose event in 2018. I have 2017 at the Vätternrundan with start in Motala participated and can say that it is a unique experience 300km um den Lake Vättern to drive. Enjoy the magnificent nature, the mega bike event in a friendly way Swedish way and an extreme experience on the 300km that you will cherish for a long time.
So that Vättern newcomers can quickly find their way around, I would like to give you a little help and answer a few questions.

That's a lot of questions that I'll be answering for you in the near future. Of course you can think so too Vätternrundan report from 2017 read, in which you can already learn some important things about Vätternrundan. All those who register are welcome to post in the comments and share their experiences. You are also welcome to make a guest contribution about your experiences in the preparation or the Vätternrundan 2018 leave it yourself on Rennrad-Hamburg.de, no matter where you come from. Just get in touch, by commenting under this article.

How do I get a starting place for the Vätternrundan 2018

The Vätternrundan always takes place the weekend before the Summer solstice, what a Sweden is celebrated big, instead. So next time on June 15-16, 2018. However, registration always starts in September of the previous year, exactly Wednesday September 6 at 15:00 p.m. at vatternrundan.se/en/. However, you should have created an account beforehand so that you also get a starting place. Approximately 20.000 starting places will be freely allocated and you have to apply for them, with repeat offenders being given preference.

It all works like this

You have to create an account on the official website first, after that you can log out 15:00 p.m. on September 6, 2017 apply for a starting place. To be absolutely sure that you also have a starting place and thus the coveted StartID gets, you should log in shortly beforehand and do a few reloads (reload the page). Last year I drove to the side of the road in my car to register. Then you have to – if I remember correctly – specify three desired start times. Last year I actually got the start time of 1:54. So it's not too difficult, you just have to be ready to start in the middle of the night; which I think is the best.

From now on it will take a few weeks until you get feedback from the organizers as to whether and when the starting place worked out or not.

What options do I have if I didn't get a starting place

Of course it can happen that you didn't get a starting place. This can have several causes. Eg that you were just a bit late with the registration or simply selected the most popular start times booked by drivers who have already ridden the Vätternrundan several times. Something like that is of course very annoying and unfortunately I can't give you a statistical evaluation of the most popular starting times at Vätternrundan demonstrate.

But if you were really unlucky and didn't have a starting place and therefore yours entitled to a StartID should have forfeited, you can still try your hand at one Tour operators Report to. That's fine. There are a few tour operators online who get a contingent of starting places every year Package tours to Motala offer to the Vätternrundan. At the same time you have everything at once. Bus ride, ferry crossing, overnight stay in Motala and one Take off for the Vätternrundan. Of course it costs something, but the prices are quite fair for the packages offered. I prefer to travel individually with the Bully and plan my trip and overnight stay myself. But as a fallback, a tour operator is a great thing.

In addition, starting places are constantly being offered by people on the Internet. Some get scared before the track, others simply don't get any vacation from the boss. There are quite a few who won't even sell their tickets, so please don't pay too much for a slot. I've never heard of anyone going away empty-handed. Just keep your eyes and ears open, on Facebook.

How do I get my StartID

The ominous StartID is nothing but the real one Start number and transponder, at over 20.000 drivers Of course, a smooth process must be guaranteed. Although the collection of the starting documents starts several days before the actual Vättern, I was still in line 9 hours before the actual start. But the process will be all over swedish art solved. Similar to your it from H&M or especially by IKEA knows, you will be guided through a predefined accreditation flow, with a final stay in a sports department store. No joke! Also from Sweden, which has also been represented in Germany for a few years, Sports department store STADIUM. What Stadium put there last year is already looking for its equal. A really BIG one Cycling department store tent with everything a racing cyclist's heart desires, everything you forgot (lamps, bell, reflectors - but more on that later) and of course everything you don't need. A little tip on the side: If you are a Vätternrundan jersey want to buy, do it now! The jerseys are sold out incredibly quickly and you can no longer get them online afterwards. I'm speaking from experience here, unfortunately I didn't get one last time. If you now go past the cash registers you will come out again, but at a completely different end of the cycling expo in Motala. But now you should have everything you need for starting documents.

Where can I stay in Motala

In any case, a very important question that should be clarified in advance. Although in Sweden yes Everyone's right applies and you can stop anywhere with your mobile home where you want. But I prefer one Toilet and Shower to have nearby. You can probably already read between the lines, I drove to the campsite with my bus. Since it is very easy to book a room and I assume that I don't have to explain it, I'll go into other options.

First of all: Motala is really small. You can drive to the start from almost anywhere in Motala, whenever, and you don't need a transfer or anything like that.

Camping – tents

During the Vätternrundan almost every meadow in Motala becomes a campsite. Every sports field is full of tents. This has the advantage that you can also use showers and toilets on the sports field. In bad weather, which is unfortunately more common in Sweden around the summer solstice, it will be a muddy affair. Campsites at least sometimes offer paved paths to avoid the mud a bit.

Motorhome, bus and caravan

With a livable vehicle you have a little more choice. On the one hand, the meadows and soccer fields in Motala described above, the campsites and, due to the right of public access, every parking space. In Motala, the parking spaces directly at the lake are of course very popular. A beautiful alternative that I will take advantage of on my next visit to Motala. Somehow I had too much respect this year. On the beach of Motala there are toilet houses everywhere, so that you can easily get by.

A house by the lake

This is my absolute insider tip. In Swedish fashion there are small - really small - wooden houses on the beach of Motala. I have no idea how many people can sleep there, I'm guessing four people, or what these cottages cost. But the houses were so beautiful that next time I have to sleep in one of them. Of course, a wooden house offers a little more comfort than a Bully or a tent, especially in bad weather. To my surprise, almost all cottages were empty during the Vätternrundan weekend.

So next time wild on the beach or wooden house.

How long should I plan my stay

How long you want or can stay in Motala always depends on the time available. If you have enough time, you should definitely consider traveling to Motala a week before Vätternrundan. Only then will you be able to enjoy the full supporting program. In the previous week there will be some others Cycling events in Motala required, there would be, for example Halvvaettern, A 150 km loop which can be used great for preparation, or the MTB Vättern for those who don't want to ride a racing bike but want to ride a mountain bike. Those who go there with the whole family can also offer their children a route specially tailored to the little ones. All in all, a really nice bike festival.

You need at least one more day afterwards. Then (CAUTION:): You are not allowed to drive your own car for 12 hours after completing the 300km of the Vätternrundan!!! And honestly, I wouldn't have been tempted either. But the next time I go to Motala for the Vätternrundan, I'll definitely be at least five days behind. Lake Vättern is so beautifully distributed with its stalls and small towns around the lake that I would like to have a look at it again in peace. Especially when the Vätternrundan Circus something has warped again.

How do I properly prepare for the Vätternrundan (300 km).

The preparations for the Vätternrundan actually start with every participant immediately after registration, at least that's how it was for me and that's what I heard from the other participants too. My winter program consisted primarily of muscle building. In recent years I had always criticized my weaknesses on the mountain. However, when I rode the first laps on the racing bike in the new season, I realized that muscles are only half the battle. So I built spinning into my fitness routine on the bad days. In order to be fit enough for the fathers' round in time, I registered for the first race quite early. Already in April 2017 I took the Tour d'Energy in Goettingen. A race that is over 100km long and includes a little more than 1000hm, for me as a Hamburger that's quite a lot. Mainly because this event involves conquering two steeply-sloped mountains. I realized that I wasn't in top form in April. Also, at that time I didn't even have 300km in my legs. But there were still two months before the trip to Motala, so I continued to work on my form. I used my training for long rides between 60km and 120km in length, increasing the pace steadily. Above all, they proved to be very good for training RTFs, where you always met a few crazy ones with whom you could demolish 160km with a 35km/h average. I met a lot of nice and crazy people and it did my training damn good! So the mix makes it and in the end it's the kilometers in your legs that count. With this kind of preparation, I managed the 300km in a gross time of 10:40 and a net time of 9:30. I am very happy with this result.

My training tip: Don't overwhelm yourself, but try again and again to set stimuli with small stitches. Prepare a strategy for the 300km in terms of breaks and meals and try it out more often. The most important thing is that you know yourself and your body well and know when it needs what and how much.

You need a strategy

During your preparation, you must begin to lay out a strategy. This starts with the pace, how much do I want to push myself – especially on inclines – and when do I plan to take breaks. For me it was clear that I only after the first 133km wanted to take the first break. Also because at my start time (1:54 a.m.) it got a little brighter again. That was a good decision. I put in a nice roll with a gherkin breakfast and got back on my racing bike, feeling well strengthened.

Tip: After the breaks, ride back in and slowly find your feet. Even after a break, the body has to calm down again.

What do I need to take with me on the tour?

Meals

Every racing cyclist has his own preferences when it comes to food on long tours, but you should be aware that you will be spending a long time on the racing bike that day. Just accommodating the food can be a challenge. I always have a small racing bike backpack with me (deuter RoadONE), this offers me enough space for food, handkerchiefs, some money and whatever else I need. I also always attached a small triangle bag between the saddle tube and the top tube, along with a few more Bolt and Gels fit in.

I always divide my food as follows: I have everything I eat and can eat during the ride on my bike and in my backpack. I always refill the jersey pockets in the depots to get the food quickly. If necessary, I can also quickly get to the frame bag. In the depots I always eat what is on offer. Buns and gherkins last year because I couldn't see anything sweet anymore. Very important rule: You must never get hungry! I usually ate something every 45 minutes – a bar or a gel – if I had the feeling I needed it, sometimes two.

Drinks

i had two 0,75L drinking bottles on the racing bike. I got along well with that for the first 133km up to my first stop and kept refilling it in the depots. At the beginning I put half an effervescent tablet in each bottle, then in the depot I filled a bottle with flavor and one with water.

How does my racing bike have to be equipped in order to start the tour

Now it gets a little more complicated! This question occupies entire Internet forums, although it is actually quite simple. What you really need on your bike:
Light (front and rear) because you start in the dark
reflectors front and back
side reflectors
The side reflectors I had in the form of reflective tape attached to front and rear fork. And now ATTENTION: You need one Klingel, no joke. Thankfully, everything is for sale in the makeshift Stadium department store, and suddenly it all makes sense. In addition, you should air pump, two hoses and one Tubes have with you. But it goes without saying.

Conclusion

Vätternrundan is awesome and influences you and your season significantly. The preparations, the planning and the anticipation really inspired me last time. The Vätternrundan in Motala itself crowns the highlight of the season royally and in the end the pride remains. Don't be afraid of the distance, the route is absolutely doable. With the right strategy!