On our way to the 35 km Individual Time Trial in Livermore while Jed was driving the RV making the curvy turns on the narrow road, it felt like a subway train on the turns. The only difference is that the RV was cozy and cushy, and it got us where we needed to go to.

Once we arrived to the site up at San Antonio Valley Road in Livermore, the 35km Individual Time Trial, tents were set up. Quickly before long, the transformation made a simple tent into a makeshift repair shop for the competing cyclists. The riders made visits to the tent to do a last examination of their bikes before they raced. It was amazing how fast the tent was set up with toolboxes opened with extra bicycle parts in full view.

Cyclists started doing warm-ups on the lifecycles; it was as if they wanted to reach a peak before being let loose. All cyclists have to warm up and cool down.

Paul Wood, 9-time winner of the Deaflympics, also dubbed the “Deaf Eddy Merckx,” one of the cycling legends of all time, offered his insight into the 35 km race.

“It is a very strenuous, dehydrating cycling event. If you see the cyclists to the brink of heat exhaustion, you know they gave their all.” Wood elaborated, “This event is based on the fastest time. You cannot wobble nor do anything that causes you to lose speed. You will lose time fast and find yourself way behind.”

When the race started, the cyclists went full thrust to get a good start. Their goal was to get back to the starting point in record time, naturally. It was very hot, so realistically the goal was to make good time without breaking their body.

They covered over 20 miles of sloping hills, dashing hopes of downhill breaks all the way. Their descending abilities were exposed as they maneuvered their bikes through the sharp, winding road. They refused to drop down along the difficult course like litter on the road. They pushed and pushed, with blazing sun blaring into their sweaty brows, pedaling madly.

Mouths became dry and frothy, faces straining as their powerful legs gave the final push they needed.

When cyclists arrived at the finish line, they didn’t act as if they were cycling in a cooling down manner, they stayed in the same position as they were when they took off from the starting line. All the way, countenance looked the same, but you could see as soon they got off their bikes, they were going to collapse.

Soon the tent became filled with exhausted cyclists struggling to regain the regular heartbeat after riding with tempo and a continuous high heart rate. Lonnie Tanenberg, a Deaf Athletic Trainer who has worked with the Oakland A’s, attended to the dehydrated cyclists.

There were trail mix nuts, Cliff energy bars and Crytomax rehydration drinks, and they devoured the snacks, absorbing Crytomax from their cups like a human sponge. Crytomax tasted sweet and nutritious; it was an advanced version of Gatorade. This alternative seemed made for serious cyclists to combat conditions such as the hot weather and steep hills.

Soon the cyclists started to regain their strength and started to move around the tent sharing tales with the other international cyclists about the weather conditions for the race.

DeafNation caught up with 35 km Champion Schreiber for an interview. Whether he is racing or lounging around we still have to catch him. Asked how he could do well in such hot weather and win, “I am used to the hot weather in Arizona where I live and train, where it can get as hot as 105 degrees.”

Added Schreiber, “If I knew the hills would be hard, I would have been ready for it. I have done many races but I would do this one again, it was a lot of fun riding this course.” Schreiber was a favorite to win this race and he came through.

He is the first American to win an Individual Time Trial ever.

Exulted Robin Horwitz, the WDCC organizer, “I am thrilled that USA as the host of WDCC witnessed Schreiber to become the first American to win the 35 km Individual Time Trial. I am also proud of the Czech Republic riders because they made the WDCC a more competitive field for everyone as equals.”

Josef Merunka, also of the Czech Republic and the 3rd place finisher, was desperately ill for the past three days. This morning he woke up feeling much better and the day ended with him making the third highest time, his coach proudly noted.

Terence Parkin of South Africa, due to his recent transition into cycling had to finish with good times everyday to stay in the top 10 all week. He finished in 7th place but got a yellow shirt.

He is also collecting the yellow shirts with sheer physical talent. Soon he will have a closet full of yellow shirts. Will he become the first champion swimmer to claim an entirely new sport for the Gold?

If not, he still has the heart of Gold.

Click here for 2006 WDCC Results