Thanks go out to the various fanfic authors and Maddy Bell, herself, for creating this ‘universe' and providing the inspiration. Whether you realize it or not, there's a part of each of you, in this work.

I also wish to dedicate this work to Karen J, Jillian and Angharad – three lovely people that without their continued prodding, this would never have appeared. I also have to thank Saphira, Sidonie and Meri – for enduring my endless questions and keeping my German and any details of life in Germany, close to reality … ‘ Vielen Dank!'

“British Airways, Flight 657 … gate 25B … 1835 hours … Thursday evening … that right, Kris? … Good, that's settled. Now … Dad's coming with us so he'll be setting up your bike … what? … No way! … Just bring yourself and your riding kit … no … you've got a new mount, one of the new ‘Specialized' carbon fibre jobs … you'll see it when you get here. Yeah, the whole team's got ‘em! … Kewel! … I'll be at the airport to pick you up … see you then … OH, KRIS? … You'll need something nice for a reception they're throwing on the Friday evening … no, nothing that fancy. I'm not sure how casual this is so I'm taking the extremes – flared jeans, a blouse and some heels and as well as my LBD … (sigh) yes … I'll take my feathers! ... Ok, see you Thursday ... Tschuess.” Gaby hung up her phone and proceeded to join her parents and Jules, downstairs.

“This is going to be fun. Nina's arriving at 5:30 and Kris an hour later … I can do this .” Gaby mulled over Kristen and Nina's arrival schedule as she descended the stairs.

“Kris is taking Thursday, Friday and Monday off. She's planning to fly home from Hamburg on the Monday. I've got everything written down. Jules and I will go into Bonn to pick Nina and Kristen up after I get home from school on Thursday.” Gaby informed all present.

“Since you put it so nicely … ok.” Jules smugly replied as she walked out of the room.

“All done … just had a little maths and some reading for history,” Gaby replied as she headed for the kitchen. “Oh! Kris has assured me she's bringing some homework to cover the classes she misses.”

Gabs felt a bit strange when she told her mum about Kris. With her taking Friday off, it meant that Thursday, June 12 was officially her last day of school. It was also the earliest she's ever begun her summer vacation.

“Mum? … You realise my last day of "Sekundarstufe 2" is Thursday?” a surprised Gaby asked after the significance of the day hit her. “I mean, since I don't have to write any final exams, I don't have to go back to school next week ... kewel!”

“My little girl, graduating from high school … now that makes me feel old!” Dave quipped.

“Daddy! You're not old!” Gaby playfully rebuked her father. As she was about to say something else, she was interrupted by the ringing of the phone.

Brrriiiing, Brrriing “Gaby! Hurry!! … I think you'll want to get this!” Jules called down from the top of the stairs after she noticed the ‘call display' on her phone.

Brrriiiing, Brrriing. Gaby quickly ran to the phone in the lounge and noticed that ‘call display' was showing “Peters” and Carol's phone number. After a quick breath, she picked up the receiver, “Hello, Bond residence… ( click ) … hello? … ( sniff ) Maddy? … Hello?”

“This is the second time … why does she call if she won't talk?” Not expecting an answer and with a voice tinged with emotion, Gaby asked no one in particular.

“Probably for much the same reason you haven't returned any of the calls I've told you about. You've told me you want to talk to her but you can't bring yourself to actually do it … put yourself in her shoes,” Jenny quietly suggested. “It's been so long, you're both probably scared.”

“Next time she calls, let one of us talk to her first. It may ease things a bit,” Jenny suggested. Gaby nodded her agreement before going up to her room.

“Don't forget Judith'll be here at 6:30 tomorrow morning, ready to go … I'm turning in, morning comes too early … g'nite all,” Gaby called out before continuing up to her room.

The next few days seemed to fly by. Since both girls engineered their timetables to have a double spare first thing in the morning; Monday and Tuesday both started off with a long training ride. A double spare the last two classes on Wednesday afternoon gave the girls the opportunity to take the long way back home. Jenny had both girls back out on the road Thursday morning with the pro team, ensuring they got in an intensive ‘last-minute' training ride.

That afternoon when the girls got home after school, Judith got to go to her home and rest while Gaby and her sister prepared to drive into Bonn to pick up Nina and Kris. It was planned that Judith would be at the Bond's when the girls got back. She would host Nina for the night, while Gaby hosted Kristen.

“Judith? Nina? … I want you two here by 6:00 tomorrow morning. Dave will pick up Kat Pinger, then drive us all to the training facility where we'll get the bikes. After that, it's off to the airport. Apollinaris have lent us one of their corporate planes for the weekend.”

“Speaking of Dad, where is he, Mum?” Gaby asked, suddenly noticing her father's absence.

“He and Jules are at the facility with Kat getting the bikes and other equipment loaded onto the trailer so it'll be ready for tomorrow,” Jenny replied.

Following a quick glance at each of the girls, Jen continued, “For our team support, both Dave and Kat will be coming with us … Dave will be wearing his mechanic's hat and Kat will be helping him out. I've also been told the sponsor has secured the services of a local doctor in Hamburg, to be our team doctor for the weekend since Dieter is off with the pro team.”

After pausing again, she resumed her talk, “OK! After we get to Hamburg and check into the "Erhorns Gasthaus" , the remainder of the morning will mostly be taken up with registration but we will get a chance to inspect the course, then after a short meeting we can relax for a few hours … and don't forget we've got that reception at the Hamburg Rathaus tomorrow evening as well, so make sure you have something appropriate to wear … Any questions?”

“Yeah … how did we get our own plane for the weekend?” Gaby asked what the other girls wanted to know.

“George convinced the sponsor flying was the best way to get to the Championships by telling them that if we drove, it would add 1or 2 days of lost class time and that would be unacceptable considering you're all in your final year and some of you still have school and exams next week,” Jenny replied as she looked directly at her daughter. It occurred to Gaby, her mother was referring to Nina and Kristen, both with a holiday schedule different to Gaby's school.

As Judith and Nina stirred to head back to Judith's for the night, Jenny added, “Before you two leave … I'd like to remind Nina and Kris to please make sure you have what you need for your return flights on Sunday evening … ok? See you tomorrow then … Gute Nacht, Mädchen ”

“Gute Nacht, Jenny,” both girls replied as they went out the door. Kristen and Gaby walked the two out to Judith's car.

“See you guys tomorrow,” Gaby said as Judith and Nina were getting into the car.

“Gaby? … Make sure you take your feathers for the reception,” Judith remarked as she started the car.

“You too?” Gaby asked, not believing Judith was also trying to get her to wear her hair feather.

“Oh, c'mon! They're your trademark … you got to wear them!” Judith exclaimed. “Besides … that ‘Native style' looks hot! … ‘Til tomorrow … guys … Gute Nacht.” Following a couple of hugs, Judith put the car in gear and she and Nina departed for her house.

“That settles it, dunnit? (sigh) I guess I gotta wear them, then,” Gaby commented to no one in particular, as Judith drove away.

“Yes, you do!” Kris confirmed with a grin, as she linked arms with Gaby before they headed back to the house.

Shortly after Judith left, Dave and Jules pulled up beside their van and shut the car off. When they entered the house, Jen inquired if everything was set.

“Just dropped Kat at home. The trailer's loaded with extra bikes and spares, all ready to go and secured in the facility's garage. All we have to do is hook it up to the van in the morning,” Dave replied.

Next morning, things went smoothly. After entrusting the house to Jules for the weekend, Dave took everyone in the van to the Apollinaris facility where he and Kat hooked up the trailer to the van; he still had all his charges at the Apollinaris corporate hangers by 8:00 AM. After Dave and Kat got the equipment loaded in the Beech 99 ‘Airliner' and the van and trailer secured inside the hanger, everyone boarded and it was off to Hamburg. The flight was to be just over an hour.

When the plane touched down at the Hamburg airport, it was directed to a spot on the ramp in the General Aviation facility. There, it was met by a van and trailer arrangement much like the one Dave drove earlier that morning. As everyone got off the plane, a young man left the van and approached Dave and Jenny.

“Guten Morgen. Herr Bond, Frau Bond? Mein Name ist Steffen. Ich wurde von Apollinaris bestellt, um Sie und die Mannschaft zu treffen.”

Gaby turned to Kristen and quietly translated what was spoken. “He's saying … Good morning. Mr. Bond, Mrs. Bond? My name is Steffen. I was asked by Apollinaris to meet you and the team.”

“Saaayy … He's cute! … An' no ring!” Kris whispered as she leaned towards Gaby once the two girls had exited the aircraft and stepped onto the tarmac.

“Down, girl! … Sit! … Stay!” Gaby hissed. This exchange prompted the two to try to stifle a few giggles with mixed success, much to Jenny's bewilderment.

Following introductions and the securing of the team's luggage and equipment, Steffen drove them directly to the Hamburg Sportstadt where registration for all the championship races was being held. The girls learned Steffen was the temporary team doctor for the weekend.

Once inside the Sportstadt, Dave and Jenny quickly got down to the registration process, producing the necessary registration forms already filled out, for each member of the team, including all the support personnel, which included Dave, Jenny, Kat and Steffen.

“Girls … your licenses, bitte?” Jenny asked, indicating the competition license ID cards required for all cyclists. As each girl surrendered her card to Jenny she handed it to a registration official for recording and verification. After the official finished with each license, it was returned to the owner.

As the girls were being looked after inside, Dave and Kat were outside with another official as he verified the legality of each of the bikes and the spare wheels.

“Hold on girls … before you go, they need a sample from each of you,” Jenny stated, then smugly added, “Welcome to the world of competitive cycling.” She then pointed the girls to the testing area that was set up and administered by the National Anti-Doping Agentur.

Later, when the girls finally rejoined Jenny and Steffen at the registration table, they went outside to find Dave. As they approached the van, Dave was loading the last of the spare wheels back into the trailer.

“Yep … We just have to drop the trailer off in the secure compound then we can head for the Gasthaus, get settled into our rooms and relax before we have to be at city hall,” Dave replied.

“1900 hours … and before you ask … casual,” Jenny replied. “Ok, everybody … jump in! Steffen … could we drive the course on the way to the Gasthaus?”

As Steffen approached the course along Triftstra ß e, he passed the Heisenberg Gymnasium, which he mentioned would be used for participant parking and change rooms on race days. He made a left onto Gellersenweg and stopped just before he turned right onto Ehestorfer Weg. There Jenny took over as ‘tour guide'.

“Ehestorfer Weg, which is just in front of us, is the start/finish line. This whole 300m stretch is an ascent with a 4% gradient. The clearing to your right is your feed station … I want you girls to notice all you can about the road conditions, surroundings, landmarks, etc. … Ok, let's go.”

Steffen eased out into traffic, turning right onto Ehestorfer Weg. He continued a short distance then turned left back onto Triftstra ß e, a 400m descent with a wide right turn onto Gro ße Straße. Jenny pointed out that this was a long 1.5 kilometre ascent that increased from a 2% to 12% gradient over its length, ending with very sharp left onto Hainholzweg. The girls were told to expect a gentle 1.5Km downhill run that ended with a sweeping right onto Strucksborg and a much steeper descent.

Kris made the comment that this part of the course was excellent considering the ascents of the first part of the course. As Strucksborg turned into Beerentatweg, the course became a relatively flat, winding road. With a sharp right onto Göhlbachtal, the topography of the course changed back to a gentle 500m climb.

At a sharp left onto In der Schlucht at the 6 kilometre mark, the ascent increased to a steeper 9% gradient only to decrease slightly to 4% once they turned another very sharp right, back onto Weusthoffstra ße and a short 100m ascent with a 6% gradient. A final sharp left onto Ehestorfer Weg, still with a slight 4% gradient ascent for the 200m straight run-in to the finish line, completed the single lap of the course.

“Cries out for a sprint, doesn't it?” Jenny exclaimed to no one in particular.

She went on to casually mention, “Given the overall profile of this course, I think we should come up with a strategy that suits our two mountain-goats … right girls?” As she said this, she turned around in her front passenger seat to look directly at Gaby and Judith. Both Nina and Kristen knew Gaby and Judith trained in country that well-suited the course.

Finally, before Jenny turned around in her seat to enjoy the ride to the hotel, she informed the girls that it was to be a total of 19 laps for a total of 133 kilometres.

Once at the Gasthaus, Dave and Jenny handled the check-in while the others stood back.

“Right! … Rooms,” Jenny announced as she and Dave returned from the front desk. “Steffen, you're in your own room … Nina and Judith, share … Kristen, Gaby and Kat … you get the other room … and Dave and I get the last one.”

Seeing a questioning look from three young women, Jenny reassured them by adding, “The couches in the rooms fold out for another bed.”

As they started to look for their respective rooms, Jenny turned around in the corridor and addressing the whole team, advised, “We'll have a brief team meeting in our room, in an hour … see you then.”

In the room, Kat stated she'd take the day bed, since the other two were riding and would need a good night's sleep. With that out of the way, the three unpacked, hung their clothes up, playfully fought for drawer space and staked out territory on the bathroom counter for their make-up. Just as they thought they earned the right to sit and relax, Judith glanced at the clock radio on the nightstand between the twin beds.

“Don't get comfortable, ladies … our presence is expected in our leader's room,” Judith reminded as she pointed to the clock's display.

“Make sure someone has at least one of the room's passes!” Kat piped up as they started out of the room. Both Gaby and Judith held their passes up in response. “ Gut! … I didn't exactly feel like getting locked out.”

In Dave and Jenny's room, Jen wasted no time getting the meeting to order with one simple question. “Anyone got some thoughts on what you saw of the course?”

One simple question and some 90 minutes later, Jenny told the girls that they'd talk later and to run and get ready for the civic reception.

“Here Mum … if I have to … so do you,” Gaby offered with a grin as she held out the feathered earrings her mother always borrowed. She then started for the door to catch up to the others, but not before Jenny caught Gaby's arm and gave her daughter a peck on the cheek.

“You know your mother too well … Thank you, dear,” Jen softly replied with a smile.

Being last to get back to the room, Gaby found herself third in line for the shower. To occupy her time, she rummaged through her clothes pulling out what she planned on wearing and laying it out on her bed. When Gaby pulled out her favourite pair of wide-bottom jeans, she let out a laugh.

“What's so funny, Gabs?” Kristen asked as she emerged from the bathroom after her shower.

“Just thinking … I can still hear Dad when he saw a pair of these wide-bottoms on me for the first time,” Gaby related while sitting on the side of her bed, holding the jeans in her lap.

“When did bell-bottoms come back? … Ummm … a little tight aren't they, princess?” Gaby added, doing her best ‘Dave' imitation. She went on to explain that her dad ‘lived in them' when he was in university.

As she heard Kat turning off the water, Gaby added a rust-coloured long sleeve cotton blouse to her ensemble she had laid out on her bed.

As Gabs stripped to her bra and panties, Kat emerged wrapped in a towel announcing, “Your turn!”

By this time, it looked like an assembly line. Kris was dressed and had started to apply her make-up, while Kat started to get dressed and Gaby headed for the shower. When Gaby came back into the room, both girls let her start to get dressed then pounced on her, quickly brushing and drying her hair.

Finally dressed, Gaby left the top two buttons of her blouse undone then with the other two watching, she put on her beaded choker, her favourite feathered earrings and braided in her hair feather above her right ear. Re-checking her make-up, she ended her preparations by slipping her feet into her dress pumps.

“Shall we … Ladies?” Gaby cooed as she picked up her purse and gestured to the door. The three of them were caught in a giggling fit as they exited the room. Outside in the room and still giggling like schoolgirls, Kris promptly clung to Gaby's left arm as Kat held Gaby's other hand while the three walked down the corridor to the stairs. Nina and Judith were waiting at the top of the stairs as the three approached.

“Hurry up … your Mama und Papa are already downstairs waiting!” Judith directed her comments at Gaby.

As the five girls came down the stairs they were met in the lobby by Jenny who ushered them to the waiting van, outside. Once outside, they noticed Steffen stood by the van's open sliding door.

“ Damen? Mag ich sage, wie reizend Sie jeder Blick heute abend.” Steffen commented as he gestured for them to enter.

Each one acknowledged his comment as they filed past him into the van. Kristen smiled and nodded like the others, as she took her turn entering. Once seated, Kristen turned to Gaby and whispered, “What did he say?”

Again Gaby acted as translator and noting Steffen had yet to climb behind the wheel, leaned over and replied in a whisper, “Ladies? May I say how lovely you each look tonight.”

The drive to the civic reception at the Hamburg city hall was relatively uneventful, as was the reception itself – from a teenager's point of view.

If one removed all the dry speeches from the gathered dignitaries and the other formalities, it was enjoyable to the extent that the girls were able to socialize with the other competitors and form the bases of new friendships while renewing old. Dave was even able to introduce the four older girls to some of the younger cyclists in the Apollinaris Youth Project, who were competing in the various classes, as part of their local clubs.

The normally quiet Gaby also learned that Judith's comment about her hair feather being a ‘trademark' proved to be very true. As a result of a few photos in the Comics, various Personal Appearance's or mingling with participants at a few races and all the time wearing her feather, she was instantly recognized – if not by name, certainly by the ‘look'. Whether it was a solitary pose; with her mum or with the team, Gaby found herself in front of a camera lens more often than she preferred.

The next day wasn't much different. After a continuation of the previous day's meeting, the team adjourned to watch some of the racing activity and limited mingling with fellow competitors as they prepared for their events. Eventually, Team Apollinaris made their way to Ehestorfer Weg to join the other spectators at the start/finish line.

Since they weren't riding that day, all the girls were dressed casual – jeans, t-shirts or a tank top, trainers and their sun-glasses. Due to the unexpected mid-June temperatures, all the girls had unzipped their team jackets. At the insistence of the other girls, Gaby was wearing her feathers and choker as she did for the reception.

After they took up their final viewing positions, Jenny and the girls were soon busy analyzing the riders as they rode past. Eventually Kat noticed they were getting a fair bit of attention during the lulls in the action, mostly from the boys. Judith pointed out that a lot of the glances seemed to be directed at Gaby, a fact quickly agreed upon by the other girls.

“S'not fair,” Gaby jokingly whined. “It's like being allergic to cats and having hundreds rub up against you.”

“I could always stay on your arm und put my head on your shoulder, if you think that would help,” Nina softly suggested she hugged Gaby's arm and playfully cuddled up to her team mate.

“Couldn't hurt,” Gab cooed as she gently took hold of Nina's free hand. Her response sparked a round of giggling within the team.

As the lead break-away group approached, Jenny and the girls quickly became all business and directed their attention to the 200m straight prior to the finish in the hopes of witnessing a final sprint. They all agreed there was exceptional talent in this class of juniors and it would be a hard fought finish.

As the riders were seen to be making the final turn onto Ehestorfer Weg, the thoughts of each girl in the team momentarily drifted to their own race the next day and the level of competition they would be facing. Just as quickly as minds wandered, they snapped back to reality as each of the four girls, along with Jenny, scrutinized the moves of each cyclist in the lead group.

At the conclusion of the race and with the crowd slowly dispersing, the Junioren Team Apollinaris made their way back to the van, with everyone participating in the analysis of the inspired sprint finish they just had witnessed. Each girl was also anticipating an early night in preparation for a busy day.

As the girls wheeled their bikes to the start area, they all at some point looked to the sky with apprehension. The forecast was for possible showers during the afternoon and cooler temperatures than the previous day. So far, the day's rain had held off under grey skies, although it had rained through the night and roads were still slick in places. There was no need for sunglasses, however.

Gaby, Judith, Nina and Kris joined the other cyclists at the far end of Ehestorfer way for the 1330hrs rolling start, where they where met by Jenny.

“Dave and Kat are waiting for me in the car … now you girls know what you have to do?”

“Well, at least someone's in a good mood … we'll be right behind you,” Jenny responded. “Just remember to keep your options open and follow Gaby's lead … you voted her team captain for this race ... have a good ride.” With that, Jen walked back to the line of support vehicles and joined Dave and Kat in their assigned car.

Ready for the start signal, Gaby took one last look around before focusing on the task at hand. She noted the strips from powerhouse teams like Vita Classica and RG Team Rügenfisch, intermixed with the competitors immediately around them. Although she didn't initially see them, Gaby knew T-Mobile's U19 team and the local favourite, Team SRM & Chaka were among the field of 160 riders.

At precisely 1330hrs, the field moved off toward the start line like a controlled mob with the sound of the starting gun. Team Apollinaris was comfortably sitting in the front third of the pack as they turned off Ehestorfer Weg onto Triftstra ße for the first time and its 400m long descent. At a 9% gradient, it wasn't overly steep but Gaby still noted her computer was climbing past 43.5kph as she powered down the hill with the rest of the peleton. She was also acutely aware of the sweeping right turn onto Gro ße Straße at the base of the hill and if she or her team continued to pick up speed, they might not make the turn.

Gaby made a subtle motion that was picked up by the other three girls and together they started to gradually brake. They figured that any lost ground could be made up on the long ascent that awaited them after the turn. As Gaby surmised, a gap did materialize between a lead group of ten or twenty and Team Apollinaris but the lead group, intent on using the descent to provide the beginning of an early break-away misjudged the road conditions on the corner. The resulting pile-up removed the immediate hopes of at least ten cyclists and caused the others to slowly thread their way through a bottleneck of downed bikes.

The girls successfully rounded the corner onto Gro ße Straße , still within the main peleton, but as their situation became apparent after completing the turn, Gaby decided to take advantage of their unexpectedly improved position.

Being fully aware of the ‘hilly' nature of the course, her mum referred to Judith and herself as ‘mountain goats' because of where they did most of their training rides. Gaby was also keenly aware of the strength's of both Nina and Kris and decided that this would be the best time to make a move; while the ascent on Gro ße Straße was still negligible and while they had the element of surprise since it was still in the first lap. She was also gambling on the abilities of “Jenny's mountain goats” once they successfully broke away from the main body.

Gaby discretely took stock of those around her. It was the first of 19 laps and the leaders seemed content to bide their time at a lazy 31kph., while they started the long and deceptively gentle ascent.

As the peleton was passing the 1 kilometre mark on the course, Gaby saw an opening and released Nina and Judith. Using her speed, Nina startled others around her with her sudden break from the main body, pulling Judith with her. Gaby reasoned that at least one of the ‘mountain goats' would be free if she and Kris became bottled up.

Except for picking up a girl from each, Vita Classica and RG Team Rügenfisch, Nina remained unchallenged on her break-out. Instead of some of the peleton chasing down and ‘returning' Nina to the main body, the small group of four was allowed to remain out in front. Gaby revised her plans to take advantage of this development.

As the field passed the 2 kilometre marker for the course, the gradient of the ascent had markedly increased, with the result that the peleton was becoming strung out and the pace had slowed by a few kilometres. In the distance, Gaby could see the ‘break-away four' starting to slow as they entered the long bend in the road that signaled the beginning of a dog-leg in the road and a drastic increase to a 12% gradient. This was the time to go!

Kristen's long friendship with Gaby, which originated with Drew, paid off. She was able to see what Gaby saw as did the other leaders in the field, but she had the added advantage to knowing how Gaby thought. In one fluid synchronized move, Kristen and Gaby threw their bikes into a higher gear and powered their way out of the peleton. Only one other, a rider from T-Mobile, was quick enough to take up the gauntlet that Gaby threw down.

With both girls now out of the saddles, Gaby and Kris soon passed the cyclist from RG Team Rügenfisch in the steep dog-leg as they approached the sharp left at the crest of the hill. Once they made the turn onto the tree-lined Hainholzweg , they began the 1 kilometre downhill that would become significantly steeper once they turned onto Strucksborg.

Gaby and Kristen powered down the entire length of the descent, not as much to lose their fellow competitor as to join with Judith and Nina before they got too far ahead. Both girls took advantage of the long downhill to snack on a power bar and take some water.

As Jenny sped past them in the car to overtake Nina and Judith in the lead group, Kat held up a hastily written makeshift sign in the rear window showing Gaby's small group to be just over three minutes in front of the main body.

Team Apollinaris was finally reunited as they passed the 4 kilometre course marker during the downhill run on Strucksborg. The small group of six cyclists was now a full four minutes in front of the peleton and 2.5 minutes in front of the solitary rider from RG Team Rügenfisch.

After 1 lap, the remaining climbs had often slowed the progress of the lead break-away group enough that they now numbered seven. The lone cyclist from RG Team Rügenfisch had finally caught the lead group as they entered the second lap. During much of the race, Gaby and her six shadows were able to maintain a fairly respectable lead on the peleton despite the one or two downbursts.

From a safety aspect, the showers did soak the roads and temporarily slow the average speed of the bikes, as well as make cornering more treacherous. Although the majority of the road surfaces dried fairly quickly, large sheltered sections remained slick resulting in two more multi-bike spills that saw another 15 riders pulled from competition for one reason or another. On a positive note, it provided some relief for the cyclists still on the grueling course.

The peleton, once one single entity was now strung out like a long snake over the course and at one point, even divided into three distinct groups as a result of the prolonged and difficult climbs, the duration of the race and several separate attempts to break-away from the main field.

By lap 18, Team Apollinaris had managed to stay together along with several other cyclists from Vita Classica, RG Team Rügenfisch, RV Concordia Reute and their nemesis, T-Mobile. Their gap from the lead segment of the peleton was now a full seven minutes. As they turned onto Ehestorfer Weg to get the bell signifying the final lap, the skies opened up yet again and Gaby had one thought shoot through her mind. “Thank God!”

During the downhill run on Triftstra ße, Gaby decided she'd allow status quo until the long descent sections on the back-half of the course. It was her plan to open up a gap before getting back into the hills that the team could maintain until the finish. “Now, if the others would only co-operate!”

Due to the weather, Gaby and the others in her group collectively slowed their pace. This was not the time to wipe out at the turn at the bottom of the hill. As they all made it through the intersection back onto Gro ße Straße for the last time, the group instinctively started doing piano and working together to make it up the hill. When each member of Team Apollinaris had been relieved of her position as leader and they drifted past Gaby on their way to the end of the line, Gaby was able to subtly let each one to know to follow her lead when the time came.

As the group entered the second kilometre of the climb on Gro ße Straße, the two riders from RV Concordia Reute decided to try to break away as the climb grew steeper. A resulting chase was not only able to rein in the two rebellious riders, but split the group, leaving four of their number behind. Unfortunately, Kris was one of those four. She was inadvertently boxed in when the chase began and as a result, couldn't safely react.

However, when the smaller group entered the dog-leg, Kristen managed to find it within her to stage her own one-woman break-out and as a result got much closer to the lead group with the intent to re-join them on the upcoming long descent . Showing no fear powering down the often slick Hainholzweg, Kris was able to catch the last girl of the lead group before they turned off onto Strucksborg. A quick glance over her right shoulder as they made the sweeping turn revealed the smaller chase group was well back, but within sight.

Upon entering the hills by turning onto Beerentaltwiete, the momentum the seven leaders gained from the combined downhill runs of Hainholzweg and Strucksborg plus the flat run of Beerentatweg started to bleed off, at first ever so slightly but more noticeably as the gradient of the climb increased. By the time they turned onto Göhlbachtal with its steep climb, the outrider motorbikes that patrolled the course, were informing the lead group via signs, their lead had been cut to 3.8 minutes.

Gaby's plan didn't quite work out as hoped for so out of desperation, while the climb was still relatively easy, she notched her gears up and rose out of the saddle in an attempt to break away from the group during the climb. She knew Judith would probably come with her as well as one or two of the others, but by the same token, if she was successful, increase chances of Judith and herself if it came down to a sprint by eliminating the sprinters of the group. As the gradient increased after the turn onto In der Schlucht, so did the success of her strategy.

By the time In der Schlucht merged with Kitchenhang at the steepest portion of that climb, Gaby and Judith only had to worry about Jessika and Riana of Vita Classica and RG Team Rügenfisch. From past races, Gaby knew and respected both girls and their capabilities on the bike. Of the two, she considered Riana to have the advantage if it came down to an all-out sprint. It would be too close to call if it was a sprint between Riana and Judith.

On Weusthoffstra ße the girls felt they could return to the saddle but they didn't let off as they powered up to the final turn onto Ehestorfer Weg.

As soon as all four made the turn, the nervous glances began. Jessika made an attempt to escape the other three but Gaby and Riana were quick to take up the chase allowing Judith to launch into an all-out effort for the finish line by speeding up the opposite side of the road. Hearing the click of Riana's gears behind her, Gaby changed gears and rose from the saddle a fraction of a second before Riana. Despite her intuition, Riana's power got the jump on Gaby by a bike length. The four-way sprint was on!

Jenny was following in the team support car, a short distance behind the group when the sprint started. Dave looked over from the passenger seat and saw Jenny mouthing instructions to Gaby and generally living every pedal revolution for that sprint.

Dave later swore there was a telepathic link between mother and daughter because at the same instant as Jenny silently mouthed the word ‘NOW', Gaby veered sharply left to avoid a collision with Riana's back tire and as Riana glanced back, summoned everything she had left, squeaking past Riana to take the Championship.

The top three positions fell to Gaby, Riana and Judith, in that order. Gaby's winning time was 03:19:22. Only three seconds separated first and second place. Eight seconds separated the top four cyclists.

When the four girls finally got off their bikes, there were hugs and congratulations all around. Jessika remarked it was in response to finishing and none of the four disputed the sentiment.

Once Jenny caught up with her daughter, she ushered Gaby off to the mandatory drug testing and the change facilities back at the Heisenberg Gymnasium where she later joined the others in a quick shower and generally freshened up before the award ceremonies. As she was brushing her hair out, Kat presented Gabs with the box she kept her feathers in when she wasn't wearing them.

“Here! … You left these in the room …You don't want to look undressed for your fans,” Kat said with a grin as she held the box out for Gaby.

Gaby simply looked at her and with a tired smile, silently took the box from Kat and proceeded to braid the rawhide strip into her hair for her hair feather. After putting in her earrings and fastening the choker around her neck, she changed into her Apollinaris team jacket, warm-up pants and trainers. Following the application of a little make-up, Gaby joined her parents and teammates in waiting for the remaining riders to cross the line.

After all the riders were in, the remaining Team Apollinaris joined with other teams to proudly watch the award ceremonies.

In the days following Gaby's win at the National Championship Jenny allowed the girls to take some time off before resuming training. She was waiting for the pro team to take advantage of a short break in their schedule after the Rabobank Ster Zeeuwsche Eilanden in the Netherlands and return to Bad Neuenahr later that month.

“Hey, beautiful … ya gonna come out with us this Friday night? Liesl und Suse are finished writing on the 20 th , so we thought we'd all go out und properly celebrate our graduation.”

A few minutes of silence passed before Kat distinctly heard a loud sigh at the other end, followed by, “I assume you mean ‘we' … as in couples? … You know how I feel about being the odd girl.”

More silence passed before Kat calmly but quietly, spoke into the phone, “C'mon Gaby …. we've been through this before! … Besides, it might be the last time we'll all be together … what with your upcoming ‘Tour' und everyone else scattering for summer jobs … not to mention the different universities in the Fall … C'mon … bitte, Gaby?” Kat desperately wanted Gaby to join them.

During the last week of June, Jenny resumed the training of the junior team. Nina and Kristen joined Gaby and Judith training with daily rides along side of the Pro team. Like for the Championships, they were determined to be ready for the upcoming Junior Women's U19 World Cup Tour.

The mood in the Team Apollinaris camp was riding on a high. Tina was having a good year, most recently with her two recent podium finishes by the way of a second place finish in the Montreal World Cup and an overall first place finish in the second annual Prince Edward Island Tour. Both Canadian races were held earlier in the month. She was also happy with her fourth place finish in France's Grande Boucle Féminine Internationale. Plans called for the team to resume the World Cup Tour with the ‘ Giro d'Italia Femminile ', in Italy, early July.

However, the mood of both teams was justifiably buoyed when Gaby wore her new team skins on the training rides. Both her Team Apollinaris skins and team jacket now sported the German flag trim she was entitled to wear as the Junioren U19 German National Champion. This made her the first German National Champion in the Team Apollinaris organization; a fact George and the sponsor were very proud of.

“Rough Waters”