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much excitement. When the Frenchmen<br />
approached the Romanians it was quite<br />
clear that the Romanians strained every<br />
nerve. This was obvious in the beginning<br />
of 2nd half when Romania went<br />
from a lead of 15-14 to 19-14 and in<br />
reality decided the match. The most<br />
positive surprise for me was the Greek<br />
team which played quite sensitively and<br />
forced Norway – which did not reach<br />
the semi-finals due to a lower goal<br />
score than Denmark – into an extended<br />
playing time in the fight about the<br />
5th/6th place.<br />
On the other hand, Switzerland, which<br />
participated without having qualified,<br />
was the most negative experience. In<br />
future, no team should participate in the<br />
finals without having qualified through<br />
matches. I dare say that several of the<br />
teams which were beaten in the qualifying<br />
matches could have defeated<br />
Switzerland.<br />
Finally, I would very much like to thank<br />
the French Police Sports Association for<br />
a successful and well-organised championship.<br />
Niels Grönnemose-Madsen, Denmark<br />
5th European Police Cycling<br />
Championship<br />
Preface<br />
An old adage says that spontaneous decisions<br />
are mostly right.<br />
When our colleagues from the Yugoslav<br />
police had to cancel the European Cycling<br />
Championships scheduled for 20<br />
September 2004 three months prior to the<br />
event, this was a regrettable decision. At<br />
this juncture, the Austrian Police Sports<br />
Association with its President Dr. Günter<br />
Marek and Director of Sports Herbert<br />
Offenberger showed that they were not<br />
only a pillar of the European Police Sports<br />
Federation (<strong>USPE</strong>), but also able to organise<br />
such a big event.<br />
So, after a period of brief deliberation,<br />
they took over the organisation of the 5th<br />
EPC Cycling, and Windischgarsten and<br />
the Pyhrn Priel holiday region turned out<br />
to be ideal partners for this European<br />
championship.<br />
The <strong>USPE</strong> with President Jean Pierre<br />
Havrin, Secretary-General Dietmar<br />
Schönhoff and Assistant Christian Weerts<br />
immediately agreed and were enthusiastic<br />
about Windischgarsten, a venue they very<br />
well remembered from the 2002 EPC<br />
Skiing.<br />
When Dr. Günter Marek asked the Federal<br />
Minister of the Interior, Dr. Ernst Strasser,<br />
for assistance, the minister immediately<br />
assured him of his utmost support and the<br />
Sports Office of the Federal Ministry of<br />
the Interior headed by Dr. Günter Marek<br />
jr. did everything it could for providing<br />
the necessary support.<br />
Road courses and races<br />
Windischgarsten saw the start of 19<br />
nations and a total of 85 male and 20<br />
female cyclists proved to be a respectable<br />
turnout. The courses for the time trial and<br />
the road race were quickly found. The<br />
individual trial course from<br />
Windischgarsten to Spital am Pyhrn up to<br />
the Wurzeralm Alpine hut was 25.6 km<br />
long and extremely difficult, as there is a<br />
non-stop ascent from Spital am Pyhrn to<br />
the Wurzeralm. Between the start and the<br />
turn, a distance of 12.5km and a total of<br />
200m of altitude had to be overcome.<br />
The actual race, however, turned out to be<br />
more difficult than anticipated. Despite<br />
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