Bratsk ITT   

Burning lungs and sweat pouring down their bodies, marks the end of a 28 kilometer long time trial race for many riders in the vicinity of Bratsk. Most riders gave their best at delivering a good result to win this race. But at the finish line they all refuse the politely given waterbottle from the organization.

The burning lungs are not caused by the amount of effort by the riders, the burning feeling is caused by t...

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Burning lungs and sweat pouring down their bodies, marks the end of a 28 kilometer long time trial race for many riders in the vicinity of Bratsk. Most riders gave their best at delivering a good result to win this race. But at the finish line they all refuse the politely given waterbottle from the organization.

The burning lungs are not caused by the amount of effort by the riders, the burning feeling is caused by the sheer pollution in the air from the Bratsk Aluminum Plant and you do not want to rinse it off with the water from Bratsk that has so much mercury in it it radiates when held in the dark. The idea that it would help in nocturnal races because your eyes shine on the pavement without using a light does not help either. Nobody wants bright shining eyes in the dark.

Covered in dirt, sweat and a small amount of radiation every rider will go straight to their teambus and will not look around the city. They are missing out on many typical Bratsk specialities, such as the Bratsk Hydroelectric Power Station, The Bratsk Aluminum Plant and the many penal colonies and prisons surrounding the area. When you have been to Bratsk you have been to one of the dirtiest cities in the world and you will remember it the rest of your life. You never need a light on when you are reading a book after midnight in your bed.