Marshals For Week of:
07 Dec 2008

2008-04-15

Wow what a weekend! My first two kermeses in Belgium and I came 2nd in both, leaving just enough room for improvement, to keep me driving in training!

I've adopted the ways of the Belgy's of eating pasta 3hrs before the race, it seems an obvious thing to do, as I always had pasta the night before. But the races are on at 3pm so its pasta for brunch too?!

So for the race rundown- Sunday at Incourt (town), 10 laps of 9.2km course.

The circuit

How it unfolded

The bunch was quite relaxed today, as most the field would have raced yesterday, so just as the lactate moved around the legs the attacks started firing. Nothing really went early on and it was getting a bit annoying really- if nothing could get away, then it would be a bunch sprint. I just couldn't bear to have some 90kgs big units beating me in a bike race like that! So as we turned right going up thru the village, I attacked on lap 3. I was away and built up a minute lead, but the bunch soon claimed that back with the tailwind as we head back to Incourt village. Next lap, another chick tried the same trick, but with even less gain. This kept happening over the next few laps, with solo efforts being hampered by the strong winds on the top of the circuit. A group needed to make a break and it just wasn't happening…. Until 3 laps to go, I saw a group of about 5 riders go up the road. They weren't gaining too much ground up the hill and sitting quite a few riders from the front of the peloton. I knew it was the move to be in, so I jumped out into the wind and bridged across. A group of 7 ended up getting away and soon we had 3mins on the peloton… how we got that much time I have no idea?! My heart rate was only sitting on 154bmp which is only my E2 heart range? (Max is 208). To put this in perspective, Saturday I was sitting on 188-190bpm for the whole 75km break! So we cruised around for the last 3laps with some riders not taking turns, we had to try and drop them before the sprint. The Lotto girl and Belgium National Team (BNT) rider looked strong, so Lotto attacked with 3km to go, I jumped on her wheel and we gapped the bunch. But BNT unfortunately dragged the others up too. So the 3 of us put in a few more attacks and we into the final 750m, Helen Whyman (GBR-Swift Racing) attacked and I jumped on her wheel. Lotto attacked around us and I bridged across, with 250m to go and on the final left hand corner I lead the sprint out (yes, I'm still to chicken to wait any longer!). I flew past Lotto and was looking pretty good, til just on the line BNT rider pipped me on the line…. 2nd, AGAIN!

I really hope this doesn't become the norm, I think this week I will get the English boys to teach me a few tricks on sprinting! Callum (ENG), says I should look at what hand they pick up their drink bottle with and that's usually the foot that they will lead with when they accelerate. So 'hit it' when that foot is at 6 o'clock.

Social News:

The other problem is that all the little bakeries and cafés have their own little assortment of fine chocolates and cakes, ooh they look so good. But so far, so good, I haven't actually tried any yet. Perhaps on my last week here I will have a taste or two. Perhaps you should put any orders in while I still have a few Euro's on me! Hahaha

Anyway, I've always found race reports really boring. So feel free to ask any random facts you want to know about racing. Like how many riders crashed, or how many ambulances turned up? On interesting thing to note, last year they only had 2 occasions where the doping control (drug testing) turned up to a women's race. On Sunday, they tested the top 6 riders (yes me!). It's done in a similar fashion, as you would imagine, to the Australian method. Only they did not watch and only had one-person present- apparently they should have had 2 and watched, like in Oz! So if you hear any rumours about a positive test, it because they dodged it up! :-o

I did the good deed and gave my podium flowers to Juil Bear (that's only how you say his name, not spell it!). He is the masseur that my household all go to, he was very happy with that. I got a trophy too, don't know what I'll do with that thou? Maybe a new coffee cup for breakfast time!? Hahaha jk.

Wow, I look out the window right now and can see blue skies at 8pm, that certainly not a common sight here. As you always hear about Belgium- always has grey skies. It doesn't bother me, cause I've had my fair share of burning clear skies in Cobar.

Oh I nearly forgot to mention, the DS (Director Sportif, aka Manager) for the Lotto Pro Women's Team, said he will be watching me after my result on Saturday. Then on Sunday at the end, he was asking me if I would be interested in joining his team. From June1st- 30th, there is a transfer window, where you can swap teams for the rest of the season. Lotto is one of the bigger pro women's team. So I guess that would be a good thing then?

Ok I'm sure you over my email now and do actually have lots of work to be getting on with. If not, I'm happy to have taken your lunch hour up!

Keep me posted, I hear nothing from Australia anymore- no news!

Hope you all are doing great, racing, training and working hard but living it up on the weekends.

Cheers cobbas,

Leonie

http://www.vrouwenwielrennenbelgie.tk/