STAGE 4B FRANCE: CAN I PLEASE GROW SOME TT ABILITY?

With an average of 45kms/hr it was Amber Neben who slaughtered the 64 girls still remaining in the race to take back the yellow jersey for the American's. I believe it was at the 20km to go banner than I began to lactate, and at 15kms that I wished Broso had chosen to drive behind somebody else, and finally at 10k to ride when I hit an uphill incline that I thought I would come to a stand still. There was no out-of-saddle action that lasted longer than 3seconds because I collapsed before getting to that point. With 2minute gaps I was almost impressed when I caught somebody, before realising it was Hyland who had crashed twice that morning. The finish line was very much welcomed and in knowing that our double stage had come to an end, I was elated!

Stephanie Pohl (Hoffmann) extended her lead in the young rider classification after finishing 6th, with American Mara Abbott relegating me to 3rd. My placing of 21st was just one below my performance in the recent Kowalski Tour TT! Kate was half a second behind in 22nd, leaving us 2minutes from a podium finish, still holding top 20 on GC. Thanks must go to New Zealand for allowing me to borrow their trainer, swanny and race wheels for the afternoon :) After Josie had checked off for random drug-testing we made our way to another one-night housing where I was once again placed with Tiff. The flashing lights slightly resembled those you might witness when locating a brothel! But never judge a book by it's cover... aside from the dimly lit hallways, the inner and outer particulars had nothing in common.

Results: La Route De France Feminine, Stage 4b, Amilly - Amilly, 22.4 kms