STAGE 1 TOUR OF QATAR

Start: Museum of Islamic Art
Finish: Masaieed
Distance: 97km (sprints 35.5k + 64.5k)
Team: Georgia, Bea, Emilia, Lotte, Shell and I

It was a 13km commute to the Museum of Islamic Art where we would roll off for the first stage of the Ladies Tour of Qatar. For perhaps the first time in my life I rode most of the way in silence as my once were nerves developed into a feeling of fear. To think that of all the races I have done in my lifetime, this is the first time I have been scared. Scared that I would make a mistake, that I would crash, let the team down in some way or that I would simply not be good enough in my first race UCI as a professional. It's been five years since I raced in the pro peloton and I suppose in a way it's good that I don't underestimate my competition, but in the same breath I must believe that I am now good enough.

Georgia, Lotte, Emilia, Shell, Bea and I at sign-on
Photo courtesy Ottilie Quince

The first 3.2km were a designated neutral zone, but even after the flag was dropped to start the bike race it was still relatively sedated. We had a tailwind for the first hour and not surprisingly, not a single break was initiated. It was a matter of surviving the 'washing machine' effect of the peloton, the crash, the monster cat-eyes and the abandoned motorbike of a crazy driver that slid into the bunch! I was on edge the whole time which eventually made me mad because I've always thrived in an adrenaline filled peloton, and when the crucial moments approached I found myself being pushed around and slipping back through the field.

Fast forward to 35km and the pace ramped up for the first intermediate sprint. We had decided not to target this as a team and watched on as three time winner and defending champion Kirsten Wild (Giant-Shimano) took the bonus seconds. We then turned into a cross headwind where we expected the race to break to pieces, but there was no initiative taken by the teams as the wind wasn't quite 'cross' enough to force a split. There was one last significant turn that would see another change in wind direction and the bunch became anxious as it loomed in the distance. This was where it would all happen. This is where the hammer would go down. I repeated to myself 'be prepared'.

The line up for the first UCI race of the year...
Photo courtesy ASO/B.Bade

Most of the peloton ignored the 55km feed, solely concentrating on their position and the wheel in front. The crosswind was causing some havoc and everyone muscled a wheel in desperation as the bunch began to string out. I was already struggling to hold position when I saw the quartet of Orica-AIS making their way to the head of the group to finish off the job. I was now out of the echelon and knew that this would spell some serious gutter action. It's a tough balance between being in the draft, balanced enough in the wind to hold your line on the road's edge, and holding that damn wheel!

The race was now single-file and splintered as girls flew back through the convoy of cars. I was already on my limit when I saw Georgia was just three girls in-front of me, but I couldn't get to her to relieve the wind and she became the very last person to lose contact with the final lead selection of 20. I started another echelon for the seven of us that made up the chase bunch, and after 2k we were joined by a bunch of 25 including Lotte and Shell. The manpower may sound good on paper, but most were keen to rest with Rusvelo being the first to assist us in the chase. Just 5k after the split the gap was already 40sec.

Lotte, Georgia, Shell and I in the chase group
Photo courtesy ASO/B.Bade

I thought I was rolling turns at an exertion level that I could hold for the rest of the day, but nearly instantaneously I went from feeling good to being in serious trouble and poof- I nearly got shot off the back! I managed to grab last wheel in the gutter and throw down a High5 gel, and one by one I started to pick off girls to make my way back to the front. My legs weren't lactic but overall I was useless and after just 10k of workload I was alone. It was eerily quiet as the riders drifted away, and I was grateful to turn around and see a distant shadow which turned out to be the third and final bunch.

After a howling tailwind home I finished in 65th, 4:30min down on the leaders. I was happy to have an easier run to the finish but I certainly never felt recovered. Meanwhile up the road, Wild went on to take out the second sprint and the finale, giving her the overall lead by 9sec in the hunt for her fourth title in Qatar. The Wiggle Honda chasers finished 53sec down with Shell our top finisher in 37th place.

Wild takes out stage 1
Photo courtesy Team Giant-Shimano

For me personally I'm disappointed that I wasn't stronger. I was happy with my positioning for my first race back but I realise that every day I race my self-expectation must rise. I did my best to get Georgia back into the bike race and for that reason I am still pleased. We are all aware that our performance today was far from what we sought, and far from what we are capable of. But tomorrow is another day and although the general classification is now out of our reach, we have a great opportunity to race for potential stage wins.

Results: Via cyclingnews
Garmin: Stage 1
Video: Via @Cycling_videos

FOCUS OZZIE CROSS CYCLOCROSS

I was drawn to Adelaide in January for the same reason most Australian cycling enthusiasts are- the Santos Tour Down Under. The allure of the Worlds best Professional Male Cyclists racing for the first WorldTour race of the season staged an opportunity for the Women to race as well, on a modified 3-stage tour somewhat in conjunction with the men- the Women's Tour Down Under. An even more convenient clash was the first of the MTB National Round races, a few club criteriums and to top off a six day race week I stumbled across the Focus Ozzy Cross Cyclocross Race.

Got to take this baby for a spin thanks to Focus Bikes
Photo courtesy Jarrod Moroni

I had entertained the thought of cyclocross in 2013, but a back injury (that still lingers) had put an end to that pursuit, so I decided that maybe this was my chance. I decided I would race it on my MTB before an 'out of the blue' call from Cycling Australia's Neil Ross. He asked me my seat height, my stretch and told me that he had a bike for me to borrow on Sunday. It belonged to his wife, and since she last threw her leg over it at the 2007 World Championships he had loaned it out on 5 occasions- 4 times it had won..no pressure! It was a rough roll-out lap. The bike felt very different to my road and MTB, my cornering and braking were horrendous, and I kept forgetting that the bike ran SRAM, so instead of chainging down a gear I was changing up.

The course was pretty straight forward. A well groomed course that took roughly 6.5mins a lap. A fire-trail down to the first dirt corner, zig-zags up and down a grassy incline, over a barricade, grassland to a bridge and subsequent hot-mix bike path, through the 'dark forrest', over the gravel-pit, and a few whoops through to the finish line. I decided that I would run the entire zig-zag section because after trialling I decided it was quicker, take my time through the 'dark forrest' as the bunting and course direction was hard to follow, and then sprint into the gravel pit to get to the other side without dismounting. I had no plan for the final straight other than to lead..simple right? The track was smooth and road orientated but at 180+hr nothing is ever 'easy'.

Enjoying myself much? lol
Photo courtesy Kirsty Baxter

The field was intimidating for me and due to an 'on the day entry' I started back row. It took me a few nervous seconds to get around the slower starters in front, but I opened up the legs on my first opportunity and slotted nicely into fifth. We arrived at the switchbacks and while the others girls tackled it on the bike, I got off and ran- straight past Jackie Schapel, Katherine O'Shea, Jenny MacPherson, and stepped over the barrier passing Sarah Holmes. When I remounted I was miraculously in the lead! I have no doubt that my memory bank kicked in- running and re-mounting felt natural from my XC running and Triathlon days. Is there any sport I haven't tried?

I launched out of the next corner in a sprint, continuing my effort along the bike path as Jenny sat in Sarah's draft. I eased through the dark forrest still mislead by bunting, made it through the gravel patch unscathed and caught my breath through the end of the first lap, leading by just 6 seconds. I was shocked that I was in-front and that my legs were actually feeling good, and after two laps I had settled in nicely. I continued to shoulder check for Sarah who had now ridden away from Jenny, but it seemed the only in-roads she was making were through the dark forrest. I began to wonder if I could hold her at bay for 45mins, then on lap 3 I got the bell...idiot, the race is only 30mins and we finished on the better side of it in 26:22min. It seemed that no sooner had we started and it was all over! Sarah Holmes (Focus) finished second +33sec, from Jenny Macpherson (Giant) in third +48sec.

Elite Podium: Jenny Macpherson, myself and Sarah Holmes
Photo courtesy Steve Holmes

I was excited to have found another discipline that I so greatly enjoyed, and relieved that the bike had lived up to it's expectations. So now I have the bug! For those that are yet to try it, I encourage you to give it a go. If you don't have a cyclocross bike-no fear-you can ride a MTB or road bike in the open category. If you think you don't have the skill you are lying to yourself-we all know how to run around an obstacle or corner that we feel we can't conquer. So find your local Cyclocross Club, help roll out some bunting, and get racing. Thanks to the PACC CX for a superb race, to Neil Ross for forever finding ways to encourage women in sport, and to Graeme from Focus for not only supporting CX but for creating the beautiful beast of a bike that they do!

Results: Via PACC CX

UNLEY CRITERIUM

I won’t lie…it was pretty difficult to motivate myself for yet another day of racing. It was the seventh day straight with many days being double sessions, and the sight of lycra was no longer appealing, not to mention a few saddle sores that were not appreciative of another session. But after the success of the Tour Down Under I had promised race organiser Jenny Macpherson that I would support the Unley Hyde-Park criterium, and even bought along my German Wiggle Honda teammate, Anna Schnitzmeier. The circuit was fast with four flowing corners and a light cobbled section leading into the finish to spice it up. The crowd had turned out to watch thanks to the coinciding Unley street festival but unfortunately the same couldn’t be said for the A grade women’s field. It was a disappointing turn out with only one South Australian local taking to the start line of an interstate field, but still the race must go on.

The three escapees of the race - Schintzy, Julia and I

We took an easy approach to the first few laps to warm into things before Jenny launched the first attack. As is usually the way, she was chased in earnest by the small field and I countered in solo fashion. I wasn’t pleased to be solo because my legs were hammered from the previous days of racing but at least I could put my head down and get a great session in. After 8 minutes I was bought back only to have Anna go off the front with Perth based Julia Kalotas on her wheel. Go teamie! Anna was forced to do all of the work and as Jenny and Kate Finnegan began to bring them back Julia started to contribute, but it was too little too late and we were all back together. As if like clockwork I attacked again and after a few solo laps saw myself back in the bunch. One lap later I went again, but it was very short lived and I decided it was time to rest as Anna took the reigns again, this time on her own. I have no doubt the girls were very much over the orange Wiggle Honda colours off the front, but the crowd were loving it. Another chase and Anna was back, so with five laps to go I made a final bid for glory. I buried myself for the first two laps knowing that if I established enough of a gap that adrenaline would carry me across the line for the 3-lap countdown.

Soaking up the rays..
Photo courtesy Tony Reeckman

I had 10 seconds on the chasing girls at bell lap and only looked back when I entered the finish straight to see my teammate Anna coming home solo in second. I lapped up the victory down the final straight, putting on a show for the crowd and as solo wins are rare, stealing the opportunity for an awesome victory salute photo. Right now my legs are so unbelievably wrecked, but I won’t complain yet because I have a few days of chasing the Men’s Tour Down Under around Adelaide! Feel the rush…

FAREWELL TO TARGET TREK MTB..

The 2013 season was a successful one. I started the year off representing Target Trek, where I claimed runner up at the Bay Criteriums, and a 5^th and 10^th at the Australian Road Championships. I then turned my focus to the dirt on behalf of Target Trek MTB, winning the XCO and XCP at the opening National Round, taking home the green and gold stripes for the Elite National XC Title, and also claimed victory in the Wombat 100k and Forrest 6hr.

These results aside, it was also a tough year for me. Firstly my nan passed away after a tough battle with illness, then I DNF’d the Australian XCM Championships as defending champion and sustained a chronic back injury that put me out for the next 5-months. My plans to go overseas to race two MTB World Cups vanished, as did my plans to compete in both the World XCM and XC World Championships.

Selfie... courtesy of me lol

So I found myself on and off work, intermittently training, partially immobile due to this stupid injury and worst of all I was getting fat! But I knew that I wasn’t done just yet. I would come back from it, my body would heal in it’s own time, and I had some unfinished business to take care of…

So with plenty of time on my hands I sat down on my now 64kg arse and laid out a plan:

Part I: I want to represent Australia at the Commonwealth Games on the MTB. To be one of these three girls I have to compete in my National Championships on the 8^th of March, and partake in two of three MTB World Cups pre May 30^th 2014.

Part II: Further to this I wanted to take part in the entire World Cup series, which meant that I would need some form of funding to be based in Europe for the season. This came in the shape of Rochelle Gilmore, owner of the Wiggle Honda Professional Women’s Team who has signed me on her roster with the understanding that my focus will be MTB and is fully supportive of it.

Part III: I wanted Jarrod to be with me, so she signed him as head mechanic too!

Excited to be joining the Wiggle Honda outfit in 2014
Photo courtesy Kirsty Baxter

It was now August, and with these grand laid plans in place I started to build back up. My first race was a teams MTB race that we won, then I pulled out of my next road race, and crashed out on another attempt. I had a few weeks off and came back to win another MTB race, win a road race, then withdraw from my next two due to back pain. It was a vicious cycle. I quit work to focus on my rehab and prepare for the 2014 season. This time around... not a bad road race, then walking and pain in the next MTB race, and then two wins in a row. I was feeling fit again and went on to win a MTB tour, a road criterium and another MTB race. I was back – excuse the pun.

So the New Year rolled around quite quickly and I prepared for my first race in 2014 with the Wiggle Honda Team. I was excited and child-like about my new journey as the year kicked off, but with my first MTB race drawing closer I had a decision weighing heavy on my shoulders. In a complicated twist of events it became apparent to me that I could no longer ride for Target Trek MTB in the new season. It was tough news to break to the team and an emotional departure for me. But I thank both Target and Trek for their amazing support and killer bikes, and the team and staff for all the great memories.

Target Trek clean sweep the teams classification at the National Championships
Photo courtesy Russ Baker

It’s now 24hrs before I depart for the first National MTB Round in Adelaide, with no time to find my reigning National Champion Jersey! – I think it’s at Mum’s house? I will be borrowing a 2013 Scott Scale RC 29er’ off close friend Gary Lewis which I hear is a lovely bike but I’m yet to find that out. I will ride it for the first time tomorrow, donning my Moronis Bike Shop kit and when I return from Adelaide I’ll sort myself out for the 2014 MTB season and be sure to share some exciting news with you soon!