Yesterday I did the race in Johannesburg. My purpose to go there was to get a really hard race and that was what I got. The 4 South African pro-teams were all there. Ladies cycling in South Africa has really made a big step forward. 2 of the girls are normally racing for pro-teams in Europe and now there is 4 big teams in the country and all the girls are doing this full time. This did not exist a few years ago. The race was on altitude and it is different to race up there if you live on sea level, the teams are all based up in Johannesburg so they are more used to the altitude.

The first 50 km was relatively slow without attacks, the race basically started when we got to the hills, from then on it was constant attacks all the way to the finish, the race was 116 km. In the latest races there has been a break away that stayed away to the finish, if that would happen again I wanted to be in it. So that meant that I had to go on all the attacks, which I did, I took a bit of strength from that. The feeling of lactid acid on altitude is different and your heart rate does not go as high as normally, I really got to experience this!  Unfortunately nothing stayed away so it came down to a bunch sprint.

The last kilometre was downhill and within the last 500 meters we had to go through two 90 degree corners, a pretty dangerous finish. I think my resent accidents and operations were in my mind and made me hold back a bit, I did not want to take any risks right now. I finished in the bunch but don’t know the placing yet.

Cherise Taylor won the race, she took silver at the junior worlds 2007, a strong girl and absolutely a future star.

Today, as most Mondays, is a restday and time for recovery. In the morning I went for a massage and then ice bath, I sit in a jacuzzi that is only 9 degrees and then change to another jacuzzi with 36 degrees and then change a few times between them. The cold one hurts a lot:-)!

Soon I will have lunch with a friend and tonight it is “family dinner” with my South African family. The lady that I rented from 2 years ago has become my extra mum in SA and on Mondays their family eats dinner together and I am now one of them.

I like Mondays!!