The World Champs in Singen is over. I am happy in a way and disappointed in a way… I had prepared as well as I could, the training had gone really well the last few weeks ,last weekend Craig and I drove for 2 days to get to Singen a week before the race to check the route without stress. We rode one of the loops every day and I could decide on the choice of tyres (Continenal race king at the back and X-king on the front since there were a lot of loose corners) and I was also sure that my Lauf fork was the right choice for this course. I felt that it was a course that suited me very well with a lot of short power climbs and it would be a tactical race and I felt that I had a good chance to be up there fighting for the medals.
During the days leading up to the race it said in the media that it was the strongest field in the history of the XCM World Champs, we were 77 girls from 21 different nations and it sure was a really strong field. We had a 80 km course starting with a 31 km lap and then a 49 km lap. I got a good start and felt strong and managed to sit high up the whole time, most of the time in the top 5. I might have been a bit too much at the front since it sometimes was difficult to fight for position. There was one long single track section on each lap and I came in as 5th the first time, perfect position. I lost control of the bike on an off camber section and a got a real fright since I was really close to crashing! I managed to get control of the bike and stay upright but I heard a loud crack from the saddle and when I sat down I felt that it was pointing down a lot!! I could not stop to fix it on a fast course like this so my only option was to carry on hoping I would be able to ride like that. It worked for a while and I could carry on keeping a position at the front. Out on the second lap I managed to be 3rd up the steepest climb of the day and I felt good. But after about 50 km I started to feel tired in places of my legs where I normally don’t get tired and eventually I started cramping. I was obviously not used to the new "set up" the saddle created. It was a real fight for position when we came to the single track for the second time and I managed to get in as number 4 this time. Annika crashed early on and that made the group split since it was difficult to pass her. Jolanda and Sabine got away and also Christina even though she was just in front of me. Annika and Gunn Rita passed me on the single track and when we came out on the other side I could still see all the girls but by then my legs were hurting from the cramping becuse of the seat position I was in, it was difficult to put the power down. I saw Esther a bit behind me and soon she caught up to me and sat my wheel to pass me on the last climb. By then I did not have the power in my legs or my head to chase. I finished in 7th position 1 minute and 13 seconds behind Annika who eventually won and 3 seconds behind Esther who I almost caught. I was extremely disappointed about the saddle since I really felt good today and think I could have done a bit better. I think I will be happy with my 7th place in a few days time and there is always a new World Champs next year;)
A big thank you goes to the Fredrik and David and the Swedish Federation for helping Gustav and I during the race! It has been a few fun days with this small little team. And thank you to Åbro/CBC for the endless support!!!
Tomorrow it is time to drive again for a full day up through Germany and back to Sweden.
Excited before start
Just after the finish...
This is how I rode for 60km... a saddle should be leveled...