I came back home late on Monday evening from France, it was a long trip! After South Africa I was only at home for 19 hours, just about time to unpack, wash and pack again. I flew to Germany were Mia and Thierry from Team high end sport picked me up and we drove to Luxemburg and spent the night and also picked up Monique who was also coming as a guest rider with the team. Next day we had 10 hours in the car before we reached Geute in France where we were going to be based for the next 4 nights. There we also met up with Maria and Henriette from the team, they had been there for a training camp the week before.
The race, Tour en Limousin, was 4 stages and 105 girls starting. Jade Roberts from South Africa was also there, have not seen her since April so it was nice to catch up. Also my friend from Sweden, Madde, was there, always nice to have some people you know in the bunch.
The first stage was 105km with a few mountains. Already on the first hillsprint a bunch of 10 girls got away, I was very close to go with them but did not have that little extra and was a bit frustrated at the time because all the top teams had someone in the break so no one was interested to work. Still we were a few that tried but for no use, we could not catch them and finished about 3 minutes behind the first girls. During the race the sky opened and for a while I could not see a thing, it was a bit dangerous and it was a lot of “near crashes”. The finish was in a town with lots of corners the last few kilometers and on wet roads so very dangerous, I took it a bit easy, did not want to risk anything and everyone in the bunch got the same time anyway, finished as number 24.
The second day I was on the go the whole time, did not want a group to go without me in it, so was a lot at the front and went on the attacks that went, was away on a small break but nothing lasted. Once again the sky decided to open up on us and it was pouring when the whole bunch came together to the line, once again it became a dangerous sprint with a massive crash on the line. The finish line is a plastic matt…. Super slippery! I finished as number 22 and moved up to 18 overall.
Third day did not start so well for me, I punctured after 20 kilometers and the bunch were moving fast at that time, for a while I did not think that I would get back, chased very hard and came back to the bunch after 6-7 kilometers time trailing…. We were going on very narrow roads and it took me to kilometer 40 before I was at the front again. But I knew that it all started at kilometer 48 were the first hillsprint was, we did a lap going up the same hill 3 times, I was at the front at the top all 3 times, to make sure that no break got away there, which I thought would happen. But we slowed down after so the bunch was all together again. On the flat section some girls that had nothing to do with the overall standing attacked, unfortunately I was a bit too far back at the time (why does it always feel like you are far back when the lasting break goes….???) so could not do anything. I finished in the bunch as number 22 again, moved down to 20 overall.
Last day was the hardest stage, 126km and 2400meters of climbing, so was going to be hard. An attack came right from the start making the race hard since the bunch was chasing, we caught them and the pace was hard on the hills. After 55 kilometers a French girl attacked on her own and strangely enough she kept away until the finish and won solo! I was very tired today since we were climbing hard and then concentrating very hard on the narrow downhill’s. When we came to the finish and did the last 800meters uphill I gave it all and managed an 8th place. I am very happy with that since that is my best placing in a UCI race, so must be satisfied with that:-) Unfortunately it did not help overall, finished 21 overall.
After the race we started the long journey home, took 27 hours before I reached my own bed!! It was a fun trip and I really enjoyed racing with High End Sport, very nice girls and a big thank you to Thierry that made it possible for us to go. Yesterday my thoughts were with the team since they all went to the funeral of one of there riders that died the week before the race in a cycling accident on the training camp they were on. I am impressed with Maria and Henriette that saw the accident and still raced last week, very strong girls.
I am at home now for 2 days, leaving tomorrow morning again for the world cups in Vårgårda with the national team. We will do a team time trail on Friday evening and a road race on Sunday. It is always fun and nice races in Vårgårda. Hold your thumbs for me:-)
Team presentation, Me, Henriette, Monique, Maria, Mia
At the top of the bunch
We had some really bad weather!!
My new Oakley´s, custom made for me with the pink circle;) Thank you Mathew at Oakley SA!