Back to racing with a bang!

After finishing my exams on Friday, I felt very happy and couldn’t wait to get back to racing. I celebrated by doing the Lancaster town centre crit in the rain that evening! The poor conditions (torrential rain) meant there were only 30 racers and the field quickly split, there was no real peleton. So I spent most of the race alone, although I did manage a smile for the camera and finished the first lady. The only one crazy enough to turn up!

A week later I travelled to Belgium to meet Melissa, who had already been to a music festival out there (have a read of her blog). I was really excited to be competing again and did my first junior women’s race since my exams. It was daunting sat on the start line with three national champions, one silver world medallist and the regional champion! The national champion got a bouquet of flowers just for turning up!

Soon the race got underway, unable to see the lap board for spectators, I had to count down the 40 laps. I attacked just after the 70 euro prime (think I should have gone for the prime instead for 70 euros!). I got off the front and heard them all clicking gears to try to catch me. I was steadily getting brought back and there was a counter attack, I was thinking the chase was really going to develop, but it never did! Eventually the girl who counter attacked, was nowhere to be seen so we were all then racing for second. Hearing ‘lasta ronder’ (last lap) on the speakers, I started thinking about my position and moved to the front. I got swamped on the cobbled corner, (I later developed blisters on my hands from the cobbles) but managed to move up coming out the corner. On the last straight I managed to avoid the ‘ridge of death’ (a ditch in the middle of the road) then battled in the bunch to the line! I finished a respectable 12^th. Not bad for my first women’s race back!

After the race I changed and watched the men’s derny crit (it looked mental) although I’d love to have a go!






Tired the next day Mel and Me trudged down to be beach to rest our legs and sunbathe – important preparation for my first ever Belgium women senior race, which started at 6 o’clock that night. Yet again the starting bunch was daunting with 50+ riders and teams represented were such as Top Sport, Rabobank and AA Drink. Somehow I managed to get a place on the start line although the girl next to me swerved, so I couldn’t get clipped in immediately. On the narrow roads I could barley see the front from the back of the bunch. Being in this position also meant I would nearly stop on each corner and then have to sprint to get back on! I moved up to Mel and it seemed easier at the front, although having to battle to keep my position wasn’t easy. It was taking me over a lap to move to the front but no time at all to get to the back. An average speed of 25 miles an hour and after the junior race, my legs were starting to feel the burn and the blisters were getting worse on the two cobbled sections. I was working through the pain and kept moving to the front where it felt easier on the legs but this meant elbow to elbow with others and jostling over place. With 3 laps to go and four women down the road, I was on the front of the peleton. I felt good and even managed to attack a couple of times and with a lap to go the break was still away although the main group were still racing like it was all to play for. We came into the bunch sprint, which was mayhem. I came 26th place, which I’m very pleased in a tough senior race.