No rest for the wicked!

It’s only been a month since I was training up a storm in Geelong, but Geelong camp seems as though it was years ago! Since then, I’ve been busy getting my butt handed to me on an AIS Women’s camp with the new 2011 squad in Canberra, working so that I can eat and live and doing summer semester and University because…well…to be honest, I have no idea. Maybe because I love the adrenalin rush and the sense of achievement you get when you have an assignment due at 12:00am, have 20min to finish referencing and are panicking, thinking ‘there is no way in hell I’m going to get this in on time’ – only to submit it at 11:56pm. Win. Or maybe because I’m like my sister and ‘love textbooks’? Nope. Not that either…:s All I know is that I’m getting an education…tick.



Fresh from being smashed by super coach Kim Howard and her TDT R.A.C.E girls, I had a few days to recover before yet more pain/eyeball-scratching-out/HTFU style training with the AIS girls. However, before that, there was a much needed Foreshore Summer Music festival to attend. AIS rider Lauren Kitchen traveled down early for camp from Port Macquarie to attend the festivities, and let’s just say, it was definitely a night to remember! I woke up 2 days later with DOMS from intense fist-pumping, but it was worth it - definitely a good way to start my run on the straight and narrow.

Lauren and I go way back - photo from the 2008 U19 National Road Title which Lauren won :)

I am no stranger to the AIS Women’s Canberra camps, in fact I’d probably consider myself a veteran tagalonger-er, so I knew it was going to be tuff. And I was stoked! I’m like that annoying little kid that you can’t get rid of – although luckily the girls learnt pretty quick that you can get me to shut up by making me do 10min SEs or sending me up Honeysuckle in filthy headwinds. Shy of that not working, there is always the classic halfwheel – guaranteed to work every time. For most of the duration of the camp, Canberra definitely but on its best weather – not. Many of the rides were done in the pouring rain where everything but your belly button was full of water. Oh well, at least it made for some much needed character building on my behalf! Towards the end of the camp, the girls were sent out bush with the final 6hr ride seeing them being directed to Wee Jasper – yup, I hadn’t heard of it either. The AIS team for 2011 is definitely a team to be reckoned with in up and coming races – I wish I wasn’t on the receiving end of their wrath! The team consists of full timers Lauren Kitchen, Alex Carle, Amanda Spratt, Shara Gillow, Ruth Corset as well as Megan Dunn and Carly Light who weren’t on the camp – look out for them in their new Jayco AIS kit!

This camp was run similarly to previous camps I’ve been on, each day with its own unique way of making you hurt like never before, however what made it different this time for me was that I also had to balance work AND summer semester at Central Queensland University between 4hr rides, ice baths and stretching. Considering what happened exactly 12 months ago when I failed miserably at this particular task – I was nervous at what was going to happen. Although I have culled the number of pre run-myself-into-the-ground jobs from 4 to 2, now working only at A’Hern Fitness in Griffith and the BikeShed, I knew it was going to be a tuff challenge!



I know a lot of people do it, balance work and training but I too dream of the day when I’ll be earning enough money riding my bike so I can sit at the coffee shop for hours sipping skinny lattes in the sun post ride. The work/cycling/uni balance is something I seem to struggle with everything I come home. Stuck between wanting to dedicate as much time to training and recovery pre nationals and our summer season, and the need to pay to live, short of pouring cement over my breakfast, I often end up on the phone to my coach whining about how tired I am. Finding jobs that allow for the perfect balance is the challenging part - I mean who doesn't want to hire a 20yr aspiring athlete who doesn't want to work 9-5, is studying part-time and wants a job where you can sit on your butt all day? Yeah, that's what I thought. But I’m very fortunate in my current circumstances where I love my jobs and have two very supportive bosses who recognize the importance of getting the balance right, and as a result – made it out of the camp ALIVE!!


So what’s next? Well after a very quite and sober Christmas and New Year, as I said in my previous post – I’ll be riding for Kim Howard’s T.D.T RACE team at the Jayco Bay Criterium series and participating in the 2011 Australian Road Nationals. I am really looking forward to Bay Crits as I think we have a very strong team and hopefully we’ll be able to get in the mix at the pointy end of the bike race! I am also pleased to announce that I will also be joining Kim and her race team in the 2011 NZCT Women’s Tour of NZ! I rode this tour in 2009 and really enjoyed the racing, I am hoping to get a good result there as I believe the courses are well suited to me and I will have a little more training under my belt!

Photo from the TT at last year's Nationals


A busy couple of months ahead but I’m looking forward to it! Also I have been having conversations with a few teams in regards to 2011… fingers crossed things go well but will keep you posted ;)

Until the New Year
Stay safe and stay classy,

Miffy xx

This one time, at Geelong camp...

The home of the 2010 World Road Cycling Championships, the Jayco Bay Criterium series, the Sun Herald Tour...Geelong is fast becoming the home of cycling in Australia and this week it was the host of the TDT RACE women's cycling camp. The RACE women's team is a leading domestic team consisting of women from all over Victoria. The team is run by super coach Kim Howard, who might as well be my surregant mum after the amount of time I spend at her house!! There are 8 girls on the team including 2 under 19 riders and last week they were all up (well they came and went- apparently there us a thing called work that has a knack of getting in the way??) in Geelong for what was a pretty solid week of training!! And just because I didn't endure enough pain in that 1 week, I stayed on for an extra 5 more days just to ensure I returned home a crippled, painful mess!!

The RACE girls on a recovery ride to Barwon Heads

I don't want to give the team's little training secrets away but what i will tell you is that there were a lot of hours involved, a motor bike and a friendly visit to the Nationals course in the cold and pouring rain - a bit different to the 45 degree heat of last year's race! Oh, and who could forget the ergo?? I wish I could! :p

RACE team gathering at the headquaters (ie Kim's place)

I even had the pleasure of being able to race with the girls at a St Kilda crit! Even though we were down wind from the petfood factory, it was a good hit out :) and the girls rode very strong!! GO TEAM!!

Sarah Riley and I at the crit

A bit of good news in this post also. I will be racing for team RACE along with Chloe Hosking in the jayco bay criterium series held from 2-5th January down in Geelong!! We even got a bit of a write up in the Geelong Advertiser which was pretty exciting - you can check out the article here.

So I'm on the plane heading back to Canberra a little fitter, a little stronger and with a hell of a lot more messed up tan lines. I definitely learnt what it was like to hurt again and maybe even toughened up a but too :p thanks Kim!!

So what's next?? Well AIS cyclist and good buddy Lauren Kitchen is paying me a visit tomorrow ahead of an AIS camp held in Canberra which I'm tagging along on starting Monday, which leaves me a couple of days of recovery and some quality hours at the brew shop before some more stem chewing, eyeball bleeading, head cracking nanima road motor paces and SE smash fests. I'm excited. We'll I have exactly 3 days to convince myself that I am :p

Oh and Qantas - those florentines you served were amazing, way better than those stupid biscuits and dip. well played.

mmm.... yummy :p


Until next time,

Miffy xx
www.myfanwygalloway.com

p.s Thanks to Bec and Chloe for the photos!!!

21st edition of the Canberra Tour de Femme

The 21st Tour de Femme has been run and won for another year, this year taken out by current American criterium champion Theresa Cliff-Ryan riding for team BikeShed. With the support of her mascot whippet Gorda, Theresa out sprinted commonwealth games bronze medalist Chloe Hosking and Jessie Maclean who has signed with the recently established Virgin RBS Morgan women's team.

The grey clouds and cool temperatures didn't deter the women as over 600 riders fronted up to partake in a lap of the well renowned 'lakie' . This year the women raced along Parkes way then up through Yarralumla before the run off Adelaide ave. Back to the Yacht club!

The start at the Yacht Club

The race pace was on early with newly signed AIS rider Alex Carle riding for team Suzuki launching an attack from the gun, however the women weren't going to let the bronze medalist in the u/23 national timetrial get away that easily and she was brought back before the decent on Parkes way. Team Suzuki showed that they were going to lay all of their cards on the table, not confident that they would be able to out kick the world class sprinters, with each team member launching repeated attacks up the road. A late attack from Laura Meadly looked threatening when she launched up hopetoun circuit but was caught on the off ramp down towards the lake- the race was destined to be won from a bunch kick. Chloe Hosking opened the sprint but Theresa was quick to respond, edging her out for the win.

Theresa edges out Chloe for the win

The 21st edition of the Tour de Femme proved again to be a great day out for all the women regardless whether they were in it to race or ride with friends. It was great to see all the riders encouraging each other and the smiles on their faces when they crossed the line!

Riding for the fun of it :)

Of course the race wouldn't have been possible without the tremendous effort put in by MaryAnn Simpson, Jason Parkes and the rest of the Canberra Cycling Club. And a big thank you has to go out to the BikeShed for the cycling goodies and the Fyshwick markets for the yummy fresh fruit!!

Team BikeShed were out in force!!
Bring on Tour de Femme 2011!!

And a big thanks to Brian Simpson for the happy snaps!

It can only get better from here... Right??

Saturday was the Celtic Classic de Femme, the women's version of the infamous Grafton to Inverell and my first race back from what ultimately was a fizzer of a season in Europe.

After suffering from 'severe hay fever complications' disguised as the flu in Holland, a few broken ribs in Belgium and a bug that saw me creep for the Australian National team in France, I was keen to start to redeem myself and prove to myself that I could still ride a bike, and fast at that.

Unfortunately I was kidding myself in thinking that it was possible on 2 weeks of proper training against the strong talent which was tearing up the domestic scene back here in AUS whilst I was battling it out in Europe.

The day before the race I flew up to Port Macquarie to meet AIS cycling buddy Lauren Kitchen and together we trekked over to Inverell for the start of the race. On the way we drove over a 45k loop which was a new addition to the course and I'm thanking my lucky stars we did. The loop contained several graveled sections of road and a 1k section of dirt that had never actually been sealed. That, with a combination of more craters and other loose surfaces on the road, made me keep my Zipp wheels firmly sealed in their bags - never to see daylight on this trip.



Packed and ready to roll


The morning of the race we packed into the Swift and drove to Glen Innes for the start of the race. There I met up with some familiar, and new, friendly faces and rocked up to the start, buzzing -feeding off the atmosphere that comes with bike racing.


Stopping for a pre-race coffee at Maccas

About 10k into the race, I rolled to the front of the peloton where we were greeted by a herd of cattle spread across the road. The commissaires didn't put out a flag, or yell at us, so I glued myself to the back of the lead car as the cows were running across the road and had big f off horns and I figured they would be pretty game to take on a big 4WD… I rolled past the herd still glued to the car followed by ‘Sweet As’ rider Sally Robins when I looked behind and saw we were clear from the group. The comm was still with us so I figure everything was OK and decided I'd tempo and give myself a head start on the climbs, as my legs felt average to say the least, and hopefully the dirt before the bunch caught me. I reached the end of the dirt at the 20k mark when the bunch caught me and a couple of riders decided to have angry words to me about attacking through a herd of cows and when a rider had crashed.... Apparently a rider crashed towards the back of the peloton as I was glued to the lead car and I didn't notice!!! I felt bad that people would think I'd do such a thing- they obviously don't know me very well, I’m not completely heartless!

That aside, we were coming to the end of the first lap when the new Virgin RBS Morgan women's power house team started doing repeated attacks and counter attacks. My legs were feeling decisively average and I was glad that other people were willing to chase them down and give me a chance to sit on.

Coming into the straight run to Inverell, we ran into the base if Waterloo, which was where my tow rope snapped and I got dagged from the back of the group. The thing about hills is that there is nowhere to hide- you've still actually got to get your butt over it, the draft of the other riders isn't going to do that for you. I was then groveling my way up the hill desperate to keep the peloton in sight- didn't happen. Fortunately enough I caught up with Imogene Vize and together we swapped off into the nasty headwind and my race quickly got placed in the 'well at least it was good training' category. We did see the peloton at the final climb up Wire Gully and came agonizingly close to jumping on when the mountain goats attacked for the final KOM points and I dropped back like a sack of potatoes.


The ‘Golden Arches’ marked the end of the race


We rode the last 20km of the race by ourselves and crossed the line a few minutes down on the main bunch… The race was taken out by dark horse Loren Rowney (MB Cycles) who placed 3rd in the u/23 Nationals RR in January from Jo Hogan (VIS) and Simone Grounds (Bundaberg Sugar) edged out Kirsty Broun (Virgin RBS Morgan) for 3rd.


Women’s Podium – Jo Hogan 2nd, Loren Rowney 1st and Simone Grounds 3rd.

First race done and dusted, and although it didn’t go nearly as well as I’d have hoped, it served as a big reality check and a slap in the face.

This time last year, I had just come off riding for the Australian National team in the Giro Donne and the Tour Feminine en Limousin... A lot has happened since then and I’m stupid to think that after everything that has happened in the last 12 months, I am still able to ride at that level. I am still hanging onto that moment where I rolled off the start ramp in the prologue at the Giro in my first race wearing the Aussie colours, I know I will reach that level again but for now I have a few more months of ass busting training to do to try and make myself competitive again. I’ve got a couple of solid camps coming up and am feeling positive about the next few months. I know I have a lot of work to do leading up to Nationals but I’m confident I’ll be able to pull something out somewhere lol


Me at the 2009 Giro – despite what the face tells you, I enjoyed every minute of it :)

Until next time

Take care

Miffy xx

My World Champs

Its Tuesday evening and i'm sitting on the couch trying to remember where i was this time last week...It may have only been 7 days ago but the events of last week seem like a lifetime ago and now it's 'back to reality'... or at least trying to hold it off for as long as possible.

This time last week I was drove down to Geelong with AIS cyclist Lauren Kitchen to the World Road Cycling Championships for what would be the 'epicest' week i've had for a longgg time. This year, we had 4 Canberran's lining up to compete to become the best in the World, so I couldn't help but show a little bias when it came to cheering for the riders!

On Wednesday was the U/23 men and Elite Women's TT. Representing Australia in the U/23 men were Luke Durbridge (WA) and Rohan Dennis (SA) – both World champions on the track and looking to add the U/23 Time Trial title to their already substantial list of palmers... Luke was the first off for the Aussies posting a blistering time over the first lap and his time over the first 6km would only be rivalled by rider David Millar who ran 2nd in the elite men category. Luke sat there for over 2hrs watching other riders trying to better his time, which was completed in the rain might i add. Rohan was sitting in 2^nd place for a while and it looked like Aussies might go 1,2 that was until USA rider Taylor Phinney pipped Luke by 1.90sec to snatch the gold medal away from the Aussie whilst Marcel Kittel from Germany rounded out the podium. 1.90sec over a 31.6km circuit is nothing. It can be made/loss in a corner, which line on the road you took... or in Luke's case, between riding on a wet course in the rain or being able to ride on dry roads as Phinney was. Who knows if Luke would have bettered Phinney if given the same conditions, all i know is that it would have been a hell of a lot closer race ;)

Luke Durbridge opens up the medal tally for the Aussies

Next up was the elite Women's TT. Pulling on the Aussie stripes (or should I say, spending 15min trying to wedge the skinsuit over your shoulders with the help of 3 other people and trying your hardest not to flex and rip the suit with your massive biceps) was Canberran Vicki Whitelaw, Shara Gillow (QLD) and current Oceania Champion Alexis Rhodes (SA). The 22.7km time trial was held over a modified course to that of the U/23 men, however, they were not exempt from climbing the infamous berg in the opening kilometres... Just for the record, I zig-zagged – i mean 'rode' up it the day after the TTs, and wow. These riders deserved a hell of a lot of respect! The designer of the course obviously has no children – i wouldn't wish that upon anyone!! Haha... just kidding, it did make for a very exciting race!!!!!
Shara was the best place Aussie finishing in an incredible 8^th place behind winner Emma Pooley. Shara is 22 years old and made her splash on the cycling scene in 2008. Her first race in Europe was the 2009 Giro Donne and a year later she is finishing top 10 in the World.. this is no doubt only an indication of Shara's real potential, so remember the name – no doubt you'll be hearing a lot more of it!!!! Vicki Whitelaw broke the top 20 finishing in 18^th place whilst Alexis finished just behind in 19^th. Both girls were a little disappointed with the final result, Vicki Whitelaw keeping a positive outlook about it in an interview where she states "(Today) it wasn't a factor of not knowing the course as we have been practicing this course since February," explained Whitelaw, adding, "There were positive sections today where I rode really strongly, but also some parts I really slumped, like at the start and I also thought I wasn't climbing efficiently." Whilst Alexis is hoping to try to redeem herself at the Commonwealth Games time trial next week "I wanted to run top ten and ended up nineteenth which is pretty disappointing, but there are 18 girls who are better than me which is just the way it is I guess."

 

Shara Gillow on her way to 8^th place!! GO SHARA!!

Day 1 of TTs completed and it was time to head back to the house at Torquay with the Canberra crew, not before I stopped at Maccas to use the free wifi... I knew I couldn't last a day without internet. Then it was off to bed for what was another epic day of TTing!

Representing AUS in the elite men's TT were Richie Porte and Canberran Michael Rogers. Mick has competed in a World Championship since 1997 and was hoping to make 2010 a memorable one, repeating what he had done in 2003,2004 and 2005 on home soil. Richie Porte was also looking like a medal contender, having burst on the cycling scene 4 years ago, he is now riding for Saxo Bank in his first season as a professional cyclist. It was Mick's turn to wait in the hot seat after positing the fastest time of the day until the final wave of riders came and saw the likes of David Millar, Tony Martin and none other than Fabian Cancellara slide him off the podium. Richie was sitting in third place after Tony Martin suffered a mechanical and looked to be able to hold on, but it was Martin who came home stronger to beat Richie by a mere 7sec. Both riders said they were disappointed not to have an Aussie finish on the podium (finishing 4^th and 5^th respectively)in front of a home crowd but I think they should be very proud of their rides regardless, to finish the way they did amongst such class acts really says something!

 

With the final day of TTing done, it was time to do some training of my own and I took the time to explore some of the coastline around Torquay and Geelong... I forgot how much I love and miss being at the beach, the stoney patches of ground leading to a brown and murky sea in Europe really doesn't compare.

Day 3 of Worlds – the U/23 road race and probably the most memorable day of the event, well for us Canberran's anyway!!! Lining up for the 159km race for Australia was Luke Durbridge (WA), Ben King (WA), Malcolm Rudolf (QLD), Rohan Dennis (SA), Joe Lewis(NSW) and Michael Matthews(ACT). I spent the first part of the race cheering on the boys from the top of the 2^nd hill as Ben King was in pursuit of the USA rider Ben King who had launched a threatening break in the opening stages of the race. With just over 4 laps remaining, I raced Carlee Taylor and Lauren Kitchen back to the start finish line to watch the closing stages of the race with the very nervous Canberra contingent and family. The race came together in the final 2 laps as the whole Aussie team lined up on the front to try and bring the break back and get rid of any drift wood leading into the sprint. 1 lap to go and the field was together with a couple of French riders making small attacks to no avail. With half a lap remaining, there was no doubt that it was going to be a bunch sprint and I stood by my bet from the beginning of the race that Bling (Michael Matthews) was going to be taking home the rainbows. Coming into the last bend the Canberra crew were holding their breath, biting their nails with their eyes glued to the big screen. Just over 300m to go it looked like Bling was boxed in but out of nowhere he shot out of the peloton and left everyone for dead behind him. He was going to be taking home the rainbows and was officially deemed the Best in the World, after what really was a very impressive season. When he crossed the line, there was cheering, screaming and tears coming from the Canberra supporters and seeing his family's reaction was probably the most touching part of it all! The Canberra cycling community is very close knit and it is always a big deal when you see a fellow rider do well :) Needless to say, there were plenty of reasons to celebrate that night... The whole Aussie team were on a much deserved high and it was contagious! But what happens out – stays out, sorry ;)

 

A picture says a thousand words....

 

Struggling from a severe lack of sleep, I dragged myself over to watch the Women's race on Saturday. Having raced the team members and stayed with them previously, I was eager to see them stick it to the internationals!!! I had the pleasure of racing with the Aussie National team for their last race in Europe – the Tour de L'Ardeche which was taken out by Vicki Whitelaw with Ruth Corset wining a stage and taking home the Queen of the Mountain jersey. Carla Ryan also won the last stage of the Tour and Tiffany Cromwell, Amanda Spratt and Shara Gillow were on fire!!! If their form was anything to go by, I would pick them for a good show. The women were faced with 'only' 8 laps of the guelling course but the pace was on as the field split up in the opening laps. Ruth Corset was the protected rider for the race, with Carla Ryan calling the shots on the road as team leader as radios were not allowed this year! I know these girls, and know that they put 100% into the race and although this isn't reflected in the final results, whoever watched the race on TV should agree. A lot goes on in a bike race, most of which isn't reflected in the final results.. I was riding the morning of the Men's road race when a cyclist rolled up to me and asked my opinion of the Aussie women's performance, stating that he thought it was disappointing that they weren't there at the end and that they should have sat in the peloton and done nothing, to at least make it to the finish. It is hard to explain to a non-racer that sometimes it is a riders job to do so much work for their team that they are expected NOT to finish, but it got me thinking that he is probably not the only one thinking this and with the best place Aussie being Ruth Corset who finished in 26^th place, I took the opportunity to ask the Australian National Women's Coach Martin Barras, his opinion on the race.

Martin Barras "I actually apologised to the girls yesterday for the way I got them into this particular race. The one thing I told them before hand and again in relation to the fact that this is such an exceptional opportunity for us is if you endeavour to have an impact in this race and to leave nothing unturned, turn yourself inside out basically then you need to have no fear about the end result or the outcome and sure enough the result or the outcome, lets' not lie about it, it wasn't fantastic for us, it wasn't a great result, but these girls, and i think it was obvious on television turned themselves inside out to provide a god result and certainly to provide a good race. In that respect i couldn't be more pleased. I tend to be very proud of my teams and i was particularly proud of the team yesterday, hopefully we can be proud and winning next time around."

So whilst many of you are saying that the Australian Women's team didn't perform well, sure i'll agree – on paper they didn't get a great result- but let me assure you that remember, this is only 1 race amongst close to 100 that the women race a year (sure is a bloody big one at that!!!!!) but everyone has bad days, and you got to creep. Unfortunately for the Aussie women, it appears that today was their turn ... but their results here certainly doesn't reflect how they have performed this year. I know I couldn't be prouder of them :)

 

Vicki Whitelaw looking after Ruth Corset

Italian Giorgia Bronzini took out the nail biting finish from Marianne Vos from Holland and Emma Johansson from Sweden.

Which leads me to think about another topic.. on a cycling forum someone made the following comment when the forum asked if they should cover women's cycling

" I've seen it over and over. A woman trains like any A-grade male racer for a season or two and the next thing you know she's a "professional". Most of them soft pedal for 100km until the business end of the race and they needlessly crash all the time. Sorry to say it CT, but leave the womens cycling to other websites."

• Dude. Don't even get me started. Actually you already have, but i'll be saving that for another blog post.
  

After another restless night it was time for the elite men's road race. The Aussie team of Michael Rogers, Matthew Hayman, Stuart O'Grady, Cadel Evens, Allan Davis, Matthew Goss, Simon Gerrans, Baden Cook and Wesley Sulzberger lined up for a race of 260km starting in Federation Square in Melbourne and finishing up with 11 laps of the Geelong circuit covered by the U/23 men and the elite women the 2 days prior. I have to admit, most of my time during the race was spent doing interviews and running after other media stuff, but by the time I got to settle down and watch the last 3 laps – I was very pleased to see 2 Aussies still sitting in the lead group in Allan Davis and reining champ Cadel Evans. The crowd at the last 100m was close to 10 deep and I was struggling to fight my way through and get a glimpse of the riders coming into the last couple of laps. A great attack my favourite Gilbert looked threatening but was soon brought back and another bunch sprint was on the cards. Coming into the home stretch I could seen Allan Davis tucked in the bunch, under 300m to go I saw him step out the start his sprint only to have the screen blocked by someone's head – the 'perks' of being just over 5ft...I had no idea who had won. It took a minute for the results to come up on the screen and I was proud to see that "Alby" had finished the week off for the Aussies with a bronze medal – awesome stuff!! Thor Hushovd took out the win from Matti Breschel from Denmark. Post race I went to the media centre to listen in on the press conference where each riders were asked various questions from the media. When Alby was asked his opinion on the combined team effort he stated "I'm the only one standing on the podium but was definitely a team effort". I think this pretty much summed up the last 3 days of racing for the Aussies. Road cycling is definitely a team sport and I think the Aussies displayed great teamwork and sportsmanship - well done Cyclones you made us proud :)

 

Allan Davis on the podium – finishing up a great week for the Aussies!!

 

So the men's road race marked unfortunately the end of a very epic week. It was one of my best experiences to date and I can't wait to experience something like that again – hopefully from the other side of the fence ;) Now I got to get back to my own training, I'm super keen to get back into it! Nothing like watching the best in the business to get you pumped.

See you out on the road

Miffy :D

Xx

 

All photos courtesy of Jarrod Partridge and Cyclingtribe.com

Canberra – The Home of Champion Cyclists

With the 2010 World Road Cycling Championships in Geelong and the 2010 Commonwealth Games held in New Delhi fast approaching, we are once again seeing numerous Canberran's fronting up to compete at the top level in cycling. From the likes of brothers Brian and Neil Stephens, Stephen Hodge and more recently the Michael Rogers and Matthew Haymans, it appears that Canberra has a knack of developing some of Australia's most talented and successful cyclists. So why is it that Canberra seems to be the perfect breeding ground for elite cyclists? Is it the terrain, the climate, the cycling community... or just something in the water?

Canberra has boasted a very prominent cycling community ever since the territory's first cycling clubs were established in the mid-1920s. Previous research indicates that the state had its inaugural organised bunch ride on the 21^st November 1926, where members showed up at Hotel Canberra at 2:30pm to enjoy a spin with their fellow cyclists, and it appears that cycling in Canberra has never looked back since. Nowadays, cyclists can still meet at various points across the state everyday of the week to enjoy an easy spin (or a smash fest if that is more to your liking) with a bunch of other cycling fanatics.

So what makes Canberra so appealing to cyclists? One of the most important aspects is the terrain. Whether it is a flat ride or some long climbs you're after – Canberra has it pretty well covered. The infamous Cotter-Uriarra loop and Corin Dam hill climb are becoming Canberra's more 'iconic' rides with the running of the annual Canberra Tour (former Milk Race), the Canberra Women's and Junior Tour as well as the Australian Junior National Championships all being held on parts of these loops. With only a short 20min ride from the Centre of Canberra, you can be out in the quite back roads and able to train without worries of motorists, left with only your thoughts and those bloody TT efforts and the odd magpie to worry about. ..

After the inaugural Canberra Amy's Ride earlier this year, the Amy Gillet Foundation's 'A Meter Matters' campaign in Canberra

Another favourable facet for cyclist in Canberra is the weather. When i'm home in the summer, nothing beats a recovery ride around the lake in the sun before finishing it off at a coffee shop nearby where there you would be forgiven if you spent hours in your knicks basking in the sun sipping on some of the best tasting brew out... after all, chamois time is training time yeah?? Otherwise the long summer days prove ideal for spending hours lost somewhere out the back of Tharwa or Corin with mates. Sure, you could say I'm guilty of not enduring a FULL Canberra winter for 3 years now and so am a bit naive on the extremes at which it gets to... But Canberra cyclists are fortunate that there are enough dedicated cycloholics (and yes, i've officially made it a term) out there that no matter which bunch ride you turn up to – you are guaranteed to find a training partner to bitch to about just how rough Canberra winter is and how hardcore you are for going out - and how soft everyone else is for sleeping in.

Which leads me to one of the most important key to success for whatever you choose to do, not just in cycling but in life in general, and that is the availability of support. In Canberra we are privileged enough to have a very supportive, encouraging and friendly cycling community. Members of the state's most prominent cycling clubs, Canberra Cycling Club (CCC), Tuggeranong Vikings Cycling Club and the ACT Masters are all very receptive of new riders as well as being very generous and supportive of your cycling goals, however ambitious they may seem! The Canberra Cycling Club boasts an expanding junior cycling program whilst the Tuggeranong Vikings are doing an incredible job at bringing more Women into the sport and the ACT Masters are catering to the Veteran cyclists, many of which are still young at heart and representing the State at an International level!

The Canberra cycling community is very close knit - a picture of the annual Cart's Xmas Ride in memory of Mark Carter, a great Canberra cycling identity

In addition, Canberra is home to many cyclists currently racing on the Domestic and International circuits which provide riders to train against the best in the business. During the off season, it is not uncommon to go out on a training ride and find yourself riding next to a World Champion, a Junior World Champion, a National Champion, Commonwealth medallist or a Tour de France representative ... and on a few occasions I've had the hard task of choosing who's wheel to sit on... Do I choose the National Champ or the Commonwealth medallist's wheel to sit on today?? Having the opportunity to train with the best can only motivate you in training and make you push yourself that much harder. I strongly believe you'd be hard pressed to find another place in Australia where there is such a large group of strong riders who all train together and are friends on and off the bike. Most of the local bunch rides generally prove harder than the majority of road races I compete in... What better way to train?? In addition, the bunches in Canberra are not only beneficial physically but also mentally. The Canberra cycling community is so friendly that everyday you're out on the bike with someone, it's an enjoyable experience and can only motivate you to train harder and to encourage you to fling your leg over the bike every day.

Tracey Gaudry helps out up and coming Canberra cyclist Adam Phelan at the local crits

On another note, when they are home, the most valuable asset the professional riders have to offer is their knowledge and experience to those aspiring and up and coming cyclists. By listening to their advice and 'picking their brains' you can save yourself precious time by learning from their mistakes (they are human too!) and they can open your eyes up to what it actually takes to be a professional cyclist. I believe this is what gives Canberra cyclists an edge over other most other riders who are aspiring to turn professional. I have been fortunate enough to have learnt from top Women's cyclists such as Tracey Gaudry and Vicki Whitelaw, both of whom are champion athletes in their own right. The tools they have provided me with invaluable and they have both individually help to shape me into the cyclist and that I am.

Canberra has also developed a very successful junior development and Talent Identification program which has seen riders such as Michael Matthews and Alex Carle gone on to represent Australia at the Junior World Championships with Michael recently being selected to ride the U23 World Road Cycling championships for the 2^nd year and a row and Alex Carle currently competing for a professional Women's team over in the USA. Canberra's ability to identify junior talent and introduce them into the sport of cycling is no doubt envied by many other cycling associations but with the help of the staff at the ACT Academy of Sport, the National Talent Identification program and even the keen eyes of experienced coaches, it is evident that junior cyclists are continuing to come through the ranks and develop into the best in the sport.

Daniel Ellis at Beijing Olympics in his 2nd year as a senior rider

You would therefore be forgiven for thinking that the announcement that yet more Canberrans are representing Australia at the 2010 World Championships and the 2010 Commonwealth Games was foreseeable, it was just a matter of whom.

On a side note – this article has prompted me to take on the somewhat mammoth task of trying to track down all the Canberrans who have represented Australia at either the Junior or Senior World Championships, Olympic and Commonwealth Games. I have used to the best of my ability all available resources but have had trouble tracking earlier results! My sincere apologies if I have forgotten anyone or have got some information wrong – please contact me and I would love to set it straight!

Michael Rogers takes the cake for the most Australian World Champion teams with a total of 14...He is definitely cementing his name as one of Australia's best ever cyclists!

 

Canberra Australian Representatives

 

Michael Aisbitt (World Track Championships)

Jane Armstrong (AWD) AWD Worlds and 2008 Paralympics

Gavin Bardsley (Junior World Championships – Perth)

Anthony Biddle (AWD) Blind Tandem (AWD and 2004 Paralympics)

David Bink (1990 Commonwealth Games)

Edward Bissaker (2010 Junior World Track Championships)

Alex Carle (2009 Junior Road World Championships)

Daniel Ellis (2010, 2009,2008 World Track Championships; 2008 Olympic Games; 2010 Commonwealth Games; 2006,2005 Junior World Track Championships)

Tracey Gaudry (2000, 1999, 1998, 1995 World Championships; 2000, 1996 Olympic Games; 1998 Commonwealth Games)

Matthew Hayman (2010, 2009, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001 World Championships; 2010, 2006 Commonwealth Games; 1999, 1998 U/23 Road World Championships, 1996 Junior Road World Championships)

Margaret Hemsley ( 2001, 2000 World Championships; 2002 Commonwealth Games)

Stephen Hodge (1994, 1993, 1992, 1991, 1990, 1989, 1988, 1987, 1986, 1985 World Championships; 1996 Olympic Games, 1986 Commonwealth Games)

Chloe Hosking (2010 Commonwealth Games, 2008 Junior World Championships)

Kerry Knowler (Pilot Tandem) Para-Cycling World Championships

Alistair Loutit (2008 Junior World Championships)

Jennifer Loutit (2004 Junior World Track Cycling Championships)

Mitchell Lovelock-Fay (2010 Junior World Track Championships)

Jessie Maclean (2003 Junior World Track Championships)

Michael Matthews (2010, 2009 U/23 Road World Championships; 2008 Junior World Championships)

Robert McLACHLAN: (1992 Olympic Games)

James Meadley (2006, 2005 Junior Road World Championships)

Michael Milton (2008 Paralympics + other World Championships)

Sian Mulholland (World Track Championships – first woman to represent Australia in the World Track Championships)

Adrian Nolan (World Championships)

Brandie O'Connor (Blind Tandem) 2010 Para-Cycling World Championships

Tom Palmer (2008, 2007 Junior World Track Championships)

Michael Phelan (2009 Junior Road World Championships)

Sue Powell (2010,2009 Para-cycling Road World Championships)

Deane Rogers: (1995 World Championships, 1994 Junior World Championships)

Michael Rogers (2010,2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001 U/23 2000, 1999, 1998 Road World Championships; 2008,2004, 2000 Olympic Games, 1998 Commonwealth Games, 1997 Junior Road and Track World Championships)

Pete Rogers: (1999 World Championships ; 1998 Commonwealth Games)

Scarlett Snow: World Championship TimeTrial (x2 early 90's)

Neil Stephens (1996, 1992, 1991, 1988, 1987 World Championships; 1996 Olympic Games; 1998 Commonwealth Games,)

Kial Stewart (Junior World Track Cycling Championships 2001) + Pilot Tandem with Anthony Biddle 2004 Paralympics

Lucy Stewart (2002 Junior World Track Cycling Championships)

Rory Sutherland (2005 Road World Championships, 2002 U/23 World Road, 2000 Junior World Championships)

Vicki Whitelaw (2010,2009,2008,2007 World Championships; 2010 Commonwealth Games)

Oenone Wood (2008, 2007,2006, 2005, 2004, 2003 World Championships; 2008, 2004 Olympic Games; 2006 Commonwealth Games)

Alison Wright (2004, 2003, 2002, 2000, 1999 World Championships, 1998 Junior World Track Championships; 2002 Commonwealth Games; )

Holland Ladies Tour Day 1:

Yesterday was the inaugural stage of the 2010 Profile Ladies Tour. On the schedule today was 112km of flat, windy, narrow and cobbled roads...But at least it was sunny :) a much welcome change after what was the gale force winds – torrential downpour – ‘i’d rather sit in bed and never leave’ kind of weather...

Profil day 1... no joke

Close to 30 teams lined up on the start line for this year’s event ; from teams such as HTC-Columbia and Cervelo to the local club teams such as mine (SwABo Ladies) and the Rabo Lady Force team. Although it was great to see so many women lined up on the start, I knew I had my work cut out for me to try stay in the top part of the bunch to avoid getting spat and making it a hard day in the office...

Things were looking good for the first 15km, was up there in the bunch although a bit nervous as it was my first real race back since I broke my ribs in July. My legs were feeling pretty ordinary as I realised that the last 2 weeks spent riding the hills in Italy – although good for my head longer term strength – was probably not the ideal preparation for the hard, flat, fast and did I mention flat? Race that is HLT. I started losing contact with the bunch after a couple of repeated sprints out of some tight corners where I was greeted with some dirty cross winds. Before I knew it, the bunch had spat me out the back and I was now facing the prospect of riding over 80km solo...Not something I would have like to have to do on the first day of a 6 day tour.

The peloton on a narrow cross wind section

But sadly, that is what I had to do. Stick my head down and try and chase a peloton of 150 riders by myself to make sure I didn’t get time cut. Once I got into a rhythm it was OK, but then we entered a smaller circuit of which ¾ of it was cobbles and by the end of the 1st lap, my whole body was complaining! But I kept plugging along and although it was nearly dark, I finished, and in time cut. Lived to fight another day – check. Then it was back to the hotel where we were forced to gorge ourselves on pasta and carry our full bellies up to bed.

Stage 1 was won by Ina Teutenberg of HTC-Columbia


On the plus side, our accommodation was very nice :) equipped with luxuries such as towels, washing machine and buffet breakfast – I was actually feeling a tad bit spoilt! ;)

Now to rest my legs and make sure that I don’t have a repeat of today’s performance tomorrow!!!!

Wish me luck
xx


*photos from womenscycling.net*

Holland Ladies Tour Day 2

So i'm guilty of taking a blogging hiatus over the past week or so - but truth be told a lot has been going on and i've only now had the chance to catch my breath!

As I speak, I am currently sitting in a caravan park in France after officially finishing my season in Euro, and not in the way I would have hoped. But before I get to that, I have some unfinished business to write about with the Holland Ladies Tour and my last race with the SwABOLadies.

Coming to France I made the rookie mistake of leaving my computer back at the Australian base in Italy and am borrowing a teammates computer to write! I have already written Day 1 of HLT on my own computer, and so to save myself the pain of rewriting it, I'm going to put it up when I get my computer back on Monday :) so in the meantime here is my write up from Day 2 of Holland Ladies Tour

Holland Ladies Tour Day 2

Day 2 of the Tour and after yesterday’s performance, I knew I had to stay in the bunch at all costs as I didn’t want a repeat of yesterday’s events - a 90km TT against me and a peloton of about 150 riders.

Profile for stage 2.. flat anyone??


Right from the word ‘GO’, the pace was on again and girls were scrambling for position on the rough and narrow roads. The field at Holland Ladies Tour is no doubt by far the biggest field of girls I’ve ever raced against and the prospect of riding in such a large bunch proved daunting to most of the riders. With so many nervous riders jostling for position, the normal ‘ebbs and flows’ of the bunch were wild and untammed and the peloton was described as restless and dodgy by many of the elite riders.

Cervelo keen to set things up for sprinter Kirstin Wild

I was confident with my positioning during the early stages of the race until I took what I thought was the perfect opportunity to take a sip from my bottle.
Unfortunately for me, just as I raised my bottle to my mouth to savor some much needed fluid, the peloton slowed suddenly and the rider in front of me panicked, slamming on the brakes and sending me straight into her back wheel and onto the ground. It was one of those crashes which seem to happen in slow motion, you feel yourself falling and you know there is nothing you can do about it except to accept the fact that you’re about to eat dirt and try and brace yourself to minimize the damage.

Luckily for me, I wasn’t badly hurt, I just lost half my skin in what I’m claiming was a ‘fight with a bear’ instead of telling them the relatively unexciting story that was my crash. I grabbed my bike and after sorting it out which took a bit too much time, set out in pursuit of the peloton – again. Blood was pouring down my leg and the burn on my arm was stinging as the wind was blowing hard against it. I went to jump on the back of my team car to get a hand back up to the bunch when the Commissaires of the race decided they didn’t want me to and so my team car left me, with 100km to go, solo. I chased for about 20min when my team car reappeared and apparently after harsh words with the Commissaires, they were now allowed to try and motor pace me back up to the group which was probably already half way to Germany by then. I tried my hardest to stick on the car but when we hit a rough cobbled section, no amount of screaming or yelling could tell my body to shut up and I felt that my only option was to get in the car because at that rate, I was barely going to make it to the finish, let alone in time cut.

Stage winner Martine Bras won from a breakaway of 3 riders


My number 1 rule I abide by in my cycling is to ‘Never Give Up’ and today I broke it, which is no easy thing to do. I obviously had the choice to keep going but I believe that I made the most sensible one. I jumped in the team car then got panned off to the ambulance to get my wounds cleaned and some painkillers then finally left in the Broom Wagon left to my own devices and ponder what really was a disastrous and very disappointing tour for me.

That night, I didn’t sleep a wink as my arm felt like someone was constantly ironing it and I didn’t have any painkillers to trick my body into thinking that everything was OK…The next couple of days were spent hanging around the hotel, trying to tell myself that I didn’t need to eat as if I was still racing a Tour (Although I was thankful that I didn’t have to gorge myself on MORE pasta) and then I got a very pleasant surprise… but that’ll have to wait until my next post :)

Until then

Take care
xx

La Bella Vita :)

Last time I blogged, I had just experienced my first ride in Italy since I was last there in 2009 with the Australian National Team. Needless to say the magnitudes of the climbs were a shock to the system as I hadn’t seen anything bigger than a highway on-ramp for the past few months. I was struggling to turn the pedals and on the first day I averaged a cadence of 60rpm. Including the downhills. OUCH! But I found that despite my ‘suffering’, climbing still hadn’t lost its appeal to me and I found myself eagerly searching for the biggest bergs around to conquer!


I had the pleasure of staying with fellow Canberran and professional cyclist currently riding for the Lotto Ladies Team, Vicki Whitelaw at her lovely apartment in Luino looking over Lago Maggiore. Each day Vicki and I would venture out together where she’d show me a variety of climbs around the area. On one particular day, I said to Vicki that I’d like to do a longer climb and she pointed me in the direction of Alpe di Neggia in Maccagno which is about 25km long. Within 10min I hit the base of the climb and weaved my way up on the switchbacks focussed on reaching the top. Turns out that about 5km up I took a wrong turn but at the top I found myself staring down at Lago Delio, a mountain top lake... Not a bad thing to stumble across. Still determined to find the top of Neggia, I descended back down and took the turn which I was suppose to and plugged my way through the little mountain villages to the top. Once I got to the top I was rewarded again with spectacular views.... A solid, but good day in the office. I definitely slept well that night!


Alpe di Neggia

Other highlights of my trip include watching the Tre Valli Varesine, a UCI 1.HC race in Varese. Vicki managed to get us VIP passes which meant we were able to get right up close and personal to the riders and jump in one of the official cars for part of the race! It was a great way to get another perspective of bike racing, especially Men’s racing as I have never been in a follow vehicle for a Men’s international race before. The hot conditions and repeated hills took its toll on the riders and only a handful of riders finished... At one stage I saw Mark Cavendish roll up to the barricades, jump off his bike, leap over the fence with his bike and roll away...Even the big names have bad days, they’re only human!



On the 19th, Vicki left for her campaign in the Plouay WC in France in preparation for the Trophee D’Or (where I hear she just won the TT –GO VICK!) and generously offered for me to stay on at her house as I had some unfinished business with some bergs to attend to... Although I was on the verge of scratching my eyeballs out after having to listen to myself 24/7, I was saved by the chance to meet up with 2 other riders from Canberra who have been selected to compete for Australia in the U23 World Road Cycling Championships. It was great to see familiar faces, oddly enough on the other side of the world! But it was great to catch up with them, over probably the best coffee in the World, and I’m amazed at how well they are doing and wish them all the best in their prep for Worlds!


View from Coffee, Lago Maggiore

A few mountain passes, scoops of gelati, too many coffees and a fungi pizza later it wasn’t long before my stay in Italy was up and I was on the plane back to Holland where I was greeted with wind, rain and cold temperatures... Welcome home?? The trip to Italy came at exactly the right time for me, my broken ribs and lack of performance was getting me down and the trip got me right back to where I want to be and now I have my eyes firmly set on my goals and there is no way in hell i’m looking back! I feel fit and strong, not sure if that translate into being fast yet, but it is more than I could have hoped for 3 months ago :)


My next race is Middag-Humsterland, a UCI 1.2 in Holland before Holland Ladies Tour, a 6 day/7 stage Tour starting on the 31st which will also be my last with SwABoLadies for the season. I haven’t raced for a couple of weeks and am keen to get stuck back in! Although I love training, especially in Italy :p, I ride my bike to race and that’s when I’m at my happiest :) so BRING IT!!!


I realise that it is hard to describe events that occur with countless ‘you really should have been there’ moments; and no doubt you are familiar with the old saying ‘a picture is worth a thousand words?’ Well I’ve decided to make a sort of video montage of my Italian trip... just for something different :) – so let us know what you think! I’m by FAR no computer genius, but you could put a movie of grass growing to a funky beat and make it exciting... so here goes:



I’m also going to attempt to do a daily video diary of Holland Ladies Tour but lack of internet may mean a delay in posting (one of the pro’s of women’s cycling :p) but stay tuned!

Until next time

Take care

Miffy xx

 

View from Lago Maggiore after a lovely pizza dinner on the water watching the storm roll in...perfect end to my trip non? report to come :)

Rookies Guide to Hill Climbing in Italy

1. Before you leave the house, place one bottle of San Pellegrino in the fridge (don't ask questions, just do it.)

2. Put sunscreen on because you WILL burn. However, if you like the idea of getting skincancer or rad tanlines, then please skip to step 3.



3. Wear your helmet. Just because you’re in Europe and don’t wear a helmet, it doesn’t automatically make you ‘Euro’. Much thought and dedication goes into the making of a Euro Cyclist (see rules here) and therefore you just look like an idiot wannabe.

4. When you’re 10kg over race weight don’t expect to be able to climb well. You have obviously been training for the descents, not the uphill. So stop kidding yourself.



5. When the old Italian man riding with you asks if you want to go the flat or the steep way home, always choose the flat. Believe me, after experiencing the ‘flat’ way, riddled with the repetition of the word ‘Dura’– you’ll be thanking your lucky stars that you didn’t inflict what could have been the ‘steep’ way on yourself.

6. Don’t laugh at the man with the compact chain ring, because right about now you’ll be wishing you had one too.

7. When riding up hill, don’t look up the road. Believe me, its best you don’t know what’s coming. DO however, enjoy the view on your way up – it takes your mind off the burning ;)



8. Hills in Italy aren’t like those in Holland. They are about as steep as your driveway, but go on for about 10-30km; So don’t feel the need to ride hard for the first 100m = bad idea.

9. Climb the steepest hill all day – the one to your house in the hills (footage to come) and collapse on the couch with your nice cold bottle of San Pellegrino.

10. Enjoy yourself, because you’re bloody lucky to be there. And smile, because nothing feels better than a hard day in the saddle :)

Drop Box

Noordeloos criterium today...800m course, back half cobbles, lots of corners... face says it all 'OUCH!'

<< Injury: A particular form of hurt, damage, or loss>>

Injuries show no prejudice, whether you are a recreational sports person or Chuck Norris – they happen to everyone. Injuries generally manifest themselves as a massive inconvenience to say the least, and have a habit of occurring when things seem to be too good to be true.


The sport of cycling is definitely no stranger to injuries; in fact it comes with the territory. In a sport where you descend roads at >90kph on tyres 23mm wide, participate in mass bunch sprints travelling at >70kph with only a helmet on our head as protection, to those unfortunate enough not to have caught the cycling bug – you’d think we were mad.

Every cyclist has fallen off at least once, and is going to fall off at least another handful of times in their career. Take Australian rider Stuart O’Grady, he has punctured his lungs, broken 5 ribs, broken collarbones, head injuries... you name it and it seems like poor Stuart O’Grady has had it. Michael Rogers crashed in the 2007 TDF when he was in the virtual yellow jersey on the road, forcing him to withdraw from the race. Adam Hansen suffered a crash in his Giro debut back in 2007 and had to have surgery on his hand to put two of his fingers back together and Robbie McEwen had to cut his 2009 race season short due to a leg injury suffered in the Tour of Belgium...


Hardman Jens Voigt himself, a true pro.
video of Jens Voigt post crash in 2009 Tour

So why am I talking about injuries? Well if you take a look at all of these riders and their somewhat horrific injuries, they have all recovered from them and are still racing at the elite level. Crashes and injuries happen, it’s a fact of life; but more often than not it IS possible to recover from them, and come back to have just as good form or even better form than previously.
I haven’t had the pleasure of being exempt from injury and to date have suffered a broken wrist, back injuries, torn hamstring tendon and most recently broken ribs...oh and who could forget the road rash which leaves you constantly searching for a non-damaged patch of skin to sleep on or which makes you cry out in the shower? When such things occur, more often than not your first reaction probably isn’t suitable to post publicly on the internet but censored, is something along the lines of ‘damn. That’s annoying’.
All athletes are the same, and patience isn’t one of their strong points. With broken bones requiring weeks of rest or leaving you confined to the trainer for what seems like eternity, it is not uncommon to think that is all too hard, after all, you’re only human. Every time I feel like giving up – I remember why I’ve held on for so long and suddenly things don’t seem so hard :)


Chechu Rubiera post crash on Stage 5 Amgen Tour of California, the same stage which saw Stuart O’Grady having to abandon the Tour due to injury. (photo from: Justanothercyclist.com)

Of course there is always the desire to rush back into things when you see the slightest improvement, but one thing i’ve learnt over the past through years is to look after your body. In cycling, your body is your tool of the trade; it needs to be working as efficiently and effectively as possible to ensure success. Sure, some people think it is tough when they hear of people riding with injuries but most often than not these people are tiptoeing on the line of being hardcore and just plain stupid. Last year I jumped over to the side of stupidity. Shortly before I was due to ride for the Australian team in the Giro Donne, I suffered a nasty crash in a handicap race in NSW. I was taken to hospital with injuries to my neck and back. I was determined to not let this set me back and continued to train despite the pain and ultimately paid for my decision. During my whole time with the Aussie team, I was receiving daily treatment on my back and it became a limiting factor in my performance and upon returning back to Australia, had to have several weeks off to get it all sorted.

This is one mistake i’m not looking to make twice. Although this time my injuries are different, the recovery process is the same. It involves lots of patience, self discipline and learning to listen to your body. I have been reassured that I will not cause further damage by riding with my broken ribs – it just hurts a little but I am ‘picking my fights’ as you could call it and yesterday when I was scheduled to race in the rain, with cobbles and tight corners, I politely declined the offer - I need to recover properly before I start putting my body through such risks again :)


So the point of my story? Injuries suck, yes, but it IS possible to make a recovery however you have to be PATIENT and SMART. Listen to your body; after all you’re the only person who can tell what is going on and learn when the pain is OK to push through or when you’re body is telling you that enough is enough. Injuries happen to everyone, but what makes you different is how you deal with it, this is where the pros really shine.


Until next time, happy pedalling :)
xx

Veteran Cyclists

You know, the ones who talk about how good they use to be, have bikes that rival those of the pros, race for 50th in club races, half wheel you in training rides, spend more time in their knicks than what is deemed socially acceptable...Not to be mistaken for hubbards (see definition by Joe Lewis here)

This weekend I had the privilege of watching my Dad compete in the ICF World Masters Championships in Soumagne, Belgium where men aged 40+ were competing to be the best in their age category in the World. To be honest, upon first hearing the name ‘World Masters Championships’ you’d think that the competition and the racing wouldn’t even come close to rivalling the likes of racing in open grades but after watching this race up close, that statement couldn’t be further from the truth!

Dad and I in London :)

For those ‘fortunate’ enough to have ridden the Australian Open Road Nationals course in Ballarat, this course was similar to that but on a smaller scale. A 9km circuit with a 4km berg on the finishing straight, tough to say the least!

Whilst I was waiting for my Dad’s race to start, the race for the 60years+ was finishing up. The race finished 1km up the hill, a thought that would make ANYONE cringe. On the final lap, two men were on a break out front, followed by a smaller group of about 4-5 riders then a larger peloton. When the last climb came around, the two riders still had a gap and were obviously going to win the bike race. I was surprised to find that watching these men cross the line inspirational and very motivating. Barely able to get out of the saddle and sprint, the winner literally crawled his way over the line where he was assisted by the crowd though sheer exhaustion.



In this race, age was definitely not a limiting factor. This man was probably old enough to be my grandfather and he had pushed his body to the absolute limit, just as any pro would. It was just proof that your love for a sport does not grow old with age and these riders still get the same kicks out of the sport as we do.

Before his race, Dad and I were chatting to a rider who had travelled from London to ride his bike and when we asked if he’d just raced (in the 60+ category) he said that “I’ve been here for a week and raced yesterday, these guys are all too young for me, i’m 70!”

Like many veteran cyclists, in his spare time he is often seen travelling to all the monuments in cycling and just spending quality time on the bike! Dad and I also had a great time exploring parts of the Liege-Bastogne-Liege course and the infamous Mur de Huy upon which the Fleche Wallone finishes.


the Mur de Huy: 1.3km long; 9.8% gradient; 17% max gradient.... all in the seat cause I can't get out of the saddle :s OUCH.

I often tell myself that when i’m older, I’ll realise when it’s time to hang up the bike but something tells me it isn’t going to be that easy. It is hard to give up something that has been such a big part of your life. Cycling has provided me with arguably some of the best moments and experiences i’ve had in life to date. When most people are thinking of retirement, I’m pretty sure I will still be trying to figure out how I can win the sprint on the morning bunch ride, after all as my Dad keeps telling me “You may have ridden for Australia, but you’re not a TRUE cyclist until you’ve won every Canberra morning bunch sprint!” Luckily for me, that is a long way off yet :)

In the meantime, next time i’m riding near a vet and he starts picking up my high heart rates, instead of worrying that he is probably going to think he is about to have a heart attack, I secretly know that he is getting that sick satisfaction you get when you push your body to the limit, is enjoying every minute of it and start to ramp up the pace ;)

I’m back in Holland now and have a busy racing schedule this week before I head off to Italy where my inner Vet will come out and I will try and venture to some of the climbing monuments on the Italian/Swiss border :P

Until next time

Take care xx

Andy Schleck may have narrowly missed out on the Yellow jersey, but it turns out he prefers pink instead ;)

Yesterday was my first race back from my crash at Dwars door de Westhoek just over a week ago. Unfortunately since then, my ribs have made little to no improvement, however, I have still been training everyday (although confined to rollers and the ergo) and equipped with painkillers I thought i’d take a crack at the first Post Tour Criterium held in Stiphout.


I found some nice smooth bike paths to warm up on then went to go suss out the course. When I saw the course, a little piece of me died when I realised the whole circuit (1.7km) was bricks and that there were multiple corners which no doubt would require me to get out of the saddle and sprint out of (something which i haven’t managed to do yet :s) but I was itching the to ride and the pain from my ribs was nothing compared to how badly I wanted to race so after taking my spoonful of cement and sending myself some HTFU vibes – I was on the start line ready to roll.

The gun went and from then the pace was on. I managed to complete 2 laps sprinting out of the saddle coming out of the corners with the bunch but soon after my arm started going numb and equipped with the constant vibrations from the bricks, I could no longer sprint out of the corners and dropped back off the bunch. Determined not to give up, I TTed the race for about 20min before getting lapped by the field. At least I got some good training!!! When I got pulled from the race i could barely move my arm and the pain was a constant stabbing in my ribs....which is why I’ve decided not to race for the rest of the week and train instead.

Yep, that's starting to hurt :s (photo courtesy of Bart Hazen from dailypeloton.com)

Part of me knew that I wasn’t fully recovered to ride but I needed to race to prove to myself that yes, I did get injured and that injuries take time to heal. It’s a fact of life. I can still turn the pedals over so I consider myself fortunate but it looks as though i will be spending more time on the rollers/ergo and doing SEs uphill and avoiding potholes like the plague so I can be fit and ready to go for the Holland Hills Classic, a UCI race on the 8th of August!

Luckily for me the night only got better post race. After my team mates finished the race (Davina got a very respectable 5th place and Emily 15th) we went out to dinner to a pretty classy pub to get ourselves something to eat. I am still working on my Dutch so the menu might as well have been written in pretty little symbols...It managed to decifer the word fish and vegetables so that’s what I got! Although one thing i didn’t expect was it to come out on a dangling kebab stick waving in front of my face :S I litterally laughed out loud when it came out but it tasted delicious and turned out to be a very pleasant meal out with the girls!

Davina dropped us back at the race to commence her immense TomTomless journey home (when she said she used a map to get here, part of me was like.. what on earth is a map?!?! Haha) the fun really started to start :)

The Pro riders were racing later in the evening and Tracey, Emily and I went over to the registration to see if we could catch a glimpse of Contator and Schelck. There we were fortunate enough to meet up with Bart Hazen, a photographer for the Daily Peloton and the person responsible for the majority of these great pics! When Andy Schleck walked passed, equipped with our SwABo Ladies jerseys, Tracey asked if he would be able to get a photo with us. He willingly accepted even saying ‘Nice jerseys girls’!! pretty sure that made my night.



If that wasn’t enough, Bart said that he could get us a photo with Contador as well! Before we knew it, we were on the course with all of the photographers with the Pros. We had just walked onto the course and were now literally in arms reach of some of the best cyclists in the World! Contador was presented on stage and moments after, standing with us getting a photo. What a legend!

photo courtesy of Bart Hazen from dailypeloton.com

People may say that bike riders are just like average people, and in one sense they are. What makes these people so incredible is what they do. People like Andy Schleck, Alberto Contador and Mick Rogers put their bodies through incredible amounts of pain and display such strength, determination, dedication and passion for what they do. This is what makes them Idol worthy, and why us girls weren't ashamed to have red faces after meeting them :P

We spent the rest of the night walking the course, cheering for random riders and getting some very odd looks – but making a douche of yourself is half of the fun right??? There was even a DJ playing, an all too friendly reminder of nights out at home...verrrrry tempting, but taking one look at my outfit and unbrushed hair, I quickly was put off the idea of hitting the town! That’ll just have to wait :p

So what's next? Well I head to Belgium tomorrow to see my Dad. We were originally meant to be racing a crit down in Herentals but we didn’t realise it was on invitation only but i’ll probably still go have a look at it as Dad hasn’t been to one before! Then I will stay with Dad in Liege until the team recon of the Holland hills Classic course on the Saturday. In Liege i’m going to see if I can ride part of the Liege-Bastogne-Liege course...would be awesome!


A week and a bit later I’ll be off to Italy for just over a week – will be good to see some hills again! So a very exciting few weeks ahead in my standards which will make it even harder to make myself do my Uni work...Meeting pro riders, riding in the hills or learning about OH&S...hmm tough choice! I would much rather be on the bike than learning about the importance of washing your hands... :p

So until next time, stay safe and take care
xx