Thursday, August 6, 2009

Tour de Limousin

Unexpected...but delightful 4th overall! I didn't go into this race feeling super confident, specially after the 10 days of hard racing...I wasn't quite sure whether or not I was ready to tackle another stage race. But I must have done something right...well I had help! After the giro I called Max (Testa) and talked to him about my riding and the things I need to work on....blah blah but the most important thing he said was that I needed to recover between the tours...so I did. As an athlete you always think that more is better, well I had to trust what he said that I needed to do just the opposite...to recharge. Then there I was in france...had a great first stage, well could have been better had I not "choked' but still I was happy with my riding. There is always a lesson to be learned and things that can be improved. In a short version of what happened, I found myself having to bridge to the break of three riders in the last 10km of the race, after having worked for my teammate tatiana (guderzo)setting her up for the queen of the mountains jersey, keeping our break away (we were 10) to keep her fresh for the finish. Well, after the last GPM(QOM) a counter containing those three riders Grace Verbeke (lotto belisol) Ruth Corset( Austr. Nat team) and Alexandra burchenkova (russia nat team) and tatiana told me i had to bridge....holy crap! I was totally gassed by then, but I got on it and for about 1-2kms I chased and made my way to the break....took a lot of work..once I got there I thought that I was going to get popped on the rollers....but I kept telling myself ..NO NO WAY YOU ARE NOT GONNA GIVE UP NOW! So I stuck it out, but wasn't very smart coming into the finish...and also not very confident either. 2 big mistakes...and I am working on that ;o) so hopefully I won't be making the same mistakes on the next races to come. After that stage all I had to do is defend my position, or try to move up in GC which was really hard, since the only hilly stage was the first one, the others where all power climbs (sprinters climbs lol) and ended up either in a bunch sprint or in a break not containing any GC riders...it was much harder for me than you can imagine...so much work when nothing gets away and comes back together in the end! It was a great race, and I learned so much...have lots of work to do!!I will post pics when they became available, as of right now, I have none. ... sorry!

MORE SWITZERLAND!





What can I say! I love SWITZERLAND! the most beautiful country ever! After the Tour in Limousin, I got to stay @ Oscar+Kelly's agian! Oh man, it was so good to get out of the team house, and recharge the mind and body! I was able to do some awesome training in the swiss alps of St. Moritz. I 've heard about that place as a little girl when my dad used to tell me about his rendeuvous in europe. My dad was big into traveling. It was magical. Until I had been told, in the middle of the ride, that it wasn't only 120km, but instead 170km!! I had ran out of food! we still had one last pass to make...this one 22km with 2300meters of climbing. LOL and in the middle of nowhere(beautiful nowhere).... I was ahead in the climb and was thinking to myself ...there has to be something up here, a gas station, a bakery, a restaurant any place that I can get some food at! At a distance, I spotted this little town, not much there, but still that was my last hope, as I was on the verge of bonking, I did not hesitate when I saw the first place I thought would have something to eat, I stopped, walked in, it was a sit down dinner, people were sitting outside in the patio enjoying a quite, quaint little afternoon late lunch, and this mad cyclist comes in, searching for a quick bite to eat. I didn't find any pastries, or cookies, they didnt really have anything set out. That's when I saw the only pie in the store....it was a carmel walnut pie with buttery crust! I was sold...didnt think twice about it... the lady was going to serve it to me on a plate, but i said no ...its to go... i paid my 4.80 francs and out the door I was. I was already half way done with it between paying for it and getting on my bike to get back on the road! People were looking at me...and all i could think about was...thank goodness for this piece of pie....and not only that ...it was one of the most delicious pie I have ever had, too bad I couldn't fully enjoy it...i ate it so fast ! But it was what got me back to the car that day!