Competition
Spain
Spain World Cup had evidently been a main target for a number of the world’s best sprinters.
Photo by Anton Vos
Many team’s arrived in Valladolid Spain with their strongest sprint specialists, leaving their climbers at home until later in the week when the known mountainous races were to begin; Durango & Bira.
It was only on the morning of pre race day when our director mentioned that the course had changed from the previous year. Last year the course was relatively flat and well suited to the sprinters.
China’s injury treated, packing for Spain
Firstly, I must apologise for not writing an update after the China World Cup! That was 15 days ago now and a lot has happened since then. I was very quiet in China about a knee injury that developed on the flight from Venice. In China I was pedaling with one leg, my left leg became so sore that my masseur could hardly touch it. My right leg with the painful knee injury was fine – it had done no work! It was my first experience with an injury as such so I had no idea what was going on inside my knee; most of my pain was behind the knee. By the end of the World Cup race my right leg was useless. I had perfect position with 200m to go (3rd wheel) but when I got out of the seat I just fell straight back into it and was passed by a heard of riders. I finished a disappointing 8th place in the World Cup.
Tour of Chongming Island, China: 2
Tour of Chongming Island
Thursday the 12th & Friday the 13th of May. Stage Two & Three; 118.4km & 79.3km.
The tour of Chongming Island has been quite a struggle for me this year! Last year I had a little success here riding with the Australian national team. I was on the podium in the tour and finished third in the World Cup! Although, I did end up in hospital after returning to Italy, with pneumonia (fluid on the lungs) and a serious chest infection which kept me off the bike for nearly a month!
Tour of Chongming Island, China: 1
Viewing R-L Marissa, Dany, Vicki, Rochelle, Wesley, Cherise.
Wednesday the 11th of May. Stage One; 73.4km.
What a crazy day in my world! Today’s stage could be described as one of the most boring races we’ve ever done but in my world it was a little more eventful, or should I say challenging?
Luxembourg Review
Luxembourg
Well, I’m back home in Italy for another few days between races in Luxembourg last weekend and Belgium again this weekend.
On Saturday and Sunday I raced in Luxembourg; the races were quite hilly so I didn’t expect any results- I was just going there to be a part of my team Lotto Honda and to get some good training in. I didn’t finish these races in Luxembourg last year so I was surprised to finish 22nd on day one and 8th on day two… a few more UCI points was a tiny bonus!