Santos Women's Cup

After racing the Victorian State Titles road race in our own backyard both Kate and I packed up our bikes to head over to Adelaide for what would be my first time racing the Santos Women’s Cup!

We were both real excited to be lining up for what was sure to be some more aggressive women’s racing and also to experience the atmosphere of the Tour Down Under.

After an early flight we made our way to our accommodation with Nik in Glenelg and proceeded straight to the coffee shop to kick start the day. We then put our bikes together and set off to roll the legs out from yesterday’s road race. The beach side suburbs of Adelaide are beautiful, but surprisingly still very relaxed and laid back, nothing like our beach road in Melbourne! We were all very thrilled to spot numerous pro teams, escorted by team cars, also out for their morning roll, but not so thrilled to come close to a collision with the Saxo-Tinkoff Team as they very nearly failed to give way to us at a round about!

We rolled into town early so as to register and get a few laps in on the circuit. Stage 1 was exciting as we were on before the TDU Cancer Classic, so there was a huge crowd and quite an impressive set up. The race was super aggressive with numerous attacks and small breaks forming. Nothing really stayed away resulting in a bunch sprint to finish. We were all really happy with our first race, having fulfilled our individual goals and also making our presence felt as a team. The race was taken out by the inform Kimberly Wells, Kate placed 8^th, Lauretta 12^th, myself 14^th and Nik 18^th.

Lauretta launching an attack in the opening stage #1 of the Santos Cup.

Stage #2 was quite a different kettle of fish! We rolled into the Prospect course, and the hotdog circuit looked brutal. It consisted of two fairly short and quite narrow straights which seemed only long enough to get up to speed before you were braking to take the next corner. From the gun Lauretta got a good start and proceeded to set a high pace for the first couple of laps, this immediately strung out the field to form a single file. There was also a crash on the very first corner which split the bunch from the start, with impeded riders. Nik got caught up in a
crash instantly, being forced to chase rather than being allowed a lap out. I couldn't believe it when the commentator said we had only been racing for 6 minutes and the entire field was blown to pieces! I soon found some rhythm and managed to fall in with both Kate and Lauretta, this was now a good opportunity to work together to bridge up to the leading group. I think we chased for about 10min, just dangling 50m off the back, the crowd were very encouraging and were willing us on to make contact the bunch. Kate and I eventually got there, although this was a relief, it didn't become any easier, as it never felt like you could get a sit, it was just a succession of standing starts out of the corners followed by excessive braking into them! I ended up popping off the back at 20min, leaving Kate to battle it out. Jo Hogan got away and established a substantial lead, enabling her to take the win, Kate again finished in 8^th place, and only 10 riders finished out of the 24!

Kate and I working hard to bridge back to the leading bunch on the ridiculously hard hotdog circuit of stage #2 at Prospect

The team pre race at Prospect

After a rest day on Tuesday, which we spent rolling around the beautiful Adelaide hills, we fronted up to the final stage in Unley. Kate unfortunately had to head back to Bendigo for work. This course looked a lot friendlier. It was a tight little street circuit with two longer straights linked by two very short lengths where you could really only get a couple of pedal strokes in before you start cornering; however still an improvement on the hot dog  The race was super aggressive with the Crino Cycles girls launching incessant attacks. One of the Crino girls eventually got away and was soon joined by Nic Whitburn to form an 18 second gap. The escapees were eventually reeled in with only 5 laps to go. The bell lap saw everyone jostling for position as we all caught the scent of the finish line. On the 2^nd corner one of the girls clipped her pedal which sent her bouncing sideways through the apex of the corner, amazingly she held it up but unfortunately split the bunch. As the front markers put the hammer down a small group of us were left to try and chase. The bunch sprint was again won by Kimberly Wells who had the Santos Women’s Cup all sown up with her classy riding! Lauretta finished 9^th, I finished 13^th and Nik 22^nd.

After the 3 races these were our standings on GC: Kate 11^th, Lauretta 13^th, Myself, 15^th and Nik 22^nd.

So my first time racing the Santos Women’s Cup, has left me keen to do it all again next year, Adelaide really turned it on for us!
Thanks to Kevin at Chameleon photography www.chameleonphotography.com.au for some great shots from Santos Womens Cup as well as Grahame Sonter from Newcastle

Half way through the summer of racing

Sitting on my couch on a Sunday afternoon relaxing.... feel like I haven't had time to stop and relax since Christmas, nearly 3 weeks ago.

After Christmas, I headed down to Geelong to ride as a guest rider for Speicialized securitor for the Michelton Bay Series.

I was excited and nervous prior to the first race, the hot dog circuit, which is always my favourite circuit of the series. Our race plan was to be aggressive, and if it was all together at the end, help Kimberly get up for the sprint. It started off what felt a bit slower than normal (however after comparing the speed to last year it was ~3km/hr average higher) so I launched the first attack for the day. From then on for the rest of the race, I road aggressively, disturbing the Green-edge AIS strangle hold of the race, however no moves stuck.
 Coming into the final 2 laps I made sure Kimberly was up there fighting for the Green-edge AIS train and sat on her wheel allowing no one else to get involved. She launched at the perfect time just before the final u-turn and sprinted amazingly to take the win, and I came home 4^th. It was an awesome race, we had all the jerseys; teams, leaders and I had the sprinters jersey. We were all on a mammoth high for the evening, and I'd like to thank everyone for the kind well wishes too.

Portarlington didn't go so well for me, my seat slid forward and down half-way through the race and I was so overly nervous, jumping out of my skin that I wore myself out by sprinting up the steep hill for no reason other than nerves every lap, which burnt my legs stupidly.

The final day of the series I re-collected myself, Williamstown course suited me better and I wanted to take on the race like the first day. Kimberly was still sitting in third and it was still possible for her to move into 2nd on GC; we were also still 2^nd in teams behind Green-edge AIS so still plenty to ride for. We wanted to try to put Green-edge on the back foot again, so as soon as we started and came out of the first round-about I launched a attack and got a gap of ~50m straight away.
 I kept this move going for the first 5 laps and Green-edge was required to chase just as we had wanted. As soon as I as caught, there was a group of 6 of us just off the front and the counter attacks came, I followed them all as I couldn't see my team mates and both Mel Hoskins and Peta Mullens were there (Kimberly's rivals for GC). The pace backed off a little bit at the 25min mark and I saw Kimbers and Amy come to the front, so I went to the back to take a rest (the back of the 22 riders left anyway). After taking a breather for 3 laps I was about to start moving forward, still feeling tired but eager to get back up their and help my team mates. Suddenly a rider, not to be named, pushed me out of the corner, in the ribs and I basically came to a complete stop and was suddenly 30m off the back of the bunch, at the same time someone attacked at the front and I was 50m off the back. I tried chasing for another 3 laps but it was a futile attempt as I wasn't strong enough to get back on with the pace of the race and the work I had already done. In hindsight I should have let myself fall instead of holding myself up, at least I would have gotten a lap out instead.

At the end of the series, Kimbers finished 3^rd in GC and we got 2^nd on teams, so a successful week none the less.

There was then a week between Bay series and National championships this year, which meant most of my competition were resting up and getting ready, however off I went to work on Friday directly after Williamstown and Monday through to Wednesday the next week as well.

In the National Criterium I was back riding for myself in our BCS SKODA Specialized colours and everyone (family and support crew) was telling me to not be so aggressive early on in the race and save my legs for the last 15-20min. Although it pained me to do this, I did it exceptionally well, sitting in and following like I had never before, and my legs actually thanked me for it on that grueling hot dog hill in Ballarat. I was off the front at 7 laps to go with Tarryn Heather for 3 laps, however we never got very far ahead and I didn't push too hard. Coming into the final lap I was positioned well however coming down the hill for some reason I put myself in the middle of the second row, although all race I knew the quickest line was the outside of the final u-turn. I got swarmed on the bottom U-turn and came out of the bottom corner in 10^th place... race over so barely even sprinted, ended 15th. Plenty of positives and negatives from the race.

Back to work again Friday (the life of a non-professional cyclist) before Saturday's road race.
With the new course changes I wasn't sure whether it would be a positive or negative change for myself, although less climbs is definitely an advantage for me.
You can all read the stories of how the end of the race played out on womenscycling.net OR cyclingnews.com. I finished just off the third bunch, we had formed this bunch on the road when the hammer went down on the third last time up Mt Buninyoung, then on the final time up I was unable to sustain the same pace as them up the hill the last time. I was happy with my ride, and looking at my data this year compared to last year the race was a lot faster up the climb every lap as my power was generally 30-40 watts higher each time, and the fact I was still able to sustain that until 2 laps to as well as sustaining higher watts when I was dropped is a positive in itself.
Well done to Gracie for an amazing ride for the day.
Now I look forward to racing with the BCS girls again over the next 3 weeks at the Victorian State Titles Road Race in Bendigo next weekend along with the TDU Santos Women’s Criterium series in Adelaide followed by the Bendigo round of Cykel events, women’s Grand Prix, before I give myself a little break and holiday with my lovely sister back in Adelaide.