Thursday, 17/07
Stage 1, 85km
The first Mountain prime was on 3km, which made the race crazy fast from the start.
With 120 girls in the race, the racing is more dangerous and I’m finding it more difficult to get to the front than usual.
The stage finished on a small circuit of 3km×4. I know my cornering isn’t that bad. So I decided to sprint to the front before the corner, luckily because I could only hear some of the girls crashing behind me. I went first through the corner, but going to the finish line I didn’t have to power and started fading towards the finish line.
With the crash at the end they mixed up the places and placed me 47th with 12 seconds behind the bunch although I was 17th with no time lost. They messed up everyone’s result and decided to give everyone the same time.
Friday, 18/07
Stage 2, 118km
The Rolling, winding roads through
Today’s stage we arrived on a finishing circuit of 4× 6.6km. The circuits are definitely the hardest part of the race, and funny enough the easiest part (if you still have legs left) to get away cause the whole bunch is lined out on the circuit and its only the front ones that can really see you if you try to get away or who can bring you back. But the tricky part is to get to the front without killing yourself by doing it. 7 Girls managed to get away and it was my turn to go down in the final bunch sprint. Luckily I didn’t get hurt but broke my Zipp wheel. I’m sad about it because I love those wheels.
Saturday, 19/07
Stage 3, 99km
Every day I can feel my body getting more fatigued and my mind tired of fighting for a place in front. And my knees isn’t coping at all with the racing here.
The finishing circuit (4×4km) was on narrow farm roads. And as soon as we got onto it the bunch got split into small little groups. I ended up in the 3rd group. I just didn’t have the legs to fight for a front position going onto the finishing circuit.
Sunday, 20/07
Stage 4, 10km Time Trail
I lost a lot of time the previous day, so my manager advised me to take it easy and focus on the afternoon’s stage. But being a cyclist I guess we always want to try and give our best.
I decided again just to ride on my threshold power which improved a little since I’ve been here, and happy to have been able to do so. I can’t compete against the others yet, but I’m trying my best to improve and be able to do so in the future.
Sunday, 20/07
Stage 5, 75km
After the Time trail I thought the GC would be final and it would be an easier stage. But I don’t think these girls know what that is. The finishing circuit (4×5km) had a 1km really steep hill in and that killed me, I finished again in the 3 group.
This wasn’t a good tour for me, I felt more tired every day and my body never reached the point of adapting and then starting to feel stronger again.
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