For those of you who believe that when the peloton rolls into Paris after three weeks of grueling racing at the end of July the cycling season is all but over, you would be mistaken. Not only is there the third and final Grand Tour, the tours of Britain, Poland and Ireland and the World Championships in late September still to come but also the Post Tour Criterium series run in the two weeks immediately after the Tour de France.
The series of races generally known as ‘post-tour crits’ held in various cities around Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany provide fans the opportunity to watch and cheer for their heroes while enjoying a party atmosphere more commonly associated with concerts or festivals.
How do criterium’s held in random towns across Western Europe, carrying no UCI ranking and no prestige like that of Paris-Roubaix or Milam San Remo attract the who’s who of the European peloton?
TdeF Jersey and stage winners and big name riders such as Jens Voigt can earn big money just for showing their faces. The appearance money riders can earn is stratospheric and how successful a rider is during the tour dictates how much dough the race organisers are willing to throw at them.
Years ago there were up to 96 ‘post-tour crits’ held around Europe, now there are twelve, and I chose to race one of the biggest, loudest and most atmospheric of them all the Draai van der Kaai in Roosendaal, the Netherlands.
Before the big names take to the line the crowd is given the chance to warm up a bit while watching the junior and women support races. By ‘warming up’ I mean partaking in the various beers, wines and spirits on offer at the innumerable bars scattered around the course.
As Emma and I cruised up to the criterium in her SmartCar we were met by fences barricading off a huge residential area. Entry into the area where the criterium was being held cost 20 euro per person. This in itself shocked me, but what was inside made me gasp! Thousands of people lined the three kilometre circuit, stands erected along the straights of the course and a large stage where the hottest Dutch bands were playing for the crowds made it the most fantastic and unusual atmosphere I have ever ridden in.
21 laps raced against riders such as Marianne Vos (DSB), Chantelle Beltman (Columbia) and Suzanne De Goede (Nurenberger) on the rough, bumpy, red bricked 3 kilometre circuit later, and I had claimed another podium place in a European race. Taking third to Vos and De Goede was a result that I was more than satisfied with.
The cheer from the crowd as Vos crossed the line with her arms outstretched in a victory salute was insane. I don’t think I have ever heard people cheer so loudly for a female sportstar. Vos is cycling’s and the Netherlands golden girl, and for good reason. World Champion in track, road and cyclo-cross disciplines she’s extremely talented and a lovely person. It’s easy to see how she has managed to win the hearts of her fellow country men and women.
The men’s race was won by Mark Cavendish while Contador and Andy Schleck almost got him on the line. It’s not everyday you see general classification riders challenging the fastest man in the world. A bit like professional wrestling really, I want to believe it but ???? Anyway, its good entertainment and rest assured the Women’s racing was fair dinkum!
If you would like more on these Crits visit this link: http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/features/?id=post_tour_crits
An interesting read if you want to know more.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Monday, August 3, 2009
Thank you Italy!
As it turns out my time in Italy and the suffering I endured in both races and training when the gradient of the road tilted upwards has come back to lend a helping hand. The Sparkassen Giro, held in Bochum Germany the past weekend helped prove that all those hours of agony spent off the back of the bunch were actually worth it after I finished third behind Rochelle Gilmore and Suzanne De Goede.
The race, carrying a UCI ranking of 1.1, one classification below a World Cup, was 6 laps of a 14 kilometre circuit. It had two power climbs and a long, fast downhill to the finish line so was raced at an average speed of 37km/hr. With crowds lining the course there was a real party atmosphere surrounding it and I found myself feeding off the crowd’s energy as I powered over the climbs each lap with the front group.
As I stood waiting for presentations I saw riders like Mark Cavendish and Henrich Haussler casually ride past me to the start of their race. I realised that the crazed crowd weren’t hear to see me, rather these athletes who carry superstar status. Nonetheless, it was still pretty amazing to ride infront of what was possibly a hundred thousand people or more.
Donning the Moving Ladies colours for the first time in a little over a month is was great to race with all the girls again. Emma was very aggressive in the race and found herself in a break with two laps to go which had all the major teams in it. Nurenberger, however, were obviously unhappy with the composition of the break as they dragged it back with a little over 15 kilometres to go. And so it was to be a sprint - was I happy? Was I ever!
The long descent into the finish line meant that the speed of the peloton in the final kilometres was around 60km/hr and there was no one team controlling the front of the bunch. The last two kilometres were truly chaotic as all the teams were vying to get their sprinters into the best possible position for the final right hand corner which was only 200 metres from the finish line.
Since arriving in Europe and growing to know and love the European peloton I have learnt many things, one of which is this; if you want to sprint and succeed in Europe you need to have guts, and be willing to take risks.
After a few very close calls and wheel touches while travelling at 65km/hr I arrived at the final right hand corner in fifth wheel, not necessarily the ideal position with only 200 metres to go. It was great to see the Australian team taking a firm hold on the race with Vickie Whitelaw giving the new Australian sprinter, Kirsty Broun, a fantastic leadout as she took her into the final corner in second wheel with Suzanne De Goede, Rochelle Gilmore and I strung out behind her.
As we all exploded out of the corner the noise of the crowd thundered in our ears as banners and flags were waved madly. Rochelle proved too strong, taking out the win narrowly from Suzanne and myself. It was a close and exciting sprint with thousands of people watching on and yelling wildly for no-one in particular.
I was extremely happy with my third in one of Europe’s major races. What was also great was having the three Australian sprinters, Rochelle, Kirsty and I all racing against each other in a quality international field as it really demonstrates the strength of female cycling in Australia.
While no longer riding for the Australian team it was fantastic to see how they took hold of the race, trying to control it. But it was not only the Aussie team that really impressed me; my Moving Ladies team mates were really active throughout the whole race. All the girls seem to be going from strength to strength as the season moves towards its climax, the World Championships in late September.
The Sparkassen Giro is definitely going on my list of races I will do again. With any luck I’ll be back next year and hopefully I’ll be able to improve on third.
The race, carrying a UCI ranking of 1.1, one classification below a World Cup, was 6 laps of a 14 kilometre circuit. It had two power climbs and a long, fast downhill to the finish line so was raced at an average speed of 37km/hr. With crowds lining the course there was a real party atmosphere surrounding it and I found myself feeding off the crowd’s energy as I powered over the climbs each lap with the front group.
As I stood waiting for presentations I saw riders like Mark Cavendish and Henrich Haussler casually ride past me to the start of their race. I realised that the crazed crowd weren’t hear to see me, rather these athletes who carry superstar status. Nonetheless, it was still pretty amazing to ride infront of what was possibly a hundred thousand people or more.
Donning the Moving Ladies colours for the first time in a little over a month is was great to race with all the girls again. Emma was very aggressive in the race and found herself in a break with two laps to go which had all the major teams in it. Nurenberger, however, were obviously unhappy with the composition of the break as they dragged it back with a little over 15 kilometres to go. And so it was to be a sprint - was I happy? Was I ever!
The long descent into the finish line meant that the speed of the peloton in the final kilometres was around 60km/hr and there was no one team controlling the front of the bunch. The last two kilometres were truly chaotic as all the teams were vying to get their sprinters into the best possible position for the final right hand corner which was only 200 metres from the finish line.
Since arriving in Europe and growing to know and love the European peloton I have learnt many things, one of which is this; if you want to sprint and succeed in Europe you need to have guts, and be willing to take risks.
After a few very close calls and wheel touches while travelling at 65km/hr I arrived at the final right hand corner in fifth wheel, not necessarily the ideal position with only 200 metres to go. It was great to see the Australian team taking a firm hold on the race with Vickie Whitelaw giving the new Australian sprinter, Kirsty Broun, a fantastic leadout as she took her into the final corner in second wheel with Suzanne De Goede, Rochelle Gilmore and I strung out behind her.
As we all exploded out of the corner the noise of the crowd thundered in our ears as banners and flags were waved madly. Rochelle proved too strong, taking out the win narrowly from Suzanne and myself. It was a close and exciting sprint with thousands of people watching on and yelling wildly for no-one in particular.
I was extremely happy with my third in one of Europe’s major races. What was also great was having the three Australian sprinters, Rochelle, Kirsty and I all racing against each other in a quality international field as it really demonstrates the strength of female cycling in Australia.
While no longer riding for the Australian team it was fantastic to see how they took hold of the race, trying to control it. But it was not only the Aussie team that really impressed me; my Moving Ladies team mates were really active throughout the whole race. All the girls seem to be going from strength to strength as the season moves towards its climax, the World Championships in late September.The Sparkassen Giro is definitely going on my list of races I will do again. With any luck I’ll be back next year and hopefully I’ll be able to improve on third.
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