Exploring Koblenz

We have been relaxing in Koblenz for the last few days which has given us time to find our way around. There is some fun riding in Koblenz forest and Dave has been doing his usual stunts in an attempt to impress me - he forgot that the brakes are the wrong way round and took a tumble!

Inspector Clouseau kindly offered to look at my saddle sores

Dave and his injury ;0)

Dave can keep up with me when I ride my new bike ;0)

We have also had time to get to know all of the guys from the team, which has been a lot of fun. We leave for Erbach on Saturday morning which is where the first stage of the Trans Germany starts.

To pee or not to pee?!

On Saturday it was the second in the series of the Rocky Mountain Bike Marathons. Last month I finished in third place in the first race of the series in Italy so I was secretly hoping for another podium finish. We flew to Frankfurt on Thursday evening where the Topeak-Ergon Team Manager, Dirk Juckwer, met us and drove us to Koblenz. The next day we set off on the four hour drive in the team van to Willingen with Lars Hartwich the Team Mechanic. We arrived in the afternoon and met up with the other team riders, Alban Lakata, Kim Tofaute, and Benny Brochhagan. The festival in Willingen is one of the largest in Europe and the expo area was even bigger than the one in Italy. The atmosphere was buzzing and as well as Marathon riders there were also downhill racers, four cross rider, and dirt jumpers. Once again Dave was in his element but unfortunately for him there was no time to relax – we needed to get everything ready for the 7.30am race the next morning.

Lars, AKA Super Star DJ

Lars and Dave worked hard to get the bikes ready while Kim and I went out for a quick ride. The course was very different to the one in Italy. In Italy there were three long mountain climbs, but in Willingen the profile was much more undulating. In total the long course was 124km with 3600metres of climbing. There would be no respite. I wasn’t sure how it would suit me because I tend to prefer long climbs. Parts of the course were pretty wet and muddy but there were also lots of fire road sections, so I decided to run the Race Kings which would give me more of a speed advantage.

Alban warming up before the race

After our ride I went to see a physiotherapist to have my thigh checked over because it was still painful and swollen following my crash at the British Champs two weeks ago. Although it had improved massively I still didn’t have the full range of movement in my quad and I still had a very pronounced lump. I had a gentle massage which loosened things up and helped to get rid of some of my now familiar race nerves. I then dashed back to the hotel for dinner with the other team riders and some of the Ergon and Topeak reps who had stands in the Expo area. This gave us time to plan out the feedzones. The course consisted of three different loops all starting and finishing in the main Expo area. After each loop you could decide whether to finish or to carry on and start the next loop. Benny and Kim decided that they would do the first 55km loop, while Alban and I were going to ride the full 124km. We decided that Dave would stay in the main area and feed Alban and I, and Lars would drive to the other three feedzones out on the course.

Nervous? Never!

We tried to get an early night ready for the 5am wake up call but once we had finally finished last minute preparations it was already 11pm. I very rarely sleep well the night before a race and I have learned not to let this affect me. We woke up to bright sunshine which was a relief because the area is renowned for rain! Before I knew it I was jostling for a space on the start line. I wasn’t quite as nervous as normal which was odd, but that changed when I looked over and saw Katrin Schwing who always manages to scare me ;-) I knew that this course would suit her much better than it would me. I needed to get a better start in this race than the one in Italy because the first climb was much shorter so I wouldn’t have my usual advantage. When the gun went off I needed to stick with the main group and not let the mass start intimidate me. I felt like I managed this well and I was with 5 other girls on the first 400 metre climb. The other girls seemed strong and I tried to push on and get past them. My legs didn’t feel as powerful as normal and I started to get stomach cramps, which was very unusual. This started to concern me and I had thoughts of finishing the race after the first 55km. I tried to push them out of my mind.

The weather was great!

After the top of the first climb there was a nice steep, muddy and rooty descent which claimed a few victims. The trees were dense and I had dark lenses in my glasses which made it hard for me to pick my lines. I was slowed by a girl in front of me who was pretty tentative, but I managed to pass her and reach the bottom in one piece. I could sense that I had pulled away from some of the other girls but I knew that there were at least 3 or 4 ahead of me. Time seemed to drag and I was looking forward to reaching the first feedzone where Lars would be waiting. At last I saw Lars leap up from the crowds and shout my name. This was a relief but I knew that I was only about half way around the first lap. I really doubted if I could start the second lap.

I was riding with a small group of men and I decided not to push on but instead to keep with their pace. It wasn’t long until Kerstin Brachtendorf (Team Fiat Rotwild) caught me and I had to pick up the pace to keep on her wheel. I knew that Kerstin would be strong on the climbs because she lives in Riva del Garda, Italy, which was where the first race of the series was held. She told me that she was going to ride the 124km race and I knew that it could be a challenge to keep with her. As we entered the start/finish area I couldn’t bring myself to turn left to the finish arch even though I suspected I would have won the women’s short distance race. Instead I started the second lap, just behind Kerstin, and grabbed some more bottles and gels from Dave.

I decided to relax behind Kerstin for a while and I followed her up the next steep singletrack ascent which had some tight switchbacks. Once I saw the top of the ski lift I knew we were almost at the top. Phew, what a relief - my legs still didn’t feel 100%. I followed Kerstin down a fast fire road descent but I followed her too closely and when she missed the left hand turn we both skidded straight on past it. She told me that she had a problem with her front brake and this gave me the opportunity to pull away from her on one of the slippery singletrack descents. It was here where I also caught my first glimpse of one of the other girls ahead of me. She rode the descent well but I noticed that she was struggling on the next ascent which gave me the chance to pull away. My stomach cramps started to ease and my legs began to feel lighter and more responsive. This gave me a huge boost and I began to push on.

To my surprise I just got stronger and stronger. Yehaa! I was riding with one of the men for quite a while and this was helping me to set a good pace. I really needed to make a toilet stop which is unusual for me but I didn’t want to stop and lose contact with him. When he had a problem with his pedal and stopped I decided that I would push on hard for a while and then find somewhere for a quick loo stop. I was just about to stop when I turned a corner and saw something I honestly didn’t expect to see – Katrin. Stopping was no longer an option! I put in a burst to catch up with her and quietly stayed behind for 5 minutes to watch. The pace was slower than I wanted so I decided to pass her saying “Hallo” as I passed. I am working on my German :0) I could sense that she upped the pace and stuck to my wheel but it wasn’t long before she slipped behind. Shortly afterwards the guy who had had a problem with his pedal finally caught back up with me, he took the lead and I followed. Unfortunately I also followed him when he missed one of the course markings and we whizzed past the left turn. Luckily Katrin shouted and we quickly realised our mistake. Now Katrin had taken the lead. She descended well and it took me a while to catch her again and I had to be content to sit behind her for a while. I asked her which distance she was going to ride and she told me she was going to go out for the third and final loop. It was decision time: finish the 100km race in first place or battle with Katrin in the 124km race? As I approached the start finish area I just couldn’t take the left turn to the finish line. Instead I followed Katrin up the climb to begin the final loop. I really hoped that I had the strength to push on hard for the remaining 24km.

Katrin worked hard to lose me. She was out of the saddle and climbing well. It was important not to let her pull away and gain a lead. Yikes, I was desperate for the toilet but there was absolutely no way I could stop! I had to do it on the go :0( We both dug deep for the first quarter of the third lap until eventually I was able to pass her and pull away on one of the longer climbs. I was happy to reach the top and start what I hoped was the final descent. As I reached the final feedzone I could hear Lars shouting excitedly that I was the first lady – what a great feeling. Wow, I never thought that I would be in this position. The race wasn’t over yet and I knew that I couldn’t relax. Mistakes could still be made and I had to remain focussed. As I turned out of the feedzone the course went straight up another climb – eek! My legs felt empty. I had a Torq gel with caffeine and started drinking my coke. I felt like I was riding really slowly and I was worried Katrin might have fresher legs. Finally I reached the top and made my through a fun singletrack section which was covered in a maze of roots. I needed to concentrate hard and not make mistakes so I took it cautiously. I was spat out onto a fire road section which then took me to the arena where I began my final descent into the finish. I couldn’t believe it. I was elated and I saw Dave punch the air and shout “YES!” I had won. Well that was what I thought. Little did Katrin and I know but another elite rider, a German pro road rider and ex German Champ, had started the race in start block B, 15 minutes behind us. We had an anxious wait to see if she was going to beat my time. It just didn’t seem fair that another rider was racing against us and we didn’t know. Katrin and I had relaxed in the last 30 minutes of the race thinking that we both had second and first respectively. Finally Kim gave us the news that I had won by just 51 seconds. Blimey, I was glad I didn’t make that toilet stop ;o) Katrin wasn’t so lucky and had to settle for third. I felt very disappointed for Katrin, but ecstatic that I had won!

On the top step :0)

What a great Day! Alban had also won his race and are both now leading the series. Wahoo! The next series race is in Austria next month.

The Series Leaders!

I am now looking forward to the Trans Germany which starts on Sunday. This will be a new adventure and a new experience. Dave and I are now able to spend some time in Koblenz getting to know all of the people who work for Topeak-Ergon. I feel very honoured to be part of such an amazingly fun and professional team.

A quick pint for the road

Results

Elite Women:

1st Sally Bigham 6:12.33

2nd Birgit Söllner 6:13.24

3rd Katrin Schwing 6:17.56

Elite Men:

1st Alban Lakata 4:50.30

2nd Urs Huber 4:52.08

3rd Tim Böhme 5:02.47

One Good Leg

After my crash at Margam I didn't think that I would be able to make my next couple of races, but amazingly my thigh has improved massively everyday. Arnica cream is absolutely magic and has really helped with the bruising, and ultra sound has been helping to get rid of the 'lumpy' bits. I still have a pretty pronounced lump which is painful but I can now train again and I have just had a really great interval session that has left me feeling confident in my strength.

We leave for Germany on Thursday and I will thankfully be racing at the second in the series of the Rocky Mountain Bike Marathons in Willingen this weekend. We will then have a week to prepare for the Trans Germany which starts on the 21st June. It'll be my first stage race and I am really looking forward to it :0) Team mates Alban Lakata, Wolfram Kurschat, and Robert Mennen will also be racing, so it'll be a great team affair.

British Marathon Championships, Margam Park, Wales

I always get nervous before a race but this time I was REALLY nervous. I won the race last year so this year I needed to try and defend my title…blimey! The elite line up was looking pretty impressive with some great girls ready to fight it out, including Jenny Copnall (5 times National XC Champ and Marathon Champ in 2006), Elizabeth Scalia (an incredibly strong climber and winner in 2007), plus some other fast girls from the XC circuit and a few unfamiliar names. I always see everyone as a contender…in the case of marathons anything can happen and anyone has the potential to win.

Mental prep before the start!

I had a great race in Italy three weeks ago and I wanted to stand on the start line knowing that I was strong, but the few weeks leading up to the race were less than perfect, as coach Matt Hart admitted to me after the race! I had been ill twice and my training was yo-yoing up and down. This didn’t help me psychologically, though not much will ;0)

We travelled up to Margam the day before the race to catch some of the XC action that was taking place. It was a really hot day so I drank lots of Elete water to make sure that I stayed hydrated, I also tried to eat loads of carbs but pre-race nerves manage to make my normal ox-like appetite somewhat mouse-like. We were able to test ride about 30% of the marathon course that evening and from what we saw it looked very dry and had some fast rocky fire road descents. Punctures were going to be the main worry. I decided to run Continental Race Kings (the supersonic with black chilli compound tubed version) tubeless with lots and lots of stans. It was still very hot at 6.30pm so hydration was going to absolutely essential, there would be no room for mistakes. I made up all of my carb drinks and added Elete to them to be extra sure that I didn’t dehydrate.

We headed off back to the MTB friendly B and B where there was a kitchen for me to cook dinner. I have a bit of an odd diet because of a gluten intolerance so whenever possible I prefer to cook the night before a race to make sure that I get plenty of gluten-free carbs. James Towlson from Ergon, my psychological support, travelled all the way down from Edinburgh to help. He arrived later that evening after a monster of a journey. That night I couldn’t sleep; I woke up every couple of hours thinking about the race. It’s odd how nervous I get but I know that as soon as the gun goes off I switch straight into race mode and become a different person.

Dave made some final checks before the start

10am arrived really quickly and before I knew it I was on the start line trying to look relaxed. For some reason I had been gridded at the back, but Mel Alexander and one of the other girls kindly moved over to make room for me on the front line, thank you! The elite men went off first and we set off 1 minute later, closely followed by all of the other categories. The course followed a short start loop before it headed straight up a steep rocky ascent where we soon started to catch some of the elite men. I could hear that another girl was close behind and when I managed to lose traction on the back wheel momentarily she overtook me. It was Jane Nuessli riding for Credo Bikes. She was unfamiliar to me and I remember thinking that she could be the dark horse of the race! She had climbed the first ascent well and I rode on her back wheel up the next climb. She took the first rocky fire road descent well too so I knew she was going to be one to watch. I decided that I needed to enter the first bit of single track first which led down through a river crossing before heading straight back up a steep rocky single/double track section. So I put in a little burst and passed her. She was still with me when I emerged on the fire road at the top.

The course wound around a few bits of single track and fire road for a while before some nice descents. As I went round a switchback into the first descent I could see that she was still with me. For some stupid reason I decided that I would try and lose her on the descent….BIG MISTAKE! It was all going really well at first; I was descending well and following some guys. I commended myself on how fast and confident I felt – something knew to me but I liked it! With my new found confidence I decided to overtake them before entering the next fast descent. I remembered this one from the practice lap and I knew I could take it pretty fast, so I decided to try and not use the brakes…. oh what a bad decision! I can’t quite remember exactly what happened next I just remember swerving around for a while, momentarily thinking ‘phew that was close’ before hitting the ground hard. I remember taking the impact first with my leg, flying through the air some more, and then landing on my head. I jumped up as quickly as I had fallen while two or three of the startled guys that were following asked me if I was OK. I was stunned and didn’t know if I was OK but I repeatedly said I was…because I find that denial is always the best thing in these circumstances! My glasses had broken so I picked them up off the floor and stuffed them in my pocket. I hobbled back over to my bike while thinking that it might be in a bad way but to my surprise it was fine apart from a twisted bar end. I jumped back on and then looked down at my leg, which was pretty painful. YIKES! I panicked – it looked like someone had stuffed two half-tennis balls under the skin of my thigh. It had swelled instantly and looked weird. I instinctively pulled my shorts down over it and thought to myself, ‘OK just don’t look at it!’ I have a tendency to faint in these circumstances, so I focussed all of my efforts on staying conscious and on the bike. I took the rest of the descent to the second river crossing slowly because the bumps exacerbated the pain in my leg and also because I felt pretty nauseous.

Cooling off

I figured that I would continue to deny and ignore until I got back to the feed zone, by which time the girls behind would be sure to have caught me. I was gutted. I couldn’t believe that this was happening. I didn’t want this to be the end of the race for me but it seemed unlikely I could manage to knock out three more laps in this state. Some of the guys that I knew I should be as fast as, or faster than, started to overtake me and I felt rubbish. ‘Oh well…just make it back without fainting’. When I saw Dave at a section before the feed zone I shouted to him about the crash and said my leg really hurt. As I got back round to him he told me how well I was doing, stuffed some new bottles on my bike, patted me on the back and said keep going. Huh?? I thought he’d be shocked when he saw my leg and I thought my Mum would have kittens. I must just be being a big wimp. The other girls were nowhere to be seen, so off I went. I was still shaken and I still panicked when my eyes wondered to my leg but I reasoned that it must be OK if I had still been riding for the last 20 minutes, ‘right?’

I couldn’t put anywhere near full power through my leg but I managed to reach the top of the first climb and in doing so I caught up with the guys who saw my crash. They seemed pleased to see that I was still riding and encouraged me to go on. One of them said that my crash had shocked him and he told me to take the next lap steady and to build my confidence again.

When I got to the second feed zone where James and my Dad were stationed, I could see my dad looking at my leg. Thankfully he said nothing and this helped me to carry on with the denial thing. I shouted that I needed Ibuprofen and some more glasses on the next lap. I was getting dirt in my eyes, which can be a big problem because I wear contact lenses. If I lost one then there would be no way I could ride. Somehow I managed to finish the second lap without being caught. Dave stuffed some banana containing ibuprofen tablets into my mouth while my mum put new bottles on my bike. Off I went back up the climb to see if I could hold the girls off for another lap. The race is all a bit of blur to be honest, I remember trying to fire myself back up and make myself race but I just seemed not to have my usual urge to chase the men. When I got back to the second feed zone James told me that I had 5 minutes on second place and 6 minutes on 3rd. I wondered how that could be possible but I figured that I just needed to keep doing what I was doing: take the descents easy and not bounce my leg around too much and spin up the climbs. As I was entering the start/finish area to begin my final lap a couple of young male spectators were encouraging the riders on. One of them shouted “You’re fit you are…I’d date you if I were older!” Ha-ha that made me smile :0)

Climbing from the river crossing

I wound round the trees and through the feed zone for a final time. I started to believe that it was possible to not only finish the race, but to win! My spirits lifted and I gave thumbs up to the commentators. Thanks for the encouragement guys! In my head I knew that if I could make it to the second feed zone for the final time then I was almost done because it was pretty much down hill from there on and although the descents hurt my leg they weren’t as painful as the climbs! I passed James and my Dad, and they told me that I had increased my lead…blimey. James told me to relax, stay on the bike, and enjoy it. I tried to do all three.

I would like to apologise to the person who asked me for an air canister near the end of my last lap. I wanted to give him one but I didn’t want to get off the bike. I figured that the minute I did there could be a chance I wouldn’t be able to get back on again because I might not be able to ignore the pain any more. I had just spent three hours blocking it out and I didn’t want to stop when I was so close to finishing. Sorry! I hope you made it back OK.

Chaperoned to drug control and the medics

I crossed the line a little fuzzy headed and in disbelief. It was only at this point that Dave and my Mum saw my leg. They were pretty shocked and I couldn’t put my weight on it. Drug control informed me that I needed to go off and give a urine sample. From this point onwards I had to be chaperoned until I had given the sample. Luckily the medics and drug control were in the same tent. When the medics saw my leg the swelling concerned them. As the adrenaline started to wear off the pain and shock started to dawn on me. I lay down and my leg was elevated. I was in the tent for what seemed like hours. There was talk of deep vein thrombosis and possible cracked femur….surely not! I told them that a fracture couldn’t be possible as I had ridden for the last 3hours, but they said that adrenaline is an amazing thing and stranger things have happened. They took the decision to call an ambulance.

Meanwhile the British Cycling drug control people were still negotiating whether I need to give the sample. I didn’t want to risk disqualification so I said that I would try. The tent was cleared leaving the chaperone, Dave, and me alone. It was all pretty undignified but I managed to pee in the little pot while Dave held it and me! All that was left to do was to split the sample. The chaperone asked me to sit at the table and as Dave helped me over I started to feel faint. The next thing I remember was the paramedic trying to bring me round. I was laying in the corner of the tent on the floor, trying to figure out where I was. My blood pressure had dropped and I was unable to stand. Déjà vu…off to hospital by ambulance again. This brought back all of the memories of Sleepless in the Saddle in 2007 when I collapsed of dehydration and was taken to hospital. At the hospital I was told that I had a bad haematoma and that rest, ice, elevation, and ibuprofen should do the trick. I have to be careful for the next few days because of the risk of infection and circulation problems but it is already looking so much better and not as gremlin-like as it did!

Wahoo! Another Jersey :0)

I was really disappointed not to have made the podium, but Dave stood in for me and he thoroughly enjoyed himself as he stood between Jenny and Jane!

Dave enjoying the top spot

I'd like to say a BIG thanks to the medics at the race site who were just brilliant and also to the paramedics who I later found out are also passionate MTB’ers. Thanks also go to the great spectator support. It always lifts me up to hear people cheer me on. I particularly enjoyed seeing Ryan Sherlock sharing the race with us as he sweated it out on his turbo trainer at the side of the track. Ryan was out of action after breaking his collarbone at Dalby. I wish you a fast recovery! Thanks also to Jenn O’Connor who shouted words of encouragement, picked up my broken glasses, and kindly poured some lovely cold water down my back. Cheers Jenn!

As always a massive thanks to my team Topeak-Ergon and sponsors, Dave my number one supporter, James Towlson, my parents, and the guys at Ride Bike.

Results:

Elite Women

1st Sally Bigham 4 hours 33 mins
2nd Jenny Copnall 4hours 43 mins
3rd Jane Nuessli 4 hours 50 mins

Elite Men

1st Oli Beckingsale 3 hours 38mins
2nd Paul Oldham 3 hours 53 mins
3rd Ian Bibby 3 hours 58 mins

Full results and report can be found at British Cycling.

Sal :0)

The Rough With The Smooth

I returned home from Italy on a high but reality soon struck when a few days later I started to get ill with a flu/cold type thing. Initially I tried to ignore it and carry on training but that was a mistake which I think set me back even further. I had planned to ride at the Merida marathon in Crickhowell, Wales last weekend but in the end I decided that I should rest for a little longer. I wanted to make sure that I was fully recovered so that I could train and prepare for the British Marathon champs which is this weekend. I finally started to feel like I was strong again a few days ago and I was getting excited about the marathon; however I woke up this morning with another sore throat...yikes! I spent a few hours deciding whether or not I should go out on the long training ride that I had planned or whether I should rest. I finally decided that I should take it easy and not risk making matters worse again, so Dave and I headed out on a leisurely ride to our favourite tea room. Yummy :0)

Sandbanks-Studland Chain Ferry, Poole, Dorset

We caught our local chain ferry which runs from Sandbanks to Studland across the mouth of Poole harbour. They run every 20 minutes and it only takes a few minutes to reach the other side. Once over in Studland there are some great trails that either go up along the Purbeck ridge or lower down through the heathland and woods. It gave me a chance to check out my new race bike which Jon at ridebike built up for me a few days ago. It's pretty much the same as the one that I raced in Italy but the frame is different - I love it and can't wait to race it :0)

Rempstone Woods

We opted for a gentle cruise through the woods to Corfe Castle, which is a special place that often features in our rides. It is here where we stop for lunch and cream teas at Corfe Castle Model Village and Tea Room

A great place to stop for tea and cakes!

We sat in the garden for a couple of hours soaking up the sun while tackling a few cream teas before heading back through the woods to the ferry.

The remains of the castle in the background

Fingers crossed that I will leap out of bed tomorrow feeling sprightly!

Rocky Mountain Bike Marathon, Riva del Garda

On Thursday Dave and I flew out to Venice and then drove to Riva del Garda, which is situated on the northern tip of Lake Garda. The marathon on Saturday was to be my first major race of the season and also the first time that I would race with members of my new team, Topeak-Ergon. Irina Kalentieva, Wolfram Kurschat, and Robert Mennen were all in Houffalize at the world cup, leaving Alban Lakata, Benny Brochhagen, Kim Tofaute, and me to race in the first of the Rocky Mountain Bike Marathon series.

As we got nearer and nearer to the hotel the surroundings got more and more mountainous. I really love being in the mountains and I enjoy long climbs on the bike, however I started to get nervous because the last time I had ridden climbs like this was in July last year at the World Marathon Champs in Villabassa, Italy. I live in Poole in Dorset where the highest climb is only a few hundred metres so I was uncertain how my legs would respond.

The marathon course was a total of 105km with 3600 metres of climbing.

We arrived at the hotel near Arco at midday. The views were amazing; the tops of the mountains were still snow capped but the sun was shinning which made the snow glisten. Benny and Kim were already out riding so we quickly unpacked my bike and headed out for an easy spin along one of the mountain trails that run along the side of Lake Garda. When we got back the rest of the team were there. I had met Benny at the team photo shoot in March but I had never met Kim, Alban or Martijn Cober (International Sales and Product Manager for Ergon) before so I was really looking forward to meeting them. This is my first year on a pro team and it is so great to be part of it all but what makes it even more special is just how super friendly and supportive everyone is. That evening we all went out for dinner to a great Italian restaurant and fuelled up on pizza and pasta.

The Hotel near Arco was stunning

The next day we woke up to find that an enormous army of ants had invaded the apartment and had paid an unwelcome visit to Martijn’s bed! He had been woken up at 5am with ants crawling in his hair and his bed was literally covered with hundreds of ants. The cleaner came and fumigated the apartment and luckily for Martijn the next few nights he was the only thing occupying his bed!

Martijn checked everywhere for ants ;0)

After breakfast Alban, Kim, Benny and I all went out to test ride parts of the course while Dave, Martijn, and Anita (Alban’s partner) drove to all of the feed stops that we would use during the race. Luckily Alban had raced in the marathon several times before so both him and Anita knew the area well, which was a great help. We rode a small section of the first climb and part of the first descent. Despite very heavy rain earlier in the week the parts of the course we rode were pretty dry apart from one of the descents, which was a bit slippery but nothing to worry about; however, as usual, I was still very nervous! We all decided to use 2.2 race kings. We spent the rest of the day looking around the huge Expo area – I have never seen anything like it! There were so many stands, including big names like Scott and DT Swiss, and literally thousands of people. The atmosphere was really buzzing. Dave, of course, was in his element! He absolutely loves anything bike related.

Getting ready to test ride parts of the course

That evening we ate early in an attempt to get an early night ready for the 5am wake up call. The elite race started at 7.30am so we needed to have an early breakfast and warm up. Needless to say I was my usual bag of nerves and this combined with hay fever meant that I got very little sleep, but my adrenaline was pumping and I leapt into race mode – which is basically me being a bit dizzy and forgetting how to do simple things like how to ride a bike. Luckily Dave was pretty calm and organized and he ushered me out the door and on my way with the rest of the team to the start.

Dave took care of the bike :0)

The sheer size of the event was hugely intimidating. As we rode past the start area I could see that the elite riders had already started lining up but Alban, Benny and Kim were all cool as cucumbers and carried on with their warm-up and rode past the start area. I figured that they knew what they were doing so I followed. With about 5 minutes to go we rode back to the start area where I was expecting to join the back of the elite group; Alban, Benny, and Kim however rolled up in front of the start tape. I subtly indicated to Kim that I thought that I probably shouldn’t be stood there with them but he reassured me that should. The commentator and the cameramen were focussing on the big names including Pia Sundstedt (Finland) (3rd World Marathon Champs) and Katrin Schwing (German Marathon Champion and 10th World Marathon Champs). My knees started knocking…..the countdown began and the start gun sent a resounding bang in my left ear! The race was on…..

Pia (no. 11) at the start

It was crazy everyone went super fast and I went super slow! The mass start freaked me out and I let what seemed like the whole field pass me. After a short road section we hit the first trail that narrowed and went straight up. I had to carefully pick my way through the crowds and dodge people who had to stop and dab. I pulled myself together and started to focus on the job at hand. I began to claw back some of the lost places and I was pleased to start passing some of the other women. After about 15 minutes I couldn’t believe my eyes as I caught a glimpse of Katrin Schwing, and I seemed to be gaining on her quickly. At this point I started to wonder if I was perhaps going to hard; maybe the pace I was setting wasn’t sustainable? Yet I felt fine and unlike the other girls I wasn’t breathing heavily, so I passed her. Another girl, Kristine Norgaard, tucked in behind me and we both pulled away from Katrin. Shortly afterwards we then passed Myriam Saugy (Switzerland) as we continued to climb. I could hear that Kristine was breathing heavily and I seemed to be handling the pace more comfortably.

The views were amazing!

Unfortunately, not too long later a bad gear change on a steep climb caused my chain to come off. I jumped off my bike and put it back on again but by then Kristine and Myriam had passed me. I cursed myself for such a stupid mistake and luckily managed to get going again on the steep soil. Fellow team mate Kim was with me at this point and he told me to stay cool and not to panic to get back to them. I took his advice and in less than a minute I was back with them. Myriam dropped off the pace and I sat behind Kristine for a while.

Full of pre-race nerves the day before the race!

I knew that we were getting near the top of the climb when I had to pop my ears! After about an hour and a half of climbing we finally reached the top of the ascent and started the fast descent down to the first feed zone where Dave was hopefully waiting. The descent included some nice single track with some pretty rocky sections but also some fast gravel fire roads. I was fine on the single track and stuck behind or just in front of Kristine but when we reached the fire roads I couldn’t keep the same speed as her. I soon lost sight of her…I had to pull myself together, relax and feel comfortable with the bike sliding at high speed round the deep gravel corners. I let the brakes off as much as I could and went for it. Luckily Kim was still in my sight so I was able to follow his lines and gain some confidence. Eventually the fire road spat us out onto a tarmac road and I was able to gain more and more speed until I could finally see Kristine again. It was great to see Dave and the excitement in his voice made me realise that I was going well. I chucked down my empty bottles and grabbed a new one from him as I passed.


There was only 25km between the first and the second feed zone and it was relatively flat so I knew that I’d be seeing Dave again soon. I decided to up the pace and passed Kristine who stayed with me and we alternated in taking the lead. As we approached the second feed zone I upped the pace again to make sure that I got there ahead of her so that I didn’t lose contact while I grabbed some more bottles and gels from Dave, who excitedly told me that I was in second place. I couldn’t quite believe my ears, but I knew it was a long way to go yet and anything could happen.

The section between the 2nd and 3rd feed zone began with a climb and it was at this point that I planned to pull away from Kristine. I could sense that she had dropped off the back and on a couple of the switchbacks I could see I was pulling out a lead on her. I felt very comfortable and maintained a good pace. I didn’t want to push too hard because I knew that the final ascent at 70km was going to be tough. There were then some undulating sections with some steep, rooty climbs and some rocky single and double track. The whole course was really nice but I think that this part was my favourite. I felt pleased to ride past some of the men walking up the steep rooty sections, but as the trail narrowed it became difficult to pass and when a guy in front dabbed it meant I was off too. I had to run to the top and then jump back on.

Enjoying a post-race social ride

Shortly after the 3rd feedzone I had a decision to make: do I ride the full 105km Ronda Extrema or do I take the Ronda Grande which was the 87km shorter option? The course split at this point and I figured that if I rode the Ronde Grande which descended all the way back to the finish then I could win, but if I rode the Ronda Extrema I might be able to pick up 2nd or 3rd, providing I survived the final descent without any mishaps (e.g. punctures or crashes). My climbing instinct made me turn left up the 15km climb of the Ronda Extrema. I checked my watch and knew that I was in for at least an hour of climbing. It was lonely and I was in no-man’s-land. It was getting hotter at this point and I reminded myself to keep on drinking.

Eventually I caught a glimpse of another rider so I used him as my target. When I passed him he spoke to me in Italian. My Italian is terrible and I told him I was English, to which he responded with a slightly cryptic “1 minute”. I figured that he must mean that the next woman was 1minute ahead. Blimey! Could I really be gaining on Pia? Perhaps he was mistaken. After a couple of minutes however I could see what looked like Pia about 200 metres ahead. Was this really happening? I decided that I would try to ride up to her quietly so that I could follow and watch her on the descent. My plan was dispelled when a crowd of spectators at the summit of the climb let out a cheer as I passed. Pia turned around and had a double take, and she then put in a burst of speed. I made a risk analysis and decided not to try and chase her down the fast, rocky descent. I didn’t want to get a blow out or crash in the excitement of a chase. Pia is incredibly experienced in the mountains and I knew that one mistake could see me out of the race. I just wanted to get back to the finish and not make any mistakes.

As the temperature started to rise I knew that I was finally getting near to the bottom of what seemed like an eternal descent. My forearms were starting to get really pumped from all of the breaking on the sharp switchbacks. I entered a road section and then to my surprise I saw Dave leap up and down into the air as though he was on a springboard! He was shouting excitedly that I was in 3rd. Third? I thought he had told me I was in 2nd earlier. Anyway, no time for a discussion just yet ;0) ….. I grabbed my coke for the final 10km to the finish and put my head down. I still felt strong and I overtook lots of other riders who were finishing the shorter, Rhonda Grande course. Some of the men tucked in behind and drafted me. The police were stopping the traffic so we were able to whiz round the roads to the finish.

When I saw the finishing arch I didn’t want to stop until I was definitely over the finish line. Once I was riding through crowds of people I figured that I had finally finished! I could relax out of race mode :0) Martijn appeared first armed with his camera, and he was followed by a cameraman who was filming. Then I saw the rest of the team. Alban had regrettably punctured but still managed to finish the Rhonda Extrema in 6th position. Benny and Kim had decided to take the Rhonda Grande course, but Dave was nowhere to be seen – it was incredibly difficult to park in Riva del Garda because of the masses of people that had descended upon the area for the event. Finally he had given up trying to find a place and he parked in a tow-away area and ran to the finish. Job done. We were all very, very happy!

The results are as follows:

Elite women

1st Antonia Wipfli 5:16.47 (Gisler Craft)
2nd Pia Sundstedt 5:24.05 (Rocky Mountain)
3rd Sally Bigham 5:26.34 (Topeak-Ergon Racing Team)
4th Myriam Saugy 5:35.29 (Team Texner BMC)
5th Kristine Norgaard 5:41.28 (Team Cube WLS)

Elite men

1st Hannes Genze 4:30.25 (Mutlivan Merida)
2nd Bohme Tim 4:30.55 (Team Bulls)
3rd Zahnd Thomas 4:32.57 (Team Stockli Craft)
4th Dietsch Thomas 4:33.41 (Team Bulls)
5th Stoll Thomas 4:33.44 (BIXS-IXS Pro Team)
6th Alban Lakata 4:33.46 (Topeak-Ergon Racing Team)

Rhonda Extrema: Elite Women’s Podium

Thanks to my amazing new team – Topeak-Ergon Racing Team – and of course Dave, without whom none of this would be possible. I’d also like to thank Stuart Bowers (Scott UK), Des and Kate Betts, and Mel Alexander (Element Racing) and Mark Spratt for all of their support and skills coaching. Finally, I’d like to say a big thank you to Rich, John, and Mansel at my loyal, local bike shop for their unwavering support – www.ridebike.co.uk.

Sal :0)

Riva del Garda

Wahoo! We have just got back from the Rocky Mountain Bike Marathon in Riva del Garda, Italy. What an amazing place and race! I'll write a full race report when I have caught up on some sleep, but for now here are the results...... :0)

1st Antonia Wipfli 5:16.47
2nd Pia Sundstedt 5:24.05
3rd Sally Bigham 5:26.34
4th Myriam Saugy 5:35.29
5th Kristine Norgaard 5:41.28

Women's Podium: Ronda Extrema