Sky-lee`s Report

 

Hi Everyone,

 

I have now been in Holland for a week now and had three races. I am over here with a great bunch of girls and i'm very honoured to be part of a very highly respected cycling group which includes : Josephine Tomic , Tess Downing, Sarah Kent, Ashlee Ankudinoff and Belinda Goss will be joining us after the Giro.

 

Our first race saw us in a small town called Epe which had some really great cafe. As 40mins before our race we were all having a cafine fix so we would be ready to rock and roll for our first race. As we got of the plane the day before the race our coach Gary Sutton didn't put to much stress on us about getting a great result at this race as we all were still abit jetlag. For four of us this was our first europen race Josie raced here last year so she know what to exspect. When we all got to the start line and looked up and the lap counter said 60 laps we look at each other and said ach. The race sure it start from the gun shoot. The girls at the front of the start line took off like rockets making it pretty hard for the once that got called up last like myself.It didn't take us to long to get into the swing of thing as we all slow moved up to the front. Josie and tess found the front of the bunch quite early in the race but myself it took me a while. Once i got to the front i look up at the lap counter and i saw 25 to go i don't think i should of as i think this played with my head abit. The next thing i saw was Josie pulling off to the side of the road with something wrong with her bike.. As she done this the chef told her she can still hop back in the race but she couldn't race for a place or couldn't help your team mates. This really put a blow to this as with 5 laps to go Josie and i were in great spot to help each other out but then she tells me i have to go to the back i can't help you. So then for the next couple of laps i tried to stay in the top 5. We get the bell lap  i was sitting second wheel thinking to myself i have a great chance from here. But coming into the 3rd last corner i lost to many place through the corner and finished up 7th. At the end of the day we were all happy to get through the race since it was our first race and all. Sarah had a great ride since she was sick for the race with just dropping off with 10 to go.

 

The next day we were lucky and had no racing. Then came along Saturday were we heading to a town called Zwijndrecht for our second race. The course was diffrent to what we have race on before as every straight was cobble stone. Sarah sat out for this race as her health wasn't 100%. Having the cobble stone meant no free pedaling at all.With this race i was happy how i rode the race for once i rode the 10 ten in the bunch nearly all day covering what i could. With 7 laps to go saw Josie and one other girl up the road so for the rest of the race saw myself and the other girls chasing everything. Then with a lap to go Josie attacked the other girls endede up taking the win solo. And my finishing 14th.

 

Sunday saw us turning up at Leiderorp for our third race. This race had a U turn init and lot of us found this a bit tuff. Before 10mins into the race see Tess in a break with one other girl. So for the rest of us it saw as on the defensive. Tess stayed out there to 10 to go then Josie and three other joined her. Josie ened up second and Tess 5th. Tess and Josie had a great day and Sarah, Ash played a great team role.

 

 

 Thats all to next time.

 

 

Skye-lee