So I have had a heap of racing after my break, I think 8 stages all together in 2 weeks, so I am going to keep this post short and summarize a lot as no one wants to read a novel and I don't want to write one.
Ok the Tour du pays Roannais (elite national) was my first race back after my holiday so I didn't have very high expectations as its always hard to get racing legs back after some time off the bike. first stage was a night criterium which was good fun and super fast think we averaged 47km/h, everyone finished together.
2nd stage was 160km and was incredibly hot around 35degrees and it wasn't ideal when I ran out of drink with 60km to go and wasn't able to drop back to the car for water as there were a few hills at the end that were important to stay at the front. Anyway last climb I was really suffering without any drink and I ended up in 2nd group ended up 32nd.
3rd stage was short and hilly and I just had no legs finished 40something.
4th and last stage was hilly again and I suffered a lot, same story no legs.
Ended the tour in 36th GC.
Next up I had an elite national tour in Bordeaux which I actually got the last minute call up for as a few riders decided to pull out for some reason, which was a bit annoying as Brad was still staying with me and I had to leave on Wednesday and he had a train back Holland on Friday. But Iv just heard from Brad that he loves staying at my luxurious apartment so much he is coming back for a week next Monday, hopefully this time I wont have to ditch him for half the week to go race...........
So had 5hour drive across France to Bordeaux where we were staying with all the other teams in a boarding school as all the students are on holidays at the moment.
The tour started on Thursday with a 160km stage with an undulating parcours. I was originally only supposed to help the "roulers" of our team but in the middle of the stage I was quite active in attacking on a hilly section and I found myself in the front group of 40 and the only one from my team. Unfortunately a group of 9 got off the front in the final 40km and I didnt get into it, so I rolled 32nd in the stage and all the rest of my team mates had lost 4 minutes or plus.
2nd stage was a 10km time trial and normally I would be really excited for a time trial but not so much when I have to ride an average tt bike and without shifters on the end of the aero bars. But I tried to forget about that and focus on a good ride. didnt feel to bad and ended up 40something about 30seconds down on the winner and moved up into the top 30 on GC.
Stage 3 was 160km and undulating again with a hard finishing circuit with 2km climb that we did 3 times. Most the stage I just sat in waiting for the finishing circuits and the peloton was controlled by the yellow jersey team. In the circuits I had a few good attacks off the front but never managed to stay away but the bunch splintered a bit and the group was down to 30 odd riders left to sprint for the win. I finished mid group but moved up to 23rd GC.
Last stage was 160km again much the same as the 2 previous road stages but an even harder finishing circuit with a small hill maybe 800m but really steep about 15percent, a real leg breaker. The stage was controlled by the yellow jersey team again with a break of 12 getting away at the start. I waited till the finishing circuits again. Was feeling ok but on the 3rd of 6 circuits I didn't have the legs to make it into the front 10 that got away on the hill which caught the remnants of the breakaway and stayed away till the end. I finished in the 2nd group but still managed to move up to 21st on GC, but still gutted I couldn't make the front group as I would have moved into the top 10 on GC.
In other news I'm pretty excited about my parents coming to France to visit me for a week on the 24th of July.
And also my Latvian team mate is the new Latvian National champion!
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