Fitchburg
Tour – 29 June – 2 July 2001

Thursday 29^th June
Stage 1 – 20km Individual time trial

The legs were still sore from the HP.  Three days just isn’t enough time to recover
from 1000km of racing.  It was over 30ºC
and quite windy.  I time trialled as best
as I could, finishing 34^th.  I
was 4mins 55sec down on Lyn Bessette (Saturn). 
I have a lot of time to make up so hopefully the legs will feel better
tomorrow.

Friday 30^th June Stage
2 – 40 mile circuit race

Today
we rode a 5km circuit 13 times in humid but cooler conditions – 25º
degrees.  The start / finish line was
almost at the crest of a really steep 1km climb on Pearl st.  Just trying to clip in at the start was quite
tricky as it was hard to get any momentum on the hill and with 60 girls cramped
together added to the challenge.  The
clockwise circuit was fast, with a descent through a narrow street after the
climb, followed by a long slightly undulating straight section on John Fitch
Highway, before another right hand corner into Pearl st, the climb.  The climb flattened slightly and then rose
very steeply to the finish.  Certainly a
small chain ring hill.  I was using my 21
and 23 towards the end.

The
race was controlled by Saturn and RONA cycling teams.  Being an individual this suited me perfectly,
as I didn’t have to chase down the attacks.  
I sat on Lyne Bessette’s wheel and followed her every move.  My legs felt quite ordinary so I positioned
right in the front at the base of each climb to avoid being dropped.  After 3 or 4 laps, I warmed up well and felt
good.  I contested some of the QOM
sprints but finished about 5^th each time.

The
bunch stayed together the entire race.  I
was 3^rd coming around the final corner to sprint the hill for the
final times.  I maintained position until
it steepened up and then died in the legs. 
I finished 14^th.  There
was no change to GC – (34^th).

Saturday 1^st July
Stage 3 – 69 mile road race

Today
was a hot one, 95F plus, which is well into the 30ºC.  It was also extremely humid with a bit of
wind about.

The
course was an 18km loop which we did 6 times, followed by a climb to the summit
of Mt Wassuchett.  Each loop contained
about 8km of climbing, one really steep and badly damaged descent where we hit
speeds of 75-80km/hr and the remainder of the loop being undulating.  There were 3 noticeble climbs in each loop –
2 being gradual climbs of 1km each, while the 3^rd was an absolute
leg burner.  It was steep and
unforgiving.  It turned right at 90
degrees after 1km and continued for another 1.5km.  I climbed it in the 24 (standing) although my
legs were still pretty sore from yesterday’s circuit race, the T/T and the
Women’s Challenge.

Lyne
and Genevieve attacked on our first lap up the steep section.  I went with them and got into a break of
about 12.  The main bunch caught us on
lap 2 and on lap 3, Genevieve, Lyn and Sue Palmer got away together.  Our bunch, slowed down by Saturn and RONA was
almost doing a Sunday Latte pace.  Sue
attacked Lyne and Genevieve and went solo. 
So Lyne and Genevieve sat up and our bunch caught them on lap 5.  Now Saturn and RONA were both driving the
pack hard to close the time gap established by Sue and I just sat in for a free
ride.  We were doing 60 -75km/hr along
the undulating section, admittedly with a tailwind but we caught a break away
group from the Pro Men and flew past them.

As
I predicted, Lyne and Genevieve attacked on our last climb before the mountain,
and I didn’t have the legs to stay with them. 
I was left in the second bunch about 500m off them.  The mountain climb was 3km but exceptionally
steep.  I stood nearly the whole way in
my 24 and 27 gearring.  My legs were
screaming with pain.  I moved up 13 places
on GC after today and am now 21^st in GC.  Genevieve beat Lyne, however Lyne retains the
overall lead.

Sunday 2^nd July Stage
4 – 25 mile criterium

Today
was 89F, about 30ºC with my rough conversion method.  It was really humid though, so it felt just
as hot as yesterday.  I hadn’t slept
well, due mainly to the soreness in my legs waking me up every time I rolled
over, so I was feeling quite fatigued. 
After an hours ride after breakfast, and 40mins on the windtrainer as my
warmup I still felt tired.  I knew I just
had to tough it out and stay in the bunch to maintain my GC position.  The attacks were constant, as Genevieve was
39sec down and was keen to win the tour. 
Saturn again chased every attack while my focus was to just stay near
the front of the bunch.  No attacks
stayed away and it came down to a strung out bunch finish on a slight uphill
into a really strong headwind.

Lyne Bessette maintained her lead, winning the tour.  I remained in 21^st position for
the tour. I had hope for 20^th however missed out by about 18
seconds.