Wellington Tour and World Cup, 2006

I joined the Italian based Safi Pasta team, as a guest rider, for the Wellington Tour and World Cup. It was a tough week of racing and here is what happened.

Stage 1 – Lower Hutt Criterium – 40km
The criterium commenced at 6pm with a large crowd of kiwi supporters watching us battle the 80km/hr blustery winds. It is hard to describe the challenge of racing in gusty conditions – one minute it is mildly windy and the next minute an 80km/hr gust sends the peloton into the gutter. Needless to say, there were several wheel touches and crashes during the race.

A break of 10 riders broke clear of the field within the first 5 minutes and were never seen again. The conditions were ideal for a break and with 10 minutes to go, the break had lapped the field and rejoined the peloton. The peloton sprinted with 3 laps to go and I was happy to finish in the top 10.

Local hero and individual pursuit gold medallist, Sarah Ulmer (New Zealand) outsprinted the riders in the break, to claim the yellow jersey. The field was given a time gap of 1min 45sec, so it will be interesting to see if Ulmer can defend her jersey in the hilly road race and evening criterium tomorrow.

Stage 2 – Road Race – 120km
There were only a few attacks early in the race, with Ulmer’s New Zealand troops keeping everything together. The race profile showed two major climbs of 2km each, with the second climb having a gradient of 10%. About 20 riders made it over the second climb together, including Ulmer. I crested the climb about 20 seconds later and quickly caught back on. A move off the front by Susanne Ljunskog, former world road champion, caused the front group to stretch into a single line with Ulmer seeing her as a major threat, and getting her team to bring her back.

At the finish, the Swiss based Univega team set up a fast lead out for Kiesanowski (Univega), however Ina Teutenberg (Tmobile) stormed home to take a convincing stage win. Ulmer remained in yellow, whilst I finished somewhere in the top 20.

Stage 3 – Criterium – 40km
After lunch and a nap on the floor of the local Masterton community hall, it was back on the bike to contest a figure 8 criterium. I drank a red bull before the start and just like the commercial, I felt like I had grown wings. I was pleased to have good legs because the race was ridden at a pace of 45 to 48km/hr. I attacked hard a few times, however Ulmer’s team mates were patrolling the front, and not allowing anyone to escape. Again we saw a bunch kick, with Teutenberg scoring her second victory in one day!

Stage 4 – Individual Time Trial
I had flown to New Zealand to focus on the World Cup, and as I was outside the top 10 in the GC, I decided to withdraw from the Tour and therefore, I didn’t start the time trial today. I rested a lot, had a massage to try and get my lower back sorted out and stretched well.

Wellington World Cup – 128km
A world class field of 120 women contested the second world cup event in downtown Wellington. It was a cool, windy but dry day. I am so glad it didn’t rain as it would have been carnage in the wet. The course was a 6.1km tight and technical loop with 17 corners per lap and 3 hill climbs.

The race started at a blistering pace and never slowed down. After only 25km, 60 riders had been dropped and pulled from the course. I was riding on the rivet for the entire race. The course was so technical it was better to ride close to the front, to avoid breaking on the corners. I featured in the first 3 breaks and had great legs. Each of these breaks had good representation, but after gaining 30 seconds, was reeled in by Tmobile, Ina Teutenberg’s team.

After 30km, Sarah Ulmer (New Zealand) launched a powerful attack and no-one responded. She built up a 1 minute lead that gradually grew to 4 minutes by the finish. The 20 lap race felt more like an epic criterium with attacks being launched on every climb. Tmobile rode brilliantly to cover all attacks and protect their world cup leader, Teutenberg.

With 3 laps to go, only 40 riders remained. My lower back was really hurting and I had virtually no power to climb. In the second last lap, a huge attack by aussie Oenone Wood dislodged my two other Safi Pasta team mates and myself from the field. We chased feebly but were all completely spent. We rode tempo in the final lap and I finished 30th. Ulmer took a brilliant solo victory whilst Oneone Wood (Nuernberg) and Ina Teutenberg (Tmobile) rounded out the podium places.

I was disappointed to have been dropped but had nothing left to be there at the finish. I returned to Melbourne on Monday and after a VIS phsyio assessment, discovered I had a tilted and rotated left hip which was the cause for my lower back pain. After 3 treatments, my hips are even and my power has returned.

Stay tuned as I train for my final aussie race before I head to Europe for the 2006 season.