Peaks and Perks
California knows how to party. It was the queen stage of the Tour of California which meant it was all uphill for the final 45km with an amazing summit finish on Mt. Baldy. It also meant there was a cookie corner on one of the switchbacks—literally a corner on the race course where very enthusiastic fans were handing out chocolate chip cookies! Racing in the USA definitely has its perks.
Image: Jeff Clark
I knew the second stage was going to be the stage for me. The first stage had been nervous with strong winds and, to be honest, I was feeling a little flat having just come off some altitude and the set-back of my crash at Amstel. The impact on my sacrum was worse than just a hard landing and the doctor had recommended a few weeks off the bike. Not ideal but the Tour of California, a new race for me, was the perfect place for a new beginning and the start of my summer racing.
We hit the bottom of Mt. Baldy and Katie Hall was the first to accelerate. I wasn’t going to jump. My gut told me the best thing to do was to stick to my own hard tempo. More attacks came from Kasia and Anna, me following in tow, as the bunch was left behind and the break was eventually caught. Anna eventually joined her teammate Katie while Kasia slid back, leaving me on my own.
Image: Jeff Clark
“Steady, stick to your tempo,” I reaffirmed to myself. I was clawing Anna and Katie in, getting the gap down to 14 seconds, but as the gradient at the top backed off, I could only focus on maintaining my position. I crossed the line finishing in third place on the stage and moving up to third on the general classification. Since I had almost cancelled my trip to the USA, I was beyond happy: happy with my race strategy, happy with my physical performance, happy to have a podium, and happy that I managed to grab a chocolate chip cookie from the cookie corner on the way back down the mountain. It was a great day.
The final stage was really aggressive with a really exciting performance from Paulina. I wish there was television coverage so people could have watched how she lit up the race and almost stole the entire show had it not been for the long downhill to the finish. Still, thanks to her efforts, I managed to finish in the small bunch to hold my third overall and get CCC-Liv on the final podium.
Image: Jeff Clark
When I returned to the team car after prize giving, as if finishing on the podium wasn’t enough, I discovered some fan had made me brownies. I mentioned at the Mt. Baldy prize giving that I loved chocolate brownies and I couldn’t believe someone had taken the time and care to deliver brownies to the team. I couldn’t help but smile from ear to ear. The enthusiasm and hospitality of the USA was exactly what I needed. I was leaving the Tour of California with a renewed sense of confidence in my performance, a fresh excitement for the rest of the season, and the desire to come back and race in California next year. Then again, maybe it was just the brownie talking. Yep, they were that good!
One Step Closer
There was a whole lot of orange when I got back to Spain. Back with my South African National Champs title and over six weeks on the road, I was happy to be back home and even happier to have the entire CCC Liv team there—it was orange from inside out! I love being in a team environment and, I have to admit, I felt quite spoilt having a team camp at my house and in the place I love to ride my bike. I couldn’t wait to show everyone everything! Nevertheless, with all the Liv bikes lined up in the courtyard, the big orange truck, the staff, and all the riders, I was also a bit apprehensive. It was the first professional team camp we would host at Rocacorba Cycling so, although I was excited, I also felt the weight of the opportunity.
As a rider, I knew the camp would go well. Team camps are usually hosted at big hotels with average food in a strange place that boasts nothing but good weather. Here, not only did we have amazing weather, we also had the stunning superior roads of Girona and the comforts and athlete-friendly catering of Rocacorba Cycling all to ourselves. The riders and staff each had their own house so coming back to a home, sharing meals all together, and having the property to ourselves really allowed everyone to relax and settle in. I didn’t have to wonder if things were going well, I could feel it and I was hearing it. As we explored the Costa Brava and the Pyrenees under the sun, there was a definite consensus that Calpe and Almeria were out and Girona was in.
As the ten-day camp came to an end and we all prepared to travel to our first European race, Setmana Ciclista Valenciana, the positive feedback was overwhelming. With athlete-driven care and attention to detail, the dreamy training roads, and, the heart-stealer herself, Mila our family beagle, we had pulled off our first professional team camp. The best part was hearing what the team loved most was the same thing our recreational guests loved: the welcoming homey atmosphere.
I knew Rocacorba Cycling had the ability and facilities to provide everything a pro team could need but I also knew, if the camp went well, it was an important opportunity to get a little bit closer to realising our vision. I always talk about connecting the dots in the cycling industry and this was one of those connections; having pro teams use the same facilities we provide to amateur and recreational cyclists is a way of connecting people and creating a more sustainable platform for cycling (especially women’s cycling) to flourish. Accomplishing our goal of hosting a pro team camp had validated that our longterm vision was possible and that feeling was the real success.
Images by Oliver Grenaa