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My first Elite European Championships! I can't really remember
what I was expecting. It feels so long ago already! But I do
remember being chuffed to be heading there with the team, it
was as exciting as always, every trip is!
It was a mixed trip for me I would say, with a mixed bag of
emotions, I know I always tell myself I'm still learning and I
have to always take the experiences and challenges on for next
time but of course you are heading there with full intentions
to give your best crack for a medal!
Silver in the team pursuit, I rode the first round in TP and
then rode the elimination the same day as the other two
rounds.
My elimination race was fun, I always learn sooooooo much
every time I start an elimination race and yeah fifth place
doesn't sound so amazing but I didn't really know what to
expect so I wasn't disappointed with that. I always find that
eliminations can be so hit and miss, so I usually judge my
elimination result on if I'm happy with how I rode it. Then I
can pick out the parts to work on. Fifth isn't terrible so
I'll take that haha!
As for the scratch race, it just went wrong. There was a move
that rolled away, and I guess I let it slip. It got to the
point when everyone else became cagey and no one wanted to
commit to the chase and it meant the race was over then
really. It's pretty hard to adjust your game plan, to sprint
for sixth when you are in the race to win. Again, it's all
learning.
By the time the Madison came around, it was the last race and
of course Elinor Barker and myself where really up for it. It
was ace to get to ride again with El, because the Madison we
did together at the LA World Cup last year didn't go as well
as we had expected. I love the Madison, it is challenging in
every way and to see so many teams being so competitive makes
it even more exciting.
Of course there are always points to improve on, but looking
back on the race I think it was a ride we are both proud of,
we certainly didn't make it easy for ourselves.
To win both the Under 23 and Elite European titles in one of
my favourite events has been really cool and I'm just excited
for more Madison madness!!!
London 6 Day was up next, and it was such a fun/tiring
weekend! I'm so glad I got the opportunity to finally get
myself to a 6 Day event, it's always something I have wanted
to get involved in.
The racing there was super tough but so good to be amongst a
world class field.
It was bit of a shock to the system the first night, but by the
time the omnium came around I was ready to go again, and I was
defiantly chuffed to come away with a third place. Pretty
awesome to see a podium of GB riders!
The atmosphere in there was cool. It felt like I was riding my
bike around a night club sometimes…I guess just with sore legs
the next day from racing my bike rather than dancing!!!
Off the back of a class weekend in London was a pretty gutting
home World Cup in Manchester. Slapping off pretty hard in the
scratch race before the TP rounds was never part of the plan!
I finally got my mum to a bike race (she gets nervous watching
me race) and I end up sliding down the back straight in front
of her!!! Typical!
So that was pretty annoying because with very little sleep
that night, plenty of splinter picking and a fair amount of
burns down my right hand side of my body, getting into my TP
bars for a TP was never going to be comfy.
However, despite that the ride with the Breeze girls went
well. I was in man four which was a change for me and I went
into some longer changes, which was a nice change to be able
to try something different.
Tough weekend for me, feeling fairly battered it was
disappointing!
Another week on and it was already time to fly away again, this
time to Canada for the next World Cup.
It felt strange heading to a World Cup with no TP team, but at
the same time I was so excited to get the opportunity to get
stuck into my first World Cup omnium and of course another
Madison, this time with Katie Archibald.
Bronze in the omnium and gold in the Madison! I can't be too
disappointed with that!
I was happy with my omnium, there's a lot for me to take from
it and work on. I felt as though I was lacking the legs at
some parts which meant I was maybe making decisions I wouldn't
usually do with good legs? If that makes sense.
The most enjoyable race was the elimination, it was a tough
one… Because the field was smaller than the usual elimination
races I've been in so it was a lot harder to hide and surf
wheels… It felt very full on from the word go, there was lots
of pushing around. It was great haha! I can't remember the
last time I made it to the last two of an elimination so it
was cool to actually get myself in that position because it's
not often you can practice the finish of an elimination.
It was my first Madison with Katie at a major competition and I
really enjoyed the race, it was full on from the word go and I
think compared to the other Madison races I have been in where
we have won from laps or attacking, this was very much the
opposite and we focused on the sprints. Of course, there were
some classic sketchy Madison moments, but I think it was
defiantly one of the best Madison I have ridden technically
wise, with some good changes and good timing not much went
wrong.
I was buzzing after this one, it had been a really good trip
and to end it with a gold was the perfect ending. Well
actually our team adventure to Niagara Falls the day after was
pretty perfect too!
So that was my racing for 2017. Was nice to have a little
break at home over Christmas and now I am back in to it with a
training camp in Mallorca. Strangely I am really looking
forward to this big block of work ahead and coming back to
racing stronger :-)
Thank you for reading! |
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