Yessss from now on I will also tell my stories in Englisch,, I TRY!! Don't
have to much fun about my brilliant English :)
25-08-2008: Yesterday I raced the worldcup in Plouay, France. It's one of the hardest worldcups in the serie and I didn't really expect most of it. But as bad as I felt in the morning when I woke up as good I felt only minutes before the start. Also during the race I felt I was having a really good day. Although it was really hard and I had to give all I have in my small body I managed to stay in the first part of the bunch. In the final lap of 6 (with 3 climbs each) i just gave everything I had and stayed in front. 2 girls were in the front so we had to sprint for a 3th place. I got locked in a little bit but 2 girls were to strong anyway. I was really surpriced to finish 5th in one of the hardest worldcups. I am really happy and stil enjoying the feeling!
18-08-2008: Holland hills was really hard but I felt great. But in the final I didn't do so well because of a little bit of stress. I finished 18th and was not so happy! My condition was much better than a 18th place!
This tuesday I started in a belgium
kermis race. I finished 4th in that race. I felt ok
Sunday I did a timetrail in Boekel (Holland) I finished 4th in the time trail.
In the crit I that was 2 hours after the timetrail it did really well. I almost
won. But Kirsten Wild sprinted me out with a few cm! In the overall I was
3th!
09-08-2008: Sorry it's been a while. After Geel I did some small races. I finished top 10 in most of them. Just in Olen I had some bad luck with my wheel.
Then the week after that I started in the flanders cup mountainbiking in Hechtel. I always wanted to try it. It was really hard but I enjoyed it a lot. I couldn't believe how fast most of the girls went. I need to learn a lot about mountainbiking. I finished 7th and had a great day.
Than I left for 1.5 week to do Tour
Limousin. A 4 day race in France. The proloque I finished 15th and I was really
happy with that. Ellen won so the next day was all about working hard to keep
her jersey. We ended up loosing it. But I was in the green and Ellen in the
white. So we were not without anything. I was 12 that day. The next day was
really hard with 2200 high meters. I sprinted for my jersey but then there
was this 5 km climb. I got dropped into the 4th bunch. But after the climb
I rode back to the first bunch. But the second 5 km climb I ended up in the
2th group. I finished 21th.
The last day I felt good. Stayed into the first bunch all the time and finished
18th. 19th overall and 3th in the green jersey.
Then we drove all the way up to
Sweden to do the worldcup. That was a really hard race. The speed was very
high and on the little climb a lot of girls got dropped. 6 girl escaped from
the bunch. I sprinted 4th in the bunch. Good for my first top 10 in a worldcup
this year. Very exciting :)
Then I had a little time off. Did some nice training in Sweden as the pics
show. On saterday we drove up to germany to do the 1.1 race sparkassen giro
in Bochum. I felt really great that day. I finished 5th in the bunchsprint.
I had a big fight with aussie Gilmore in the last 2 km. Lost a few spots but
was happy to be top 5.
This weekend its Holland hills. A really hard race but nice! I hope my form is still very well!!
11-07-2008:
Finally I have my first win of the year. In Geel, really nearby Mol, I won
the 7th race for the AA wielertrofee in a bunch sprint. I am really happy
with this win. It was really near my hometown and a lot of fans showed up
to see me race and win!
I hope more wins will follow!
01-07-2008: The Nationals were very hard this year. The course was difficult with a lot of corners, wind and no recovery! In the first lap we lost half of the peloton. In the 2th lap Vos attacked and I just missed it. I was to scared on the cobbles in the rain! We never saw 3 girls back. We ended up with 17 girls and tried to get the 3 back. But there was no organisation. Then some girls kept attacking so the pace kept dropping. I was really tired after 6 laps and happy to finish 11th after 10 laps. Vos won!! She is amazing!!
This thursday I will be in the wielerrevue. So if you can buy it!!
This month I will be home racing in Belgium and Holland. No big races and
a lot of training. So I will be super in the last 2 months of the season!!
27-06-2008: In De ster zeeuwse eilanden I id really well. I finished 17th in the timetrail. I broke my onw record on that timetrail with 26 sec. I did 44 average. The other 2 days we worked for Ellen. She was wearing the best young rider jersey. We kept the jersey and she finished 3th overall. I finished 5th in both other stages and 14th overall. I also finished 4th in the points.
Last Tuesday I was in the escape in the Noordwijk classic. We were with 17 riders and that was to much. My team was with 5. With 40 km to go the leading group broke in 2 and I was in the second part. 2 of my teammates were in the front so I could only wait and see. Ellen finished 3th and I finished 11th. We were all a bit dissapointed.
Since yesterday I have a new baby. He is called Lucky and is only 5 weeks old. Some people threw him and his little sister out of the car. I cant believe some people. I will bring him up with milk so he can have a good time!!
This saterday I will start in the nationals. So wish me good luck. I hope I can do something good!!
18-06-2008: Yesterday I was really strong in Romsee. After 4 attempts I got away alone on the very hilly lap. After 2 laps the bunch got really close but I kept on going full speed and managed to stay away. I got up to 50 seconds. But with 3 laps to go I heard from my fans that Ludivine Henrion was getting closer on her own. I tried to keep her behind me but in the last 5 km she got me. I tried to recover so I could sprint her out. But she was far more fit then me after 50 km solo. So in the sprint uphill she was faster. I was really dissapointed. Atfer 50 km alone on the road a second place is JUST a second place. But I rode strong and showed myself and showed some nice female cycling!!
15-06-2008:
Last weekend I got really sick in Middag Humsterland so I had to quit the
race. I spend a few days in my bed with a viral infection in my tummy :(
So after a few day I felt better and started to train a bit. Yesterday I dicided
to start in a little race. I didn't feel good at all during this race but
managed to finish 12th.
Today its the BK for Jury so no race for me. My next race is on Tuesday in Romsee(B) And after that race we will support for the Dutch National soccer team!!
05-06-2008:After
10 days of rest I started in The Parel van de Veluwe. A race in Holland over
135 km. It's one of my favorite races in Holland through a very nice part
of Holland. The first 100 km I didn't feel very well. I didn't get into the
race. My haertrate stayed low, but after 100km it finally decided to go higher
than 160 :)
Special when the race turned out to be
a bunchsprint. One of my favorite things. It was really hectic. One girl attacked
in the last km, there was a big crash but it all worked out in a good way
for me. I stayed in Wild her wheel and before I knew I finished 3th. Vos was
far ahead and I couldn't pass Wild so 3th was the best I could do. I am really
happy with my podium. I really needed a good bunchsprint in Holland! And after
10 days of doing almost nothing..... It's a good sign!
This weekend I start in 2 topcompetition races in Holland. Middag Humsterland and Therme Kasseien omloop. That next weekend I go to Passendeale in Belgium and on Sunday Jury is trying to win in the Belgium Championships!! So for sure I will be there :)
31-05-2008: I really needed a rest :) My God.... tour de l'aude is hard work. But I am really satisfied! I finished 1th in the Team time trail. That was the hardest stage for me. With 4 TT specialists I suffered a lot on the back of our little train. But we won and so I was happy. The next day I finished 12th in a bunch sprint. A few days later I sprinted to a 7th place. I wanted to do much better but it was a dangerous sprint and I got locked in a little bit. On the 7e stage I wanted to be good. And I got in the brakeaway. We worked hard together and got 5 min. It was going really fast in the final and I finished 3th. A really good result for me on my first Tour. All the other days I finished in one of the busses. The hills killed me so I needed to be smart and save my energy.
Now I am enjoying a little rest. I did absolutely nothing. Oke oke we did a nice ride today in Limburg(holland) I start training again next week. I will start in 3 races. You will hear from me!
14-05-2008:
Well tomorrow I fly to Toulouse for one of the biggest appointments of the
year for me. Tour de L'aude. The most important, the longest stagerace of
the year. To have a look at the site click here:
L'aude
We have a strong team with Mirjam Melchers in good form. Regina Bruins is
always good. And it's up to me and the other girls to help them as much as
we can.
This week
I had a really easy one. I spend some time in the sun, took Joy and Indy for
some good walks and let them swim a lot. I did a nice ride with some friends
and organized a nice BBQ for some of my friends. Enough relaxation!!
So, to look at the results of my tour just look at cyclingnews.com. When I
am back in Belgium I will tell my story!
11-05-2008:
It's been a while, but I had a very buisy week. First I went to swiss where
I did the worldcup. They changed te circuit and put a 10 km climb in(4times).
To much for me. I ended up in the big bunch in where I finished the race .
I felt better than the week before so I was happy.
The same day we rode to Varesse where this year the Worlds are held. So the
monday we did the course. Its nice but a lot of turning. And almost always
in the city. But it was nice to see it.
After this we traveled to Bergamo. There we stayed till saterday to train
and prepare for the Tour de L'aude. It was really nice. Every day just climbing
mountains. We were with only 4 riders and we had a great week. We stayed in
a castle and the food was great!! I couldn't stop eating :)
This week is all about recovering. Short rides (coffee ;) )and a lot of sleep.
So I will be topfit for the 10 days in tour de L'aude.
Pictures of bergamo will follow
28-04-2008:
Here is the latest news. I did 3 races since Gelderland. The Fleche was very
bad as always. We don't like eachother I think ;) But I finished on the Mur
of Huy so I was happy. That 26% climb is a killer!!
Saterday I started in Luxemburg in the GP Elsy Jacobs. A new race for me.
It was nice but very fast. We had to do 8 laps of 12 km with 1 climb but not
a hard one. I stil didn't feel as good as I wanted but I started to get better
during the race. In the bunchsprint I couldn't keep position so I ended up
not sprinting again. I felt really dissapointed!
Sunday it was GP Roeselaere. The 1.2 race I won last year. I decided to let
go all the presure I put on my shoulders the last weeks, and just enjoy cycling.
It worked. I was really relaxed and felt great. Just missed a little bit of
power but that will come back in the coming weeks. A group of 8 girls escaped
with my teammate. She finished 2th.
I wanted to sprint to feel a bit better and I did a great bunch sprint. I
finished 3th behind 2 of the best sprinters in the world so I ended up 11th
in the race. Not the best result but a good feeling is what matters!!
This sunday I do the worldcup in Bern and after that I go to Italy to have
a look at the parcours of the world championships in Varrese. Then I go to
Bergamo for training to prepare for the Tour de L'aude. That's the biggest
and most important womans stage race. I was selected for it by the dutch team.
It was one of my goals for this year so I am very happy to go.
22-04-2008:
I was a hectic week before Gelderland. My legs were very very bad. I could
not even touch them. I felt lactate behind my ears and in my training I was
going no where. I spend 2 days streching, doing accupunctuur, massages and
praying for better legs ;)
On saterday, thank God, I felt not that bad at all! It was a fast race and
I was ok. Not very good but just ok. In the beginning a group of 12 escaped
and we had 2 girls in the front. After the hills where I felt ok the bunch
got them back. In the final there was a brake away with 8 with Liesbet. So
we were happy. She finished 4th and I had a bad sprint again and ended up
20th. But was happy my legs were so much better.
Wednesday I will start in my "favourite" race the Fleche Wallonie. Hope to finish thats all. And on friday I leave for Luxembourg for a new 1.2 race. And on sunday it's Roeselaere. The 1.2 race I won last year!
14-04-2008:
Drenthe wasn't really my cup of tea but I did really well. I had to get used
to the "dutch" speed and 1000 corners first. The 140 km race started
fast and after the cobblestones a group of 10 got away. None of my team was
there so we had to close the gap. Then the race was heading to the Vamberg.
3 girls got away just before and on the hill 5 other girl escaped as well.
Again no girls from my team so I diceded to go myself. I jumped alone and
closed the gap. Now we were with 9 girls and all girls were known to be very
strong. So I felt like i did the right thing.
2 girls were not allowed to work with us.
So most of the time we worked with 6 of 7 girls. But we got 2 minutes on the
bunch. In the final we climbed the vam 3 more times and I felt really oke.
But then the attacking started. I reacted 3 of 4 times but then Armstrong
and Bruins got a little gap and stayed away. The 2 girls who never did anything
still didn't wanted to work. So again we worked together with now only 3 girls
to get to the finish. I got really frustrated by this. Even more when in the
sprint one of them pushed me out of the corner so my sprint was over! I finished
8th.
I am really happy with my race though. I was very strong. I just need te get
used to the longer distance. But after yesterday that will be oke. I ended
up winning the green jersey for winnen a few sprints on the way. I had no
idea! But it was nice to get something out of this race!!
10-06-2008:
Normally I wouldn't start in any of the big races in Drenthe this weekend.
But sunday my team needs one more girl and so I decided to start on sunday.
I won't do the worldcup because it's just not my thing. I will leave that
up to Liesbet de Vocht and the other stone specialists ;)
Sunday will suit me better with 5 times the VAMberg. A very steep climb.
This whole week I sufferd a lot from my crash in the Ronde. I hope to be fully
recoverd on sunday so I can start without any pain. Today was the first training
I felt a bit better! So we have good hope!
06-06-2008: Today I got 20th in my favourite race the Tour of Flanders.
We started in really good weather and I felt really good. On the paddestraat and the Molenberg I was in the front and I was able to stay there. A little group of 6 got away after the Molenberg. The peloton let them go. The max advantage they got was 1 minute. We all knew that we would catch them on the muur!! I felt very good the whole time but after the Berendries I suddely was op the ground. One of the girls crashed and took me along. I fell on my back and hip. Thank God I was ok so I could go on. But our bikes were 1 and it took us forever to get them apart. Just before the Valkenberg I got back on to the bunch but it took me a lot longer to put my mind back on the race. On the muur I felt great again and was in te front. I was almost in the first group but on the really steep part I had to let go 30 meters. I never closed it again. We tried to get back but the Bosberg was to much and to hard. So I ended up in the second bunch sprinting for the 20th place. But I was happy with this result.
Next year I will be stronger and I am sure I will be in the first group. I just need a little bit more time and training!! The coming days I need to recover from my crash! But I will be ok soon!
04-04-2008: The fifth running of the Ronde Van Vlaanderen will take place once again on the same day as the men's race, starting in the town of Oudenaarde. The race will be run over a 114km course that starts with a circuit based around Oudenaarde, then follows the same final section as the men to finish in Meerbeke.
The course features three long flat cobbled sections: Paddestraat (2400m), Mater-Kerkgate (3000m) and Haaghoek (2000m), and also 10 of the famous climbs - the hellingen - that pepper this area of Flanders. The women will tackle the Molenberg, Wolvenberg, Berg Te Stene, Leberg, Berendries, Valkenberg, Tenbosse, Eikenmolen, Muur-Kapelmuur, Bosberg; the first one and last two of those being cobbled.
Ordinarily we should be looking forward to another chapter in the epic battle between last year's winner Nicole Cooke (Halfords Bikehut) and Marianne Vos (DSB Bank), but with both riders looking to preserve their form for this summer's Olympic road race in Beijing this looks unlikely. Aside from these two, any number of riders could be the first to Meerbeke this year. 2005 and 2006 winner Mirjam Melchers-Van Poppel (Team Flexpoint) returns after missing last year's race while recovering from injury, and the other former winner Zoufila Zabirova (Team Bigla) will be keen to better her second place behind Cooke last year.If Vos doesn't ride, the DSB Bank team will be led by Adrie Visser and 2007 Ronde Van Drenthe winner Andrea Bosman. AA-Drink's Kirsten Wild won last month's Omloop Het Volk over a very similar course and so should go well here too. Not far behind her - and the first person to make a move at the Alfredo Binda - was Martine Bras (Vrienden Van Het Platteland), who will look to continue that good form.
www.cyclingnews.com
31-03-2008: I am back in Belgium after 2 weeks of training and racing in Toscany, Italy with the Dutch National team. We stayed in Castagneto Carducci. On easter monday we left Castagneto to go to Cittiglio for the worldcup. This race I did with my own team so I had a little break with the national team. The worldcup was really hard. 2 6km climbs and 3 very hard 3.5 km climbs in the final. I attack after 60 km and ended up all alone in front of the race. The first time for me ever to be leading a worldcup race. I got a max of 25 sec but they didn't let me go. So after 15 k I was back in the peloton! But it was nice to show my face! In the fast and hard final I had to let the first girls go on the last climb. I was not so happy about that but I think I spend to much energy in the race being alone! In the end I finished 38 th. Emmy Pooley won the race solo!!
After the race we drove back to Castagneto for another week of training. In the weekend I did 2 more races. They were both 1.2 races and all about going uphill! The first day we had to climb 3 hills. The first was 5 km and I felt really good. On top I was with 10 other girls. But the whole bunch got back on. On the second climb of 10 km I had a bad moment. They rode soooo fast I had to let them go after 3 km. I blew and a lot of girls passed me. Finally I found a littel bunch. With these girl we got back on to the big bunch. But 8 girls were in the front. We never saw them again. I recoverd very well and on the last climb of 4 km I stayed in the front. I got away with 12 other girls in the last km and finished 16th this day. A nice result!
The next day I had to work hard for Regina Bruins. She is a big dutch talent. On the big climb of 10 km lifeforce and bigla attacked with high speed. I leaded out Regina so she could stay with them. But I did the same. So we ended up with 6 four km before the top. Now it was my turn to work so I rode as hard as i could for 1 km. Now the gap was big enough. But I couldn't follow anymore. But Regina was in the break and she got 2th this race what is really good for her!! I was really proud. I ended up in the peloton and finished 21th. But was happy with my work!!
Sunday I will start in the Tour of Flanders!! Can't wait!!
We met the worldchamp during training!!
