ELISA BALSAMOFirst part of the season: how intense!

The first part of the season with the spring’s classics is already done!

We started the first days of April with the Flanders and we came back from the Ardennes a few days ago. I took place at many of these races trying to find all the strength I’ve lost in the tracks season this winter.

The first race was De Panne: a flat race with a lot wind and a technical final circuit. At the final sprint I could only achieve a sixth place because I took the last curve not in a good position.

The Gent Wevelgem has been a strange race, after the last two ‘cots’ the peloton was extremely small, but the finish was too far so the speed decreased and many other riders could reach the group. The last kilometer was in a large and long road with a lot of traversal wind and only the big teams could keep their sprinters in the front. At the end I arrived 9th.

The 3rd April was time for an other race: the Dwaars Van Vlaandern. My condition wasn’t at the top so I decided to work for the team. I tried to close the gap between our group and the break away that “flied” away after the first hill. Unfortunatly I hadn’t collaboration form the other teams and I couln’t reach them.

Saturday 6th April, the day before the famous Ronde van Vlaanderen, I crashed in the recovery ride and the doctors decided to put 9 stitches on my chin, besides I had also problems at the jaw (it was hard for me to even eat). the next day I decided at least to start because it is THE race that any cyclist dreams to do, but after 80km I had to give up because the pain was to much.

The luck wasn’t with me also in the first Ardennes’ race, the Brabantse Pjil. the first part of the race had been very fast with a lot of attacks and at the last 40km, in one of the many cubbles-Sector, I was behind Vos’ and Lippert’s wheels that were trying to reach the breackaway, but I had a mechanical problem and I had to change my bike, so I was out of the games.

Amstel Gold Race and Fleche Wallone brought me a lot of satisfaction! In the first one I achieved a great 10th place after a hard final, where I could stay with the head of the race untill the last Cauberg. In the second one, after the first passage on the evil “mur de Huy” i attacked and kept the head of the race with other 3 girls untill the last 8km.

Staurday and Sunday I raced twice: the EPZ Omloop van Borsele and the Liege Bastogne Liege. Last year I won my first UCI race in Borsele and I was determinated to keep the tradition going, but I could only reach the 2nd place after 135km breackaway and a heavy wind. Sunday was like we have back to the winter season: 3°C and a lot of rain. The cold made the race even harder and I could stay in the peloton and help my teammates untill the famous “Côte de la Redoute” and than I rode the last 20km with the “gruppetto”.

I can say I’m pretty happy, even if i haven’t been lucky the whole time my condition are growing and my attitude in this kind of races is change: don’t be worry to lose energy but fighting till the end!
Next stop Tour of Yorkshire and Amgen Tour of California.
Stay tunned!

Inviato da smartphone Samsung Galaxy.