2 Days of Bedford - Womens' Team Series race:
I'm riding for Surrey League, goodness knows why but they asked me so I said yes. The start sheet had a good showing of E/1/2 riders with a smattering of 3/4s, so I was pretty nervous about being able to keep the pace over 4 stage races.

First stage was the team time trial, 10km. We dropped one of our team right at the start but pushed on with 5, as the team time is calculated by the first 4 riders over the line. We worked really well together, through and off, keeping a steady speed into a horrible headwind. So when the results came out and we were placed last - below even some individuals - we were pretty surprised and disheartened. We checked our computers though and queried the result, there had been a typo and actually we were placed 8th as a team, which we were pleased with, considering that we had never met before, let alone ridden or trained together.

2nd stage: 80km stage road race.
I've got to go to work now so I'll finish telling you about it later. I'll leave you thinking about the team cars from some teams - fully branded, spare wheels and bikes in there - and at least 5 of the teams were on radios...it was serious stuff! Intimidating...

I want to know the rest!...saw the top 10 on BC website...some big riders in there...great stuff!

sorry, that was where I fell asleep!
Stage 4 was again quite a fast, fairly flat course. I was hoping that the bunch would split, but everyone stuck together - there were lots of individuals and teams contesting the win. I got dropped after about 15 miles, (and at every point that I got dropped over the weekend it was on a slight upward slope, or just after- the power just drained out of my legs, so that's something to work on) and I knew that there were other individuals behind me, but no group, so I ploughed on for a lap on my own and eventually caught up with 2 other girls. We were working well together but after only a few miles we came up to the finish line and were pulled in to finish a lap early. It was a bit frustrating because I was psyched up for that last lap! No crashes though and the stage was won by Laura Trott.

Overall I finished 57th out of maybe 75 riders. I was 47th before stage 4 which I would have liked to hold, but all in all I'm pleased with how I did, considering the competition, the length of the races, the TTing - all things that I've not really experienced before. I've learnt plenty and I'm sure I can get faster and stronger and stick with the bunch in future races.

full results here:

http://www.londoncyclesport.com/Results/All_Results/Bedford_International_Stage_Race.html

nice one stelle!
after all that experience i can say nothing about the CR. it was fun. it was my first 100 miles on a fixed and i wasn't very tired when we finished. i am trying to do as many miles as possible to see if it helps me going through a HH session. i find this HH stuff much more harder than riding miles at my snail pace. after HH my body is aching all over!

i am trying to get fit as i want to go to l'eroica in italy in october got my old bike and everything

Nice write up Stelle, and the photos on the BC site are amazing.
Looks like it was damn tough!

Derny fest...one of my favourite events.

I really wanted to go to that. I'll be in France though.

During the ToI Eryn spotted my Rolla shirt and asked if I knew you, stelle. She had kind words to say.

Well done.

Yup, she's pretty darn fast! I'm glad she said hi, I told her to look out for Rollapaluzeans and be kind

The photographer is the man-friend of one of my Surrey Leauge teammates, so yes, there's pics of me (in Rollapaluza shorts, look carefully!) and the rest of team. Non of us together looking remotely team-like, mind!

As matthew said, being at that race was like being inside the other forum's 'glossy pictures of girls on bikes' thread.

National Women's Omnium....came 6th out of a field of about 20-25, very pleased with my result - some darn good riders there including the seemingly notorious Janet Birkmire. Some good early support from bemused Rollapaluzeans, thank you! (This was before they went to the pub and after they had a good laugh at all the aero helmets)

The events were: 500m standing start TT; 8k scratch; 2k pursuit; sprint; 8k points race.

I had never done a ss TT, pursuit, or a sprint like that (properly like the olympics where you eyeball each other before one of you goes for the jump) but I held my own pretty well considering. Was particularly pleased with my 2nd place in the 8k scratch race - egged another girl on and we went for a break with about 3 laps to go, worked well together and kept away. It was very exciting! Learnt plenty, and especially in the points and sprint I see that I need to be more assertive rather than reactive.

Feathers have been ruffled. :)

come on Stelle!
the 8k race was amazing.

Posted By: Tikacome on Stelle!
the 8k race was amazing.

I'm glad someone saw that!

brilliant performace stelle. one day we will all sport tiger skins, proper stelle - chippolini style

Wahey! Stelle...wish I'd witnessed it.

My two clubs.. head to head. :)

CONGRATS Stelle, that's superb.

Now that's an effin good position on a bike.

If you had a disc you would have been miles in front :)

Brilliant Stelle. Well done!

This thread has been a bit vacant recently so here's details of the latest Women's Team Series race, held in Darley Moor in the Peak District. Now, you'd have though that a course in the Peak District might involve some moorland, some hills, and some bracing scenery...but no, this race was held on a pan-flat motorcycle circuit on a flat and windy plateau. Did I mention it was windy?

The location made for a more reduced than normal start sheet, probably about 50 women on the line. Mischiefcard.com have fairly well wrapped up the team points and since Surrey League are sitting about halfway down the standings we were just looking to race well as a team. There's not much to say about the race itself - it was a pretty boring 22 laps, 32miles. The circuit is a triangle, with a sharp hairpin at one end (so anyone who has slipped off the back has a decent chance of getting back on) and then straight into a headwind, pretty much preventing any breaks. The pace was fairly slow since no-one wanted to do any work into the wind, and we all just trundled around waiting for the bunch sprint. I came 5th in one of the primes (yes, I know that 5th in a prime is nothing but it's my own little achievement) and me, Rachel and Leona rode together as a team for the first time. Coming round the final corner for the sprint I wasn't in a great position - I'm still wary riding in a bunch with people I don't know or trust, and unfortunately I had to go around a Maxgear girl who had been a leadout for the sprint and had peeled off, but I came across the line 19th. That's my best result of the series, so I'm fairly happy.

Things I learnt this race: I have no idea how to sprint on my road bike. Must learn. Also, next time we're in a position like that we're going to try to shake it up a little bit.

I think that's the last WTS race that I'll do this year - there is one more but I'd rather do the HH Omniums. At one point I thought I wouldn't do the WTS series next year - all the crashes and the feeling intimidated really put me off for a while, but I've remembered that I want to work on the things that I'm less good at, and riding on the road will only improve my track performance I'm sure. And I thought - why am I so intimidated by all these girls? I ride with men at the track and (almost sometimes) hold my own - why should some girl intimidate me?! So actually I'm looking forward to improving my results in the the team series in 2010.

Oh, and then yesterday we went for an amazing ride through the Peak District, hills, wind and all. It was a tough 70+ miles and we got rained on at the end but it was worth it. We initially met up with some riders from Matlock CC and tagged onto their club run - another reminder of how great cycling is - you can just rock up and your bike is all the introduction you need!

Good luck - try not to sit at the back. Tuck in mid-pack, towards the wings, if you can. Any gap that opens up - move into it, or someone else will.

And relax :)

You'll probably win.

You'll probably win.

BMMF says this all the time. His track record at predicting wins is rather low I'm afraid.

If it says E/1/2/3/4 then there will be such a breadth of abilities that it will probably split rather than staying as a bunch. Depends who turns up. Looks like there's BC points on offer so various people will probably be there trying to up their ranking. There's enough of a bump at Hillingdon to allow a breakaway I think. Just try to stay on someone's wheel out of the wind. You're coming to the track day, right? that will teach you a bit about riding in a bunch/rotating. You just need to be aware that there are people in front, behind and to either side of you so don't make any sharp or sudden movements.

BC website says it's 1hr + 3 laps, so that's something worth checking out on the day!

Oh, and I'm totally excited to be riding with another girl in Rollapaluza kit! It's so lonely at the moment.