27-31 Dec Tour de Vineyards

Riding through beautiful country in Stage 3 of the Tour de Vineyards.

Happy 2013 everyone! Time to start blogging again. Unfortunately this site is not working

I’m excited to announce that for 2013 I will be racing with the US pro cycling team Vanderkitten. Vanderkitten is all about amazing women who kick ass. I’ll be joining 11 other fabulous women to form one of the top women’s cycling teams in the US. Although the main team is 12 riders, you too can be a part of it as a member of Vanderkitten’s VIP club. Check out more info at http://www.vanderkittenracing.com/#!vanderkitten-vip/c1zcl

I brought my 2012 to a close with the iconic Woollaston Estates Tour de Vineyards, a five-day tour right in my own backyard. We had fabulous weather for the whole tour, typical of Nelson summers. Despite torrential rains forecast every day, the wet held off and we were treated to five fine days.

Going it solo in Stage 1.

The tour started with a 4.5 km prologue. At a short 6.5 minutes long, this was the most painful stage of the tour! A decent performance put me third behind winner New Zealand Olympic representative in the pursuit Lauren Ellis and emerging pursuiter Cassie Cameron.

Getting hunted down by Lauren Ellis.

Stage 1 was a 40 km race on a technical 2.6 km circuit – my favourite stage! I went out on the hunt for time to move up on general classification. With three laps to go, I headed off on my own in pursuit of yellow. The tight corners of the circuit favouring a solo rider over the bunch, things were looking pretty good – that is, until Lauren switched into pursuiter mode and hunted me down to take the stage, blowing past me with less than 200 m to go to the line. I held on to a small gap to move up to second in GC with VK teammate Kate Chilcott winning the bunch sprint for third.

Stage 2 brought the queen stage, the stage reaching the highest point and the most challenging stage of the tour, with 128 km of racing finishing with an 18-km climb to the top of the 800 m Takaka Hill. Star hill climber Emma Crum prospered for the win with Olympian Linda Villumsen not far behind in second. The climb put Linda into the yellow leader’s jersey, and moved Emma into second on GC, just 17 s ahead of me in third.

Bestest again, this time by Emma Crum.

Stage 3, arguably a more challenging day than the Takaka Stage, was 120 km around the undulating terrain of the Moutere area. Seeking time on Emma, I had a go at escaping the bunch in the final kilometres, but Emma closed the move down immediately. Coming into the uphill sprint, I found myself in poor position at the back of the bunch. I launched early, keen at the 10 second time bonus for the stage win. Feeling super strong, I flew up the incline, past the other riders, the win in sight. But alas my excitement was shattered when at the last minute Emma came past to take the win, me second and TIBCO rider Joanne Kiesanowski crossing the line third, with no change in GC.

Just out of the saddle, about to kick to the line on Stage 4.

Stage 4 offered a final opportunity to move up the GC ladder. With five laps of a 9 km circuit, strong winds meant a big challenge for a solo ride. Ashleigh Neave, riding a super aggressive tour, went on the attack in the first few kilometres, surviving 3.5 laps. I answered the catch with an attack that saw me solo for a lap. A concerted chase from Linda to protect her yellow jersey saw me caught (and stuffed for my solo bid) with only a few kilometres to go in the race. A savvy attack from Haley Mercer went unanswered to give her a solo win. I recovered for my effort just in time in the final metres of the stage to position perfectly to take the bunch sprint.

Nek Minut. I'm about to leave my bike and slide along the road.

However, things went a little screwy and, as I put the power down for the final charge to the line, suddenly my bike fishtailed and I went completely sideways on the bike.  A lot of people who saw what happened have asked me went through my head in that moment. The truth is, absolutely nothing. I think my thinking brain turned off as my reflexes took over. I immediately sat down on my top tube to bring my bike under control and somehow, amazingly, managed to stay upright and recover to roll across the line in tenth.

The tour finished with Linda in yellow, Emma second, and me third with Emma taking the queen of the mountains jersey and Nelson rider Karen Fulton just edging out Kate Chilcott for the green sprint jersey in a tie. Although I was really happy with my form and how I rode, the highlight of my tour was definitely NOT crashing in the final sprint!

Riding past local vineyards in Stage 4.

Huge thank yous to the Tasman Wheelers, especially Jill Ellison, for their huge efforts coordinating the race, Woollaston Estates for sponsorship of the tour, Richards Woodhouse Accountants for their support of the women’s race, Brent & Jacob Sturm and Becks Hide-Bussell for personal race support, Brian Grant for keeping my bike running smoothly, Enzo’s Buttonhole for keeping me comfy in the saddle, and all the volunteers, supporters, sponsors, and racers who made this tour possible. Also the Grant Stirling at Stirling Images, ShutterSpot, and Wheel Works for some amzing photographs.