The Marion Clignet Diary 2000
Moscow Track World CupMoscow, Russia, May 19-21, 2000 Got in to Moscow late Thursday. It was strange landing because I was expecting to see some pretty desolate landscape and to my surprise there were pine trees everywhere! Seemed like we were landing in the northwest of the US. We recovered our umpteen, bikes, bags, wheels, etc. and headed on out to the track. 333 meters, seemed huge after the 250 meters I had seen last in Berlin last October. I was looking forward to checking it out, as well as my new pursuit bike, made by Look, a bit smaller than last year and a tad lighter as well. Managed to get our acts together and hop on the track for a 45 minute leg cleaning spin. Funny thing about this track is it's quite big so you think its fairly flat but if you don't get your speed up before you get opto the wood, well, you feel like you're slipping...and you are! It's fairly steep. The sprinters kept telling me they felt like they'd touch at the top if they did't keep their speed up, So I revved up at the bottom, hopped on and pedalled like mad for a while before I dared going up above the black, blue, etc. 45 minutes done we went off to discover our new accomodations. I chuckled to myself, thinking that it couldn't be worse than the anti-nuclear bomb shelter we had to sleep in Switzerland. We pulled up to a gray kind of sad looking highrise. Nothing from the outside gave a hint that it was a hotel. Once inside there was a fairly nice lobby, a small shop to buy cookies,drinks, etc. which we'd need later on. I took my key and went on up to my room. I'd say it was about even with our nuclear fallout shelter but hey, all ya have to do is sleep here right? Dinner...actually I don't think I've ever had a meal of bread. There's a first for everything. Black bread is exceptionally good, can even be eaten with out butter. So there it was, my first dinner of bread only, and a bit of water to wash it down. Next morning got on the track, tried out my spiffy new bike, fooled around with my position, tried two different gears, put in some smoking standing kms, and happy with that went back to the hotel to try lunch. Lunch was ...interesting. Managed to eat a bit of this and a bit of that. Coffee: sorry but I've been really spoiled by Italian coffee this year and I cant drink powdered instant coffee anymore. Just the thought of it makes me shudder! In the afternoon I started to feel, a bit like I did in Mexico last year when I spent 2 days in bed with 40 degree temp, sprinting to the can and back. My temperature was liveable with, but the sprints were something. Oh well, blow it off, race, and deal later. Dinner however was not possible. Next morning, not feeling so awesome I managed to squeak out the fastest time in 3.36.8 something...2nd was Leontien in 3.38, 3rd was a russian in 3.38 (i think), and 4th was Belluti in 3.41. Other times: Watt did 3.43. In the afternoon, I really was feeling pretty hurtin' but this is, after all, a mise en scene (dress rehearsal of sorts in French) so we decided to try another gear and get on with it. Off we went, rematch of last year's pursuit at Firenzuola against Leontien. Seemed like we were neck and neck for the first 1.5.km then I managed to pull ahead. At 2.5km I had 5 meters on her. We seemed to be trading off a bit, each hesitant to put it all out just yet. With a lap to go I had 10 meters advance. I wrapped my legs around my neck almost to crank out that last sprint, the guns went off at about the same time and I was relieved thinking that mine went off first. Wrong, it was Leontien's. She was about 0.003 of a second faster...good ride! 3rd stayed with the Russian in 3.36.136 and 4th to Belluti. Voila! Next event was the points race. Have to set up my bike yet though so we'll work on that tomorrow. Sunday afternoon, a bit down, still feeling under the influence and can only manage to eat crackers and protein bars. Actually, when looking around the velodrome I noticed I wasn't the only one on this particular diet. Also a bit bummed cause I was the only one racing in the afternoon and my entire team deserted me to go see the Red Square etc. I really wanted to go but... Got to the track at 3 with allen keys in hand to adjust the bike to my position. Oh what fun, pedalled a bit, moved the saddle, then the bars, etc. After a bit I managed to find a pedal-able position and off we were for the points race. All of the teams had at least two riders, 'cept for me, all alone out there! The russians actually had 4 because there were also Belorussians, 2 Italians, 2 Dutch, 2 Venuzuelans, and so on. The Russians had a good train going with the same Elena who took 3rd in the pursuit racking up most of the points. They seemed fairly strong so after the points I thought they'd keep on with it but they sat up. Finally with 30 laps to go, and feeling like I may lose the little I had been able to keep down, off I went. With 19 laps to go I did manage to lose a little...I wont get into details...anyway, it was a long 30 laps. I was about 20 meters short of catching them when the gun went off at the end. 1 point kept me from winning. The victory went to Elena, the same Russian who took 3rd in the pursuit. A good day for me and a great workout! As soon as the points race was over, I changed and hitchhiked to the Red Square. If you ever get a chance to go to Moscow, it's a must. After the square I walked around a street named Arbat where all the musicians hang and play and heard some really good music. If you like people-watching, there are all kinds! All of that said, I'm now here in Montreal hoping to be of some help to Diana Ziliute who holds the jersey at present. This computer thing really has me down though. Note: In a terrible stroke of luck, Marion had her brand new computer stolen at Venezia airport whilst en route to Montreal from Russia. She was however able to log in on Montreal where she filed the following entry.
Montreal World CupMontreal, Canada, May 28, 2000 Started off well - riding up the Mont Royal to sign in...what a warm up. I'm not a big HR monitor fan in races but lately I've been wearing it to check my max afterward. I was already feeling a bit on the maxed side but I thought I'd wait tilll later to check the results. It wouldnt change anything anyway. Feeling quite bloated from the traveling, under the influence of bronchitis and antibiotics, and really like I ate too much pasta too late this morning, I should know better...I warned my team mates that if they saw a load of spaghetti on the road somewhere it would be mine. Having won this race in 91 with a few kilos less I know what it takes and well honestly, it seemed so easy back then...age??? aghgh. Anyway, today's main concern is keeping Ziliute's jersey. Our main competition would come from, I'll say child wonder because I'm a bit older, Geneviève Jeanson who seemed fairly comfortable at Fleche Wallonne. Possibly Lyne Besette but more than anything Pia Sunstedt and Fabiana Luperini who is more than back on form... 12 laps. The gun went off and we started with the descent. 1st time up the climb was pretty even - no attacks or accelerations, thank God, for me. Lap 2,4,and 6 there were GPM's so things would be a little more frantic. Lap 2 up the climb started to accelerate around 500 m from the line, I started to gasp like I never have before - we weren't going that fast but my heart and lungs couldn't keep it together so I hung back a bit with my mouth wide open trying to catch some ai. I couldnt believe I was already geting dropped! No worries, I recover quickly and there was the biggest crowd I've seen at a World Cup yet cheering me on, they even knew my name! I pedalled llike a madwoman with 2 other girls and caught back on in the descent. Lap 3 I went to the front and led up the climb hoping to keep things at my pace. It was fairly efficient though I was still trying to catch air at the top. Lap 4 was more of the same though I couldn't stay at the front when everyone came around me at the 500m sign. Dropped again, this time by quite a bit so I hammered down the descent and once again made it back on - right before the climb. And well, not to bore you lap 5,6,7,and 8 were the same. I'm not one to give up easily and I really wanted to be there to give Ziliute any help I could but when I saw 3 more laps I considered bailing. BUT all the way up the climb people were shouting 'Allez Marion, Go Marion, Don't give up' etc. I've never seen such a crowd! Apparently some remembered me from '91 and others had read in the papers that I was French so they pushed me on. Well, I figured I was useless though once over the top I could still see the cars so I fought back on to the very tail end of the group once more. I went to the front just to say hello and got dumped for the last time over the climb. Each time I came up, the crowd was so loud I couldnt hear anything else so I played with it and encouraged them to encourage me more. What fun! I was accompanied by a Brit, an Italian, and a few others and they kept asking me if I had family here. I finally made it over the line, a mere 10 minutes after the winner. The race was won on the last lap - Pia Sunstedt of the Gas team and Fabiana Luperini, same team, took off hand in hand with the victory going to Pia. Ziliute was 3rd keeping her jersey. Geneviève, who may have gone a bit too strong in the early laps still had a good race coming in about 3 minutes behind the winners. There's a criterium here on Tuesday...see ya there! |
