The Marion Clignet Diary 2000
Criterium International Féminin de LachineMontreal, Canada, May 30, 2000 Tuesday morning we went for a little spin on the formula one course in Montreal where I might add there was a bit of preparation on hand for the race to be held next week. After the f1 course we found ourselves on a long dirt road. The girls slowed down a bit so I tried to show Bonnanomi that it was just like riding the paves in europe. I went faster and faster a bit surprised that my legs had recovered from Sunday. All of a sudden I found myself in a bit of a ditch at 40kph and the wheel hit the side of a gutter and I saw the sky, some bushes, the sky again, the girls behind me and THUD! right on my head and hip...good thing I have extra padding in both places. I heard everyone scream and come rushing over...my first thought was is anything broken? Didn't seem to be and I suddenly imagined what the others just saw and started to laugh. They werent sure if I had lost it or ??????? I got myself up and said better to ride immediately to work out any kinks and we'll see what's up as we go. We contnued on another 30k and my hip was pretty sore, my head a bit and boy was I tired. Got back to the dorms, showered and conked out for a good two hours. The crit was at 7pm so I still had time to recuperate though I wasn't sure how I'd make to my bike. Got to the course at 5.30...nice waterfront view so I took advantage and lounged a bit. We wanted Diana Ziliute to win because there was a GC with the World Cup and the prize money wasn't bad. typical crit course - 4 corners, 1.5.km circuit with 4 sprints, and 50 km. We had to watch out for Pia and the Gas team and Melchers from the Dutch team, though I myself was expecting Clara Hughes of saturn to take off with 1km to go. At 7 sharp off we went! When the race was on, all of my aches and pains went away - isn't that special? Found myself in front for the first sprint and on the last stretch Tatiana Staijskina from Acca Due O, came to my aid for a lead out. I took the turn on her wheel and took the first sprint. Soon after the Gas team countered and the battle was on. Pregnolato and Pia traded off most of the attacks from Gas with the Dutchies doing a fine job as well. I managed to chase down a few and between Tatiana and the Lithuanian twins leading me out also managed to win the sprints. with 6 to go Ziliute attacked hard and it almost worked. When we caught her Pia attacked - I pulled out what I could to go get her...ouch!!!!! With 2 to go we started the lead out for Diana. I wanted to keep the pace fast enough to prevent Clara from attacking when suddenly, last lap she went! Good gap and there she was going...away from us...I breathed deep hoping to recover and thankfully some other teams helped reel her in. I recovered and heard a horrible noise behind me - bike frames on pavement. Crash. I was at the front with a km to go. Where was Diana? I looked around and didn't see her when suddenly on my left I heard "DAI Piccola!" (Go little one! in Italian). That could only be Diana. She cheered me on to the last curve...48 km/h I was dying but with every word of encouragement managed to go a little further. I swung her through the last turn and saw Melchers on her wheel. Couldn't for the life of me get my arse out of my saddle to sprint the last 200m so I sat up to try and watch the finish from behind...Diana won by 7 or 8 meters...yahoo! Cheers! See ya Sunday in Philly provided I find a computer. First Union Liberty ClassicPhiladelphia, USA, June 4, 2000
Howdy....our plane has been delayed for who knows how long. Coffee is horrible, we had to pay,once again, umpteen dollars for the bikes, were refused at security because of a hammer in our tool box, and I must say I am a bit sore. Started off as a fine day in Philly yesterday morning. First time I've ever shared a course with a men´s field (I've been trying to get the Tour organizers to do the same thing for some time now.) And it seems to please all! Off we went at about 9:30 for 5 laps of the 23km circuit. I had done the wall once yesterday and wasnt really sure what gears to use. I had the 23 for bail out but power is a better tool for my lungs who cant seem to get it together with the heart and all when I spin too much up a steep climb. Right I was, first time up the 21 with a bit of pushing pulling and grunting on the bike. Had my eyes firmly on Pia Sundstedt as I was quasi sure she´d attack first time round. There were at the start of this race only 11 points between Pia and my team mate Diana Ziliute so our job was to keep things together as much as possible and be there to set up the train for a lead out. As expected Pia went up the hill pretty stongly...I managed to hang on up front right along side Anna Wilson. Five of us crested together with Pia about five meters ahead when we took the turn at the top. We took the descent pretty hard, back on to the flat stretch and the ususal regrouping took place. There was a small bump before we hit the longer climb...I jostled to the front to tempo up the longer climb at a reasonable pace to keep anyone from attacking if possible. A nice descent was a good compensation, back to the flat stretch to jostle again for position up front for another short switchback climb. From there on to the finish. Lap 2 and 3 were pretty furious. Pia´s Gas team from Italy attacked one after the other. Acca Due O´s Lithuanian Polikeviciute twins were hard at work at the front reeling everything in. I followed a few strong attacks by Gabby Pregnolato also of team Gas and one furious effort by Tracey Gaudry. As the Philly law would have it nothing would stick. Lap 4 things were a little...hectic. I was on lap 4...The Gas team was attacking pretty strongly with all the while O Due and Saturn keeping things in tow for their respective leaders. What I couldn´t really figure out was why Sundstedt, in the running for the overall, was going for QOM sprints and not just putting all to the test on the longer of the hills. I was expecting her to go off like a bomb at any time. Crossed the line as speaker Jeff Roarke rang the bell and announced (my legs were happy to hear) last lap. The pace was picking up a tad and the attacks seemed to have halted. The jostling for posititon to enter the series of turns that preceed the wall was as usual. I noticed Pia getting pushed to the front by teammate Pregnolato. As I tried to follow through the same hole it closed on me and I suddenly found myself rubber side up, my head thudded again, (crashed on Tuesday morning as well) and I thanked my helmet and covered myself for fear of upcoming bikes and bodies. From there still attached to a pedal I managed to pull out, make a quick body assessement: nothing broken. I wanted to hop up and take back to the peloton to lead out Diana for the sprint. We´d had an awesome train Tuesday night in Montreal and I really enjoy giving leadouts. I Got up feeling like one of those cartoon characters who has a bunch of little birds flying in circles above their heads. My bars were rotated, shiftlever as well, and chain off. By the time it took to get it all together again the pack was long gone and my race was over. I climbed up the wall with crooked bars, blood dripping from my knee,shoulder, probably butt and back as well, deafened by the roar of partying spectators...and kinda thinking I should just stop and invite myself in for a beer. I drudged on to the finish line quite a bit later to find that diana had kept her jersey and had taken second to 4 time winner Petra Rossner of Saturn. Must admit I felt a pang of sadness cause, well....Our leadouts are pretty good when were all there.
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