The Tracey Gaudry Diary 2000The Local East Coast Australian Time is
Olympic Games, Sydney, Septebmer 26-30Tuesday, September 26, 2000 Olympic Individual Road Race, 119.6km (7 x 17.km circuits) Well, the day has arrived at last and we were all in superb form after a very successful training camp in Wollongong. Our team of Juanita, myself and Anna was highly motivated, as were James, Darrell and Emma - our committed coach, mechanic and physiotherapist. We had devised a plan to utilise each of our strengths at the most opportune times during the Road Race to maximise our winning potential. That is, Juanita would be looking for early opportunities using her strength and endurance. I would try to capitalise on that mid-way through once the bunch was softened up, and Anna would be looking to be present in a later move or set herself up for the finish if it came down to an unlikely bunch sprint. There were medal-winning options for each of us and, we all knew that it would be important to play the numbers game even with teams of only three in this elite field of 57 riders, and that we would have to be careful to keep our representation at an advantage at all times during the race. On Monday it had rained and although we had had glorious weather for the first week of the Games, it wasn't too disastrous. Rain on the eve of the race would clear off the accumulated oil, petrol and debris from the road, and also served to prepare us in case it rained on the day too. The technical, hilly course was good for us, wet or dry. This morning, rain threatened early, but the sun peeked from behind the clouds as we were warming up and so I shed most of my wet weather clothing. With a 10am start, and despite the hugely biased and raucous Aussie crowd, there was little time to get nervous as our preparation regime had us fully occupied up to the final countdown. We lined up in an orderly fashion, and rolled out right on time. The first lap was pretty cruisy but there was already a crash near the rear of the pack! Chantal Beltman (Ned) attacked over the top of the steep 1.1km climb at the bottom of the circuit and formed a handy gap very quickly. This was what we expected but Juanita wasn't in the action yet and so Anna and I went to the front and each worked briefly to help bring it back. The rest of the field got going and she was brought back without much effort. As we passed by the finish line for the first time I glimpsed a few 'grazed' elbows and reminded myself that the rear of the bunch was no place to be! I rode a fast, steady tempo at the front up the main climb for the next two laps and could also see Anna nearby, looking to set up a block for Juanita to attack. Other teams were not yet keen to attack over the top of the group. It had also started raining heavily and so this would be an added factor to contend with. Despite keeping myself in the front with the action, I was already freezing cold in the abysmal conditions. While Ina Teutenburg (Ger) was driving the pace on the wet descents, Pia Sundstedt (Fin), Beltman and Somarriba (Spa) were the most aggressive, while Lithuania were keeping a very close eye on things. I attacked into Centennial Park and formed a gap quickly with Diana, Pia and a small group of stronger riders, but nobody wanted to work harder than anybody else. The unrepresented countries put in a chase, and at the halfway point of the race, around two thirds of the field were still there! We needed to do some serious damage now. Juanita attacked strongly on the solid drag past the feed zone, but the field strung out and came back together. I had been taking a feed and sprinted to get back to the front on the way down the fast, off-cambre descent into Bronte. The pace was faster this time up the climb but the field was still there. I attacked hard over the top hoping to form a break with riders like Sundstedt, Somarriba, Gilfilian and Melchers. I again got a gap with half a dozen riders, but the field was chasing hard, and again the break wasn't being 'worked'. By now my reserves were heavily depleted and I was praying that Juanita would be able to fire a few more heavy shots and either form a break with one or more of us, or lessen the field so as to enhance our efforts in the final laps. Going into the fifth lap, things were getting tougher. Anna was concentrating on keeping herself in good shape for the finish as were Leontien Van Moorsel and Hanka Kupfernagel who were hardly seen at the front except for the descent. I resolved to keep myself in an offensive position to cover dangerous moves and be in a good position to capitalise on breakaway opportunities. We didn't have the numbers to launch attacks and be also in a position to cover counter-attacks. The Lithuanian team were working hard to keep things in check for Diana, while most teams were riding very defensively. I sat back a little after the fifth lap and watched riders from other teams help to keep the strays from breaking away. With teams of three, it was becoming close to futile to launch decisive moves, when most countries had at least one who were capable of being in, or covering a break. Italy and the USA were unfortunately more or less out of the hunt, having been involved in a series of unfortunate crashes and resultant mechanical problems. The race would come down to attrition over the last two laps in the increasingly torrential rain. It was tough up the climb on the sixth lap and the field was split - Sommariba off the front, a dozen of us in full pursuit and then the chasing bunch, determined not to get left behind. Anna drove the front group through the tight series of twists and turns into Centennial Park and it looked like this could be good for us, but again the chase group still had riders that wanted to be in the action. It all came back together and the field was thirty-plus for the final lap. I stuck up near the front again despite my near exhaustion, as there was no way I could let danger riders go now. Down the descent in the front half dozen and up the climb. Wham! Melchers attacked and the whole bunch splintered. It was a furious game of chasy to get a group of riders together and away before others chased back on. Anna was up near the front. With no reserves left I tacked onto the back of this group, only to lose contact on the drag up the hill in Centennial Park. I sat up to back off the rest of the field, but they came steaming by one by one determined to be there for the finale. With three kilometres to go I moved back up near the front, but this took every ounce of energy I had left and as the lead out began I could not answer with another effort. Anna tucked herself in to find Van Moorsel's wheel, but this time unfortunately it wasn't to be Anna's day. After not looking too flash early in the race, Van Moorsel had been able to conserve everything to launch off Melchers' wheel for the sprint and took it out in fine style from Hanka Kupfernagel, Ziliute and Anna. Though my efforts rewarded me with a frustrating 23rd place I knew I had ridden a solid, committed race and was as disappointed as Anna that despite a valiant campaign, 'nearly' was not quite enough and there was no medal for Australia today. That's bike racing. I would like to extend our appreciation to the support of staff at the A.I.S, Cycling Australia and our respective State Academys (ACTAS for me) for helping to prepare us optimally for the Road Race. Additionally, the support of the crowd was inspiring. With the most adverse weather conditions for the whole of the Olympics the turnout was tremendous and the energy certainly helped 'push' us up Bronte hill especially in the final laps. Thanks to all who attended and to the many who sent words of encouragement to us during our preparation. Saturday, September 30, 2000 Olympic Time Trial, 31.2km (2 x 15.6km circuits) Here we go in the 'Race of Truth' as they say. And that it certainly was. The course was a slightly concatenated version of the Road Race circuit, with only the steep descent and climb out of Bronte Beach omitted. The twisty, turny course in and around Centennial Park with two long drags still remained. In stark contrast to Tuesday, a bright, sunny day greeted us and the slight fresh breeze made for a perfect 'time trialling day'. Normally, three days is perfect time to recover and refuel for a time trial and I was determinedly optimistic despite being literally 'under the weather' from Tuesday's race that it would be a good day for me. I had caught a chill during the race and by Thursday I had a rasping chest, and racing pulse. Things settled down somewhat and despite being in a sweat on Friday night I rose feeling ok and warmed up at moderate intensity without too many adverse effects it seemed. I had been in worse condition before! A smooth start at 9.07.30 a.m. and I was away. I felt decent for ohh, about two minutes and then as I settled into a steady rhythm I knew immediately that this was not that winning pace that I had ridden in Quebec only a few weeks ago and out training only last week. The course was great for me, lots of undulations and areas to surge and recover but my body simply wouldn't fire. I was receiving time checks from James and after half a lap, I was already down on the riders preceding me. I paced myself at a maintainable limit, but this limit was far below my capacity when in peak functioning form. It certainly was the race of truth, and the truth hurt today, in an event which I covet so much. I kept it together, riding a smooth pace, drawing from the supportive crowd, looking for key sections of the course to make up time and maximise recovery, completely drawing on all reserves to the very last pedal stroke. I rode the best time I could on the day but it was way off the pace. I finished 23rd, the same as in the Road Race. Anna rode a great time trial, but ironically, was again in that unenviable position of 4th. Despite a not-so-embellished campaign results-wise, I have truly enjoyed this Olympic Games. The season's racing with Timex and the preparation and leadup to Sydney with the National Team was fantastic. The immense encouragement via mail and email from friends and supporters kept my motivation high. The resounding cheers from the crowds at the Opening Ceremony and at our events was overwhelming. To top it all off, the experience of having Tony, our loving families and some of our closest friends right by my side at this most significant time was one I will always appreciate and cherish. Thanks to everyone. And now, I'm completely pysched and off to the World Championships in northern France to wreak some serious havoc with the Australian National Team! |
