The Tracey Gaudry Diary 2000The Local East Coast Australian Time is
Giro del Piave, Italy, 109kmMay 14, 2000 Ahhh, Belle Italia. And what a gorgeous day it was too. Around 25 sunny degrees in beautiful Northern Italy, nestled at the base of the Alps. It is great to be back for a short stint in Europe, amid the history, culture and character of the ancient villages, having fun with my Aussie teammates at the Australian National Team base in Novellara, near Bologne, and racing amongst the European peloton. We had no idea as to the race course profile before we arrived, only that the course would be around 100+km, with a circuit at the end. So we arrived with an open mind to find that there was a 40km point to point section plus nearly three laps of a 25km circuit, containing two categorised climbs (Cat 1, Cat 2) per lap! Crikey, not quite what our open minds expected. Well, I would certainly see how I was travelling today, amid a very strong 100 rider field with many of the top European teams - Dream Team, Edil Savino, Alfa Lum, GAS, Nurnberger, U.K, Ukraine to name a few. This is the crux time for many of the Euro countries for Olympic selection so we expected to see a few 'in form' riders - we certainly weren't surprised in that respect! As soon as the neutral flag went down, it became very clear that the field would be controlled by Gas who had a very strong all-round team here. The Aussie girls all rode good bunch position, keeping well and truly out of trouble. Although the bunch was not terribly nervous today, a couple of crashes occurred near the rear of the peloton. The main aim in the first 40km was to stay safe and get through the 2km tunnel without any mishap. This accomplished, we prepared for the damaging mountainous circuits. There was a smattering of attacks before the climbs commenced, but it was obvious that no-one was going to go anywhere. The bunch split quickly up the 4.5km Cat 1 climb, and I attempted to ride in the front of the group. This was the best option to avoid having to jump around riders as they dropped off. I went with a bunch of about 8 over the first QOM. That re-grouped and as we went up the Cat 2 climb, I felt good and went for the sprint, getting it easily. A bunch of 21 was together at the start of the 2nd lap. Sarah Carrigan was having a good race and had just chased back onto this lead group as we went back up the Cat 1 climb. This time the pace was really on! Pia Sundstedt (GAS) attacked shortly after we commenced climbing. She was not to be seen again. The bunch shattered completely as Luperini and Veronesi attacked shortly afterwards. I tried in vain to get across, but didn't have the legs to hold the intense pace up the hard climb. I dropped off and was caught and passed by a very small chase group. I was in no-man's land for the rest of the lap, in between the front group and a larger group behind. I caught the front group on the descent a few km before the start of the final lap. I felt ok, and hoped that I would have the legs to go with any big moves on the final lap. This time, Cappelotto attacked furiously and I went with that. The even smaller bunch was in pieces. Again I couldn't hold the pace and I lost contact with them. Again a small group passed me and I was alone for the last couple of kms to the top of the climb. James was behind in the team car, urging me on and I managed to catch another rider from Fanini on the fast technical descent Although I couldn't regain contact with the small group of climbers that got away, we stayed away from the rest of the 'front' group that was spat out on the climb. I sprinted the Fanini rider to finish 11th in this UCI Cat 1 Classic. I had envisaged to finish in the Top 10 at best in this, my first European classic, I was happy with the result given my current fitness. Today has been good preparation for Giro del Trentino next weekend. Giro del Trentino, May 19-21Part Two of my early season Italian voyage was to compete in a five-day UCI Category 1 tour, based in the Trento region. It is a bonus to be racing in some of the most spectacular regions of Italy, and Europe for that matter. Actually it would be a bonus NOT to be racing, and sightseeing instead! A couple of weeks ago we learnt that the five day tour had been reduced to three days. We were disappointed about the shortening of the race, but figured that we would race the three hard days even harder! It wasn't until we arrived at the race venue that all teams were told that the third day - a tough 110km stage - had been reduced to a 3km time trial! This drastic change came about due to the provincial election being held on Sunday, and the main roads needed to be clear all day for traffic. All I can say it is a long way to go (from the US) for a two and a half day race, so I'd better make the most of it! Friday May 19 Stage 1, Trento - Lagundo, 90km It poured all morning, but true to predictions the skies cleared by lunchtime and a sunny, breezy afternoon cheered us for the start of the tour in this bustling city of Trento. Not a difficult stage, it was expected that the dominant teams would want to keep the field together, to set the race up for the climbers the next day. The first climb, a Cat 2, was a 33.3km and was arrived at very quickly. The field of around 130 swarmed up the climb, and after a fair amount of jostling, I found good position in the front dozen. All the Aussies were riding good position up until now and it was good to see the green and gold jersies comfortable and in control. The pace was pretty fierce up the climb and we were already flying by the time we hit the 500m to go sign for the QOM. The bunch was strung out and the climbers were at the front. At 250m to go, I went with Sundstedt (GAS) and Boubnenkova, with Ziliute (Acca Due) on my wheel. It was hard, but that's the way we went over the top and we were away. Three or four others got across to us, and it would have had the makings of a good break if the climbers were willing, but they weren't. It all came back together. That was the order of the day. A number of attacks went in the next 45km but nothing stuck. I attacked fiercely, and Ziliute came with me and pulled through. One GAS rider was there, not enough. Another attack, and again the strong teams weren't happy with the 'mix' in the break. All the Aussies got into the thick of it, making sure that there was one of us in everything. At 15km to go, it was clear that the race was going to be won and lost in the final 3.5km circuit to the finish. A technical maze of twists and turns, short power hills, cobbles and a long drag to the finish - the works! We went past the finish line to commence the final lap and if you weren't in the Top 30 riders, then it was already race over. As we turned up a right corner, a small break went off the front. Crikey, got to be in this one. I got across to the four riders with GAS, Edilsavino and Acca Due represented. We had a gap, but they didn't continue to drive. We got caught just as we turned up a sharp pinch. The only way not to get swamped was to go again, so I hit the front up this pinch and the bunch splintered. I was using up too much fuel out on the road and looked to slot back in to the front runners. Alison Wright was there, great! She hooked in near the front as we threw our bikes through the twisty, cobbly maze to keep in the top dozen. A right hand turn and we were on the 700m drag to the finish. I was on Ziliute's wheel but was running out of spark quickly. She went, I went but was already catching the wind. Ali was to my left. She jumped across, half sheltered and went for it. I maintained the power, and was looking for the podium but they got away, and I ran out of steam in the last 50m as a handful of riders came out from my slipstream. Just goes to show you still have to save something for the very end, even in an uphill sprint! The star of the day was little Al' (Alison) who finished second behind Diana Ziliute, with Tania Schmidt (Red Bull) third for the stage. I was 8th. I don't know about time gaps but the bunch was pretty decimated. Alison's result puts her in the lead in the Under 21 jersey. Saturday May 20 Stage 2, 90km Road Race This morning it wasn't raining when we woke up, a bad sign. Sure enough it started to pour around 9.30am and the stage started at 11.30! We drove to the start, donned our wet weather gear and had our legs oiled. Lo and behold, the rain stopped, the skies cleared and we started the race in short sleeves! When a tour which consists of only two stages and one of them is hilly there are not a lot of opportunities to 'make the race'. Today we would be climbing for more than 30km in total distance of 90km, and we knew that the bunch would well and truly split on the middle climbs. I was pretty well marked by the Italians so our best bet was to try to set up an early break for our petite climber Kym Shirley who is still a dark horse in the European scene. The Aussies attacked from the gun, in an attempt to take Kym with them, but there was to be no going anywhere. It was pretty messy as the road twisted and turned, and with numerous attacks the bunch was very nervous and erratic. I forced my way up near to the front and rode tempo, which acted as dual purpose - for safety, and to block if one of our girls attacked. The climbs came up very quickly and we realised that the neutral zone was included in the total race distance. Up we went, and up and up and up...for 17km at a constant 6% grade. How could this be only a Cat 2 climb? The pace was super fast for the first half of the climb - thanks to Pregnolato and Bonanomi from the GAS team - and this resulted in most of the field dropping off in one's and two's. Kym, myself and Sara were still there for about 10km and then Sara lost touch as the pace surged. I was having a good climb, settling into a steady tempo just at that lower threshold of pain and riding with the smooth climbers - this makes so much difference when you don't have to keep dodging erratic riders and jumping past dead wheels. With 5km to go to the top there were about 25 riders left and the pace eased for a while, until the QOM signs came up. Then it was on for young and old again. I was not aiming to gain points, just to keep in touch with the front. I went over the top in 5th and a huge gap formed after us. It was too early and the bunch reformed. A couple of tunnels later and we were already going up again. My legs gave way as quick as I could say 'ouch' and I blew up on the Cat 1 climb, losing touch with the front bunch. It reformed briefly after the top but the top of the next QOM was only 6km away. There was no let up. I sat up and rode tempo so that I wouldn't blow up completely. This climb was steep, and I was standing in my 23 cog, giving my arms a solid workout, reefing on the bars. I could see the convoy ahead, and drivers as they dropped off. I rode up to Cappelotto (GAS) who was suffering badly. We settled into a rhythm and a few km later we had caught up to Kym Shirley and a Spanish rider. We went over the top and drove hard down the other side through a series of hairpins and then down a super-long shoot which traversed the side of the mountain, at around 85km/hr. I could see the convoy the whole way. We got to the bunch containing Pucinskaite (Alfa Lum) and Pizzolotto (Fanini) before the bottom, to find that a break had gone from this group too! They were rolling through but not chasing solidly. Another small convoy up the road indicated that the break wasn't far ahead, less than a minute. I got organised with Kym and eventually everyone rolled through, except the GAS riders and a few other lazy ones. Only 10km to go, and the last 3km was a another 6% climb. Was futile to work the hardest as I would blow up on the final climb, so I rode through evenly with Kym doing the same. We turned onto the climb. I was feeling ok, but we had lost sight of the break ahead. With 1km to go nobody had launched an attack so it would come down to a dozen-rider sprint for about 10th place. An effort could be worthwhile for the points considering the time trial tomorrow. I lead out hard at 250m to go and got a small gap. They were closing on me at the finish but I kept my nose in front for the minor placing. Less than a minute up the road, Luperini (GAS) had won the stage, followed by her in-form teammate Sundstedt and the diminutive LeCourtois (Alfa Lum). Sunday, May 21 Stage 3, 3.1km Individual Time Trial Today's stage was originally planned to be 110km over a hilly circuit, so with the drastic reduction in length to a 3.1km ITT and an afternoon start it was the order of the day for most teams to go for a morning ride. After all, this is still the early 'building' part of the season. I did about 3 hours with some of the Aussie girls on a steady ride through gorgeous countryside just north of the famous holiday region of Lago di Gardo. Other members of our team took the opportunity to ride up one of the mountain stages that is part of the Giro di Italia, which starts next month. A quick lunch after the rides and we readied ourselves for the time trial. Given the late notice for the addition of the time trial we were restricted to our standard road bikes with clip-on TT bars and no disc wheels. Heck, it was only 3km with a 300m uphill kick at the end. The times were pretty fast, and Sara Carrigan had ridden superbly posting the fastest time when I started. I had a great start, driving strongly along the kilometre drag, through the narrow town streets. A couple of tricky corners and there was only one kilometre to the left turn up the final hill. I was still strong, posting a great split time. Only one mistake - I didn't ease up at all to prepare for the final ascent. I turned the corner in a very big gear, thinking I could hold it to the end. After all it wasn't steep. Boom!!!! My legs exploded in a big way and I reckon I lost 5-10 seconds in 250 metres, swaying as I crossed the line. It still should have been a decent time I hoped. After waiting for the final riders to finish, I ended up 7th for the stage, on equal 5th time at 4 minutes 27 seconds. The ride of the day was young Sara Carrigan who finished 11th, in equal 9th time. The surprise runaway winner was Pia Sundstedt, who posted a time of 4 minutes 15 seconds. She wrapped up the whole tour against some many of the world's fiercest competitors with two stage wins in the best form I have seen her in. Overall, the Australian Team amassed three Top 10 results in the three stages, and I finished a strong 12th on GC, having really enjoyed being back in the racing saddle again and looking forward to doing some serious damage with Timex next month in the States! Ciao!
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