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The Emma James Diary 2004
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Welcome to one of Cyclingnews' up-and-coming female talents, Australian Emma James. Emma has spent the past two years with the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) team based in Italy, and in 2004, she has graduated to a full professional contract, firstly with Team S.A.T.S. and now with Bik Gios. She's a gutsy rider who's decided that she'd rather be testing the waters of professional cycling than testing the salinity of the Sydney's waterways as an environmental scientist - which used to be her previous occupation before Emma decided to take the plunge.
March 19, 2004
Racing begins as the travel continues
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We had an incredible drive from Copenhagen to Italy, leaving late Friday for a race on Sunday. A long road trip with the girls: Manon, Rochelle, Meredith and me. We stayed in a German roadside hotel overnight, just beyond the Danish border after a ferry trip. On Saturday we drove through scenic snowy fields in Germany and Switzerland and then searched for the hotel in Cecina for a couple hours around 11pm that night.
The weather greeting us for race day, the Trofeo Citta di Rosignano, 2000 kilometres from Denmark, was comparably warm! These conditions I had more than enough clothing for, and we were keen to get on our bikes and get familiar with the new set-up. I didn't have a great day. Suffering from the travel and a bit of a cold, I tried to hide rather than race. There was no way to hide on the climb, and I finished with the second group, rolling for the last 50 kilometres.
Manon, Meredith and Suzanne raced well, with Manon in the only major break for the day, and Suzanne finishing eighth. The Australian National Team (AIS) girls did a beautiful job to assist Oenone to another win to add to her impressive palmarès for 2004.
We enjoyed the mild Tuscan weather for a gentle spin the following morning with a local bunch ride before heading to Varazze on the Ligurian Coast. This is a spot that I know many cyclists love. Our training for the Primavera Rosa World Cup has been perfect with clear, warm days to keep us cheerful as we ride over the race terrain. We did Varazze to about half-way (Albenga) and return on Tuesday and then Imperia to San Remo with the famous last climbs of the circuit on Wednesday. The Cipressa was longer than I remembered, and I am glad to have seen it again.
The Poggio was strangely quiet, but I am sure that will not be the case with mountains of spectators out on Saturday. I hope the reconnaissance helps in the racing - being just a bit more familiar, so you can hurt yourself a little more and still survive!
The view from both these climbs is spectacular. I did not have my camera with me so have no proof of just how perfect it looked. Unfortunately though, when I tried to get some good photos, as soon as a rest day or easy recovery ride comes along, the skies have gone cloudy. I guess you just have to be here and be lucky to see the coast looking sparkly like it should!
The things that I notice as characteristics of this area include the colourful facades of the buildings - painted on rather than actual features of the building, and the orange trees on the sides of the road - I am sure they are those blood red oranges - but haven't been game to try one. The beach is nothing like those in Australia; grey sand and pebbles, but still beautiful to wander along in the evening under the palm trees and watch the little waves.
After the race tomorrow we head to France for the night, and on to Spain the next day to settle in before the three-day Spanish tour, Castilla y Leon. If all goes well in the Primavera Rosa, the drive will not seem so far, with team celebrating a successful result in our first race as a full squad!
