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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.
France, August 20-24
A guest prune at the Trophee D'Or
Three weeks of training in the Pyrenees was the best preparation I could have for the upcoming month of racing to finish of the season. It was great to relax in a homely environment 'Chez Bruneau', with no shortage of scenic terrain for solid training and with everyone making me feel welcome in Tarbes (Merci Joel & Marie-Jo). I teamed up with Marc Bruning, who is responsible for sport in the region, for a 3km 'celebrity and rider' team time trial in Tarbes before a roller blade competition and late night men's criterium. We flew around the couple blocks in town, and won by just one second! It was good the see the local politicians participating, and to avoid the storm accompanying the dark clouds building up all evening!
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Pope John Paul II visited Lourdes for the final weekend that I was in the region. It was interesting to see all the preparation for transport arrangements, focusing on making roads 'car-free', and absolutely perfect for bicycles! It was so relaxing and quiet on the major roads between Tarbes and Lourdes. I rode past the 'Basilique' and heard the enthusiastic crowd on the field below. Quite an atmosphere. Amazing endurance too from the Pope, reportedly saying to one of his Cardinals during the mass, "I must continue".
I am guest-riding with the Pruneaux D'Agen team for the Trophee D'Or race. I have a team mate from Bik with me, the young Belgian sprinter Ludivine Henrion; and also a former team mate (from French races over the last two years), the good French climber Elizabeth Chevanne Brunel. We also have Tina Nieminen, road and time-trial champion from Finland, and Isabelle Hoffmann, the young champion of Luxembourg, and Aurore Jeudy, a gutsy young French rider. There is a great atmosphere and spirit with the team. Most of the staff have worked together for years; with the DS, Dominique Chignoli, and mechanic, Guillaume Sicher from the teams I have been with for the Grande Boucle in 2002 and 2003. We are well cared for with soigneurs Nicolas Coudray et Cyril Lebornais, and Elizabeth's father in charge of enthusiastic support and photography.
Stage 1 - August 20: Saint-Amand Montrond Team Time Trial, 10.7 km
The first stage of the Trophee D'Or race was a 10km team time trial. It did not count for the general classification, but it always a good chance to hit out and see how we go. I had a time trial bike, but the other girls were just on their road bikes, some with bars. We had not ridden together before, but everyone put their heart into it, and a strong start by Aurore and Tina got the team moving quickly (spread out and all scrambling for the wheels ahead!). Ludivine put in a solid turn and we got into a solid pace. Isabelle took us cleanly and smoothly through the U-turn at a round about in the rain, and we took off as hard as we could towards the 1km climb half way through the circuit. Elizabeth gave us a rabbit to chase up the climb, and Tina and I got to the top with enough adrenalin to power over the crest and pick up Elizabeth for the descent. We were cautious in the corners with the wet conditions, but put on the power as best we could for the rest of the course. We had the fastest time at the finish, with just the Australian team ('Mixed Commonwealth' - with two Pommy reinforcements), and the Italian Nobili team to go.
We were very happy with the result: PRUNEAUX TEAM WINS the first stage! We were a little surprised to have beaten the teams with full time trial bikes and disc wheels, but the circuit was technical and with the steep climb, I was glad not to have chosen to use a disc wheel. Even without time trial bikes - a lot of heart and passion goes a long way. Two of my team mates got jerseys: Elisabeth in yellow as the first to cross the line and Tina in the blue stage winner jersey. Podium flowers all round, and a very satisfying start to Trophee D'Or! Our team dedicated the first leader's jersey to Remy Pigois, who passed away unexpectedly in March this year. He was an integral part of women's cycling in France and the creator and successful organizer of this race for seven years.
Stage 2 - August 21: Avord-Avord, 144 km (Two laps of 57 km)
The wind was very strong, and there was a heap of time with it strung out in the gutter. Not quite as strong a group as in the Dutch Classics, so the split never really came, but there was the potential for it to blow to pieces! Mid way through the race there was a 60 Euro prime as we finished the first circuit. I covered an attack from the mixed Commonwealth team leading into the sprint, and my team mate Ludivine rode well to take it out ahead of Alison Wright and Magali Le Floch. Ludivine also placed in the mountain sprints (which were not too mountainous), which put her on equal points for the lead in that competition. A great start for our team.
The major attacks for the day came from Delphine Guille (Ouest France Region) and towards the end of the race a strong attack came from the Fanini team. Nobili took up the chase, and we were happy to let them pull it back for a bunch kick. It was a fast technical last couple of kilometers, and I didn't manage to get into a position to help Ludivine. Katia Longhin (Fanini) took out the sprint ahead of Monica Holler (the Swedish rider who just won the U23 European Championships) and Alison Wright (Nobili) in third.
Stage 3 - August 22: Aînay-le-Château - Orval, 81.5 km
We had three loops of fifteen kilometers, were we worked hard to ensure Ludivine had a good shot at the mountain sprints. She rode well to finish second each time, and take the jersey. It was a great effort from the team, with all of our riders up there to give us a clear advantage; having the numbers to cover attacks just before the sprint, and to protect Ludivine, limit the options for the other riders, and taking points behind Ludivine. Nice effort all around.
With 20k to go a strong move came from Clemilda Silva (a Brazilian rider with the 'International 2' team). My team mate Tina tried to bridge across, with another rider from the International 2 team covering the move. The chase came from Fanini, protecting Katia's lead on GC. The gap got out to one minute to Silva, and 30seconds for the two in between. The last five kilometers were hectic, and leading into a tough little finish that we had looked at that morning. The peloton swallowed up Tina Nieminen and her accomplice with two kilometers to go, but Silva held on for the win, with the sprint closing the gap on the line.
Stage 4 - August 22: Orval - Saint-Amand ITT, 19.2 km
The crucial evening stage was the time trial, starting from 7pm in warm, dry conditions. It was a good circuit with a steep little pinch after about 4km, and a fast descent just after before about ten kilometers of fairly flat or undulating terrain until the final descent in the last three kilometers. I put in a solid effort using one of the Bik-Gios time trial bikes. I didn't feel great for most of the race, with not quite a small enough gear on the bike for the early steep pinch, and later struggling to get on top of the gear and really get it moving on the long false flat descents. The motorbike leading me decided to stop at a crossing at the bottom of the steepest descent, blocking the road! I had to brake a bit and swerve around him but I didn't lose heaps of time. I was not surprised later when other people complained the motorbikes leading us were too far ahead or too close to their rider! I worked hard, and finished up 11th, 1:43 behind Edita Pucinskaite who won the stage extremely convincingly and took the leaders jersey.
Lorian Graham (Australian with the 'mixed Commonwealth team') showed remarkable prowess for time trials taking second place, 10 seconds ahead of Alison Wright (Nobili) in third.
Stage 5 - August 23: Cosne-sur-Loire - Cosne-sur-Loire, 86 km
The second last day was the toughest road stage for the tour with two cat 1 climbs and a cat 2 in amongst the vineyards in the region (Nevers and Cher, in Central France). Fanini had things all under control in the early circuits, and it seemed unlikely that an early move would go. On the climbs, the GPM points were cleaned up by Annette Beutler (Swiss rider with a mixed team), who took the mountain jersey. The group split a few times with a front group of ten to fifteen riders, but - luckily for me - groups scrambled back from behind to leave us with a group of 30 for the finish. There is a tough section towards the end of the race with plenty of wind and steady drags that kill the legs and can easily split the group. I have bad memories from two years ago where my team mates at the time (Mantes La Ville) had to drop back and help me to salvage my position on GC. I survived the day, finishing in the front group and I moved up to seventh on GC. The conditions seemed to discourage attacks with a strong head wind dampening the enthusiasm. The race turned out not to be the huge battle I had expected between the riders within a minute of the lead, but I guess Edita had a commanding position that would have been difficult to threaten even with a few cards to play. The stage came down to a sprint finish with Katia Longhin doing well to win after working for Edita all day. My team mate, Belgian Ludivine Henrion, had an awesome ride, climbing well, staying with the front group and finishing fourth in the stage. Not bad at all for a young rider who has always told me she doesn't like hills - until now! She is definitely one to watch in the years to come. And, it turned out, in the stage the next day.
Stage 6 - August 24: Sancoins - Saint-Amand, 85 km
The last stage started with a few circuits with a little money up for grabs. Cathy Marsal and Silvia Valsecchi (both with Nobili) took off from the gun with Pucinskaite (Fanini) on the wheel. They had the bunch moving quickly in pursuit for the first part of the race, and were only pulled back after about 15 km with strong efforts from the French Regional Ouest and Est teams.
With a strong head wind the race was stagnant for a while as we headed to the final finishing circuits. There was one moment with a bit of gutter ball action, but not enough for a split to come. It has me thinking a lot about what is in store for me in the first week of September with the Holland Ladies Tour, as I know I will be in for plenty of wind and a peloton strung out in the gutter all week.
The lead up to the final sprint was hectic with plenty of good sprinters struggling to get through the last corner smoothly. Ludivine (Pruneaux D'Agen) managed to move up from mid field, and find the gaps to position her self well about fifth out of the last corner. She had the confidence and strength to start her sprint early, and power over the line clearly ahead of the rest of the field! Classy stage win and a wonderful end to the tour for the Pruneaux D'Agen team!
With a few days now to relax and prepare for the World Cup round in Pluoay, we have found ourselves a lovely little gite in Brittany, so we should be all ready for the next challenge on Saturday.
Cheers,
Emma
