Back on track: The Marion Clignet Journal 2004

French track legend Marion Clignet retired from racing in 2000, intending to become active as an advocate for women's sport. But after two years off the bike, and perhaps inspired by the other female champions she's encountered while working as a presenter for French TV, Clignet returned to the velodrome in 2003 to the velodrome in a determined comeback. After a solid year building a foundation, Marion's back competing at thehighest level in 2004.

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Giro d'Italia Femminile - 2.9.1, Italy, July 2-11, 2004

Another day at the office

Stage 7 - July 9: Pozzo d’Adda - Oggiono, 90km

So you know there's a problem when you've set out to wash your clothes and you reach for your powdered sports drink to pour into the sink with your clothes.... then to shave your legs you reach for you toothpaste...ok, so tomorrow finishes at the top of some ungodly mountain thus the good news, a rest day for me.

Today was fairly fast - I was told about 41kph. A break went immediately and tried like hell to bridge up but nothing would go.The break was reeled in at the foot of the climb and from there you'll have to ask someone else cause I still don't even know who won the stage... Oh well

Results

The last climb

Stage 8 - July 10: Oggiono - Magreglio Madonna del Ghisallo, 91.3km

Ninety-One kilometres today, with the first 50 or so on a rolling circuit through the Italian hillsides - at about 45kph!!!! A break formed at the mid to end of the third 18km loop (I tried to join it but failed) and was caught on the lakeside heading up into the climb. Because I saw the coverage on Italian TV afterward in the front up the climb you had Boubnenkova, Braendli, Cooke, Pucinskaite, Melchers, Luperini, Gollan and a few others putting their foot down harder than us off the back.With one kilometer to go Nicole Cooke and Puckinskaite had a slight advantage with Cooke accelerating over the last 500kms to take the win and the pink jersey in front of Puckinskaite for the stage and Luperini for the GC. Tomorrow is 70 km into Milan with a few rolling climbs and ending on a circuit.

The other news of the day though is that the elite women from this race had their first meeting to create an association which will represent our best (our meaning elite women racers) interests in the international cycling community, to insure that we have respectable contracts with minimum insurance and security as well as representation in the media network. Our contact for the time being will be Arlette Dumas and Marie (Ill get her last name in the next entry) at the UCI in Aigle. This meeting was initiated by Daniel Malbranque who is the general secretary of the pro racers association. The next meeting to elect racer reps will be in Verona at the world championships. I say Cathy Marsal for President and Olivia Gollan for secretary!!!!

Results

End of Story

Stage 9 - July 11: Lesmo - Milano, 70.9km

…and so it was that I ended my cycling career by attempting to win the last stage of the giro with two kilometers to go. As usual I was caught with about 400m to go.....and that was that.

Cheers, Marion

Results