This was my first major race of the european season and I was really excited to finally back racing, after what has seemed like forever just training in the cold icy conditions.
The race itself was 165.7km starting at 12.30...The first 100km or so were pretty uneventful apart from the torrential icy cold rain. There were a few big splits in the X-wind sections but I was riding well & in good position and found myself in the front in all the major splits. I was riding within myself. Not knowing how I would pull up not having raced in a month.
My game plan was to wait until the last 40km, because I knew it would start to get hard with the x-wind and distance factor coming into play.
I was playing all my cards right until suddenly the heavens decided to opened up more than usual. With 30km still left on the table. It was basically a full on thunder storm with lightning and hail, just nuts !
Thats when a group of 8 had just slipped off the front, I didn't panic knowing that there was still fire power felt in the pelo, but with the hail and everything considered the chase never came, I started to go into survival mode, and nearing the last 2nd to last Gpm climb I lost sensation in my hands....
Then riding up through slushy snow some spectator on the side of the road is yelling stuff like caution on the decent, very dangerous. Guys are still racing full gas, along the plateau of the climb then into the decent even more sketchy....
I kept trucking with this insane fuzzing vision, but lost contact with the remains of the pelo with 25km to go and rode with 1 other dude the rest of the way. I had tunnel vision and couldn't really think properly. (possible mild hypothermia !!)
Went back to the hotel was allowed the first shower and slowly pulled myself together.
Defiantly the coldest I've ever been..but stoked to finish (ended up 35th)
I will live to fight another day and build form for:
Triptyque des Monts et Chateaux (uci 2.2 (29-30-31 March))
Cheers
K.H
1 comment:
The boys are loving the half kits bro.
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