The Jayco-AIS women’s road team were in Sweden at the weekend contesting the UCI Women’s World Cup. As guest Directeur Sportif, I took the reins of the team for Martin Barras and here is the report below…
18th August 2013
Today was a special day today for our girls being their first World Cup Road Race! Emily Roper, Jessica Mundy, Grace Sulzberger, Amy Cure and Chloe McConville have cause to remember the little village of Vargarda in Sweden, the start/finish of the 132km race!
Taryn Heather was to also pin on the racing number for her World Cup debut but her stint in hospital until 1am last night put the brakes on that idea! With a slight fever, severe dehydration and an inability to hold down any food, Taryn stayed in bed to assist full recovery.
The race was 12 laps of an 11km circuit which consisted of many twists and turns as well as a couple hills to power over. Torrential rain an hour before the start and an hour into the race made for sketchy conditions but the wind eventually blew the rain clouds away and the roads were dry for the remainder of the race.
The pace was on from the gun and it didn’t take long for the bunch to dwindle. Sadly Emily was out of the race in the first lap due to a combination of the enormous effort she gave in the TTT and the lingering effects of the crash in France. Little Jess Mundy gave her best and kept good position in the bunch until her legs ran out at the half way point … but a credible way to end her European stint!
Leading into the 2nd half of the race, the peloton split in half and as the convoy worked its way through the riders, we spotted Chloe in the chasing group, a fantastic effort! However, the group never made it back to the front of the race and Chlodawg finished a respectable 48th.
From the many attacks, eventually a breakaway formed off the front of the lead group and surged to the finish for the win with Mariane Vos taking the honours! Huge congratulations to Amy and Grace who were there at the business end of the race but with Amy having spent a little too many of her ‘bikkies’ early on in putting herself in moves, she had nothing to surge with the leaders when the breakaway split. However, a gallant effort of which to be proud in 20th place. Same can be said for Grace (in 22nd) and I am sure that when our girls next race with the best women in the world, these experiences will stand them in good stead!
Today was a ‘step up’ for our girls into the top echelon of women’s racing and overall they handled themselves well! Interestingly, ‘ruthlessness’ was what the girls noticed most!
A return to Italy tomorrow and then off to France next weekend for 6 stages of Trophee d’Or!
