The alarm went off at 5:30 AM. Coffee, oatmeal, double-check the bike. By 7 I was at the start line, number pinned, legs feeling fresh.
The race was 120 km with two categorized climbs. The first climb came early — a brutal 8 km at 6% average — and the peloton shattered immediately. I found myself in a chasing group of about 15 riders.
Key moments:
- Km 45: Bridged across to a small breakaway of 3 riders after the descent.
- Km 78: Attacked on the second climb and got a 30-second gap.
- Km 105: Got caught with 15 km to go — group sprint finish.
- Km 120: Finished 7th overall. Not a podium, but plenty to build on.
Lessons learned#
My positioning in the final kilometers needs work. I burned too much energy early in the chase. On the positive side, my climbing form is ahead of last year.
Next race: Two weeks — a hilly circuit race that suits my strengths.
