Internet access today, after a long while

I have been off line for a while since we changed hotels and did not have internet access. I have a quick chance to get online today, but then will be away from the net for a while. We had a change of plans and so my “Lucca Vacation”- i.e. the break I had scheduled where I would be training in Lucca before the Giro Toscana turned into racing another stage race in France: Tour of Ardeche. I will most definitely be out of touch for a while since we will be staying in some trailers and not in hotels. So, I get two days off, then another 5 days of racing, then two days off and another week of racing! Fortunately, I am getting a bit healthier, I think. But I have been fighting a cold for the last few days. I am coughing, but not a whole lot.

So, since my last entry- a LOT happened. It is hard to remember it all right now, so I will briefly recap. Two days ago, we had another flat race, but it was windy. Kristin had been watching the main GC threats and they were all in the back. I was up front with Meredith, controlling attacks by T-Mobile. We were to get on them right away and kill it. We did not want any of them getting any time on K. A Flexpoint rider was solo off the front sitting about 200m off the peloton and things were good. But then, I saw Ina winding up to full speed and attacking hard to bridge up to her. I immediately moved to the front and rode as hard as I could and brought her back. I knew that a split had happened behind me, but just as I caught Ina, her teammate, Linda (who is an even bigger threat to the overall) attacked and so I followed that. Meredith was with me, but we heard over the radio that Kristin was caught behind the split. We got the order right away to drop back and help close the gap so we dropped. It turned out that the entire peloton was shattered: there were FOUR groups. Vos bridged up to the leaders and dragged a few riders, so the front group swelled to 16 or so, including Vos, but with none of the other GC’s. We dropped back and with dead legs from chasing Ina, I joined in the chase. We had all our riders on the front and were going full gas- a bit demoralized to realize that we had 20k and they had 50 seconds on us! We chased until we blew and then T-Mobile took over. They did not trust Linda to out time trial Vos, so they were riding for Judith. With the chase, we brought back the group to about 20-25 seconds, but still, it sucked. And we were dead tired. My last effort was at about 1k to go and I went as hard as I can, getting spit out the back of the peloton as we crossed the finish line.

Vos had gained a bunch of time and we were not super happy about it. The tide turned yesterday though- we finally got a break. After having two stages where we lost GC time, it was nice that we got a chance to have something to be excited about. The game plan for yesterday was for me to take the bonus sprints since they had time on them and keep Vos and Judith from getting any more time on K. We were doing three big loops and then 4 5k loops through town. There were a couple hills, and although they were short- they hurt on the first lap enough that I was worried about how my legs would do. My job was to take time bonuses and patrol the front to squash any T-Mobile attacks.

As we headed into town where the first bonus was, Vos attacked and had a gap. I could not let her ride away and get time, so I got to the front and chased as hard as I could, bringing her back but blowing my legs right before the sprint. I had slipped to about 40th in the pack and radioed Jim that I was not in position to sprint. He radioed back for me to get up there and so I dug and started sprinting up through the pack to get up there and try to take the time. No luck- I was still about 20 riders back when they went. Vos again was off the front after the sprint and so I went up there and closed the gap again. Three red-line efforts back to back to back. I was DEAD. I radioed to Jim that my legs were toast and I would not be able to do much for a while, but then T-Mobile started to play. They sent Judith up the road and we were all told to get up there and chase. I had just gotten to the front when we hit the hill for the last time. It was only 400m or so, but I was so dead, I could barely get up it and was slipping off the back of the peloton. I fought my way up and moved up on the downhill.

We entered into the last finishing circuits that were basically a 5k crit with pure chaos: medians, curbs, cars, posts, corners and corners and corners- roundabouts and paving stones. I was up near the front as were Meredith and Kristin. K realized that there was a gap and Judith was caught behind and told Meredith to drive it. She went all out and opened the gap, forcing Judith to jump around and I followed. Meredith blew after causing the separation and so I was alone with Kristin. I had no idea at that point that we had a break- but I did know that the bonus sprint was coming up and I could not let Judith get any seconds. Kristin told me to get to the front and drive it, so I got up there and was going as hard as I could as we went into the sprint. I saw Judith jump and tried to sprint and couldn’t! I could not believe it! I have never blown up like that for a sprint before... I had nothing. Not only did I not sprint, but I soon got dropped from what turned out to be a break of about 15 or so riders. As I was getting dropped, I looked back and realized that we had a big gap and that was a break that could stick and I saw Kristin all alone. She was looking back at me and I knew that I needed to find a way to get back up there. I dug and dug and dug- sprinting as hard as I could and finding extra strength when I saw them ease up a bit- and I got up there. I was dead. I was laughing a bit to myself that I knew that I had to get up there but felt like I would be useless once I was there. I rested though and Jim was telling me that we had 20 seconds and that I had to get up there and go as hard as I could until I blew. And then do it again. Go until I could not go anymore. Judith and her teammate, Chantel Beltman, were up there driving the break and as soon as I could, I worked my way up to the front and went all out again. The blew to the back. Then worked back up again. Then blew to the back. Vos was not with us and we were working with T-Mobile to put time on her. My last pull was about 2k from the finish and I went until my legs felt like they would explode. I was dropped after that and the pack caught me as I crossed the finish line. But Kristin had put some good time on Vos and it had also put a bit more of a spring in our step: we had initiated that break and drove it hard. We were in control and not chasing. We felt good!

This morning was the start of our double day- 85k in the morning and then a 20k TT at night. I got let off the hook since I don’t have my TT bike or any areo-equipment, so since it is the last stage, I get to cheer my teammates on and get to take a break. And, Jim said that we worked hard enough that some of us get the stage off.

This morning was pretty uneventful- we were again patrolling the front and making sure that nothing too sneaky happened. It was a short stage and we made T-Mobile chase back the small break that spent the day off the front to set up Ina. The finish was a bit crazy- wet roads and a round-about 500m before the finish! With 5 k to go, I had fought my way up to the sprinters: they were all up there and there were a lot of them... Bronzini, Regina, Ina, Kristin Wild (AA Drink), Vos... and a few others. I decided to be patient today and NOT lead them all out. I was fighting for position and Kat and Lauren worked to keep me safe, moving me up when I would get shuffled back. They did a great job. With about 2k to go, I had a rider shove me and I shoved her back and pushed forward. I realize that you have to just keep focusing forward and pushing up as much as you can the whole time. I kept doing that and following the other sprinters, learning how they moved around. We came around the roundabout and they got antsy. I can’t honestly tell you who jumped first, but I knew that I was behind them and feeling good. I never really got to fully open up my sprint since I was weaving around riders, but I knew that I passed Ina and Vos and was feeling good. I closed on the line and took 3rd... (EDITORS NOTE: this is Brooke here, AFTER the official results were posted. I had SWORN that I had come around Ina- nope. She took second. I realize that once we jump for the sprint, all I see is the line in front of me and bodies... I just try and move around them and get there first. I had no idea that I had Ina... possibly THE most recognizable sprinter still in front of me! I felt stupid when I had been so confident and so wrong. But I was right about third) I was happy about that and feel like I am now starting to figure it out. It felt good to be fighting up there. Jim was making joking that he was not sure if it was good or bad that the crazier the sprint, the better I do... but honestly, I did not feel like it was TOO crazy. I had room to maneuver, so it was not that bad.

So, now I am waiting to go cheer on Kat, Lauren and Kristin and hopefully get to go celebrate later. I have complete confidence in Kristin. She is amazing and I think that she can do it. The cool thing is that in the past, Jim would be excited when our riders would make a break. Now, we are racing for a win and working to control the races. Typically, National teams are not that good- the best riders are on trade teams. So, to come here with a national team and beat a multi-million dollar team like T-Mobile would just be too sweet. Fingers crossed!