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Rider diary: Tired Legs and the infamous Hankaberg

August 11, 2011 - Filed under: Team Garmin-Barracuda

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Sharon Laws sent us another great diary entry, this time from the Thuringen Rundfahrt in Germany.

After an easy five days recovering from the Giro I was back on a plane again heading this time to Germany for the International Thuringen Rundfahrt. I have only raced on the mountain bike in Germany, never on the road, but memories of yummy bread and nice yoghurt stuck in my mind – but even more appealing was the news that Emma was bringing more homemade brownies!

We started with a team time trial – an agonising late start and a distance of 3.4km I was somewhat apprehensive. It was going to be super fast and so short (I’m better at less fast and super long). With track team pursuit specialist, Italian and British plus World time trial riders in the team it wasn’t easy not to feel daunted. It was quite a technical circuit and we had chance for some practice runs. Whilst waiting in our starting blocks we saw Hi-tech finish looking really fast. We were off. Emma set a hard pace on the climb and one rider lost contact.

On the climb of the 2nd lap I desperately tried to change into the little ring but it just wouldn’t move. With all the hesitation I’d lost a lot of speed and the team and I couldn’t make it back. They finished fast and secured 2nd overall to HTC. I was frustrated having lost time pointlessly – let’s hope the next day would be better. Stage one of 119km, was an undulating day but with relatively fresh legs the peloton stayed together with the exception of Helen Wyman, British cyclo cross champion, who attacked with 70km to go and stayed away for the majority of the race – earning her the ’most active’ jersey. She was however eventually caught and, into the final, I kept the pace high for the penultimate kilometre and Trine (our Mark Renshaw) did an amazing lead out for Lizzie, who finished 3rd showing she’d recovered well from her crash in the Giro. Ina Teutenberg won the stage.

Iris liked the local flowers.

Stage two of 105km was the decisive stage of the race. We wanted Noemi to get into a good break and she did the job beautifully bridging across to a group that escaped on an early climb. Emma rode brilliantly in support in the break and whilst refusing to close gaps for Arndt, Arndt, Worrack and Kaputsa, found themselves dropped from the break and, along with Emma, they rejoined the peloton.

My brakes appeared to be allergic to the wet weather and were making such a terrible noise everyone gave me a wide berth on the descent and left me feeling somewhat anxious. I thought the break block had come loose. My gear problems also continued and my chain fell off twice leaving me to chase back to the peloton. Extra training – but I could have done without it.

The group of nine riders, who had escaped the previous day, had nearly 6 minutes on the rest of the peloton. Stage three was therefore a perfect day for a non-threatening GC break. I worked hard to escape and with the wet weather and narrow roads a group finally formed and stayed away. Worrack drilled the pace on all the climbs but all the ten riders stubbornly remained and were joined by six additional riders including team mate Lizzie.

It’s always good to have a team mate in the break, especially one who can sprint! After 130km, over 100km in the break, there were some tired legs as we hit the final 10km; a short circuit that had formed part of the time trial last year. Sarah Duster was on the attack. Convinced she was the strongest in the group I followed her each time – leaving me little energy to attack myself.

On the final climb, with Worrack keeping the pace high, I attacked near the top but it was too late. Although I got a gap, Kaputsa was soon on my wheel. Some riders were dropped. By the bottom of the descent, with about 800m to go, Duster attacked up the right. I followed her, but it was too early and she blew up with about 400m to go. Millar, made a surprise attack up the left, and got a gap on the group. Lizzie finished 2nd. Now on a different side of the road to the group I grovelled to 10th place. It was disappointing not to get a win but both Lizzie and I gained valuable experience for the future. 144km and 3hr 42 of riding – it was the longest race of the year so far!

Luca and Maya get our bottles ready.

Stage four and the famous Hankaberg… make that a double Hankaberg. A painful day. We worked hard as a team early in the race, creating and following moves but it wasn’t until just before the first Hankaberg that a break got away including myself and Ina Teutenburg. Following Ina down the descent before the Hankaberg and over the cobbles we had a head start up the climb on the rest of the peloton. It didn’t last for long as Hausler came flying past, followed by Arndt and the other climbers in the peloton.

The atmosphere was incredible, so many spectators, football rattles and screaming. It was like the World championships. By digging deep I managed to get over the climb with Emma and Noemi, and five others. We were quickly joined by another 7 riders after the descent including all the GC contenders.

The attacks soon began and Emma pulled away with 4 other non-GC riders. The wind was relentless and the pace high. I clung onto the back of the group, in the gutter, and was suffering. The second Hankaberg was looming. Not far up it I lost contact with the group, struggling to get any air in my lungs, and by the top the football rattles and screaming made me feel like I wanted to throw up. The group rode away. Despite getting closer to them on the final drag as it flattened out and the wind picked up they were soon out of sight. I then had an 8km individual time trial to the finish alone feeling sorry for myself. Meanwhile the escapees from the front group were caught but Emma had attacked again and soloed to a brilliant victory.

Stage five: the individual time trial 19.3km.

Another late start but it gave me time to recce the course in the morning with the World time trial (and brownie making) champion and get some tips. It was a nice course with a bit of everything. Quite technical in places and a very fast descent finish with quite a few corners. Now normally I’m a fan of hills but with tired legs the climbs, though not really significant, were making me scared. With some groovy motivating tunes on the turbo I was ready to start and then realised Judith Ardnt was starting behind me … by 1 minute.

Daunted I wondered how long I could last before she over took me. Not long it seemed and she came flying past after about 10km. Whilst I kept her in sight on the draggy bits and even closed the gap a bit on the final climb as the course flattened she showed her strength and powered away. I fiddled with my gears hoping I had a bigger one but I was already in my hardest gear – my legs didn’t go round any faster. I survived the descent though maybe not with the fastest lines. It wasn’t the best time trial I’ve ever done – I finished 17th. Emma was 2nd to Judith and Noemi 12th. Iris didn’t start – with tired legs from the Giro she decided to rest up for the Team Time trial and World Cup in Sweden. Unfortunately this meant she missed seeing her name written on the road by a keen fan. I’ll know I’ve made it when my name is on the road.

Stage six: the final stage

Much to the others amusement I like to know exactly what is coming up…

Five circuits around Altenburg, our home for the last week. It was an exciting day as the GC was so close, Johannson just 3 seconds behind Neben. With bonus seconds for the sprint it was all to play for. The finish of each lap was hectic with cobbles and a climb and with the sprint points available HTC and High-tech drove it each time. Despite High Road’s efforts Johansson managed to get enough seconds to move into the lead. After another hectic passage through the finish and a following hard climb I managed to get in a break from the third lap with Gunnewijk, Hausler, Bruins, Villumsen, Wyman and Corset.

Not everyone was working and, with Villumsen high on GC, the chase on behind and we never got a gap of more than 50 seconds. We were caught on the last lap and a later attack by Lizzie and Arndt saw them escape with Worrack and Boyarskya. They were caught at the top of the climb but Lizzie and Arndt attached again on the descent and they entered the final of the race together clear of any other riders. They went neck and neck across the cobbles to the line. It was such a close finish no one knew who had won. It didn’t take long for the judgest to award first place to Lizzie – hurray – after 2 other podium places it made her week to complete the Tour with a win.

It was a good week for the team; a first, second and third place for Lizzie, a win for Emma and 2nd place in the time trial and 5th overall for Noemi. Maybe having a German mechanic and DS gave us luck. It was a brilliant victory for Johannson and her team. They worked really hard to support her and she did an amazing job on the last day to gain seconds on the intermediate sprints despite High Roads efforts. I think it was one of the most exciting races of the season.