Avalanche Licor Beirão 2012

Eile toimus siis avalanche, rada sõitsin veel kaks korda reedel läbi ja võistluspäeva hommikul korra, tundsin end hästi rattal. Kõige rohkem pabistasin ratturitesummas startimise pärast, kohe ju alla ja kiirused suured. See oli ikka omaette kogemus, naiste rida oli seitsmes, minu teada startis kokku kuskil 500 kandis, meie ees umbes 120. Minust paremal olid portugaallannad ja vasakul hispaanlanna, kelle kohta öeldi, et ta on kõva konkurent. Stardist minnes oli peale 30 m meie ees mats, sain maha pidurdatud ja tagant ka sisse ei pandud ja sain paremalt mööda, nägin portugali naisi ja sain neist kenasti mööda, siis oli mitu kilomeetrit lihtsalt tolmupilve, usaldasin lihtsalt oma mälu, et tee läheb siit ja eessõitvat ratturit, rohkem polnud lihtsalt näha, täitsa uskumatu. Ees oli vahepeal paar matsu, sellest sai kisa järgi teada ja kiire pidurdamine ja kiirendus ja edasi, ühest maasvedelevast rattast hüppasin, pooleldi sõitsin üle, kuna nägin seda alles meeter enne. Suu matsutas liiva ja kui nähtavus natuke paranes, proovisin näha, kas ma seda hispaanlanna särki ka eespool näen, kuna stardisegaduses ei teadnud, kas ta sai ettepoole või jäi tahapoole. Muidu sõitsin enamvähem selles pundis, kuhu olin jäänud, ühel kergel tõusul sain kohe hopsti vähemalt kümme kohta ettepoole ja singlile sain päris heal positsioonil, kuid singlid olid ikka treeningutest aeglasemad, kuna eessõitjad jäid jalgu ka, ühes kurvis panin külje maha ka, kuna ees pidurdati hoog nii maha, et ma ei pidanud enam tasakaalu ja puuoks tõmbas pikali. Kuid muidu oli väga omamoodi kogemus, lahe. Finishisse jõudes vaatasin ringi, kas näen hispaanlannat, kuid ei ja mõne aja pärast nägin, kuidas ta jõudis finishisse, jeiii olin esimene naine.

Tohutu palav oli ka, kui finishisse jõudsin siis esimene asi oli guuglid ja kiiver peast, natuke hiljem kehakaitsmed.

So yesterday was the avalanche, I rode the course twice on Friday and then in the morning once, I felt good on the bike. The most I was nervous about was the start in the mass, its straight down and speed grows quick. It was really new experience, women started in 7th row, as far as I know there was about 500 overall and before us was about 120 riders. On my right were portuguese ladies and left was a spanish one, before they said she is the one I should look for. About 30 m after start there was a crash in front of us, I managed to brake on time and no one crashed into me and rode around it, I saw the portuguese ladies and passed them, then there was few kilometers of dust cloud, I just trusted the memory and the rider in front of me, there was nothing more to see, unbelievable. There were few crashed in front, could make it out just by the yelling of the riders, quick brake and back to pedalling, I half jumped half rode over one bike, as I just saw it meter before. Mouth was full of dust, when the air cleared a bit I tried to make out if I see the spanish woman jersey in front, in the mess of the start I did not know if she was in front or behind me. I rode more or less in the bunch I had end up, on one light climb I could pass at least ten riders and got to the single trails in quite good position. Although I was much faster in trainings on the singles tracks, in the race still there were people in front to take more slower, in one corner I also crashed as the speed was slowed so much that I could not make balance and handlebar touched tree. It was cool experience. When I got to the finish I looked around to see any other ladies, but no and after awhile I saw the spanish one to finish, yeiii I was the first woman.

And it was so hot, the first thing I did after finishing was take off the googles and helmet, and later on the bodyprotections.