Abrantes XCO UCI C2

 Järjekordne xco, mis kuulus portugali karikasarja. Abrantesis olen korra sõitnud, siis oli rada natuke teine, kuid üldpildis ikka sama, üks pikk pikk järsk tõus oli vahetatud, mitme väiksema tõusu vastu. Kohtunikud vist ei rääkinud/küsinud ühegi eliidi naise käest, et kuidas ringi aeg on, kuna nad arvasid, et me oleme palju aeglasemad uuel ringil, ehk kui eelmistel aastatel on viis ringi olnud, siis pandi meile neli, mis kohe kui nägin seda, arvasin, et liiga vähe ja nii ka oli, ajaliselt oleks olnud kriteeriumitele vastanud viis ringi. Aga noh.

Rada ise oli raputav, ehk mugav oli kaheamordilisega, sai rahulikumalt vändata. Stardist jäin natuke karpi ja esimesse kurvi minnes olin päris nigelal positsioonil, aga siis rüselesin end kuidagi enne päris singleid neljandaks, aga kahjuks kaotasin silmkontakti eessõitjatega, ringiaegade järgi tegin korraliku ühtlase sõidu, olin korralikult kogu aeg ka olevikus, ehk sõit oli hea, poole maa peal sain teada, et tegelikult ei olnud kolmas koht minust üldse kaugel, kuigi silmsidet ei olnud, vahe umbes 25-30 sekundit, eks tema teadis ka, nii me siis punnisime, natuke sain lähemale, kuid ikkagi kindel neljas koht. Siin tuli kindlasti mängu see,et kui võistlus oleks ajaliselt õiges tsoonis, siis ehk oleks punninud kolmandani, aga oleksid ei loe ja enda sõiduga rahul.

Nüüd paar päeva rahulikku sõitu ja reisi ning siis juba Hispaanias üksi VolCati sõitmas. 

Aitäh kaasa elamast ja pöidlad pihku järgmisteks võistlusteks! 

Another xco which belongs to the Portuguese Cup series. I have raced once before in Abrantes and the track was a bit different, but overall picture was still the same, they had replaces one long-long steep climb to couple of shorter ones. The commissaires probably didnt speak/asked from any of the elite women about the lap time, they thought we would be slower on the new lap, as before it had been five laps and they gave us four this time, I reckoned this too little, and it was, to be in the time zone for elite women we should have done five, but well. 

The course it self was quite pumpy, so it was nice to pedal with the fully. From the start I got a bit boxed out and was not in a good position on the first corners, later on before the real singles I struggled myself into fourth though, but soon unfortunately lost eye contact with the ladies in front. According to time laps, I did very consistent race, also I was always riding in the present and I did a good race, about half done I got info that the thrid position wasnt actually far away, about 25-30 seconds despite that I didnt have eye contact. Certainly she had this info as well, so we both pushed, I got slightly closer, but still finished fourth, now here I was really disturbed that if it would have been as rules say in that time and we would have had five laps, maybe, but well would have doest not count and I am happy with my race.

Now couple of easy days with also some travelling and off I go to Spain alone to do the VolCat race. 

Thanks for cheering and keep the fingers crossed for the races to come!