Ras na mBan

This time my blog will be in English, so that all the lovely people I've met in Ireland can read it as well. It has been a week that was both physically and mentally heavy, but it will be a week I will not forget soon. The results have perhaps been in line with the last weeks, but so much better than I could only dream of and made me very happy. Here a small summary of the stagerace Ras na mBan in Killkenny.

More information about the race and routes can be found at http://www.rasnamban.com/routes/2017-route/ and on Facebook/Instagram/Twitter Ras na mBan.

Wednesday 6th of September - Traveling and Stage 1

The day started as usually with breakfast, newspaper and Fenna. Afterwards Esther brought me to the train station where I took a early train to the airport.

After a short flight to Dublin and a transfer by car to Killkenny, we arrived at the hotel, where also the first stage would start. Chris and Ingrid were already there and prepared all the bikes plus everything else that was important for us to start racing.

After bringing our stuf to the hotelroom, our own race preparation started with signing on, eating, pinning the numbers up, checking the course and starting to become a bit nervous (ok you're right, really nervous). Will the legs be good enough, how will the peloton ride, what is the level of the other riders and so on.

I had some trouble in the beginning of the stage to find my place in the peloton, but tried to be in front as much as possible. At the first climb I could really move up and in the descent I was really happy with that, because a lot of the rides took risks (in my opinion) so I knew staying in the front would probably save some crashes and I try to stay there the best I could. In the last km Juul brought me to the front resulting in a 36th place for me. Teamie Belle won the stage and took the first leader shirt. Also Alicja en Roos did both a good job.

Thursday 7th of September - Stage 2

The second stage started fast and we had to defend the jersey. I felt good, so I tried to be in the break, because then other teams had to do the work. I was in the break with Femke Geeris for a while, but in the first climb they got us back. It took a lot to stay in front of the group, but I managed to stay there and after the second climb I found myself back in the first group of 35 riders. With this group we rode to the finish, loosing some of the rides in a crash during a slippery descent. I stayed out of trouble and finished 27th and was 20th in the GC. Wow, that never happened to me before and I was really proud.

Friday 8th of September - Stage 3 Mount Leinster

Belle still had the leaders jersey and we tried to defend it the best we could. The first 60 km Alicja and I did a lot of work at the front of the peloton. Also Roos helped us in the beginning of the stage, but unfortunately crashed and found herself in a second group. Unfortunately Juul crashed this stage as well.

At 80 km a group of 9 riders took off and we were not in there, which was a mistake. It was not possible to close the gap and this group started the last climb, Mount Leinster, a minute before us. When we started this big and steep climb, I managed to stay in the front for the first 4 km, but at the first QOH I decided to ride my own pace. In the end I came in 3min11 at the 21th place, moving up in GC to place 19. Happy about the first 60 km, not so happy with the group that rode away and mixed feelings about the last climb, because I think I could be in the group with Belle that came in 30 sec before me. But happy with still being top 20 in GC. Buy the way the photo says how though the climb was...

Saturday 9th of September - Stage 4 time trial and Stage 5 Criterium

After three hard days, we had a double stage program on Saturday. Starting with a short time trial of 11 km on normal road bikes, which went.... well what to say about it. I rode it like I wanted to: fast start with tailwind and as fast as possible in the second part with strong headwind. I started fast, but not to fast, but had trouble finding a good rhythm and ended up 32th with an avarage of 39,1 km/h. On a normal bike (see picture) not to bad, but I planned/hoped to be a least 30 sec faster. GC after time trial: 22th.

Last year the criterium turned out to be quit dangerous and some of us were actually a bit afraid of it. I rode a lot of criteriums in the Netherlands and Germany, so I was looking forward to it and tried not listen to the ones being afraid of it. The difference with last year was also the weather and during the recognition the course looked very good to me (but slippery when wet). I started in the back, but there was a neutralisation of three rounds and I managed to come to the front within these three rounds. I continuously stayed with the first 30-40 riders, trying to move up even further. The plan was that I would go for an attack, but my legs where not strong enough for that. Riding in the peloton costed almost no energy, so I decided to race (perhaps) a bit boring, but went for no-timelos in the criterium and to save energy for Sunday. That went well and I ended the criterium being 26th, moving up in GC to place 19.

Sunday 10th of September - Stage 6

Yes, starting this story with this beautiful picture, me being the middle one. Longest story, so summary: was in the breakaway for 45 km, peloton got us with 8 km to go, ended up 46th and 20th in the GC.

I really wanted to go for a good breakaway, so I studied the course with the route book, with google maps and took a look at the weather forecast. The first part of the route had perfect wind for echelons, after 25-30 km we would turn and get tailwind, then after the climbs at 40 km, we would get tail/side wind and the last 20 km would be very strong headwind. So in order to actually stay away we would need some minutes for the last 20 km.

There were two climbs around 40 km and my plan B was: go with 30 km (tailwind) and try to stay away for the last 60 km. And plan A was to make a move at the second climb.

The speed at 30 km was to high for plan B (as expected, therefore being plan B), so I would go for plan A. I came up the first climb with a small group. I tried to encourage them to keep on riding, because it would be a good group, like in the second stage, but they didn't really want to ride, therefore plan A was started and I took off at the second climb. A french girl moved with me and at first we worked well together, however, she speeded up and I had to let her go for a while and the time between us stayed 18 sec for a while, but the gap with the peloton increased. After 10-15 km Femke Geeris joined me (she is really my breakaway buddy this season) and we rejoined with the french girl. We worked together well, but then turning into the strong headwind made things really difficult. Most time ahead: 1min40sec. With 8 km to go, the peloton caught us and I started saving energy inside the peloton. The last 2 km were very wet and slippery and I didn't want to take to much risks, so ending up 46th and 20th in the GC. Really disappointed about being caught with 8 km to go, but happy that I tried it and very happy with the 20th spot in GC.

And I had great support at the finish line. René and Britta, thanks for coming to Killkenny!

It was really nice to ride Ras na mBan. I want to thank everybody involved for the good organisation, good talks, room for sometimes being disappointed, but overall for all to good riding and good laughs. I end this blog with some more pictures of this week.

Coming up at the first QOH Mount Leinster