Velo Ladies Leipzig Team Presentation

A short blog about our first team meeting, friends, Leipzig and coming weeks.

This weekend we finally had our first team meeting. After a exhausting car ride Thursday evening with a lot of rain showers, traffic jams and closed highways, I was happy to arrive safely in Leipzig. I was now even more happy that I was staying at a friends house, instead of a hotel. No check ins, but instead just chatting a bit and relax. After some tea and yoghurt, I quickly went to bed, because it was already after midnight and I normally go to bed around 10 p.m.

Friday morning was really relaxing with sleeping, breakfast, unpacking the car and prepare for my cycling fitness or stress test.

After lunch I went to the Olympiastützpunkt in Leipzig to meet my team, do the test, have a photoshoot and went to Haus Leben. We are the ambassadors of Pink Shoe Day, which is an event to set a colourful signal against breast cancer and promotes more prevention and information. Germany is our neighbouring country, but at various topics differences can be observed. Comparing to the Netherlands, it is more difficult to talk about cancer and I think Haus Leben is a really good initiative and I am a proud ambassador of this association.

The test did not went how I hope for and that always makes me a bit nervous. A talk with my trainer made me feel better and there is a good plan for the comings weeks to get where I want to be regarding to shape, strength and fitness. It is nice to have people around me where I can be insecure and who will listen to me and help me forward. I always tell my students to have confident in themselves and I really believe in them, but sometimes I forget how to have faith in myself.

It was really nice to meet the team staff and team girls. I am really looking forward to a great season with them, although I feel a bit old. Velo Ladies Leipzig will be a development team (U23) and it will be my role to help the girls forward. It will give me an opportunity to combine things that I love, namely biking at a high level, working with young people and help them to develop. This is the same as I do at my Dutch cycling club WV Eemland. Below you will find some pictures of our small training camp.

Saturday evening I had time to meet friends which always makes me smile. We see each other once of twice a year, but it is so good to see each other each time. Of course I also took some time to walk a bit around the city, because Leipzig is really beautiful, especially in the dark.

After a really nice and sportive weekend, it was time to go home again. The next time I meet the team will be in the Netherlands for our first race together, so they have to do the traveling. Perhaps we can make the rule that we will speak the language of the country we are in? :-) What do you think?

Only a couple of working days left and then I will be in a plane to Mallorca to do some serious training efforts there.