Mendrisiotto

First EU race of the season was a fun affair, starting off in a very cold early morning drizzle (if you just left summer it was definately cold!). Wet roads and a huge bunch made me quite nervous and I hung mid pack for the first two laps, which was when a 17 man break went down the road with 3 team mates in it. I hung around the front of the bunch and on about the sixth or seventh of twelve laps I followed Nazareno Rossi on the climb. Jacques JvR (riding with the UCI) was on my wheel and we managed to get away and cross over to the front with the help of three other riders.

Once there I just hung on the back, nursing my legs which were trying to cramp, while I tried to drink as much water as possible to prevent that from happening. It was a rather miserable affair, but hanging on the back was all that I could do. In the end a group of about 13 got away from the leading bunch which by then was 40 riders strong and we never saw them again. I was pleased not to cramp up to badly and was able to hang on over the climb the last few times to finish somewhere in the second bunch.

All in all, not quiet what I was hoping for, but considering that I still have to get used to the temperatures and that Jacques was in the same boat as I was, I suppose that I can not complain.

Ben and Jaro had fabulous rides finishing 12th and 13th after Jaro's last ditch attack was caught 250meters from the line.

We leave for France and two more 1.2 races on wednesday. Hopefully the legs will be used to the temperatures by then!