Emakumeen Bira.  5 day stage race in Espania.  13-17th June.

 Stage 1    4.3k Team TT

  The TT was all up hill and we needed 3 girls to finish together so the plan was that Giovanna would go first and then me in second .  Giovanna Troldi started fast as would most TT specialist's !  We all struggled to stay with her and then I got cramp in my quad! I did a good turn on the front whilst trying to ignore my Cramp! After do my turn my Manager told me to sit in but I could not with the cramp so I backed of and let  my leg recover as I knew it was impossible to do this climb with 1 leg! Thankfully my leg recovered and I found my rhythm to finish the climb but behind my girls! Thankfully Monia, Miyoko and Giovanna finished together to finish 12th team overall.   Not overly happy with today but tomorrow is another day!! Team Flexpoint won today gaining 20 seconds on 2nd place AA Drink Team.  Suzanne Ljungskog takes the Yellow Jersey

 Stage 2   83k

 Looking at today's race profile it was going to be flat to rolling for the first 60k then we had a 10k to do then it was all down hill to the finish.....   The plan was for me and the girls to keep the race together for Monia before hitting the climb.  I was the front for most of the time chasing any potential breaks.  The pace picked up just before hitting the climb and the bunch split thankfully there where 4 of us in the 1st group.  The pace was high for about 3k. I remember seeing Oenone Wood in front of me and how fast her legs where spining thinking I wish my legs would go that fast now!!  I lost contact with the first group and settled into a group to finish the climb and then roll into the finish.  A better day today with Monia finishing 14th, Giovanna 21st and me 50th.  Marianne Vos won today by attacking with 4k to go and gained 16 seconds. Ljungskog still in yellow

Stage 3  93k

 Today's stage had two main climbs, one at 41k and 61k both around 7k each with the second climb being the hardest.  As Monia was up on GC we had to make sure that she stayed there. There was not much action in the first hour today as everyone was waiting for the climbs to decide the race.  The first climb was not too severe although long we hit the second climb fast with team DSB bank driving the pace!   We made sure Monia was in the first group on the main climb which was tough and long.  I lost contact with my group in the final few kilometers finishing in 58th, Monia in 4th and Marianne Vos taking another stage win!

Stage 4a  Time Trial 12.4k

 The Time Trail circuit looked rolling and windy today.   Only Monia and Giovanna had Time Trial bikes so we had to make do with our road bike for this one!   Not much to say apart from it was hard on a road bike!  The course was fast in places ( the last few Kilometers!)  My legs did not feel so great but I tryed to push them as much as possible despite their complaints!! Not a great time for me finishing in 78th, Monia in 13th and Hanka Kupfernagel taking the win today!   Ljungskog still in yellow.

Stage 4b   83k

Today we had some free reign as only Monia was up on GC we could have a crack at getting a break today! Yippeee!!!    We had 2 climb today but the course looked fast! Team flexpoint wanted to keep things together for Ljungskog but I was trying to get away with like many other girls including team Bigla's Andrea Thurig.  After many attempts it to get away failed we settled down a bit for the last 20k.   It looked like it was going to be a sprint finish as team Flexpoint were not letting anyone get away today as they sat on the front and controlled the pace.  I was confident in the last 5k the pace would be high and we could get a good finish today espcially with Monia being a classy sprinter!!  We made sure Monia was in a good position for the sprint then all of a suddden Giovanne popped out of nowhere as she had been sitting at the back for most of the race as she was not feeling so good today so she thought she could help Monia out for the sprint and charged her way to the front with only Brandli seeing the danger, then Troldi  realised that she had a lead with 2 k to go so she kept it going to finish 1st place with Monia just behind her in 2nd!!! A great result today the first win of the season!!!! Fantastic!!! The finish was quite dangerouse the the road winding around and it was fast! I finished 38th today

Stage 5   88k

After all the excitement of yesterday we had to calm ourselves down as we had one final stage to do!! It looked like a hard stage today but there was potential to get a break away for the any riders not up on GC.  It was very rolling today with 2 long climb at 54 and 76k.     I could see that Zabirova from Bigla was up for it today and thankfully so was I!  

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