Racing
23
Finishing what you start in the Omloop Van Borsele
I was a rotten teenager and didn’t listen to my Mom very much. Through the many years of tug-of-wars I usually won, there was one thing my Mom would not budge with. She always made me finish what I started. Her insistence sticks with me until this day. Call me stubborn but there’s not much capable of pulling me out of a race after the gun goes off. … more
19
Scared shitless in Belgium: Winning Fleche Wallonne as a TEAM!!
There’s not much I fear in life but steep walls of paved road make me cringe. I look at them and have an allergic reaction. There is something inside of me that just can’t get over the damned things without detonating. Which made me think long and hard Monday and Tuesday just what I was doing in Belgium. The Fleche Wallonne was part of my month of … more
5
Summer Camp
“It feels like summer camp, doesn’t it, Clara…” Teammate Ina Teutenberg states the obvious with her hearty German laugh. Ina and I go way back. We’ve ‘camped’ many a times together during women’s races in Europe. Only this time, in Holland, we’re teammates instead of racing on respective National Teams. And the camp? Well, I have to admit, this is a few steps up from the infamous summer … more
1
Bike racing 101: Tour of Flanders
Complete and utter sensory overload. That’s today in a nutshell. It was the day that marked my ‘welcome back to European racing’ here at the Tour of Flanders. Ronde Van Vlaanderen for the die-hard cycling fans out there. Also known as one of the hardest single day races in the world on two wheels. Yes, today was the day I’ve been anticipating with angst and excitement for some … more
17
What a difference a day can make…
Another adventure with the skidoo, ATV and finally, the sweet smooth ride of the SUV to the airport brought me out of my winter wonderland to the chaos of LAX. Yes, it was a shock to the system to arrive at the bustling airport after the two hour flight to the south west of Salt Lake City. I felt like Dorothy and I definitely was not in Kansas … more
4
Making the race
There was no doubt in my mind that being on the Specialized lululemon Team would mean racing to win. In the sport of cycling, racing to win can often mean racing to conserve and then do the bare minimum to win. Not the case here in the back and white hypnotizing team of women. In the first criterium of the year for the team in the USA, we … more
3
First race of the year!
I have to admit some nervousness before the time trial yesterday. Not because of being the first race of the year, and not because the race was a time trial: the nerves stemmed from the fact that two of my very strong teammates on Specialized lululemon were set to ride their road bikes for the event of truth against the clock. My concern was that Ina or … more
23
Check out my team!
This racing season, I am on a new team, Specialized-lululemon. Having the opportunity to race alongside the best women in the world is beyond motivating. The thought of leading prolific winner and sprint sensation, not to mention my good friend, Ina Teutenberg, makes me get on the bike an build every ounce of strength I have to do the job well and help her win some more. … more
2
The Reality of Risk
The reality of the risk of a sport like mine, an ‘extreme’ sport, became clear once again a few weeks ago. I was in Tucson, Arizona and was shaken by a few things. First, the news of Canadian Freestyle Skier Sarah Burke and the horrific result of a seemingly minor crash on the superpipe up in Park City the week before. Second, a few days after arriving in … more
15
Making Dreams into Realities
Salt Lake City, Utah I’d run out of fingers and toes pretty fast if I were to use them to tally the amount of times I’ve had in the past twenty decades where a dream has become reality. Specifically, the times when the here and the now seem just too good to be true. The incredulousness of these moments almost always stem from a past experience. Most … more
