A plan

My race pace doesn’t come to me like amazon prime (In a joking mood huh?), it takes more than one race to get where I want to be. And that’s okay. That’s actually just how I want it to be.

Team KMC Orbea

I have never really understood how some riders can just be freakin’ flying straight from the first start line of the year. I have so much respect for it, because it’s hard for me to do. I’m firm believer of goal-setting and I do everything I can to be prime on the days of my goals, that everything else becomes steps on the way. It’s really about progress and timing for me. Mediterranean Epic and Banyoles was the perfect start into my season, seen with my eyes. At the 4-days stage race (Med-Epic) I felt strong all 4 days, felt good on my bike and had 4 super consistent days. Grabbing 60 points too (7th overall). Coming home from the race with a lot of high-pace training in the bank, couldn’t have replicated that by myself in training. ​

I had 5 days to recover from the last stage at Med-Epic to the xco race in Banyoles. I spent the days filming at home with Orbea (video will be out on their youtube channel in the spring), and then off to Banyoles to see the course and try to find some race-legs again. Filming is fun, but also tough (especially when you just did 4 days with a 1000tss!), but I dedicated my days fully to the project and tried to recovery as good as possible between the video sessions (10hours sleep + 30 minute naps!).
​I hope you will like it, when it goes live. ​

Banyoles Race Report

I arrived to Banyoles Thursday evening and went straight on the course, trying to find a good setup.
​It’s the time of the year where my team meets for the first time, and it felt good to get started with the whole crew. Last year I rode the Oiz (fullsuspension), but this year I was determined to ride the Alma (Hard Tail). I have some goal races later this season where I might want to use the hardtail, so I saw this race as a good opportunity to test it out. I think it’s important always to have a couple of smaller goals for each race. Hydration, bike set up etc etc! (Plus the color just makes you want to ride it!!)
​As the race started I immediately felt how other rider’s legs just where spinning faster and more powerful than mine, so I thought; how do I get the most out of this? ​

saw 30 minutes and thought well that’s 60 minutes left to get faster.

After the start loop the pace settled a bit and I found myself around 25th postion. Okay I do not have a lot of speed in my legs yet, but how do I manage, what I have, the smartest? I looked down at my Garmin, saw 30 minutes, and thought well that’s 60 minutes left to get faster. Each lap I felt better and better. Like the body remembered the feeling of xco. It’s brutal on the body to be honest! As the time went by I kept on counting down the minutes where I could get faster.
​It was not about finishing it was about spending each minute I had left to get faster. Ride smoother, smarter, stronger.
And doing those 60 minutes my plan worked, I worked my way up and finished with a strong last lap, spending every last bit I had left, to take home 17th spot.
​17th? Well yea that doesn’t sound all glamours. But to be honest I was proud of myself out there. The field of ladies was a tough cookie, but I really felt like the race made me better and better as it went on. ​

KMC chain

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So what can I take home? The winter-base is there, time was not a problem yesterday, the high end pace was the trouble maker. And that, that will come. And for the Hardtail? Alma is a fast girl, noted.

There is a plan, so let’s just follow it and trust the progress? ​

/M