A step on the way #olympicdream

​I find it kind of ironic that I would have to complete my 2019 season with a broken chain. When the light went from red to green and we all went off the start line, it started really well for me, I had a good position until 200 meters up the road. My chain snapped and I had to run to the technical zone, where we are allowed to get our bikes fixed. 
I don’t know. It just feels like almost an inevitable or destined way to finish this season. Start well, hit by bad luck and from there on its just crack on. And oh I did. 

@nobuhikotanabe

​The race I talk about was the test event for the Olympic games in 2020. Almost every discipline competing at the Olympics has some kind of test event the year before the event, to yea test it… So off we went to Japan! And what a place. 
With the long season including a lot of travelling around, I hadn’t spent too much time thinking about this trip. Nevertheless, it was a key point on the road to my Olympic dream.
​Before I went there I made a list of questions, that I had to answer doing the week. How was the place? What was the travel like? Key things to remember etc. ​

And then, of course, the track, lines, training area, warm-up area and so on. Honestly just a lot of things that would make my life easier and more prepared, if I go next year. 
​​I didn’t know what to expect from this place or the course. So it was with an open mind I went there. We arrived in a small traditional house on the mountainside where we would spend the week. It was quite fun to experience their culture and differences. Like no beds, just small madrasas on the floor, I slept well the whole week tho, hehe! 

@kasukabevisionfilmz

​We started the preparation with a track-walk. A track walk is exactly that, we walk the track. When you walk you can see more things than when you ride, so because it was the first time we saw this track it was great to walk it first. Our first impression from the new track was like holy moly that’s something! There was so much to remember on that 4 km; with off-camber corners, rock gardens, steep climbs and so on. But when we took the bikes with us the next day it felt really awesome to ride. Super flowy, demanding and fun! 

​I was stoked to race it the upcoming Sunday, but my race became such a strange day. Because of the chain problem I ended up racing by myself half a lap behind the rest. On my second lap I started to catch some riders, but most of the time I was riding on my own. But I thought that I still could get some great data and impression of the track if I just continued racing the best I could. And with the circumstances, I was proud of what I did. I pushed with what I had in me and I did feel great out there. The course suits me well and now I know which parts of the track I struggled more on and which parts I felt flawless on :-P I think the last 30 minutes tells a lot. 

It just feels like almost an inevitable or destined way to finish this season.

​Now I’m back in Denmark, but only for a short transit before I’m off for the Roc d'Azur in France for the weekend. When that is done my calendar starts to have a lot of empty days and I’m super excited to get back to Spain and start with the early build-up towards the winter training. I also have a holiday to look forward to. 

The trip to Japan felt like a success, even tho faith didn’t let me finish on a good result, I’m home with a smile on my face and a big dream shaping inside of me. Hopefully, my 19’ season has given me enough hard times, so I will start next year as a tougher and better athlete.  
No rain. No Flowers

​/Malene

@kasukabevisionfilmz