Lessons learned...

Five weeks is not enough time to get in world cup form (who would have guessed?).
Euros are really fast uphill (i kinda knew this one already).
National champs are 6 months away and I have some work to do.
Ultimately, mission achieved. Raced 2 world cups, got 6 UCI points (estimated cost $750 per point!) and got some valuable experience. It's also made me determined to get some of our young Aussie girls over here racing. I spoke to Gunn Rita today and she has such great memories of a year spent living in Sydney as a 19 year old, she is looking forward to coming back soon. I said Australia would love to have her so let's see if we can get this happening.
A big thank-you for all the supportive messages from home. I have a couple more nights sleeping on Jared Grave's couch then home baby! Can't wait to see my girl and catch up with great friends. Ciao.

Sent from my HTC

Lessons learned...

Five weeks is not enough time to get in world cup form (who would have guessed?).
Euros are really fast uphill (i kinda knew this one already).
National champs are 6 months away and I have some work to do.
Ultimately, mission achieved. Raced 2 world cups, got 6 UCI points (estimated cost $750 per point!) and got some valuable experience. It's also made me determined to get some of our young Aussie girls over here racing. I spoke to Gunn Rita today and she has such great memories of a year spent living in Sydney as a 19 year old, she is looking forward to coming back soon. I said Australia would love to have her so let's see if we can get this happening.
A big thank-you for all the supportive messages from home. I have a couple more nights sleeping on Jared Grave's couch then home baby! Can't wait to see my girl and catch up with great friends. Ciao.

Sent from my HTC

One down...Nove mesto na Morave

Implementation of the UCI's new race rules has definitely changed the game. Shorter laps makes a fast start even more important to avoid getting pulled out by commissaires before the final lap. The steeper course favours the pure climbers and technical ability counts for nothing if you're stuck behind a muppet on the singletrack descent.
Only racing the last 2 world cups makes a good start difficult. Less UCI points means you start at the back and a year of racing enduros has done nothing for my speed over a 1km start loop. I managed to pick up 9 places early on and just when my endurance was kicking in it was over. The marshal steps in at the end of the 3rd lap, directs me off the course and my race is done.
Positives: I rode all the lines I'd planned to, cleared the obstacles and had a safe race.
Negatives: I need to get some raw speed back and that is not going to happen in a week.
All that aside I am pretty happy as I've only been on the PCS program for 8 weeks and I'm racing world cup - sweet! Wait until I've got 6 months worth in the legs!

Sent from my HTC

Waiting

I don't mean to sound ungrateful, but this cycling game can be pretty boring at times. Someone asked me what I do when I'm not racing - do I just go out partying? That made me laugh.The first half of this week has been interesting but once race village opens its all business. You want to spend as much time as possible getting familiar with the track, but not too much time or you'll get tired.
If you're not on the track or getting your gear fixed, you're putting your feet up in your small room, with a small tv and its sole channel in a language you don't understand. I brought 3 books and I'm already through 2 of them. Free WiFi is awesome but there's only so much Facebook you can do on the HTC before your eyes hurt.
So you lay in bed and read, or listen to your ipod and you try not to eat. Or think about eating. You've seen the climbs out there and you need to be a lean racing machine so stop looking at that block of dark chocolate. God. So bored.
I spoke with Ralph Naf or the Multivan team today. They're staying in the hotel right beside the track. I wonder if he has this problem. Probably not. With an international team at your disposal you definitely have at least one channel of your chosen language and a lap top for movies. I wish I had a laptop. Good looking man, Ralph Naf. Great skin. So bored.

Sent from my HTC

Rain, rain, bugger off!

It's colder here than in Brissy and a damn sight wetter. Euro summers are so changeable. Give me consistently hot and wet in Qld any day.
I'm over the jet lag, now just the virus to go. Fitting in some touristy stuff I've seen the Cistercian monastery and the 5-point-star shaped Church of St John. The latter is conveniently placed on Zelena Bora (Green Mountain) making it perfect for my hill sprints this morning - thanks Lonely Planet guide! My Czech is getting better and I can now ask for coffee, wine, the menu, the bill and can almost pronounce the name of the town I'm staying in, Skrdlovice.

Sent from my HTC

The story so far...

Performance is a combination of preparation, persistence and a bit of good luck. The latter seemed to have deserted me as I woke with a headcold the day I was to fly to Germany. It found me again when I got the whole middle row of seats to myself on the Brisbane to Singapore leg of the flight. Sleeping horizontally was bliss especially as the flight departed at 2.30am. I imagine this is what business class is like, but apparently the wine is better there.
I had the usual pre-trip meltdown, wracked with motherly guilt and anxiety. Some amazingly well-timed messages of support reminded me that I'm off to 'do my thing' so I had every reason to be confident & relaxed, though easier said than done.
Since starting up with Donna Dall at PCS coaching I've felt stronger and fitter than ever, although with only local recent racing its hard to gauge if that perception is translating into reality. Only one way to find out - world cup on Sunday!