After two weeks of training in Calpe, Spain and some time spent under the sun we were ready for the next race in Benidorm. Benidorm, Spain, hosted the 13th Cyclocross World Cup this season and put on a great show with its fast course and so many amazing fans. The track was fast with gravel and sand sections, and the warmer than usual weather for European CX added a little bit of an extra challenge. Jules kicked off the racing in the U23 mens category. After a tough start he worked through a lot of racers to get back up into the mid pack and was looking strong. In the second lap he ran into a light pole coming out of the sandpit (decided to test it out for MVDP) which took him to the back of the field. After getting back on the bike Jules again began to move up through the field and brought back some positions before the finish for a 34th place! Next up was Kaya and I. My race started well and I was able to navigate the initial chaos and crashes to find a decent position in the pack. In the early laps I was feeling good but hit the limit in the third lap and felt the fatigue start to settle in. I ended up gradually falling back in the field, felt a slight rebound a couple laps later, and then was back to exhaustion and empty legs. After a couple hard weeks of training in preparation for Worlds my legs were pretty tired. I finished in 30th, a little disappointed in my race but the fans made up for it! Kaya had a tough day and was feeling the fatigue of the last weeks of training in the sun as well. She rode well and pushed to the finish to land some UCI points and finish off her Spain training block! Finally, Scott wrapped up the race day for the team with an awesome fight and result. His early race was challenging with a chaotic first lap although he was able to settle into the race and found a strong pace. Scott kept picking off riders one at a time to move up into 26th place by the finish!
It was a great experience, the cheering during the race kept us going. I had a great time hanging out at the venue and getting to meet fans and young racers! It was really fun to have the whole team together, spend some time training in Calpe and ending the trip with the World Cup! Next up is the Hoogerheide World Cup next Sunday.
Kommentare