Following everyone’s arrival during
Saturday morning, the team set out in the rain for a steady ride to
help loosen any stiff muscles after flights and car journeys. This
was the last preparation before the Omploop Het Volk which took place
on Sunday. The Het Volk is a very famous semi-classic for men, held
in February, and this year was the first year that the race has been
added to the calendar as a women’s UCI race. It was the perfect
way for the team to start at the top!
With representatives from major sponsor
Fat Birds Don’t Fly (www.fatbirds.co.uk)
at the race to see the event, the team were hopeful of a good start
to the season. The course was 91km in length with 4 cobbled sections
and 4 climbs. All of these came in the first 46km before the race
entered a 15km finishing circuit for 3 final laps.
With the blend of European experience
and international racing novices, the key for the team was to place
riders well in the bunch over the early climbs and ensure we were
ready to get in front section of any splits in the peleton.
On the approach to the 3rd
climb, Lorna Webb punctured and following a quick change was paced
back onto the bunch by Emma Silversides, who defied her inexperience
in the European Peleton with a mature piece of riding. This effort
from Emma allowed the team to place 4 riders in the front group
(Lorna, Cath, Helen and Emma Pooley). Line Ramsrud and Emma
Silversides followed closely behind in the second group on the road.
Having entered the final circuits, the
race was destined to come down to a sprint and the team concentrated
themselves on keeping their position on the final laps. However with
many of the worlds best sprinters and their lead-out trains in the
race, the 3 remaining FBUK riders found themselves out of position
going into the final corner, but still finished in very good
positions for the first UCI race for the team in 2006.
Result:
1st Suzanne De Goede
2nd Mirjan Melchers - Van
Poppel
3rd Tanja Hennes
52nd Cath Hare (Team FBUK)
57th Lorna Webb (Team FBUK)
58th Helen Wyman (Team
FBUK)
98th Emma Pooley (Team
FBUK)
Time Limit Line Ramsrud (Team FBUK)
Time Limit Emma Silversides (Team
FBUK)
Following the race, the team then
returned to their Belgian base to train for a week together. Key
elements were introduced to riders throughout the week like riding
with race radios, using team cars and collecting bottles. All of
these parts of pro racing need to be second nature to the riders if
they are going to succeed in the European peleton.
The final part of the week was a short
trip to Holland for a 60km Criterium in Oud-Vossemeer. Again, this
was a testing challenge for the riders without European experience.
With the race going from the gun, with an average speed around
44kmph, all riders must hold their nerve and hold their line if they
are to succeed.
With a small group of 5, 30 seconds up
on the bunch of 119 riders, Helen Wyman attached the bunch and
quickly formed a group of 13 riders who gained a lead of 30 seconds
within 2 laps of the 1.5km course. With Cath Hare working hard in
the main bunch with Line and Emma, Helen’s group successfully
stayed away, with Helen finishing 11th. Cath Hare
finished in the main bunch in 31st.
It was a great end to the week for the
girls who had worked hard in training and looks to be a promising
start to the 2006 for the team.
For more details please see the
following:
www.teamfbuk.com
www.helenwyman.com
www.emmasilversides.com
www.fatbirds.co.uk
www.schwinnbikes.com
www.schwalbe.com
www.abus.de
Erika Vilunaite
Silvia Parietti
