Done a lot!

I had only three days in Kalmar before it was time to go again... But it was three wounderfull days!! The weather was perfect, 20-25´C and blue sky. We really enjoyed our time there, and I wish I had some more days...

But as I said, then it was time to go again. Took the train over to the westcoast were mum and dad came and picked me up. The were coming from Stockholm on there way down to our summerhouse in Båstad.

First time I met mum since january, and dad since Marbella in february, so it was nice to see them again.

But I came late (last) thursday night and on friday my team (from Sweden) came and picked me up, so it was just a short visit.

We took the bus and the car over to Denmark for three races there. It was nice to meet the team aswell! Had a great time together, and we did well at the races.

First day I did a breakaway alone, but after a while four girls joined me.

When it was 2km´s to go another swedish girl, Madelene, attacked from our group. Since there were two from Sweden and three from Denmark, I thought it was not my job the take that, but they just looked at eachother, I think Dorte Rasmussen and Trine Smith had a own race between them two, and Madelene could cross the finishline solo. For me and the other three it was a sprint. Since I´m not a sprinter I thought it´s better to make it a long one, so I started with 250-300m´s to go. I almost made it, but Dorte passed me just before the finishline. I got third!

Congratulations Madelene :)

The secound day we made it hard for the others. We were supose to make four laps and our tactic was to go on the others but do nothing ourself the first three laps, but on the fourth we went hard on the attacks. Finally they got tired and Hanna from the team could cross the finishline solo. And Jessica took the sprint :) Good work girls!!

Third day was a mess! The elite (men) passed us in a hill and some girls went with them, but the organisation didn´t noticed until they allready had a gap and then it was too late!

Thomas came to this race, and after the race we went back to Switzerland. Came back monday night.

This week have been nice and relaxing, except for training ofcourse! ;)

Had Carolin and Tommy over for dinner one day, as you can see at the picture. And last friday we went on cirkus with them here in Zürich :) It was really funny to see, and the acrobatics were soo good!

Today Thomas went to Spain so I´m alone, but not for too long. On thuseday I meet up with the national team for Tour of Pologna.

See you,

ciao!

Kalmar, Sweden

(Our view from the balcony. In the background you can see the bridge over to Öland)

Sorry for my late update!

Luxembourg were quit hard for me, I were still a little bit sick...

Saturday´s race were a 1.2 race, and a lot of good teams were there. Our goal were to take some UCI points.

There were one quit long hill that split up the group. Iosune was the strongest one and she was in the first group until the finish. The first 8 got points, she ended 9th. Bad luck!

I finished in a smaller group behind. My legs were really bad this day.

Sunday´s race was just a national race and only three UCI teams and national riders.

We got a breakaway right away with five riders. Two from us.

But we ended up 4th, 5th and me 10th. Felt a little bit better then the day before...

After Luxembourg I took it a little bit easy, just to get rid of my cold completly.

Felt bad the whole week, and then it was time for the worldcup in Bern.

They had changed the lap from last year. Allready after 8-9km´s there were a long hill, wich split up the group completly. I were in the back and I had no chance to catch up the ones infront. First the group was split into 4-5 groups, but after a while it was just two big groups, me in the secound, together with Iosune and Ana from the team. We had no one in the first group. Not much to do...

Directly after the race Thomas and I went home to Sweden! First time since january :D

It´s almost summer here, 22´c and sunny. I will soon go out for a ride in the nice weather.

Take care!

Luxembourg next

Now I´ve been in Switzerland for over a week, but just after a few days after coming back from Holland I got sick. Had to take some days off, so one day I went on picknick with Carolin, and her boyfriend, up in the mountains. We had a really nice day!

The weather was perfect for a picknic, blue sky and 18´c, so we were just sitting in the gras and enjoyed the weather. (as you can see at the picture)

Otherwise I haven´t done much. One day I didn´t even left the apartment, not even for getting the post, (if there were some).

Most of the time I have spent in the sofa with a book...

But now I´m back on the bike, could start easy on thuseday and today I went a little bit harder to prepair my body for the weekend.

Tomorrow I fly to Luxembourg and meet the team.

On saturday there is a 1.2 race and on sunday there is a national race, both races in Luxembourg.

All for now,

ciao!

Drenthe

Saturdays race turned out bad for me. Allready after 10km´s my gears broke. It was not possible to shift gear cause the wire to the handle bar was broken, it was totally off(!) Unluckelly there was also a crasch in the back just before, so the cars couldn´t pass and when they finally did we had car number 19th. So there I stood waiting for a new bike... When the team car finally reached me it was to late trying to catch the group, so it´s was only to jump in the car and follow the race from there.

Sunday was much better for me. My legs felt good, since I didn´t got so far the day before ;) and I were able to stay in the group, not from the beginning though... I were a slow starter and had to chase a little bit but finally back in the group I had no problem. Iosune crasched in the last part of the race and I were even able to go down and help her back.

With one kilometer to go there was another crasch infront of me, had to stop and start over and the girls infront were gone. Couldn´t help Iosune in the sprint who finished 34th, and me rolling in as 45th.

After the race we took the train to Amsterdam were we spent the night before going home monday morning.

Were a little bit tired in the beginning of the week but today I felt much better on the training.

This weekend there are no races but next weekend the team is going to Luxemburg for two races. Until then I have to figur out how to spend my days cause now I´m alone again...

Ciao

Dwingeloo-Holland

Mireia and Arantzazu

Now we have been here for three days. We have had two restdays with easy riding and massage. My legs needed it!

The girls are really sweet and we have fun together so these days have just been relaxing, well I have to think a lot speaking spanish but I learn more and more. Luckelly I share room with Mireia who is studying to be a english teacher so I can cheat a little bit ;)

Yesterday it was the first race here in Holland, a 1.1 race called Drentse 8 van Dwingeloo, with start and finish in the same village we are living in. Very sweet little village I have to say!

We did a lap at 25km´s and we did it 5 times.

There were a lot of crasches yesterday aswell, but I luckelly managed to stay on my bike and finish in the big group as 49th.

Today has been an easy day. We trained very easy for 1½ hour, and now I just came back from the massage. We have a really good masseur in the team, Loli, she is the best!

Now it´s time for dinner, and tomorrow it´s the worldcup in Drenthe.

Ciao

WC Vlaanderen and Dottignies 1.2

Yesterday it was time for my secound worldcup this year, Ronde van Vlaanderen. It´s a really hard one with a lot of pavé. 188 girls to start and that made it even harder on the small streets. Went quit okey until we came to a steep hill with pavé and girls started to run(!) It was almost impossible to pass but when I finally did there were a too big gap to the girls infront and I ended up in a smaller group behind. We were out of the timelimit but we did the whole course to the finishline. So now I know the course for next year anyway... ;)

Only Iosune from the team finished, as 95th.

Today it was a 1.2 race in Dottignies. With a lot of sidewind there were also a lot of krasches. Were always behind them, luckelly I were not in them, but I had to chase back everytime and I went like a jojo the whole race. After a while I ended up in a smaller group behind again. When it was 12km´s left they took us out of the race. Only 73 finished out of 169. Three girls from us finished. Arantzazu finished best as 23rd.

Tomorrow we´ll go to Holland and Dwingeloo for three races there.

Happy birthday Linda!!

http://lindasbilder.wordpress.com/

I hope my "snailmail" got to you on time.

I wish you the best on your birthday :D

Miss you!

Many hugs to you my friend!