National road race champion and GSD Gestion rider, Siobhan Horgan last week raced on the 2012 World Championships circuit in Valkenberg and in this piece gives us a flavour of the action. She also reveals she schooled Ras winner Nicolas Badlo on what to expect from the race around Ireland last week.
I just completed the Valkenberg Hills Classic race in Holland – and wow was it a scorcher. The weather was fabulous – which made for a nice change. All the races I’ve done so far this season have been wet, overcast and generally miserable. The team stayed in the four-star ‘Valkenberg Park Hotel’ which made a nice change from the usual French style ‘hotel’ - I use that term loosely; often we stay in schools with four or six to a room and bunk beds…. Sorry but I am too old for bunk beds! But this hotel was quite a treat with large rooms, a swimming pool and sauna, and even some waiters at dinner, impressive…..
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This race was quite important for me as it was on the same circuit as the World Road Race Championships in September. So I was well motivated! Another bonus was that the race start was right outside the hotel – handy. The race was only 87.5 km long but my God was it hard.
We did a 30km lap with no categorised hills - but it was SAVAGE. Out of the 165 starters – only 45 made it to the ‘Worlds circuit’ in the front group. I have to admit that I struggled a bit early on – there were plenty of small roads and the Dutch girls are well able to fight for their place in the bunch.
Once we got to the Worlds circuit I felt much better. Of course there was a breakaway of five already gone which included the legendary Marianne Vos… And then there was my group of about 40 riders. On the infamous Cauberg – which is a real test and quite steep – the group kept splitting.
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I made it into the first group sometimes (of about eight riders) and the second group at other times (again around eight riders). But the peloton kept regrouping. The other hill – the Bemelberg was also difficult. But today we had a headwind on it so the group, in general, stayed together. We did three laps of the Worlds circuit and four times up the Cauberg. Of course, typically Dutch, they put the finish line in some obscure place – with plenty of cars, street furniture and cobbles to add to the ‘excitement’.
In the end I was in the group sprinting for 7th – I tried to give my team mate a dig-out (she can sprint and I can’t) but it didn’t really work out and she ended up 20th. I was at the back of the group in 37th - 2:22 behind inner Van Vleutan. I was satisfied with my ride because I haven’t been feeling great these past few weeks. I got a stomach bug about one month ago and was finding it really hard to shake off.
I think I was just coming around in time for the Celtic Chrono which was held in Belfast on May 13th. I have to say that I was so proud to be Irish there. Rebecca, Brian and Gary ran a great event – all the professional girls were so impressed. They had just under 40 starters this year, but I’m sure if they run the event next year they will have three times that as all the girls were talking about it.
On a lighter note – I was following the Ras results when I could. I’m so impressed with Adam Armstrong – he’s unbelievable, so impressive. Also, all the county riders – it can’t be easy for them to race against the pro’s like that… I especially admire any of the county riders that managed to get up the road. I know the winner Nicolas Baldo – he’s friends with some of the girls on my team. I gave him some tips before the race; looks like it worked – he was motoring. If only I could use these same tactics to get myself into a yellow jersey sometime……..
Siobhan
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