NEVIS CYCLE & TRIATHLON CLUB

Thanks Everyone, for all your support during my trip to Worlds. Quick update:

Time trial went well, I placed 37th, which is 5 spots better than last year. Very hilly place, this Switzerland. These women are incredibly strong and inspiring, so it gives me hope that I can get there someday, too. (Some of them are even older than me. Ancient, yo.)

Road race was today, and it was vicious. And rainy. And uphill. 128 women, only 40 finished (slightly more given prorated times), and the lead peloton had 15 women at the end. The rule at Worlds: Riders are pulled off the course once the lead peloton as a gap of 15 minutes. Roughly 90 women were pulled! Even last year's World Champ was pulled. Wow. Alas, I too was one of the pullees, but not for lack of trying.  Hate the term DNF as we had no choice to keep riding, so I like to say I finished KNS (Kicking and Screaming). Rode with a Turk and a Croatian for the majority of the laps. Yay for new friends/drafts.  Riders were shelled everywhere!  Switzerland was a harder course than Italy last year, with two brutal 12% and 10% climbs. And fans screaming "Die" which means "Go" but doesn't translate well. I'm proud that I blew up, as it means I gave it everything. Better to blow up than never know what it's like to detonate. But all in all, the race was just as Worlds should be...filled with scary women and a pace harder than the Tucson shootout. I'm so looking forward to Worlds 2010, as the race starts w/80k of flat terrain. I love Australia.

Wonderminion, Winston, Reggie and James were terrific and I'm proud to represent SKN. We are slowly showing the cycling world that small islands belong here on the big stage, too!

Much love and happy off-season,

Kathryn