Racing the Giro!

Well, finally, we are in a place that has internet. Seems like a lot has happened since we left Lucca. We went to the town of the Prologue where we would be staying for 2 nights. That place did not have internet access. It was beautiful, the backdrop was the alps. reminded me of Germany, plus the houses were built closer to the German style.

The prologue was very cool. The course was great, fast. But the best thing was the way everything was set up just like the Tour de France for the men...the balloons, (pink, for the Giro donne), the sponsor banners and arches etc. Alison got 16th best time, 7 seconds down from winner, Tina was 10 seconds back, which was good, because if she won the next stage in a field sprint, with the bonus seconds, she could potentially put the pink jersey on. Of course, all sprinters were thinking that, especially ones who managed to do a good time (within 10 or so seconds of the winner) so we weren't thinking it would be an easy feat, we were just psyched at the opportunity.

The next stage, stage 1 was supposed to be a flat (one climb) longish affair: 150km, about 90ish miles. The sun was already blazing when we started at 11h30 and we were looking at a good 4 hours of it. We had a tailwind for the first section of the race which meant we were cruising along at 31-33 miles per hour for a while, which was sweet.....we would get there quicker!
But through the towns the roads narrowed and there were round-a-bouts and medians to navigate so that slowed things a bit....can you say girls touching their brakes too much!!!! It was nerve-racking to hear the deep dish rims screeching every 5 minutes for no real reason....somebody pass the valium.

A 2 woman break eventually scampered off the front for a long while and looked set to hold until the line as the GC teams took up the chase too late, but then, just as my speedo was reading roughly 4 miles to go and we were towards the front together getting ready for the finish, Jim comes on the radio saying that the race now had 20 km to go! aaacck! that's a heart breaker when you have gone 90 ish already, fluids are low, really hot and think you are getting ready for the finish to have to absorb the info and adjust mindset and body for another 12 or so miles!

Tina finished 15th. Which is certainly respectable given the circumstances, but of course she was disappointed as she wanted to place well and we were also disappointed for not being able to give her more help in the final extra extra miles.

Today, stage 2 is another day. We have already been woken up early this morning for drug testing. Tina, myself and Alison were selected and had to report to give blood samples. It was pretty quick, but sleep was definately interrupted. Tina is actually sleeping again as I type this. She says it seems like every time all the teams stay in the same hotel, they drug test everyone, or at least members of every team.


Anyway, now I am starving, so shall go down to breakfast. Will post photos later, just wanted to get something up about the race so far. Today the race is supposed to be 70 ish miles....we shall see....as the T Mobile girls said to us...we are in Italy...you just never know!