World Marathon Mountain Bike Championships, Kirchberg, Austria, 29th June 2013

Having qualified for the World Championships in France earlier in the year we travelled on mass with Rob and my parents to Austria via ferry and a long long drive down from Belgium. Staying right in Kirchberg we had access to all parts of the course which looped around so a few days before Rob swapped his running trainers to join me on the bike.  Our first ride was straight up a mountain to 1800m and literally straight down through the trees under the cable car.  The descent was tricky, full of wet roots and bridges and it did take us forever to get down.  The following day we stayed a bit lower and checked some more single track out.  The weather was hit and miss, warm sun but cold alpine air followed by  heavy showers, however race day looked pretty bright with rain forecast only for 2pm.  I slept badly with nerves and was feeling pretty jaded in the morning.  Still, the atmosphere at the start line woke me up and the narrow lanes we started on made sure everyone was fully alert.  The first long climb started after 8km and lasted around an hour.  It was all ridable open trails and I lost a few places as I settled into my own pace.  Considering we had 3 more of these to come some of the girls were really pushing hard.  The top of the climb was comical, it must have been up a black run up the grass to the crowds at the top and while one American in front zig zagged her way up I found it as fast to run.  I did ride the top bit with maximum effort just to get a cheer from the crowd!!  I chased hard to catch Robyn to have a familiar wheel to follow and Jennie must have done the same as we were all together at the bottom.  In a race with 55 other girls its amazing how you end up riding with familiar faces.  The next climb came soon enough and we settled into our own pace again.  

An hour or so later saw the top of another cable car, a short descent then another climb where I caught and rode with team mate Jane for a while.  I was feeling good and keen to stay in the top 20 taking more risks than I would normally to stay near Jane on the open descent.  Rob was at the bottom with a bottle of coke, having had a bottle of 32gi and an electrolyte drink.  The last climb was again on open road turning to a track then a steep finish up to the final feed where mam and dad were shouting us all on again.  

I had rode as hard as possible up the last climb to try to get a good gap for the descent.  I needed it as it was pretty wet and the track was well grooved out.  I rode it well for me though really had to be off the saddle as my forks were compressed and pretty locked out.  I fell once and ran a lot but came out without loosing any places.  Just when I thought I'd enjoy the last few corners and berms I hit a ridge and went flying into the banner to the amusement of everyone watching.  No harm done though and I was soon up and finished a mere 6 seconds in front of Jane who must have been coming twice as fast as me down that hill.  I was very pleased with 15th place, I have never thought I was much of an alpine climber and the European girls fly down those descents, I felt a lot stronger than in the last few weeks and got my fuel perfect.  A great result for Sally Bigham who got GB a silver medal and for Ariane who got 7th.  True to word it started raining at 2pm, resulting in a perfect post race afternoon lying around watching Tour de France and later supping red wine!  Big thanks to all the help I have received to be able to get on the start line of a mountain biking world championships.  4 years ago our gravel drive way would have out the fear up of God up me but thanks to John Robertson and Bizhub I've been given a chance to try this amazing sport, have travelled the world, met amazing life long friends and found a sport I'm not to shabby at!  Thanks also to Rocky Mountain for my helping me 'enjoy the ride' today, to Hendrik at Energas for his support for my European outings, to my family for their support and to Rob for risking life and limb by coming down these crazy routes with me.    Next stop Tour of Mongolia, watch this space!!