A little posing for the camera (Photo: Bob Foy)

Then I’m about to pack my suitcase and move out of the pleasant warm temperatures and back to cold Denmark. I’ve had a great time based at Club La Santa, but it will be great to get some home-feeling before taking off for Cyprus, where the first races of the season will be (the Sunshine Cup).

My training here has been a combination of miles on the road and some racemiles on the mountainbike. I took part of the 4 day Stage Race at Club La Santa, for adding some fun and intensity on the bike. I had a great race and the competition was really hard this year. With Sally Bigham and Adelheid Morath there was not much chance for slowing down the pace. We ended up racing really close and was it not for me escaping early on stage 2 and 4, there woulnd’t have been much of a chance for an overall win. The extreme wind and the fact that we raced along with the men certainly was decisive.

In Denmark, I will focus on recovering and being careful not catching a cold due to the low temperatures. Actually I haven’t seen any snow this winter yet, so I look forward to that yeee!

Photo: Bob Foy

This week I’ve been living as a roadracer! Together with the danish U23 road boys I’ve been exploring literally every inch of the roads here on Lanzarote. Based at Club La Santa training has been very easy, since I only have to worry about training, eating and resting. I’ve even managed to almost read an entire book, which I can’t remember, when I last did. The U23 training is very organized. We ride in groups of 6, side by side, shifting at the front every 10th minute. We even have a support car behind us all the time. Very different from the mountainbike training I normally do, so please bear with me. I think this is makes an exellent base for my further training. The boys are very strong, so if you are interested in roadracing, my hint would be to watch out for them during 2012!

Statistics for the week say 774 km, 26 hours, 10.600 meters of climbing with my heart beating with average of 129 times pr. minute. Then add 1 tube of chamois creme ( for my butt), 1 flat tire, 1 sunburn, 4 times of chain lubrication, 2 new cables, a dead seagull and now you understand why I look forward to some action at the mountainbike races

In less than a week, I’m off to La Santa, Lanzarote. My training so far this winter has been good. I’ve been combining trips on the road with mountainbiking and strenght training. A couple of days ago I rode one of the muddiest races so far. It was a x-duathlon race, where you combine trailrunning and mountainbike. It for sure made me appreciate those days, where the forest is dry and dusty.

Foto: Ganløse tri-center

2011 is past and a new season is on it’s way. Soon I’ll be training under warmer conditions, and the first milestone will be my training camp on Lanzarote. First I’ll do some roadmiles with the national U23 roadteam, then I’ll join a friend of mine on Fuerteventura ( the neighbor island ) and finally go back to Lanzarote to spend some time on the mountainbike with a 4 day stage race. Man, looking forward to this, is almost the only thing getting my through this cold and wet danish winterweather!

And to do some follow up on my last post, I didn’t win the award. The danish Tour de France star, Lars Bak, ran away with the hearts of many danish cyclingfans for his work pulling the field through France. And that’s what counts, when the award is deciced by the public. Not many people knows, what’s going on in the mountainbikeworld. Well, well, never mind ( I can still go shopping without being recognized, and that is a peaceful life).

A funny story is, that Lars and I actually origin from the same town, Silkeborg. Back in 2004 I was working at a café, where Lars came by now and then. I actually think, he dated one of my kolleagues oh, yeah, sweet memories

Togehter with 4 other Danish Riders I’ve been nominated for the National Cycling Federation title “Rider of the year”. Who will be the lucky winner? You’ll get the answer at the ceremony 20. december.

Guido Andolfato

Photo: www.marginmedia.dk

Yesterday a journalist asked me, what the best part about being a mountainbiker was. I didn’t hesitate to answer: “my everyday”. Right now I enjoy my time in Copenhagen training with the guys, combined with local races. This is pure reloading towards next year. It reminds me, what made me mountainbike in the first place.

The preparations this winter will pretty much be the same as last winter, going to La Santa, Lanzarote in january. For the moment the conditions for training outside in Denmark are just perfect, so there’s no place I’d rather be, than here

Photo: Guido Andolfato

A highlight from 2011, catching the rainbow in Montebelluna. I now draw a line, putting 2011 behind me and will be ready to embrace 2012.

Photo: Bo Skakke. www.marginmedia.dk

Photo: A. Gilgen

The final race of the German Bundesliga was one the best races of the season! Not because of the result, but because I was finally able to race again. For the first time in 1,5 months not feeling inhibited by my ribs. In the race I finished 4th, which at the same time lead to overall victory of the Bundesliga 2011.

Rounding off season 2011, the Bundesliga race in Bad Salzdetfurth was just what I needed. After a long time of recovering from the broken ribs, I rode a danish race last week as a test to see how my body would react working at race speed. I felt good during the race, didn’t have to withdraw and it was just the right medicine to get tuned for the Bundesliga final.

Full of optimism I attended the race in Bad Salzdethfurth. I was feeling the eager to race, with excitement and the butterflies in my stomach. I had a great weekend seeing my Easton Rockets teammates again and just enjoying the atmosphere.

The race itself was really exciting. After being away for a while, I had absolutely no idea where my level would be compared to my competitors. A lot of the girls still holding on to their world championship form and top names at the startline. Since this was my last race of the season, I had all to win and nothing to loose. I just wanted to race with the front and see what happened.

The start was just my thing. Uphill for maybe 5 minutes, which stretched out the field. I was a little nervous, that the girls would just ride straight away, leaving me with the same dead feeling, which has been the case for the last 1,5 months. But that wasn’t the case at all! Feeling comfortable, I could follow the pace at the front and after the startloop, we were a group consisting of Irina Kalentieva, Gunn-Rita Dahle, Lisi Osl, Blaza Klemencic and me.

Photo: A. Gilgen

Blaza made sure, that the speed didn’t slow down, and so we more or less continued a few laps. The course was really great; fun, dusty and really steep climbing. In our group, it soon got clear, that everybody went for the victory with different tactics! This is when racing turns thrilling for both riders and spectators! Gunn-Rita all the sudden started to pull away and soon Irina was on the chase with Blaza and me on the tail. On the climbs Irina was really putting the hammer down, I was riding on limit!.. Irina pulled away and going into the final lap, I still had Gunn-Rita and her within sight, my legs starting to cramp. I had to let go on the gas and on a steep part of the climbing, Blaza attacked!.. I wasn’t able to respond, just focusing on keeping my podiumspot. I could feel, that I already had reached my goal for the race; being able to ride with the front. I kept my 4th position to the finishline, crossing very satisfied! Irina had even managed to overtake Gunn-Rita and won the race.

Finishing my season feeling on top again, will maintain my motivation through the winter, looking forward to return the the World Cups and the Bundesliga races!

Champaign for a great finish of 2011 (Photo A. Gilgen)

Photo: Jake Orness

The World Championships are over, and so is the pacing-myself too! For three weeks I’ve been pushing on with a wornout mind and body with 2 broken ribs. The last couple of races have been like digging a hole under me deeper and deeper! Now, I’m changing strategy and pulling the plug to recover so I can start climbing towards the surface again before it’s too late

Since the WorldCup podium in Windham, where I finished third, my wheels haven’t been rolling properly. Preparations were supposed to get me ready for the World Championships and the last races of the season. Maybe things ( and results) would have gone in a different direction, if it wasn’t for a crash three weeks ago, where I smashed my ribs. Fact is, that I’ve been denying pain with painkillers, frustation and lack of selfconfidence and focus.

I hope, this episode has tought me a few things. I know, that this decline is unavoidable as an athlete ( as well as in life in general ). I don’t know, if I’m done racing this season. I know, it will take 3 – 5 weeks before the hurting ribs start fading. I prioritize my healing for the moment.

And for the World Championships – I just wasn’t able to race. After the first lap, my body was screaming – no, no, no, what are you doing?!?.. I was not riding, it felt like crawling along very stiff and cramped.

For the winner of the race, Catharine Pendrel, my deepest respect! No one deserved the rainbow jersey more. I will be joining next season