Lauren Hall: Energiewacht Tour

Wednesday started the Energiewacht Tour for us with 109k of crosswinds and so much more. The entire bunch was stopped twice due to a train running on the tracks we raced across, then a draw bridge was raised due to a boat going underneath - there are lots of dykes here with lots of barges and tugboats. THEN we were taken off course and into everyday traffic and we had to turn back on ourselves, it was all crazy! AND the funniest part - we almost took out some everyday grandpa going out on his bike for groceries and never heard us coming - poor guy!!!

Usually you have to worry about big Dutch girls, crosswinds, how close you can ride to the side of the road before teetering off the edge at high speeds, road furniture(curbs, pedestrian crossings with poles in the middle of the road and round about things) and crazy girls just taking wheels out from underneath you but that first day added so much more....you just gotta laugh at it sometimes. I finished in the 3 group of the day - not great/not bad.

Day 2: more crosswinds, more gutter riding for 103k. Today I made it to the second group, progression, baby steps.

Day 3: Double DAY! We woke and left the house at 7:15 and made it home at 8:30 - long ass day. Kmac and myself went to recon the tt course just to have an idea of what to expect. I really enjoy the tt’s over here, more technical, not just uphill and you have to really plan your ride right - it’s just harder. Plus small roads, crosswinds, bike paths, paver finishes - FUN! Another cool thing, you have your very own moto, so you don’t have to think about were you are going, just follow that guy in front. I finished 26th I think, I was mostly happy with the performance. Then it was time to warm up, get changed, start recovering, transfer to the next stage - 77k road race.

The road race was narrow and more crit like, big laps with a fast finish. I think by the photos on twitter, 2 girls crashed into the canal - full of water!!! COLD!!!! Poor things. Anywho, I surfed to the front on the last lap and it was an intense finish, my life was in my hands it felt like! hahaha!

Day 4: 134k of crosswinds, gutters and big girls. Bad positioning = 3rd or 4th group, then we worked to catch the next group and just worked it till the end to get the race over with, other wise it would’ve been a 5hr day! But it was still good racing and good for me in the long run - I know it.

Day 5: 99k - 7 laps of a cool circuit, mostly through town. We tried like hell for a break and Ruth got away and a group bridged to her - SUCCESS! She was 6th on the day and tickled to death as were we. She is a good kid and a great teammate.

Afterwards, it was time to change, then head back to Sittard - 3hr drive. Once here at Fitland, unpack, eat dinner, get the plan for the week, shower, BED! We will be based here for the rest of the time here in Europe.