Welp, we did it! We brought home pink! How bout that? What a whirlwind of a trip, the race flew by full of pasta, hot box van rides(no ac), goofy bike racers, more water bottles than I can count, morning espressos and a different hotel every night.
Here is a link to each stage, where we started, finished and distances.
http://www.girorosa.it/tappe.html
My blog won't be a race report, more of the pictures I took and maybe a video if I can get it to load.
It was an honor to be chosen as part of this team and have this experience, to race the world's biggest women's race and to win it as a team, I never thought that would be a goal on my list to check off. But you can't think about it too much seeing that I'm in the airport again, headed to the next race - Cascade Cycling Classic in Bend, OR(July 16-21).
I answered a lot of questions regarding the race on the podium cafe website, along with a couple of other well known racers. Check it out here:
http://www.podiumcafe.com/2013/7/11/4513452/giro-rosa-2013-rider-reactions-part-1-marianne-vos
So here goes all the fun pictures:)!!
When we first arrived, we had no bags and no bikes(lost in transit) but we had our spare bikes thanks to USA Cycling, so we managed to spin around and start the process of ridding ourselves of jet lag. We managed to find a small, one lane, road in between the olive groves(I'm guessing). It was perfect!
Janel said that to combat jet lag, we needed to be in the sunshine in the afternoon hours. So what better way to spend you time then to paint your nails:)
The only rain we encountered was a day before the race.
Hotel #2 out of 6 or 7? I can't remember:) This one - 3 per room - Janel, Mara and myself and an automatic bathroom light that you couldn't' turn off at night! So if anyone went to the bathroom, the light came on and then stayed on for 10min. Not cool Italy, not cool.
Day 1 - I finished 8th. That's me in the orange helmet..... Day 2 - I finished 4th, no picture here, gotta go to FB to find it or maybe podium cafe.
Hotel #3 - 4 per room - KMac, Andrea, Brie and myself....
But the view was worth it!
Hotel #4 - 2 per room - myself and Andrea
Before one of the starts, these ladies were enjoying all the commotion, so I asked if I could take their picture for my mom;)
Hotel #5, 2 per room - Andrea and myself. This hotel was right on the beach, it was beautiful!!!! By far the best breakfast during the whole trip.
We had a daily schedule everyday. Bags out, breakfast, leaving time, transfer post race, dinner....
Our breakfast by the ocean!
We started in this mountain town, it was so beautiful! Waterfalls, mountains.....
The green banner is where we go to sign in everyday, stand on the stage for team presentation and take pictures.
Just a quick photo of the teams and fans checking everything out.
It was beautiful!
Once you arrive, fans start coming around wanting bottles, autographs and pictures....I wanted to take a photo of them around us for fun.....this is what it looks like.
Once we knew Mara had the jersey, we all changed into our pink t-shirts that cutaway made for us for the Giro. The fun was just about to start;)
Parking for dinner;)
Our last supper before flying out the next day - PIZZA!!!!
A small write up in the Italian paper, pretty lame but take what we can get I guess?
I hope you can view the video, it's just a little insight of what we did everyday, post race:) ESPECIALLY after we won - poor Jack had to drive us and the van was ROCKING with girlie music;) hahaha!!!!
Reading: The Dogs of Bedlam Farm by Jon Katz
Listening: Merle Haggard station on Pandora
Eating: most anything that isn't pasta
Watching: the airplanes taxi at the Denver airport
Website:
www.podiumcafe.com
