RACE DIARY OF ANDREA GRAUS - AUSTRIAN PROFESSIONAL CYCLIST

JANUARY 2011 : FIRST TRAININGSESSION IN GRAN CANARIA

On the 14th of January I went together with Daniele Pintarelli, Andreas Traxl and Tobias Jenny to my favorite Isle of the Canaries, Gran Canaria. It were my first trainingskilometers outside this year, I trained inside already but it is more fun to train with a temperature of 20 degrees and more. In these nice weather conditions it was so much fun to train the the hours passed by like minutes and the kilometers felt like meters. Together we gathered a lot of kilometers of which a lot of uphill. In the evening we did some tabletennis tournements together and had a lot of fun. My first 11 traningdays were over like they never excisted. After this trainingssession I didn't go back to my 'Tirollerland' but I went immediately towards Italy To the Garda Lake were I did a teamtraining with my new 'Kleo Ladies Team'. no more training in 20 degress there. Instead of riding in short sleeves I needed to get on my thermojackets again. Unless this it was fun to train together with my new team and the meeting with them and the teammanagement was super. I really learned to know them better there. Now back in Austria my trainings are different again. I do some skiing and langlaufing but also do my training in my basement on my bike. Next week on February 15 I go back to Italy to have a new teamstrainingssession while on the 18th there is our official teampresentation in Verona

ciao

Andrea

27/06 : THE AUSTRIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS : 1St

Austrian Road Championships - victory!!!

...about 2 "cancelled" nights, Austrian race organisation, a clear lead and a narrow victory

With a disappointing "Nature Valley GP", a flight delay with a chaos-night at Denver`s airport at my way home from Minneapolis to Sacramento, only 2 days at home in El Dorado Hills,... didn`t feel like I it would be worth spending another 2 traveling day, another sleepless night in the plane to go to Austria trying to gain the Austrian Road Title...
However... flight was booked, family and friends waiting for my arrival,... I found myself in the plane from San Francisco to London and then London to Munich only 2 days after my arrival home from Nature Valley and only 2 days before our national championships. This time flights were in time and except crying babys right, left, in front and behind me all the 12 hours of flying time (I guess it must have been 20 kids at least;) my journey went well. Without any sleep I arrived in Munich friday noon, and forced myself to stay awake and get on my bike immediatley. After training and a great massage from my friend I felt better (but tired). Saturday was traveling day to Oberösterreich - through half of Austria!!! (which seems not that far after spending half a year in the US;), race preparation and making up sleeping time...
Sunday`s race included almost 2000 meters of difference in altitude on 3 laps á 38 km. There was one long climb each lap and a steep 500m climb 1k before the finish line. Honestly I didn`t feel that great at the race day and my feeling didn`t get better when everyone told me how much the level of Austria`s women`s cycling had improved this year. Although I am not the same strong rider I`ve been yet, everyone seemed to watch me during the race. But teams were much more balanced this year and whereas I competed as a solist against one dominant team with more than 10 riders in past years it was a really colourful-mixed-jerseys-peloton this year and also for me it was the first time having teammates from my Austrian club since 2005 (the last time I won the title).
In the beginning of the race weaker riders of teams attacked and as I had to concentrate on the strongest I didn`t go with these attacks. In the middle of the race 3 of these riders were 3 minutes in front and although we knew these were not the strongest, we began to chase (wouldn`t have been the first time with surprising Austrian champions). Immediately after we caught the 3, another girl attacked, one of my teammates went with her and as nobody worked in the peloton they again made a lot of time immediately. In the last long climb 15 km before the finish I went full speed, made up 2 minutes to the leading girls and could catch them at the top of the mountain. Unfortunately my teammate couldn`t follow and so we were 2 in front. In the long downhill and flat section the group behind us caught up again but at this time I was already confident for having a good hill-top-finish as I was the strongest on the long climb as well. So I waited `till the 1000m and gave all I had in this 500m-climb. Nobody could follow and I had a huge gap with 400 flat meters to go... For some reason my legs (not me;) wanted to make the decision more exiting for the spectators - and first time in my cycling-life my legs suddenly cramped. I saw the finish line in front of me and it seemed I can`t reach it anymore... the girls behind me came closer and closer... somehow I managed it to do some more pedal-turns and then rolled over the finish line - as the winner - only 2 seconds before the silver-medalist.
It was great!
I exspected nothing and won it all! My first victory since I won Mailand`s UCI-race beginning of March 2008!!!
Besides all my joy of the win I was soon aware again why I don`t really miss Austrian racing: my name was never mentioned by the announcer - not even when I crossed the finish line first, there was no winner`s interview, no national anthem,...couldn`t believe they didn`t forget the champion`s jersey at the winner`s ceremony
...not that I don`t like green, but I am so exited to wear my red-and-white jersey for another year. (but I promise - I`ll still go green;)

Thanks, WEBCOR (and my Austrian Radteam NÖ), for making my successful participation - far away from my temporary home - possible.

Andrea

16/05 : GP Sacramento : 39th

..about black tie optional clothing, 4 corner rectangles and a podium sprint
Finally – summer also in Northern California – just in time to welcome the Tour of California
and its participants from all over the world.
Already two days before the Tour started, Joelle and I got the possibility to join the men's
gala-dinner and team presentation together with the representatives of one of the Tour`s host
cities, San Jose. It was really amazing seeing the Tour`s great heroes (including one Austrian
professional, with whom I could finally use my Austrian dialect again after a while!), partially
protected by police and security as if they were rock stars (anyway – for me they are, or more
than that). ...By the way: since that day Joelle and I also know what `black tie optional
clothing` means (and Joelle will for sure be reminded of it whenever she is wearing her new
beautiful dress bought for this occasion in the future;)
AND... there was also a race for women during the Tour of California. We had a crit in
Sacramento, only a couple of hours before the men were expected to arrive in downtown after
their first stage of the tour. Although I am still working on getting used to America`s crits (a
kind of race which rarely takes place in Europe), I was looking forward to this race as
Sacramento is more or less my home town for this season. As expected, we had a huge
audience watching our race through downtown. Unfortunately the course was kind of boring –
4 corners, 2 long and 2 short straight wide streets. With all the attacks happening on the
parallel street to the start finish line, those people (including Karen as our sportive director
and the majority of all the audience) watching at the start finish line, didn`t see the real great
show of racing. However from my point of view, I can say, we really raced. I counted more
than 10 attacks that I covered, and we finished with an average speed of almost 42 km/h (I
know that’s European, not American). Lindsay, Amber (it was her first race for WEBCOR)
and I tried to be present at the front covering all major attacks and chasing any break aways in
case we missed it. We didn`t plan to race too actively ourselves as we had our sprinter Joelle
sitting in the peloton. So we weren`t too unhappy that no breakaway really got away and the
peloton prepared for a bunch sprint. Unfortunately our sprint-train still needs some training
(or gas or power or courage or...) and we weren`t able to give Joelle the ultimative green fast
protected super unbeatable awesome Webcor leadout, ...however she finished on the podium
as 3rd.
Good job Joelle, and expect the ultimative green fast protected super unbeatable awesome
Webcor leadout for the next sprint, okay!

 

28/04 - 02/05 : TOUR OF THE GILA : 39th-17th-20th-35th-27th + 19the in the overallranking

This Tour consisted out of 3 stageraces, a timetrial and a criterium

After the omnium in Albuquerque our team rode immediately towards Silvercity over roads where there was only 'nothig' just the wilderness of New Mexico, to compete in the Tour of the Gila. This Tour is famous and known as one of the hardest races in the Usa. The race started at 2000m hight and there were climbs from more the 16km long so we had to reach hight af about 2500m, these hights can't be found in my homeland Austria, unless you look for Gletschers. Till know i knew these heights only from hightrainingssessions.

The first stage was a rahter boring stage, riding on long straight roads for about 100km but then reaching the final climb of 16km. Unfortunately there was a crash just before we started the final climb. Luckily I could avoid crashing (seeing the images of last season before me ...) but I stood still while some who crashed his handlebars strangled in my wheel, so it took me a lot of time to get back on my bike and taking a new wheel. The crash scared me again and I rode to the finsih in my own tempo not in a racing tempo. On top I lost more then eight minutes on the winner and took only a 39th spot. So from stage one I could forget a good ranking, but for the Webcor team it went good while Katheryn wad able to take a third spot on the stage.

The second stage was a very windy stage, and this remembered me of the windy races I rode in Belgium and Holland. But the wind we faced today was much harder, like a storm. Luckily from the start of the stage the tempo was really hard so on the first climb we were only with twenty riders left. Being in this group I was less scared and affraid of crashing due to the heavy winds, so in group we rode to the final climb. During this last climb on large streets we lost a couple of riders who crashed due to the wind or due to some blasts that some riders turned their bike 180 degrees and rode again downhill... I was lucky to reach the finish safely and with a 17th place in the stage I climbed towards place 20 in the overallranking. The webcor team lost in this Mexican 'Hell' two riders so we were only four to defend the 'Green' colours.

Stage three was a very windy timetrail in wich i finisehd with a 20th time and in cwhich Erinne took a real good second spot.

Stage four was a kriterium in which the speed was really high and it was not that easy for me. Kriterium are still not my cup of tea, I am still afaraid of the speed and the crashes so I was happy finishing in the mainbunch.

The fifth and last stage was again a real hard one. From the start I attacked and I was in the escape of the day. I did this to help Erinne to defend her classification taking the bonificationsseconds. The team of the raceleader Mara Abbott controled the race behind us, so just before the last climb everyone of the leadinggroup was caught again. I did my work for the Team and hopes the Erinne would be able to stay on the seocnd spot, but unfortunately she missed the podium in the finalranking. After my work for the team I rode in my own tempo towards the finish. This stagerace was really good for me, day by day I felt stronger again , I helped the team but after five hard days I was really exhausted and happy to return back home leaving the storms behind me. Taking a 19th place in the overallranking was rahter unexpected and the Gila Tour as quiet great because there were a lot of supporters (due to the fact that the mens'race with Leipheimer and Armstrong were held at the same time).

	Stageplace	Overallranking
Stage 5	27st	19th
Stage 4	35th	21th
Stage 3	20th	20th
Stage 2	17th	20th
Stage 1	39th	39th

24/04 : ROADRUNNER IN ALBUQUERQUE (New Mexico) : 10the and 8th

Together with my teammates Katheryn and Erinne in the first edition of the Roadrunner Omnium in Albuquerque. When we arrived at the airport , the only thing we saw was snow .... The next day while we were training on the track the snow was gone but is like we rode in a storm, such a wind. The day of the race the win was less but still strongly blowing. On a hight of 2000m and with such a wind we really cold speak about heavy weatherconditions. The race was split in two. The first part was an idividual timetrial over 10km (the lenght of one round) and later in the after noon we had to do a roadrace containing 6 laps. In the timetrial I finished on a tenth spot while after the roadrace I climbed towards place 8 in the overallranking. With Katheryn finishing on place three and Erinne on a 6th spot it was a succesful but long day for our Webcor team.

Now I continue on travelling towards Silvercity where from wednesday on (that will be Thursday in Europe) I will compete in the five day long stagerace : The Tour of Gila.

Till soon, Andrea

17/04 : SEA OTTER CLASSIC : 8th

My first race in three weeks on a racecircuit. I was classified as 8th ... my first top ten place since soooo long. A group of three sprinted for the victory. I was in a second group of 8 riders to finish the race

25/03 - 28/03 : REDLANDS BICYCLE CLASSICS

Prologue : My first race after almost a year. When I saw the track I really thought it was something for me, only 5 km with the last part uphill. Due to the stress and the smog I arrived breathles and clocked only the 43rd time. It was not what I had expected, but due to all the missery of last season I really had to be happy, I finished in the first 1/3 of the whole field.

First stage : In the beginning of the stage i didn't felt quit good stillbreathing troubles but as the kilometers passed by I got batter and I felt really good to compete again wiht others in a complete bunch. I even felt so got that in the both uphillsprints ofr the mountainsranking I was able to get some points for this rankig. I finished the race in the first bunch where myyoung teammate joelle was able to sprint towards place three. Cool...

Second stage : a criterium : My first criterium in the USA. In Europe, stageraces don't have a criteriumstage, but in the USA there is always such a stage, and as you know I am not fond of criteriums. I really had to addapt again to this kind of races. The stage took only one hour of racing but my avaragepulse after this race was higher then in the porlogue which took only 10 minutes ...It was a technical race with a lot of cornering but I was able to finish in the mainbunch ...

Third stage : The last but also the most difficult stage. We had to ride 9 lpas with always a serious climb in it, no time to rest, temperatures of more then 30 degrees and a very fast and active race. From the beginning a lot of girls were in difficulties and after 2/3 of the race I was still riding in thefirst group.With two laps to go 11 riders escaped (with my teammate Katheryn) and they sprinted for the victory. I finished in a second group of 12, about 3 minutes behind the winner. This stage made me win several places in the overallranking and I finished my first stagerace since the Giro 2009 as 22nd, 6'20" behind the winner. I know I still need a lot of training and patience to competed on the highest level again, but finishing as 22nd with more then 120 competitors isn't that bad and gives me courage.

For my team is was a good start of the season but I am careful, sometimes to impatient, not at my level again but I am very hopeful and ... back on the road ...

a lot of Californiangreetings

Andrea

	Stageplace	Overallranking
Stage 3 : 95km	21st	22th + 8th GC mountain
Stage 2 : 45km	59th	36th
Stage 1 : 105km	28th	40th
Prologue: 5km	43th	43th

15/03/10 : THE REAL NEW START ...

Teamtraining in the Bay-Area and San Luis Obispo : At last it arrived ... the first complete teammeting with my my new team Webcor and it was a complete succes. I have found again a team in which I really feel good. With my three American and four Canadien teammates I spent two super, full of surprises, funny and sometimes stressy weeks in California

Next to mesuring the new bikes, fitting the new shoes , some photoshoots, getting the new clothes, training together, short trips with the sponsors (Ritchey), we also had our teampresentation at Webcor in SanFrancisco. It was very interesting meeting most of my new sponsors in person. Afterwards we made a sighseeing Tour throughout San Francisco looking for their 'Eifeltower' and chasing the American dream. After one week in Bay-Area we rode further direction SOuth and trained three more days in San Luis Obispo where we visited our clothingsponsor Voler.

Then we drove 4 hours more on Highway one direction south and we arrived two days before our first race in Redlands, where we didn't sleep in hotels like in Europe but we were welcomed in a hostfamily....

 

March 2010 : ARRIVING IN CALIFORNIA

I know it took a long time before I wrote again something in my diary (Between my new trainingstart, the signing of my new contract, my trip towards the Usa, I had at the end of 2009 again an operation, my appendix needed to be removed so I spent Nexyearseve in a hospital, at last then end of a very bad 2009). I really believe that 2010 will be much much better then 2009.

For the first time in years I didn't start my training towards the new season on the Canary Islands or in Mallorca but I just stayed at home also due to the several operations I had, so my first trainings were langlaufen, some skiingtours and a lot of powertraining in the fittness. I also decided to go one month earlier towards the States to train there and build up a good from to start the season. On Valentinesday, February 14. I took my flight towards California for the re-start of my career. This is excatly one month befroe the seasonsart with the Webcor team. My intention is to ride there a lot of trainingskilometers in a sunny climat, builing up towards half March when it really begins.

After wtaying 5 days in Redwoodcity and a restday in California, I finally arived in my new house in El Dorado Hills. Luckily after some days I already could find my way in this new house because it is very big (320 square meter) as you can see on the photo. I really feel very comfortable on my new bike, but since I train in Amerika I see that training is very different there then in Europe. For the Americans, a groupstraining is more a racesimulation and a doing a good trainig to build up towards the new saison. So the next weeks I will do the trainings on my own or with one or tw other riders who can be my 'Routeplanners' throughout California. Next week I will meet at a trainingssession my new team and teammates. I really look forward to this and also towards my first race (I know that my condition isn't that good for the moment, but step by step I 'll get towards the top again) after suuuuuuch a long time : The Redlands Classic in the South of California (that is about 8 houres of driving from where i live now). I just need to realise the big distances in the Usa, but for the rest everything goes 'Super'

Sunny trainingsgreetings

Andrea

30/11/09 : A NEW START - A NEW TEAM - NEW RACES

Next saison I will race for the best womensteam in the USA : WEBCOR BUILDERS - GO GREEN

To stop all the speculations about a new team, a careerend, .... well next saison I will race for Team Webcor.

Also in 2010 I will ride as a professional sporter and I signed a contract with the American Team Webcor. This means that I have to leave Austria and have to live in the USA. My new team is situated in California in Sillicon Valley, in the neighbourhood of San Francisco. I really look forward for this 'Newstart' in my career. A new team, a new neighbourhood, new roads to train on, new races I can discover. After the last two years with all my injuries it os better for me to leace Europe and I also hope to leave the bad memories behind me in my new team. For me it really means a new start and a new boost in my career and continue my dream to become again member of the best riders in the world. I started training again, five times a week I go to the fitness to re-build my strenght again after so many weeks and months without intensive trainings. Meanwhile, 6 times a week, I also do my roadtrainings, sometimes already very long and due to the fantastic Novermberweather it is really fun to train in nature. I realise that I still have a lot backlog onto the other riders but I really try to build up my shpae and I am sure I will be 'race-ready' as soon as possible.

Normally I will fly towards the States in February to setlle myself in California, first recovering from the jetlag and then to train on my own. IN March I will meat my new team in a first trainingssession together, I like it looks now I will take a new careerstart as racer at the en of March. Normally the team will participate in all the big one day races and stageraces in the Usa and Canada. More info about my new team can be found here.

Sunny greetings, Andrea

 

Oktober 2009 : TEAMGOODBYE

Normally this time of year we have an appointment with the team for the first teammeeting and a teambuildingsession but this year we had an appointment with the team for a goodbye. At the end of this season the Bigla-team stopsas international UCI-team and everybody who was ever involved with the team was invited for a last meetingand a last dinner to thank everybody. It was a sad but also happy meeting with a lot of good and bad memories. Although Austria and Switserland are two small contries I had during my trip to the meeting a lot of time to think about the yaers I rode for thiw team. For me it is a sad leavind because due to my continuing injuries and crashes I nearly had no possibility to show how worthy I could be for the team the last two seasons? It is hard for me to look in a positiv way towards my further career. Due to my injuries I have the feeling that I missed the opportunities to work hard for the team and to win races for this worthy sponsor. For me the Bigla team will always have a special place in my heart. This team was my first professional team in 2006, they gave me the opportunity to become professional and make my dreamprofession come true. I consider my teammates more 'freinds' then teammate which was very good. I rode three of my four professional years in this team and I appreciate it a lot that the team never let me down after all my crashes. I would like to thank also Fritz Bösch without whom there would never had excisted a team, Felice Puttini who gave us always professional information in and next to the races, Simone Trafelet who massaged us and made us feel good after the hard races and who stayed with me in the hospital of Napels after my last crash. Also thank to Emilio (the second teamdirector) and the mechanic Gabriele, the teammanager and last but not least my teamfriends Nicole, Noemi, Monica, Jennifer, Bettina, Karin, Veronica, Modesta and Zulfia and all our sponsrs and fans.... thanks a lot. I am happy I was part of this team, a team which I builded for a part.

 

What about my future now, well consider it as 'written in the stars'. It is very difficult after so much of unluck to have hope again to find a new team which is equaly to the Bigla team and in which I can proove that my career is far from over. So if any team is interested please give me a call. One of the options is signing a contract fro the American team Webcor to re-start my carer there for the first months of 2010 and to get good results again so that some European teams can get interested again in me and to get back to the best teams and riders of the world, because ....

EVERY END HAS A NEW START

Andrea

12/07 : CRASH AGAIN AND SEASONSEND

The Giro was my third international rave over several stages after the bad period. Every day I felt better again and more comfortable in the field. I was sure that I was slowly building up towards the highpoint of my season, the worldchampionships in Mendrisio en of September... but just like the last two years, everything turned our different then hoped. Just like in the ne of February I crashed again in the very last stage of the Giro. In the narrow streets of the last stage my frontwheel wnet in a hole in the road, I lost my baddlebars (It seems that I hace very small hands) and I crashed with my heas right on to the curbs of the road. The first opinions were the I had a skull crack bbut luckily this wasn't donfirmed afterwards., but unless this the list of injuries is still long enough. Injuries in the face (they had to sew mu lips on two places, my nose was broken, deep wound on both kness, again a broken colarbone and also the ribs which were broken in February are injured again. I stayed some days in the hospital of Napoli but for me it seemed like weeks because medically the were not good, I didn't receive any of my clothes and also hygianical it was bad. Luckily I could count again on our physical trainer Simonne who I thank a lot. At last I could be transported towards Innsbruck where I would get a new medical check-up. I just though only a new operation for my colarbone and then restart training again and then hoping to do some race again. But...after ter the transpot owards Innsbruck they diagnosed a trombose and a pulmonary embilosm. so the saison is over for me. I just thought that I suvived a hectic 2008 and was climbing towards the international top again but it look like 2009 is even more be-wotched. I was hoping to end the saison unlees the operations i still neede for my colarbone and then going stronger towards 2010 but it all went so wrong, another stupid crash like 13 in a dozen and why me again??

IUnlees this iI still that I will stand up one more then I crash. I know that since my last victory in March 2008 and know I didn't show a lot of what I am worth in the international field and I know it will be hard to have a new professional contract for 2010 but I don't give up... I will come back no mather how, I want to be again on the international platform where I was at then end of 2007.

Last of all I want to thank you all for supporting me during and after my crash, following it throughout my homepage and hopefully it will give some positive news soon.

03/07 - 12/07 : GIRO D'ITALIA

	Stageplace	Overallranking
Stage 9 : Grumo Nevano : 111km	serious crash	DNF
Stage 8 : Pesca Sannita : 115km	63th	64th
Stage 7 : Castel del Monte : 120km	78th	70th
Stage 6 : St Elena Sannita : 120km	77th	65th
Stage 5 : Cerro al Volturno : 110km	42th	60th
Stage 4 : Porto San Elpedia : 110km	111th	68th
Stage 3 : Monte Serra : 106km	75th	65th
Stage 2 : St Maria a Monte 15km	54th	44th
Stage 1 : Pratolino di Vaglia 100km	43th	39th
Prologue : Scarperia 2,5 km	50th	50th

18/06 - 19/06 : GIRO DEL TRENTINO

	Stageplace	Overallranking
Stage 2 : Faedo : 106km	21th	21th
Stage 1 : Mozambano : 106km	57th	57th

Stage one : Arco-Mozambano : 106km : 57th

The first stage in this years Giro del Trentino was a flat stage from North to South racing next to the borders of the beautifull lake Garda. Although the fact that we had to race against a strong wind, and a small hill the stage ended in a massivesprint which my former teammate Regina Schleicher (Team Nürnberger) won. So the second stage had to make the decission about who would win the Giro.

Stage two : Riva - Faedo : 106km : 21st

After 55 km we reacher the highest level in this stage, on the third climb of the day we rounded the 1100 m border. I was at that moment part of a leadersgroup of 20 riders and that feeling was enormous. I was happy being with the best again and was looking forward to the final climb towards Faedo which I did already several times in my career. Unfortunately I was happy too soon. In the downhill towards the valley I had to let the group go .... for the first time in my career i was dropped in a downhill :-( Now I know that my crash in Mallorca during a downhill is still in my head unless the fast that the physical in juries are gone I have to come back mentally too. In the last kilometers the other members of the first group splitted again but I wans't able to join them again. Even the second group came back to me but in the 6 km long last climb I prooved again that my level and strenght are growing again. I ataacked and attacked and was able to get rid of the others again. The other 20 riders were too far so I had to be happy with a 21st spot. Due to the massive sprint instage one 21 was also my place in the overallranking. More then my bad downhill I know that every race I get better and better and races of several days are good for me.

Next appointment : 28/06 : The Austrian championships and taking my second national jersey in Oberwart/Burgenland.

11/06 - 14/06 : IURRETA-EMAKUMEEN BIRA

	Stageplace	Overallranking
Stage 5 : Orduna : 123km	65th	42th
Stage 4 : Elgoibar : 79km	33th	33th
Stage 3 : Iurreta : 2,2km ITT	31th	32th
Stage 2 : Amurrio : 92km	48th	46th
Stage 1 : Iurreta : 76km	47th	47th

Two days after my real comeback I started in this stagerace with less nervosity and the feeling that I was able to finished this 4 stages long race. I know I am not able yet to ride for a long time on my maximumpulse and that the worldtop is still to strong for me especially on the long hard climbs BUT till 1/3 I am able to fight again and step by step I feel that I am growing again towards an expectable level. Till the last stage I was able to keep myself on a 33th spot in the overallranking, sith a lost of three and four minutes in the stage and then the last day .... loosing 8 minutes and 10 place in the GC ... it had nothing to do with my fighter spirit or not feeling good but it is all due to the work I had to do for my team. Before the last stage Noemi was on the second spot in the overallranking. The teamorders that morning were easy. bring Noemi into a good position on top of the last climb. As hard as I could I took the last climb to exhaust the others and I succeeded. From the top of that last climb i rode freewheeling towards the finish in Orduna. My goal was reached I wroked hard, felt good but .... lost 8 minutes in the last 10 kilomers :-)

Now I have to wait how my body reacts on the efforts I made the last three days because from now on till the start of the Giro del Trentino I have only three days of recuperation.

09/06 : DURANGO - DURANGO (Esp) : 113km : 34th

My international comeback, my first UCI-race since July 2008. At last .... back together with the Team, meet cyclinggirls from all over the world, see what the trainingssessions mean in the real races, give everything again, attacking and at last being one of the group again. After the teammeeting in the teamhouse in Tessin we flew to Spain, checking in in our hotel. Everything was again since i left the international scene just like I never left the cyclingcircus. The only difference was that everybody wanted to talk to me again, asking how I felt, wishing me luck in my comeback, I had to answer questions about myself in every language and it felt wonderful being part of it again. I felt really good and this feeling continued during the race like I was never ill and never had a crash.

Before the start I was really nervous, more then before, although the team and the concurrents said the I had nothing to loose but everything to win, but I knew that al the other riders already had about 70 races more in their legs then me. The race went really good. I was able to be aktiv in the race, I even was in some counter-attacks and I surpirsed myself the most in attacking myself during the race. On the two lag long climbs i wasn't able (like I expected) to follow the real starts of the peloton but I was able to maintain the tempo in the second bug bunch. I lost about 2'30" on the winner and was classified as 34th. Together with the win of my teammate Noemi it was for me a personal victory to finsih the race in the second bunch.

31/05 - 01/06 : RACES IN MERDINGEN AND SALZBURG : A 2nd AND 3rd PLACE

On Monday I participated in the race in Merdingen, this time not a criterium but a real race with a nice climb in it. In the fourth of secen laps I was able to escape together with two German and one girl from France. It was still 50 km to go and there was a real hard wind on the track. Dispited this we were able to build up slowly a nice gap and when we had a bonus of more then three minutes we knew that one of us woudl win the race. I knew that due to the fact that I didn't race that much the last time mly finish and sprint were not 100% yet. But in the last uphill I attacked. Only Birgit Söllner was able to stay with me and unfortunately she beated me in the sprint. What did I learn today : my condition is already good but not yet 'super', and this was the hardest race since I relaunched my career so I keep with a positive feeling unless the missed chance to win a race.

The next day i participated in the Salzburger Criterium, my first race in my homecountry. We had to do 40 laps of only 650m and in each lap there were 6 turnings which were rather dangerous because of the wet track. But I knew that it was good to build up the condition, after every corner speeding fastly up. From the start is was a crazy race with immediate attacks. Already in lap 2 !! we were with three in the escape. Because I was still scared to crash, especially in the last turn with wet cobblestones before the finish I wasn't able to do the criteriumsportns and always took the third spot. After the turn I always had to clase a gap from a few meters (which is good for the condition). So in the final I didn't had enough points to win the race but again I felt really good and I know that it is going the good direction with me and ..... next week together with the team towards Spain, I really look forward to it.

23-24/05/09 : RACEWEEKEND IN GERMANY WITH A 2nd AND 4th PLACE

On Saturday I raced in Ilsfeld a criterium over 60 laps and .... I took my first podiumplace of the season. Criteriums were never my cup of tea but I found it a good training to race this one, 60 laps and a lot of curves, a fast race and not so much kilometers and when I was able to take a second place too I was the happy cyclinggirl again. At the middle of the race, after a sprint I attacked and went solo. A short time later Andrea Wolfer, my teammate of last season was able to join me. Together we rode so well that we were able to double the whole bunch (it was a track of 750m). Andreaa took the victory becouse she had more sprinting points then me but ... after a year without I stood for th first time on the podium again. This looks good...

The next day I started in Kirchheim, a race of which i had really good memories. In 2004 I won this race in the shirt of the Elk-team, it was my first international victory. During the race we escaped with four riders and just like yesterday we were able to double the field. I know that the other three riders were much faster then me at the finish se the last lap I attacked just like I did in 2004. Unfortunately the race was 300m too long, they joined me and in the sprint I had to be happy with a fourth spot. Indeed I missed the podium but the feelings are growing and my races go better and better. For myself I think that I took the maximum in the races and I took again a lot of motivation for the coming races.

Next weekend I will race in Merdingen and in Salzburg and then in June I am selected to race international again with the Bigla Team. I really look forward for the trip and the races in Spain.

A motivated Andrea

18/05/09 : SECOND RACE + ALREADY IN THE PRESS : Hagendorn : 7th

The racefever is coming closer again. This race in Switserland was for me a small but important leap to become again member of the real international peloton. I know that the list of participants, the ambiance and the race were less important then a worldcuprace but for me it was mentally important to fight back for my place in more important international races. I rode a very active and attractive race. I noticed immediately that the other girls had much more difficulties with the small climbs then me. Personally I am looking forward to much longer and more steep climbs although the rest was suffering in my wheel. I escaped in the last lap on the last climb but my bonus was unfortunately not big enough to keep it till the finish. A small group joined me and I finished the race as seventh which was a bit disappointing at that moment but mentaly I got a good boost and when i received Sms and emails from people who always believed in me and told me that I was the best of the race, I realised that racing is the most favorite thing I do in live. Hereby you can find some photo's taken by Elmar Schaub.

greetings Andrea `

12/05/09 : COMEBACK - MY FIRST RACE SINCE JULY 2008 : Bern : 11th

After a long (indeed since july I didn't do any competition) competitionbreak which is due as you all know to my illness, other injuries and a serious crash, i finalyy was able to compete again. My first race was a national race in Bern where we had to start in a race just before the Wordlcuprace and on the same track.

Two days before the race I had (I hope) a last surgery on my schoulder, they removed the metal out of it. Due to this last operation I still had pain and I didn't feel very stable on my bike but my happynes to see my team again (they all were present because the race was for the Worldcuprace and it is the homerace of our team) and to race again was much bigger then the pain I was suffering.

I was only training since five weeks on the road again and I wasn't sure at all that dispite all the trainings I did I would be able tocompete again with the others and finish with a good feeling.

The track we had to do was 34km long and we had to do it twice (normally it had to be three times but the jury decided just before the start to make it two). In the first lap I noticed that I wan't racing confident at all, I was worried all the time that my condition wasn't good enough. I also wasn't aware of the fact that I already had the real good feeling in my legs. In the second lap during the long steep climb I surpirsed my self being in the front of the bunch and on the top we were only with four riders left, and yes this gave me an enormous mental boost. During the kilometers to Bern again the race was nutralised (there was another race of Juniors too) and so eight other girls were able to come back again. But I didn't gave up. The last kilometers I attacked three times but every time I was caught again so I decided to lead in the sprint for my faster teammate Bettina Kuhn.

Of course this was only a small race of only 68km but it motivated me and at last I see the sun through the clouds again : finishing as 11th in the same time as the winner is not bad at all after such a long inactivity. I know now that I am on the right track again and that the road toward my normal shape is still long but not endless. I wanna race international races again and getting to the point where it all stopped one year ago, being able following the international toppers.

More motivated as ever I do my trainings again building via national races upwards towards a better niveau and then getting again in the teamselection for international races, little tours and worldcups.....

thanks all for supporting me during my revalidation

Andrea

10/03/09 : CRASH DURING TRAINING - SEASONSSTART DELAYED

Bad luck seems to have found a second home in me, after the long period on injuries and illness in 2008, it looks that 2009 is a continuation. After the three week long trainingssession in Valencia, I was really motivated again that I could close the gap between myself and the other professional riders again and soon could take my place back in the peloton. My foot of which I broke my ancle was my biggest fear. In the beginning I still felt a little pain but due to the long trainingssessions and afterwards the long distance langlauftrainings back home in the snowy winter of Tirol it felt really good again and I start living without any pain again. I was really looking forward again to go to Mallorca where we could start to train with the whole Bigla-team for the first time this year. Normaly we should train for two and a half week on this sunny Spanish isle, but for me the trainings took only three days.... after that I was 'having my holiday' in the intensive care in the Muro hospital....

During the descent of the Puij Major I didn't see a hole in the street, and riding in that whole both my hands slipped away from my handlebars. The next moment my breast was catapulted on my bike and before I realised I was in contact with the asfalt of the Mallorcan streets. 'Luckily' I was long enough unconscious (about 30 minutes) that I am not ablke to remember me anymore what happened during the 40 minutes I had to be rescued and transported towards the hospital.... diagnose in the hospital : 4 robs were broken, broken colarbone which neede to be operated, and broken ellbow, luckily this last diagnose was wrong, it was just injured. My whole face was swollen and I wasn't able to see out of one of my eyes due to this swellings, but these injuries were healing quickly. I was so lucky wearing my helmet furing my 'bouncing' moment on the street, he was totally broken and not my head ... Also my lungs were still in good shape unless the broken ribs. After a stay of three days in the intensive care I was removed to a normal room where I had a lot of visit of teammates and staff. I would like to thank the whole team and especially our physio Simone for encouraging and supporting me there, Just for being there for me, their words, their handmade things and cards they gave to me, their support, their believe,....thanks to them I started my first passes in the healingprocess. Thanks all, and thanks for aranging averything for me to give me a fast flight home to recover there, also thanks to everyone who visited me, phoned me and gave me real support.

In the night from Thursday to Friday I took my flight home to Innsbruck with Tyrolian Air Ambulance. The hospital and especially medeics were waiting for my arrival and already the next morning the operated my colarbone.

When I write this I am back home in Niederndorf again. I have to count that with my injuries I will have probably a training and performance delay of about eight weeks since my crach. I try to take the situation as it is, make the best out of it and looking forward again, the season just started and is still young (this idea is easier as it seems). When the pain I have when I breath disappears I can start training again on a hometrainer, training in open air again will be for later...

A winner is someone who crashed, gets up, crashes again, stands up again, crashes again, stands up again ...... and wins ..... my motto is STAND UP ONE TIME MORE THEN CRASHING....

Andrea

11 - 31/01/09 : TRAININGSSESSION IN VALENCIA

After less then a month since I trained for the first time at home (after loosing my gips) I flied for three weeks towards Valencia. There I planned a trainingssession together with Noemi and Nicole. It was nice to train again in better temperatures because at home I had to train in weatherconditions where the temperature was always flirting with the 0 degrees. The maingoal was to get the needed base for a good season. At the start of these three weeks I found out that I had less condition then my teammates due to my illness and seasonsstop of last season. Luckily my body got used to the trainings soon. Very soon I was able to follow my teammates and felt myself again as a professional cyclist. Due to the Spanish sun I started believing in myself again and even trainingssessions of five hours and more were no problem anymore. The area round Valencia is real cool with many nice trainingroads and thank to the habitants of the city we learned to now nice streets , mountains and pubs :-)

We were able to do all the trainings we planned before due to the nice weather unless we also had two stormy days too. I am aware of the fact that my body still needs a lot of excercise after such a long period without cycling but these days in Spain gave me a mental boost and I really feel that my shape is much better arriving again in Niederndorf then before I went to Valencia. It really felt good to feel that my body reacts very good on muy trainings even I was more then a half year without any form of excercise.

For the moment I enjoy 10 days of being at home with trainings on my Bmc-bike, doing skiwalkings and langlaufen (depends of course of the weather her in Austria). After those ten days I will leave on the 13th of februari towards Mallorca with the whole team for a second trainingssesion. After this I fly immediately towards our trainingscenter in Tessin where the Bigla cyclingteam is presented to the press on the fifth of March. After Mallorca I hope to know when I can restart racing and getting to know my raceplanning for the next saison. I never was in my career so long out of competition then now so it is hard for me to say at the moment when I will be able again to do real ravces beacuse training is very different then racing. I am optimistic to be able to race again in April and participate in the Tour of Flanders on april 5 for my Belgian supporters.

Greetzzzzz Andrea

15/12/08 : TEAMMEETING

It was more then four months ago that I saw my team and now we met again... which made this teammeeting so special for me. I was really looking forward to meet my teammembers, the directors and my sponsor of the Bigla Cycling Team again after a long period of contact by phone. They took me again in their group like I wasn't out for several months and that I was one of them again. The team consists in 2009 of about the same riders as last saison, Nicole, Noemi, Zoulfia, Monica, Andrea, Jennifer, Bettina, Sereina and Veronica are staying in our wonderful group. New in the Bigla team are Andrea's sister Karin Thürig (who was twice worldchampion in the individual timetrial) Modesta Vesziauskaite (I know her from our year together in the Nürnberger Team in 2007) and the last new member is Mirjam Hauser-Senn (Swi). Sven Montgomery is leaving our team as Manager, after some succesful years in his own career and two years of managing eleven 'cyclinggirls' he leaves cycling. It is not easy to replace this 'monument' but it seems that Andreas is doing well so far. Our sportif directors stay the same in 2009. WIth Felice we will do the international races and with Emil we ride the 'homeraces'. Simone will just like last season do our massages and therapies and Andreas will lead together with Martina the tema. Fritz Bösch stays our sponsor and the teamphoto's are taken by Brigitte and Clemens (Batt-Huber). Our bikes stay the same, we will conquer the other riders on our BMC-machine with Campagnolo Record on it. Assos remains our clothsponsor and Northwave gives us our shoes. The new teamcar is a Volvo.

Unless my gips I was able to do all activities exept the training on the bike. Even the teamphotoshoot I had do to in my gips. Three times a day I could be found in the fitnessroom to do as much excercises as possible. Unless my hadicap I was even able to stay (on the dancefloor) as last on the last evening. I drove home with my gips full of wishes and autographs and with the feeling and motivation that 2008 is behind me and that 2009 will be a normal 'Andrea-saison'. Let's all hope for the best ... on the photo's you see the teamcar with me and Monica, the tbale with our sponsor Fritz, me with Andrea, Simi and Nicole and the last one is my ancle with all the wishes.

 

25/11/08 : BACK AGAIN....

Sorry it took so long before I updated this diary again. I will make a short summary of the things that happened in the last four months and I promise to update the diary faster the next months.

After I missed the chance for a qualification for the Olympic games in June I hope that my stomachproblems would disappear because all the pressure and stress I put on myself during my race towards Bejing. Unless my disappointment I thought that my second part of the saison, starting with the Thüringen Rundfahrt would become better but again due to my healthy problems I quited the race before the last stage. Together with my team I decided that I should go home again instead of participating the Worldcupraces in Sweden. Also during my planned trainingssession my stomach protested every time I did a big effort. I dicide quitting my trainingsessions and just took my bike so now and then when I thought I would enjoy it doing a small trip. It was a very hard for me to decide that my season, in which the Olympics and the Wordlchampionships should be my highlights, was already over at the end of July. Since my problems no doctor could say what I had, how I got it and especially how long it should take to cure. The only thing I knew was that I had to take time to get better and at least not making the saison 2009 worse then 2008. At this point of the saison I already consulted 17, yes indeed seventeen, doctors from everywhere (Austria, Switserland,Italy, Germany) and non of them could give me a diagnose. I was in two hospitals with no succes. Several times I though of wuitting the sport but everytime I thought of having the coolest job on earth and the the word 'Quit' should never be found in my dictionary. Again I had a lot of support from family and friends and also from the 'Best' cycling team of the world. They al helped my through these though moments. And then ..... I found doctor n°18. He was the man finding the right diagnose of the pain I suffered from. With the therapy he gave me together with my Osteopatic I felt that at last the pain was disappearing bit by bit and that maybe I was on the right track again. And then the last weekend of October .... I finally got the 'Green light' to restart my training. For the first time since january I was able to train without any form of pain. I fellt not so strong as then by the feeling that I could live again for cycling gave me wings at least till day 6 of my re-birth.

The sixth day I just went out for a short walk and then.... I knacked my feeth. That evening the pain was so hard that I had to go to the hospital of Innsbruck. Diagnosis : broken ancle with operation and bolts in my ancle and .... six weeks op gypsum.

For the moment I am in my third of six weeks gypsum but I learned a lot this year. Never giving up and knowing that people from all over the world support me and count on me. So I really look forward towards the trainingssessions again soon. I know that at the start of next saison I won't be at my best but many pretty races will have my attention later. I start my training 6 weeks later then all the rest, but I have good hopes on it. Next year Andrea Graus will play again her role in the womenspeloton.

Ein Sieger ist ein Verlierer,
der fällt und wieder aufsteht,
fällt und wieder aufsteht,
fällt und wieder aufsteht,
fällt und wieder aufsteht und siegt!

It is not necessary to make a summary of my racesaison. I know I won a race In Italy (Gp Cornaredo on 09/03) but afterwards it went from good towards bad towards awful... But I won't stop the sasison without thanking everybody who supported my during all this time, my family, the doctors, especially my team and all the supporters who give me their support. I know it wasn't easy to believe in me but consider it as a faith having such a saison. After the rain comes the sun and I had a lot of rain this saison. Tomorrow (23/11) I will leave for Switserland for the teambuilding with my Bigla team till 27/11. I hope to see and hear you all soon again afterwards.

Andrea

22/07 - 27/07 : THÜRINGEN RUNDFAHRT

	Stageplace	Overallranking
Stage 6 : Zeukenroda	Dnf	Dnf
Stage 5 : Schmölln (TT)	26th	68th
Stage 4 : Schleiz	69th	70th
Stage 3 : Greiz	77th	72th
Stage 2 : Gera	66th	66th
Stage 1 : Schleusingen	73th	73th

10/07 - 13/07 : KRASNA LIPA

After I quit the Giro del Trentino with my illnes some weeks ago and after a period without training I restarted my season again and this time I even trained with my timetrial-bike. Participating in the Giro d'Italia wasn"t an option because it was too soon after my trainingstart and also too long because it would be too exhausting for my tortured health. Luckily I got another option to race. My ex-team Elk (an Austrian team) started in the Tour de Feminin with a mixed team and offered me a place in this 4 days stagerace in the Czech Republic. In my head i though thatwith a good timetrial I could take a chance to qualify for the Olympics. With no hope and a lot of doubts I started in the race where I won last year a stage, took a third place in the timetrial and was second in the overallranking. Doing better or even as good as then would be impossible. The first stage was a surprise for me and was 'super'. I was always in the front , joined some escapes, climbed with the best riders (I didn't had to go at 120% like i had to before) and finished as fourth, a result that made me happy because we were with 147 participants at the start. Also the second day was like is hoped and planned. I finished as 14th in the first bunch and didn't loose a lot of energy because the timetrial on day three was my goal. After such a good start I was confidenced for the timetrial and then... stomachproblems again, I think it was the stress and pressure I put on myself to go for Peking. After already 1km I felt that everything was lost cause I had no power in my legs. I ended as 28th and failed again for the Olympicnorm of the Austrian Cycling Union. In the afternoon stage my 'kampfgeist' was lost. I didn't felt well and was still disappointed about the timetrial that I finished in the mainbunch on place 69. In the last stage un Sunday I would show my growing 'form' and strenght again and whos the real Andrea again. Four riders attacked on the due to a lot of rain wet and dangerous rack. I was in the first bunch behind them and was able to attack and counter all attacks again. In the last downhill towards the finished while we were making us up for the sprint i did something stupid. Closing on towards the railwaytrack the light went red. Of course I know that it is dangerous and forbidden to pass such a red light but in seconds we had to made a decission and the riders before me crossed the railway and I followed. With about 20 riders we were disqualified. Personally it wasn't a problem for me but I was 20th before the stage and people who look only on results can't find my name in the finalranking and will think that Andrea can't finish a stagerace anymore but I know much much better.

For me this restart was quiet good and I would like to thank the 'Elk-Team' for supporting me, this race gave myself the feeling again the I can go again onto the battlefield with the best riders, the minnus is that the maingoal (Peking qualification) wasn't achieved. Photo's : the sprint in stage one - and stage two

	Stageplace	Overallranking
Stage 5 :	Disqualified	No Ranking
Stage 4 : 73,5km	69th	20th
Stage 3 : 21,5 km	24th	20th
Stage 2 : 113 km	14th	10th
Stage 1 : 112,5 km	4th	4th

20/06 - 22/06 : GIRO DEL TRENTINO

My first race after the break :

Positive points : Iwas suffering less of my stomachpains who banned me already the whole season of being at my best, and this was the only positiv thought of this stagerace.

Negativ points : I was hoping getting good results but finishing as 40th and 44th was beyond my expectations. Ant then in stage three I had to abandon suffering of a very sore throat. Till now i still suffer a lot and for a lot of days I wasn't even able to speak. I hope to get better soon and restart training (note from Geert : Andrea had to cancel her participation in the Austrian championships and asked her team not to start in the Giro d'Italia - one of her goals this season. The day after the Austrian championships Andrea started training again and she will participate in a mixed team - with her old team Elk Radhaus - in the Krasna Lipa, a stagerace in the Czech Republic)

	Stageplace	Overallranking
Stage 3 : Dro - 77 km	didn't finish	-
Stage 2 : Coredo - 79 km	44th	44th
Stage 1 : Mozambano - 130 km	40th	40th

 

03/06 : A TIME WITHOUT BIKE .......

A lot of things happened after quiting the Tour de l'Aude. The day after getting home from France I took a last minute with destination Cuba, ....alone ....without bike. (why Cuba, well it is far from the European stress and it was a good last minute). It was like I had to go somewhere else to cure, at the start I had my doubts but is was the best thing to do at that moment. This week holiday was like we say in Austria 'Super'. But as always when it it good it finishes bad. The last hours of my stay in Cuba all my things were stolen (money, camera with all my photo's, Mp3, books, phone, clothes,...), and without identitycard and money you realise immediately that you'r on the other wide of the world. Immediately I had to taken action I phoned to the Austrian embassy where they told my that they could arrange a plane with papers for me on Tuesday to Berlin instead of taking the plane on Friday to Munich. Luckily one hour before my plane to Munich a bag of me was found by a young Cuban in a garbagebox at more then 10km from my hotel where my things were stolen. Everything was lost but my passport and flightticket were still in it so I could fly home. At my hotel i received some money back that I gave them for the rent of some towels and with that money I caught a fast cab to drive me towards the airport in which he succeed and I could catch my flight home.... and yes I was on time to celebrate there the marriage of my best girlfriend (unless the plane was 2 hours later then it should be). I immediatley went to a beautiful and long party and the weddingdress of my girlfriend was much better on her weddingday then on the day I went together with her buying it. Normally you should get now some pictures of my trip but the only memories of my holiday are in my mind now. So no white sands, dolphins, nice beaches,.... Now I still take a short break and then start training again. Before my trip I felt like a '0', I am not yet '100' but I feel gaining confidence again. I am on the right track again, wait and see. I am looking forward again sitting and training on my bike and also the next races inspire me a lot although I won't participate in my all time favorite race.The time when everything went wrong I realised more and more that there is also a life next to racing although 'Racing' is my world, sometimes I had to step out of it, and I realised also that I am in the best team of the world. The Bigla Cycling Team supported me a lot in these bad moments, and .... summer is coming. Looking forward to my best season ever again.

Hasta la vista, Andrea

 

16/05 - 25/05 : TOUR DE L'AUDE - OUT OF COMPETITION

At the end of stage four in the Tour de 'Aude, I quit the race..... it was impossible to race for me. Next to my already known stomach problems I had much much too less energy. To cure me it was forbidden to take any sugar and yes... it is impossible to race without any sugar and energy. Till know I had in mind that going on with racing would give me more chances to qualify for the Olympics but now I realize that if I keep on going on like this all chances will fade away. I will take, like I agreed together with my trainer and my sportif director Felice, a seasonsbreak completely without bike and hope to restart again when all my problems are gone. The last chances for a qualificaion for Bejing I will have to take afterwards. It is better to take the start in a race being 100% then taking every race as a qualification but riding only on 50%. I think and am sure that this is the only possible solution now, the season is still long and ..... I will come back stronger as ever.

	Stageplace	Overallranking
Stage 5 : Toulouges : 112km	didn't start	-
Stage 4 : Osseja : 101km	100th	74th
Stage 3 : Corbières : 111km	93th	61th
Stage 2 : Port la nouvelle : 27km	8th	59th
Stage 1 : Rieux Minervois : 107km	57th	62th
Prologue : Gruissan 3,9km	48th	48th

 

04/05/08 : WORLDCUPRACE BERN : 136 km

I finished as 102nd in the mainbunch (my first three number result in yeaaaaaaaaars).

Packed again with new medicins (I was the week before the race with my sportif director Felice Putini again in Italy to visit some doctors) and knowing that my shape wasn't 100% I decide in this homerace for the Bigla Team to work as good as possible for my teammates. Once the race strarted one attack followed the other. The first 10km we really raced very fast and on the fisrt top on the track after only 10km I was still in the leading group but unfortunately in the descend I lost contact. Group after group caught me back (sorry I repeat it so much but due to my pains I cannot go over a certainlimit and that is no excuse) so I arrived in what was called the mainbunch who was chasing the leadersgroup in which I was in for a short period. The chasing wasn't good in the mainbunch so after one lap was were already on three minutes from the leaders. After two laps the gap was still three minutes but then the group started sighseeing just like a touristic excursion so the bunch ended at more then TEN minutes of the winner Susanne Ljungskog from Sweden. Our team (i didn't saw the final live and I could help anyone being in the bunch) was riding an attractive race in the front. On the way to the finish it missed again some luck and Zoulfia finished on place eleven, the first BIGLA-rider. Nicole was the best in the mountainsranking so she BIGLA outfir was shown again on the podium.

About my healthproblems , I and the doctors too, are worried more and more not finding out what bothers me. This week I will try again some new medicins and we keep on looking for maybe some food that causes the pain and maybe I am allergic on something, but stepp by step I start loosing my energy. Next weekend I am free of racing (the Giro of San Remo is cancelled) so I will try to regain some energy and hope to become fit and healthy into my next raceprojects.

An Andrea who gets desperate......

26/04/08 : GP ELSY JACOBS (Lux) - Cat 1.2 - 8x11,6km : Winner of mountainsranking - 68th place

Immediately after our stay in Belgium, our Worldcupteam started in the first edition of the GP Jacobs in Luxemburg, and for me it was the first time to race in this small country. We had to race 8 laps of about 12km and in every lap we had a serious climb under our whells. unfortunately the finish wasn't on top, but after a downhill which isn't that good for our team because non of us is a super-sprinter. As team wie tried to make the race hard in the uphill part but the uphill wasn't long enough to make a good escape. always after the uphill the bunch came together again. As you may see in the result, our team wasn't that good in the result, but during the race we were the best. We raced offensiv and tactical and in each escaped at least one of us was in it. Even just before the finish Noemi was in an escape with two wich couldn't make it till the end. The effect of our offensiv ride was that I was the overallwinner of the mountainsranking with Noemi as second. every two laps we took the points on the mountain. My conclusion of the race was that even the stomach was really bad again I had the strenght in my legs to give all I could and it was so so good to stand on the podium again after a hard day. This moment I am in our trainingscenter in Tessin to prepare myself for our 'homeworldcuprace' in Bern but meanwhile I will have to go to Italy to go to the doctors again.

23/04/08 : LA FLECHE WALLONE - CDM - 104km - Place 43

Still having stomachpains. After another week of doctorsvisits, therapies (2 different medics, hospital, physiotherapy, sportsyoga) I tried as good as possible to focus on my favorite race 'La Fleche Wallone'. Due to all my suffering and getting more and more desperate not finding something to cure me, it wasn't that easy at all. Luckily I was free during the weekend before so at last I was home again. Since the sart of this year it was my 20th day home, so these moments were intense for me. I really have to thank my family and friends for always supporting me so I could got very motivated towards Belgium although in my head sometimes it is difficult. My results aren't good at all, the pain won't go away and I realise that time to get a ticket for the Olympic Games isn't on my side eather. The day before the race we trained on the track and all the positive memories on last year on this terrible 'Mur de Huy' got back. I hope that the race will be calm, not to fast and maybe then I can go with the first bunch towards the final climb. I know that even with the pain I will give me for more then 100%, all what I have in my body. Stomachpains after the race are easier to carry then during. During the race I felt better then the races before, but unfortunately I felt too stark : - ) I attacked with two laps to go on the 'Mur' but then the pain and hte lack of breath got me again and they were stronger then my will. On the last climb I had to let go about 30 riders and found myself in a second bunch. Again disapointment after the finish but .... 'La Fleche Wallone' stays my favorite race (next to Montréal) so..... see you back in 2009......

13/04/08 : EUROCUP RONDE VAN DRENTHE - C1.1 - 137 km

The next days we race again in and round Drenthe and the track was kind of a copy of the worldcuprace. In the beginning of the race Noemi had a mecanical problem and had to change her wheel. I was able to get her back into the bunch after a long and intensive chase. We both just got back and... now it was my turn, a flat tyre so now everybody of our team had her trouble. I was not the leader of the team so I had to get back to the bunch on my own and indeed, I couldn't make it. Just over half race I had to abandon. It was the first time in yeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaars I had to quiet a race. The next race is normally in 'Gelderland' but I told to my team i won't participate. For the moment I am not able anymore to race 100%. Due to the pain racing is to bad for me and I fear losing my good shape if I try to hold on, my heart says 'yes' but my head tells me 'no'. I go home and will be wating to get the results of my hospitalvisit and try with the help of physiotherapy and acapuncture and my mental coach (and training of course) being back again for my next goal the Cdm-race the 'Fleche Walonne' (my favorite race and again a chance to get a Peking ticket). I hope to get in a good shape and health on the start in this Belgian race.

an Andrea who has a lot on her mind.....

12/04/08 : DRENTHE - CDM - 136 km

The day after I quiet the hospital (they found out I have gastritis and they found also something else which was visible but they weren't able to idintify it, so I got new medicins and have to wait again for further results) I took a flight to Holland where I had to race two hard races. On Saturday I participated in the Worldcuprace in Drenthe where I finished in a rather big bunch (I was 62nd and last of the bunch) which wasn't given to most of the starters in this flat, fast very windy and again narrow streets and cobblestones race. But once again it was a disapointment for me just like last weekend. Once the speed in the group accellerated I wasn't able to follow du to my stomach which made that it was so so hard to breath for me. I am able to follow the speed till a certain point but then I have so much pain that I have to race in my own tempo. Like last weeks the legs were good so for me this race seemed to be an 80 km long individual timetrial. Riding from group to group till I finally arrived in the main bunch. I worked then for the team reducing the gap between us and the three leaders (at that moment it was more then 3 minutes), so if I can ride my own tempo it all goes well. Unfortunately the team wasn't succesful and that all due to mechanical defect in the last 30-40 km of the race. Also Nicole had a mechanical defect and I tried to help her back in the bunch (on the photo - I know I am in second place but I really helped her). I hope that tomorrow it will be better with me

10/04/08 : THE HOSPITAL

Back home after Flanders I restarted on Monday having medical test for my 'unknown' illnes. I don't wanna loose more time this season and I wanna get my porblem under control again. For the moment I am in the hospital of Kufstein..... Al the doctors and medics are doing a good job and are interested in my problems, they wanna cure me. I already did several scans and tests. Hepoly I can go to Holland this weekend just like I palnned to race on Saturday the worldcuprace in Drenthe and the day after the 1.1 race. I really hope to get before then an exxact diagnostic (and hope it is a positive one, not too serious) so I can put a good 'healing prescription' in my lugage.

yours Andrea

06/04/08 : RONDE VAN VLAANDEREN - CDM - 110km

Due to the stomachpain I finished as 43th in the mainbunch. For theday the weatherforcast said it would be 'typical Flandersweather' but we were very lucky. Rain and snow were falling in all parts of Belgium except on the track we had to ride. We arrived dry in Meerbeke on the finish although the temperatures were late winter inspired (a thing that as you know already don't bother me at all). For the first time I was happy to ride in Flanders with the typical roads, climbs and cobblestones although these wer till now always my 'ennemies'. What this happiness bothered were the stomachpains which bothered me already the whole season and which weren't cured with the medicins I got last week. I tried to put the pain out of my head as good as possible but I remarked that with the first escapes the mind can be as good as can be if the body is in pain even the mind couldn't win this battle. I started well but racing towards the first cobblestones I already lost my good position in the field. On the first cobblestone hill (the Molenberg) I even had to climb it on foot and that was the finish of my race. I luckily managed to join the main bunch again so I know that if I ride an equel tempo I still am very good but towards the final I wasn't able to be activ in the race again so following was my destiny. I lost contact with the head of the race on the 'Muur van Geraardsbergen' and just then 16 riders escaped with my teammates Noemi and Nicole (who would finish as 11th and 12th). I reached the finish as 43th in the mainfield who sprinted for place 17 in Meerbeke.

Greets Andrea

06/04/08 : RONDE VAN VLAANDEREN - CDM - 43th (report of Geert)

For the second time this season Andrea rode in Flandern. 192 participants started in Oudenaarde to finish 124km later in Meerbeke for this worldcuprace. Before the race Andrea was still in deep trouble about her stomach and intestine. After getting home this evening she will go to the hospital for a 3 days visit to clear all the problems she has, and hopes to get ready for her favorite race the Fleche Walonne on April 23. Andrea rode a good race but suffered a lot, on the Paddestraat (2400m cobblestones) she was already far behind the rest but could get back to the bunch. On the Berendries she was in the bunch chasing the 7 leaders in which was her teammate Noemi Cantele. Till the end she could stay in this bunch but suffered a lot and after the finish she was exhausted but even more disappointed not having had the opportunity to show how good she races all due to this stupid illnes. Later you will get a report of Andrea herself.

29/03 - 30/03/08 : GP ETRUSCA I AND II : Saturday 25th - Sunday 12th

29/03 : Normally these two races are one of my favorites, a lot of uphill, downhill and finishing on top. As you see in my last note in this diary I cannot posses of 100% of my forces and especially when to roads got uphill I felt it quiet good. When a group of seven escaped, in the first race on Saturday, I wasn't able to follow them. Luckily my teammates Noemi and Nicole were part of the 'good' escaped. noemi finished as third in a race which was won by Kirstin Armstrong from the Cervelo team. I crossed the finishline in the first bunch after the leaders and was classified as 25th and that made me kind of hopeful that at last I had a good result.

30/03 : Today when I went to the startplace I suffered again of my stomachproblems and they were heavier the yesterday. But I was able to fight against it. In the middle of the race I attacked and counterattack severall times on all kind of roads to see how far I could go. But I supose the power in my legs is too stong for the pain and just before the last uphill I really thought of quiting the race. I arrived in a group of girls which were able to get back to the first bunch after the last climb. about 10 riders were escaped and again Noemi and Nicole were in front of the race. Noemi won the race, the fourth seasonswin for our team, and I was able to sprint towards place 12 in the uphillsprint towards the finishline which gave me again some confidence.

Everything looks 'perfetto' for the next Worldcuprace, the Tour of Flandern on Sunday 06/04 and maybe the Belgian fans can come to encourage me.

Andrea

'Sunny Italia'

27/03/08 : MEDICAL AND PERFORMANCE TEST IN MAPEI -CENTER - VARESE

After four months of suffering with my stomach and last someone found out what is really wrong. Today an Italian doctor found out that I have an inflamation in my intestine. With the medicins he gave me I have one week to get better otherwhise I will have to go to the hospital.... That news don't make me happy at all but the fact that I suffer from this since a long time and no one was able to find out what was really wrong with my body makes me a bit anger. You have to know that my first doctorsvisit for this problem was in the beginning of December!!!!! I am optimistic that the medicins will work. And luckily my visit to the Center gave me also good news. Although the races and results didn't were that good till now I got positive results from the performance tests I made. The only thing that keeps bothering me having good races is the stomach and intestine, physically I am in very good shape so it keeps me strong that once the troubles are gone I will race again on the level I am used to. I am really looking forward to this and hope you too.

regards

Andrea

24/03/08 : WORLDCUP CITTAGLIO : 121 km : 49th

The first worldcup in Europe took place in the neighbourhood of Varese, where at the end of this season the worldhampionships take place and also in the neighbourhood of our Teamhouse in Tessin. It look to be a hard race in the first part of the race we had to take two climbs of 6 kilometer ad afterwards we had to ride three times a track in which was a serious climb of 2 kilometer. The best rider today was Emma Pooley from England who soloed 40 kilometers and finished with a bonus of more then one minute. Again I suffered a lot with my stomach so I couldn't use my maximum power which could be seen in the uphillparts of the track. For the first time in my career i wasn't able to conquer with the other riders in the uphillparts. in the last climb at about 10 km before the finish I had to let go the first group and in the last part of the climb nearly 30 riders were passing me by. I know that my condition is better then finishing as 30th on top of a climb which was confirmed by a test I made last week that my wintertraining was 100%. Luckily for me my teammates Noemi and Nicole were in the first group but unfortunately they didn't do a good sprint so the team was a bit under the expectations we had before the start. I finished 49th far behind my condition so what is resting for me the next week is more doctorvisits and hoping they can find a cure for my problem so that in the next Worldcupraces I can get my ticket for the Olympic Games in Peking.

A disillusioned Andrea

16/03/08 : ANDREA'S IMPRESSION OF ONE DAY IN BELGIUM : 39th

Also in the third race of the season we had to conquer rain and cold temperatures. The race was flat unless we had to ride over two typical Flamish climbs and also the first cobblestones of the season came early in the race. I was really motivated although these kind of tracks weren't my speciality, I proved in the past weekend that I can win races who aren't my cup of tea. Unfortunately it wasn't my lucky day. Two times I had to use a lot of my forces to come back to the bunch after a mechanical defect. I even had at the same time two flat tyres. Due to the narrow Belgian streets and the wind the bunch felt several times in different groups so the cars of the teams were always far behind when we had a technical problem. Although the several long stops I had to make, two times getting back to the head of the bunch, a crash in the bunch just before the last corner (I didn't take any risk here to be sure for the rest of the season), I was satisfied about the race in which I finished as 39th. After the race we did a second race towards the airport where we arrived just in time to get on the plane. My stay for five days at home started already on sundayevening but I didn't enjoy it a lot because in the next days I had so many appointments with the doctor (stomachproblems) that not much time was left to do other things.

see you all next time in Belgium

Andrea

16/03/08 : OMLOOP HET VOLK (C2.1)

Arriving by airplace saturdaynight at 22.30, Andrea was only in her hotel at midnight. At the start of the race Andrea was optimistic although she hadn't studied the new track of the Omloop het Volk. During the whole racing she was fighting in front of the group because due to a lot of rain the track was dangerous especially on the narrow belgian roads. In the middle of the race Andrea had a flat tyre and had to wait long before getting a new frontwheel but managed to get to the bunch again. With one lap to go the Bigla team tried to make the race hard with Noemi Cantele and Andrea Wolfer in a small escape while Andrea was in the front of the bunch protecting the escape. In the last lap it all came together again but thinking of the rest of the season Andrea didn't do the sprint and finished as 39th in the first part of the group. Hereby a photo of Andrea before and after the race. Later on you will get Andrea's opinion of one day in Belgium, she had to catch her flight at 20.00Hr.

15/03/08 : TRAINING AND POSITIONINGTEST ON TIMETRIALBIKE

In a good atmosphere without any stress I did my first real timetrial this year. On a restday in the teamhouse in Tessin I had to try for the first time this year my timetrialbike and my position on it. The pictures you see are those of the beginning of the test before I found my best position. It didn't took a lot of time to find my best position. With a lot of help of our sponsor Ergomotion we improved even more our position on our racebikes and even our shoes got improvement. Nothing is now in the way to continue the good start of the season.

08/03 - 09/03/08 : ANDREA'S IMPRESSION OF THE FIRST RACEWEEKEND

08/03 : GP Brissago (Lago Maggiore) C1.2 - Distance 94km - 12 th place : In 2006 I already participated in this race, but then it was a national race and now it became an international race, so more big teams participated to earn their first worldlist points this season. On the last hard climb of the race a group of three escaped. The group consisted out of my teammates Nicole Brändli (Swi) and Noemi Cantele (Ita) and with them the worldchampion Marta bastianelli (Ita-Saf). I was sitting in the second group of 14 so I could ride a passive race to defend the advantage of my teammates. Hearing the result the our team took place one and two I was so happy the my sprint for place four was very very bad, I crossed the finishline as 12th. It was not a bad start of the season neither for the team as for me because my stomachproblems caused me still some trouble especially when it was uphill, I just have to practise more in sprinting, a thing that I would show the next day.

09/03 : GP Cornaredo (Milano) C1.2 - distance 117km - FIRST place : This was a laprace with 9 laps of 13km, it was only 8 degress and raining raining and raining in the Milano arrea. The track was flat and as you know not my cup of tea. After some calm laps our igla team tried with several attacks to make a small group to make the race hard. The fourth time I attacked it succeded at last. Together with 7 other girls I finally escaped. Looking around I saw that all the big teams had one rider in the front so we could take easily a bonis of more then two minutes on the bunch. The final was really nervous, one attack after the other but finally we had to sprint for the win. It may be a surprise for all bu I won this sprint with a lot of thanks towards the teamdirector Felice who gave me very good advice out of the teamcar.

I could only imagine a better start of my third season as professional, I just hope that my little problems with my stomach will disappear soon and that I can get my ticket to Peking as soon as possible in the next worldcupraces. Movie of the podiumceremony click here

a happy, Andrea

08/03 - 09/03/08 : FIRST RACEWEEKEND

On Saturday 08/03 Andrea started with her team in the GP Brissago (Cat 1.2). Her teammate Nicole Brändli (Swi) won the race with a small bonus on Andrea's other teammate Noemi Cantele (Ita). Andrea finished as 12th in the first bunch who sprinted for place four at 1'37" of the winner. Sunday Andrea started in the GP Citta di Cornaredo. After 127km of racing in very bad conditions a group of eight had to sprint for the victory. One of them was Andrea and although she isn't famous for her fast legs she showed how strong she is after long and hard race beating everybody and so took her first seasonswin in the second race she started. All good intentions for a good Olympic year seem to fall on their place. Next weekend Andrea races in Belgium where she will start in the Omloop Het Volk with start in Deerlijk and finish in Deinze. Later you can find a race analyse from Andrea.

08/03/08 : TRAINING IN TESSIN THE HOME OF THE BIGLA TEAM

I was only five days back home with my family and friends before I went to Tessin near Mendrisio in Switserland where my team Bigla has a trainingshome. It was hard to say goodbye to my relatives but leaving the bad Austrian weather behind me made it easier. At home I could only do trainings indoor due to storm, rain and snow in my hometown Niederndorf. The five days I stayed there were very intense. besides happy hours doing some training I spent also a lot of time with the doctors. They had to find out why I had so many problems with my stomach the last days. I was verry happy to stay, after nearly a worldtrip :-) the flight was via Berlin so it took a lot of time to arrive there, in our Teamhouse in Rancat on the 'Lago di Lugano'. My suitcases arrived two days after me after they had missed the good flight and thanks to the internet I could get cheap, fast and a lot get in touch with my family. The teamhouse is very wonderful, it's new build, big, in a quiet arrea but not far from the shops. The first days we were only with four there. My teammate Monica Holler , mechanic Mauro, Jure for the massages and I were the only people in the house but day by day other teammates arrived. We trained together and also the cooking we did was good. I spent a wonderful time out here. Next weekend we all race two days. The others will go home but I will stay in the teamhouse one more week and I will travel from here immediataly to Belgium where I will participate in 'Het Volk' . After my trip to Belgium I look forward to go home again but if the weather is bad I can always come the this place where I have my own room in the house and where there are a lot of nice tracks where I can train on my own or with some teammates.

lovely greetings - Andrea

05/03/08 : TRAININGSSESSION MALLORCA (14 till 25 February)

The last ten days of my trainingssession in Mallorca was thogether with my teammates from the Bigla Cycling Team. We stayed all in Cala Serena in the Robinson Club. We had no problems in doing all our planned trainings although the weather was't sometimes as good as wished. The base of the team was here (al riders, manager Sven Montgommery, sportive director Felice Puttini and our massage lady Simone. Some days later our sponsor Fritz Bosch arrived too together with the our other sportive director Emil Zimmerman. Also the photographers Birgit and Clemens arriced and took despite the weather a lot of beautiful pictures of us. I hope to put some nice ones online in my diary later on. Our bikesponsor Michele Tanner (BMC-bikes) and a lot of journalists arrived too for our official teampresentation. Besides the training there was a lot to do on the bikes too. every had to be on the mm right, we got our brand new shoes, all positions were tested, aso..... On my first day off I sent almost the whole day unpacking my new Assos clothes. Maybe you think a whole day well try once to unpack an original Assos cloth. After undoing the package you have to undo the karton and the the several labels and if you know we got a complete assortiment you know it can take a lot of time. Every day we gor our massage too and we had enough spare time to go to the wellness in the Robinson Club, so no stress at all. Getting home I have a calm week with a little training and then on March 3 I have to go to Tessin for a last session with the team and from there on we go to Brissago were at last my season 2008 will start.

liebe grüsse, Andrea

03/03/08 : TRAININGSSSESSION MALLORCA (06 till 13 February)

The first part of my second trainingssession this year was together with my friend Christian in the neighbourhood of Palma. the first four day of our training was under a nice blue sunny sky with no clouds and on the thermometer we could even see that we reached more then 20 degrees. Hours were passing by in no time in such an enjoyable weather. After the first four days I did some powertraining doing uphillroads. After nine days I will change from trainingspartner, hotel, place, yes almost everything except the isle on which I 'll stay. With the team will have to do some photoshoots and also some pressconferences, but for me the most important thing is training. My first race this season is already planned on March 8 in Brissago. Till now I have had a 'Super' stay in Mallorca and also on training point of view everything is thanks to the weather more then ok. I already look forward to see my teammates again next week while a lot of them I haven't seen since our first teamsession together which was already in november last year. I look also forward to the new season, I want to be sure that all the hours I train will result in a good seasonsstart. The intensivity of trainingsessions is growing so I think this girl is ready for the start.

lovely greetings Andrea

02/03/08 : REPORT OF TRAININGSESSION (13 till 27 January)

Together with my 'old' (2006) and new teammates Nicole Brändli and Noemi Cantele, I traveled to Mallorca for my first trainingssession which took two weeks at the end of January. After my seasonsbreak which was due to a lot of snow not so ideal for roadtraining I was very happy with the good weather. only once there was rain (and a storm) but for the rest only a cloudless sky, sun and temperatures from about 15 degrees. un the 'cycle-island' I changed my langlaufski for my new BMC-bike. In this first session I did a lot of long distance trainings and luckily I had a lot of partners to train with (Naomi, nicole, Moni, Susanne Ljungskog, team Astana, team high Road, my team of last year Nürnberger, Team Lamonta) so you see even the long trainings weren't boring. This time of your it is easier to find on the isle a trainingsgroup then a pub which is open. :-) Our hotel 'Hürzeler-hotel Pueblo Park' was fantastic. The was a safe place to put our bikes (a special thank here for a michanik which wasn't a member of our team) and after the trainingsessions we could enjoy the time in and round the hotel. After 10 days I went back home. I was hapy to get back but I knew that the snow would replace my bike again. Luckily in the beginning of January I will return for three weeks to my trainings-isle Mallorca. The first ten days I wil spent some time between the trainings with my friend Christian. afterwards the complete team Bigla will join me in the Robinson Club Quartier. Lateron you will find here a report of this too....

sunny greetings Andrea

26/02/08 : Races in 2008

Hi supporters, here you can find a list of the races I will race this season. Maybe in one of these races you can come to support me. Grtz Andrea.

08.03.08 : GP Brissago (Swi) C1.2 : 12th place

09.03.08 : GP Citta di Cornaredo (Ita) C1.2 : FIRST place in sprint with 8
16.03.08 : Omloop Het Volk (Bel) C1.2 : 39th place
24.03.08 : Trofeo Alberto Binda (Ita) Coupe du Monde : 49th place
29.03.08 : GP Costa Etrusca (Ita) C1.2 : 25th place
30.03.08 : Giro Castellini (Ita) C1.2 : 12 th place
06.04.08 : Ronde van Vlaanderen (Bel) Coupe du Monde 43th place
10.04.08 : Drentse 8 van Dwingeloo (Ned) C1.1 Cancelled
12.04.08 : Ronde van Drenthe (Ned) Coupe du Monde 62th place
13.04.08 : Eurocup Ronde van Drenthe (Ned) C1.1 abandonned
23.04.08 : La Flèche Wallonne Féminine (Bel) Coupe du Monde 43th place
26.04.08 : GP Elsy Jacobs (Lux) C1.2 : 68th place - 1st place moutainsranking
04.05.08 :Berner Rundfahrt (Swi) Coupe du Monde : 102th place
09 till 11.05.08 : Giro di San Remo (Smr) C2.1 : Cancelled
16 till 25.05.08 : Tour de l'Aude Cycliste Féminin (Fra) C2.1 : Abandonned (48th - 57th - 8th - 93th - 100th in stages)
10.06.08 : Durango - Durango (Spa) C1.2 Cancelled
11 till 15.06.08 : Iurreta-Emakumeen Bira (Spa) C2.1 Cancelled
21 till 22.06.08 : Giro del Trentino (Ita) C2.1 : Abandonned (40th - 44th in stages)
28.06.08 : National championships
04 till 13.07.08 : Giro d'Italia Femminile (Ita) C2.1
22 till 27.07.08 : International Thüringen Rundfahrt Frauen (Ger) C2.1
30.07.08 : Open de Suède Vargarda (Swe) Coupe du Monde
01.08.08 : Open de Suède Vargarda Teamtimetrial (Swe) Coupe du Monde
10.08.08 : Olympic Games Individual Roadrace Women
13.08.08 : Olympic Games Individual Timetrail Women ??????
24.08.08 : GP de Plouay (Fra) Coupe du Monde
26 till 30.08.08 : Trophée d'Or Féminin (Fra) C2.2
01.09.08 : Critérium des Cyclistines (Fra) 1.1
14.09.08 : Rund um die Nürnberger Altstadt (Ger) Coupe du Monde
16 till 21.09.08 : Giro della Toscana (Ita) C2.1
24.09.08 : Worldchampionships Timetrial Varese Italy
27.09.08 : Worldchampionships Roadrace Varese Italy

03/01/08 : ON THE ROAD AGAIN

For the moment I am in a calm period. After my first trainings all started very good for the new season. Unfortunately I got ill between christmas and New Year and I am still suffering. So for the moment i stopped my trainings to get better as soon as possible enjoying the new snow and a lot of sun in Niederndorf. I wanna thank you all for voting for me in the 'Tirolersportlerwahl' but I didn't end in the top five this year. Within two weeks I will fly to Mallorca to do some hopefully sunny trainings and then in Februari I will go for a second trainingsstage. For the rest no news from Austria just wishing all of you a happy , succesfull, courageous and especially healthy 2008.

greetings Andrea

07/12/07 : MY NEW TEAM

As you already should know by now, I change in 2008 back to the red and white Bigla cycling team of Switserland in which I started my professional career in 2006. The decission was hard to make because 2008 is an Olympic year and starting in a new team is always difficult. I want to thank everybody in my old team, Team Nürnberger Versicherung, in which I had a super and very professional year. DANKE - THANKS towards the sponsor, the management, the sportif directors Jens and Dennis, our massage girl and girl for everything Maja, the best mechanic Alex and of course all the teammates. We were a great group and had many great results. As for me I learned a lot by the team, I raced a lot of different, and sometimes difficult, races and I did well with a very constant season. For the first time in my life I was in Australia and in the Usa. Thanks to them I reached place 17 in the Worldranking. I took podiumplaces in the 'Holland Hills Classic' and in two Tours. A little problem, my illness, I had at the end of the season and that the week before Stuttgart but afterall I am very happy with my season. I enjoyed the trips, the flights, the difference in hours in the other continents and the fact that I participated in 70 races with many good results, so maybe this is a good place to thank my personal trainer David Jenewein. So now I am looking forward to race for my 'new-old' team Bigla Cycling team for the important season 2008 in which my biggest goals are the worldchampionships in Varese - come and support me there - and (I hope at least) Olympic Games in Bijing - Peking. Hope you find me on the next photo of the Bigla Team ( and no I am not Santa Claus)

greetings Andrea

27/11/07 till 30/11/07 : Teammeeting in Switserland

During the last week of November I had to go to Worben in Switserland to meet my new team Bigla. It was a nice meeting with 'old friends' (A lot of the girls in the team were already teammates of me in 2006). We had a lot to do for the new season , a photoshoot, a workshop in sportpsychology, meetings with our different sponsors, testing our new helmets and shoes,... There was also a lot of sparetime to do some individual trainingsessions or with the teammates, and every morning we did some jogging. The most memorable moment was the last evening. We had to cook as professional cooks a tasty meal. For the menu we were divided in different groups. It became a real good meal so a lot of the girls cooked like real pro's amongst us. About my cooking well it was ..... ok : - ) everybody liked it but a professional career.... I dont think so. Here you find some pictures of me as a real 'Michelin'chief. The second picture is me with Noemi Cantele, the Italian rider who finished as 5th on the worldchampionships in Stuttgart.

24/11/07 : Wintertime in Austria

As you may have heard in the weatherforecasts it snows in Austria. So I don't have many free roads to start training. Instead of riding my bike I amuse myself by playing in the snow, so some 'langlauf' and just enjoy life. Next week the season 2008 will start officially for me. Ihave an appointment for a week of teambuilding with my new team Bigla in Switserland. So next year you wont see me anymore in the 'Nürnbergerblue" but in the red/white Bigla outfit, the same coulours as the Austrian flag :-) . After the teambuilding I will re-update the diary but meanwhile you can keep on voting for me in poll of best Tirolersporter. Cross the fingers and maybe I can win this time thanks to all of you.

snowy greetings - Andrea

20/11/07 : Best sporter in Tirol (Austria)

It's again so far - while my seasonspauze is already over with a trip to Cyprus, and while I already started my first trainigsessions for 2008, a season with Olympic Games and the Worldchampionships in Italy. I am one of the nominees know for the title "best sporter in Tirol" (the state I live in in Austria) and that for the fourth time in a row. After a fourth place last year I hope to do better and receive as much or better even more votes then in 2006, I got 4000 votes then.

You can choose for me if you click on this link . Unfortunately only residents of Austria, Germany, Switserland or Lichtenstein can vote but if you live in another country you can be smart and vote for me under a fictive name and a fictive adress. Please tell it to your family or friends to vote for me. Every vote counts and makes me happy. you can vote till 07/12/2007. Thanks in advance

Andrea

20/10/07 : Seasonsbreak

After 68 races this season, being three times overseas (Australia - Canada and the Usa), a lot of racekilometers and even more travelkilometers I have at last one month of holiday - without training and with almost no travelling (only one week holiday in Cyprus) just staying at home doing some nice walks on the mountains, a little moutainbiking, seeing fiends just doing everything I can't do during the season. So I hope the the nice autumtemperatures will stay a while so that I can restart some trainingsession in November outside. As you know I hate to train inside. But last but not least I look forward to the snow because langlaufen is fun and very good te create a good base for next season in which I will ride for my first pro team ever, team Bigla from Switserland.

Hope to see you soon again to encourage me....

love Andrea.

17/10/07 : My reasults this season

This are the results I booked this season - my second year as pro in the Nürnberger Team.

- Stagewin„Tour de feminin“, CZ
- 2. Overall„Tour de feminin“, CZ
- 2. Overall„Albstadt-Etappenrennen“, D
- 6. Place, Best climber and most agressive rider – Worldcup„Berner Rundfahrt“, CH
- 7. Place worldcup „Fleche Wallone“, B
- 3. Place„Holland Hills-Classics“, NL
- 4. Overallranking „Giro San Marino“, RSM (Kat. 1)
- 6. Overallranking“Tour of Montreal”, CAN (Kat. 1)
- 7. Overallranking„Thüringenrundfahrt“, D (Kat. 1)
- 7. Overallranking„Giro del Trentino“, I (Kat. 1)
- 12. Place worldcup “Ronde van Vlaanderent”
- 14. Place worldcup“Montreal”

I ended the season on place 23 in the Uci-ranking with 233 points.

 

29/09/07 : Worldchampionships in Stuttgart

After I had canceled my participation for the woldchampionships timetrial was my seasonsgoal the roadchamionships my only real race in September (I abandonned in the Tour of Toscane and didn't start in the last Wc race in Nürnberg). The worldchampionships were my 68th race this season and I looked forward for a very good end of seasonsmonth, but unfortunately I couldn't participate in any race to build up my form ofr the biggest race of the season. Due to not racing i really felt bad on the training on the track on Friday, the day before the race. breathing was really hard for me.

The race : My body felt on Saturdaymorning the this had to be the moment and so felt my head. Breathing was better and I felt more strenght in my legs so my motivation was growing during breakfast althought we had to start on a wet track. The race was much harder then last year in Salzburg and as I expected the race was very hard in the second part of the race. WIth a little more then one lap to go I felt cramps in my right leg. Having never cramps before I think it was because my shoes were a little bit higher because they told me so measuring my biometrie during my stage in September. Although my craps I went to the head of the leading group with one lap to go to start the haevy climbs on the track in the first positions hoping to survive. But climbing the first hill on the track my legs lost every power. With a large groups I tried to rewin a good position for the next climb but unfortunately we couldn't close the gap. A group of 18 would race for the title and I wasn't one of them. I realised the doing as good or even better then last year (when I finished on place 10) was impossible. I lost all motiviation on the uphill towards the finish and finished finally on place 41 while we were sprinting for place19 till 43. But who cares taking place 20-25 or 30 only one place counts.

It wasn't the championships I hoped for . I did everything to have a real good seasonsend but due to illness I failed. As far as the race I wasn't too disappointed after what I felt the days before the race. I willcertainly keep up the good spirit and during the winter I have time to make my bikeposition even better.

At last I wanna thank everybody who supported me at home and on the Stuttgartroads to motivate me and to be honest this year I needed it.

Thanks and greeting Andrea

25/09/07 : Last week before Stuttgart

What happened after the trainingsession in Bad Reichenal? Everything went wrong.

When I got home I started getting a flue - became supporter instead of rider in the Worldcupfinal - Abbandonned the race in Toscane - Gave up my place in the worldchampoinships timetrial - hopely I will start on Saturday in the championships....... hopely

The worldcupfinal in Nurnberg where my sponsor comes from was bad. Instead of starting the race I became a VIP supporter for my teammates. After the race I traveled still ill to Italy to ride the Tour of Toscane where all the big riders were participating. The first stage, a teamtimetrial wasn't that bad. Together with my teammates we rode the third bet time, not that bad. The second day I could help together with Trixi the team to achieve a stagewin with Regina. But that were the only highlights I achieved. In the tough stages I had problems with my nose and it was very hard to breath. The teamdoctor forbid me to race further so on Friday I had to go home. After three days at home it was a little better but not enough to go to Stuttgart for the timetrial. I hope to get fit (if not 100% at least 90% ) for the roadrace that will start on Saturday. I hope that all the supporters wil understand that maybe I won't do as good as last year but I still have a lot of motivation. Watch out for number 60 next Saturday.

10/09/07 : Traning in Bad Reichenal

spring this season I already had a good experience with a trainingsession in the mountains in France (St Moritz). Fur my last seasonshighlight, the worldchampionships in Stuttgart I did a session in Bad Reichenal with Hypoxysessions on an altitude of 2600 meters. In Bad Reichenal everything is indoor, not my taste but a girl has to do what a girl has to do. During the indoorcyclingsession I watched movies so time went by very fast. Outside it was raining sometimes even snowing and the temperatures didn't climb higher then 10 degrees so the session was better inside. After this training I just have to ride the Wordcupfinal in Nurnberg - the Tour of Toscane - and then the Worldchampionships (timetrial and roadrace) so please cross your fingers and watch me on TV on Saturday 29/09/07 ar 9o'clock

01/09/07 : Worldcup Plouay

I rode a better race then the result everybody read on the internet. The whole day our team was present in the front of the race and we were making the race as hard as possible. With the big escape the whole team was present in the front of the race. But when four riders escaped we and especially I were not with the right escape. Severall times Iescaped and I tried to join the four leaders but never had enough power in my legs to join them . So we had to sprint for place five and I finished only as 33rd. In the worldcup I am now on place 14 but the positive thing I learned today is that I get in shape for the worldchmpionships in Stuttgart where I surely want to do better then my tenth place of last year in my homecountry.

greetz Andrea

24/08/07 : Nightrace Waidhofen

The race started at 22.00 Hr there were thousands of spectators, bigscreenviws, cameras and a party atmosphere so it was a nice day to race. Sportively it was not my best race. Together with my teammate Claudia I couldn't do a good race and we finished only as third and fourth after a mistake in the last corner. Moni Schahl was the winner.

23/08/07 : Albstadt Stagerace

First stage : Prologue - 4 km - 5th place : With a fifth place immediately after my teammate Trixi Worrack I was in a good position at only 2" of the second best time.

Second stage : 10 x 10 km - 5th place : The stage started with a serious uphill. Always more and more riders couldn'd follow the tempo. After five laps only 7 riders were leading the race and I was one of those. One lap later our group was only one of six riders and amongst them two riders of the Nurnberger Team Trixi Worrack and myself Andrea Graus. Out of this group I attacked together with Emma Pooley and Nicole Brändli. After the next climb it was Naomi Cnatele who joined us. The two Bigla riders (Brändli & Cantele) attacked several times and I had to get them always back. I was happy that my teammate Trixi joined us together with Nicole Cooke so we were six again. In the downhill towards the finish Polley lost contact with our group and then due to unconcentration in a curve I lost contact too. Trixi finished as second and took thanks to the bonifications the leadersjersey. I finished as fifth and became second in the overallranking behind Trixi.

Thirs stage : 91 km - 24th at 22" - overall second at 8" of Trixi - What a race for our team finishing on place one and two and winning the teamranking.

13/08/07 : Holland Hills Classic

Holland Hills I found the name weird because i didn't know there were hills there like in Austria :-). We hed to ride five laps and in each lap we had to climb two hills so at the end I was convinced there were hills in Holland. The race didn't start good for me in the first kilometers another rider hit my wheel so I had to change my wheel. Withthe help of Claudio I soon took my place back in the bunch. The race was immediately very hard so that a lot of girls lost contact with the bunch. Eva and I were always in the front and rode an agressive race. With a little more then one lap to go I escaped with a Dutch girl. We soon took a bonus of one minute but with less then one lap to go the mainfield (or what was left of it) took us again. At the tenth and last climb it was the worldchampion Marianne Vos who attacked. With two other girls we joined her so with 5km to go I was in the leading group of four. THree other riders joined us and just before the uphill sprint Marianne Vos attacked again togheter with Suzannse Ljungskog. They both sprinted for the win in which Marianne was the strongest. I was the fastest of the other and finished on a third place at only five second of the two former worldchampions. For me and my team it was again a good race even if you know that we started with a young team in which three of the amateurs participated.

06/08/07 : Bischofshofen - Criterium

40 km - 30 laps - second

Immediately after the landing from Sweden I started in the first criterium wich was held in Bischofshofen. That two flights and a worldcuprace not that good were to start a race is known but I did all I could on the small and curvy track. Untill half of the race i felt good and was always in fron even for the sprints. In the sprint for the vitory I was beaten by the champione of the Czech Republic Ruzikova.

05/08/07 : Worldcup Sweden

Luck was not on my side this time. In this race our team started with only 4 riders (some rode a race in Bochum while others were injured or ill). Our team rode an agressive race. In the first big escape with thirteen two of our members were in the attack. With 50 km to go everything came together again. I was planning to go with the next escape nd when Chantal Beltman und Karin Thurig tried to escape I realised i had to go to, unfortunately one of my teammates was in the way so I had to stay in the bunch. No problem I thought because there were still 50 km before the finish. But the two riders should sprint for the victory and there I was in the bunch with my good legs. WIth three laps to go I escpaed together with Tatiana Guderzo and it looked like we should sprint for place three and fourn unfortunately in the last lap the group started their chase and at a few kilometers from the finished a group of 17 caught us back. For the sprint I missed the force I used in the escaped and finished on place 19, the third last of the group. I took again some worldcup point unfortunately not enough to keep my top ten place in the overallranking.

24-29/07/07 : Thuringen Rundfahrt - Ger

With a fourth place in the first stage a teamtimetrial we were not as good as we expected although we were only 1" behind place three and 2" behind place two. The Thuringen Rundfahrt can as best be described as long stages (the longest stage was 130km with 11km extra before the real start) , wind, fast stages, nice finals and always up and down tracks. In the second stage it was my teammate Regina Schleicher who was the fastest in a massive sprint although not many riders were togheter after an exhausting stage. In the last kilometers Edita and I were leading the group for Regina who won. The third stage was surprisingly won by Emma Pooley who finished with a bonus of five minutes on the bunch and becmae the new leader in the overallranking. In the fourht stage a small group escaped on the fist climb after only 17km of racing. All favorites were in the leading group. From our team there were Trixi , Edita and I. We were riding a great tempo and it was for the mainfield impossible to get us back in the last 100 km of the stage. Un fortunately three riders escaped on the next climb out of our group and decided about the stagewin and also about the win in this Tour. We arrived at the finish at six minutes on these three riders while the mainbunch lost 37!!!! minutes in this stage. On Saturday there wer two stages in very bad weather conditions. In the 19 km long individual timetrial I finished on place 16 and came so in the overallranking in place 8. The afternoon stage had to be nutralised due to the bad weather with rain and storm and restarted afterwards. Trixi won the stage after a solo but I crashed with 5 km to go in the last uphill. With a lot of help from my teammates Lotte and Regina we coudl take some other groups to get in the front of the stage finishing as 12th with two injured knees.The last stage on Sonday was due to the rain again very hard and after my crash of yesterday I had a very bad day. Especially the first kilometers were hard for me. The last tage was won by Judith Arndt and I finished on place 8 in the overallranking. It was my first real crash this season and I was happy finishing that good. Next week I have to ride the Worldcup race in Sweden.

Rainy greeting - Andrea

Stage 1	4.2 km Prologue	Black jersey - best rider
Stage 2	118 km	22nd
Stage 3	130 km	15 th + Mountainjersey
Stage 4	127 km	9 th
Stage 5	19 km - Timetrial	16 th
Stage 6	90 km	12 th
Stage 7	108 km	17 th
overallranking		7 th

12-15/07/07 : Tour de Feminin - Cz

This was my first race after a short seasonsbreak but the race turned out better then expected. After two top ten places in the first two stages I was already happy but in the timetrial, not my speciality, over 21 kilometers I rode the third best time at only 30" bhind Hanke Kupfernagel while my teammate Trixi Worrack rode the second best time. At the start of the afternoonstage over 90km Trixi and I were second and third in the overallranking. Unfortunately Trixi wasn't in the escape in the afternoonstage so we couldn't play our teamtacktick. I escaped from the group with 6km to go in a short uphill towards the finish and I could hold a bonus till the finishline. I took my second seasonswin with a bonus of 15" on the group with all the favorites. I enjoined my first international win very much although I hadn't enough bonus to take the leadersjersey from Hanka Kupfernagel. Also in the last stage I attacked several times the leadersposition but Hanka was in such a good shape that it was impossible to go for the leadersjersey. My second place in the overallranking is my best performance in a stagerace ( I was twice fourth in a stagerace in 2004 and 2005) and of course my stagewin are terrific for me. Hereby my results of the race.

Stage 1	112.5 km	5th
Stage 2	112 km	10th
Stage3	21.5 km	3rd
Stage 4	90 km	1st
Stage5	100 km	8th
overallranking		2nd

 

01/07/07 : Austrian championships roadrace

This was my first national championship since 1998 in wich I took no medal. My only goal for this race was to take the title. Silver and bronze could not get my interest. Before the start I had in mind to do a tactical race. I was the only participant of my Team Nürnberger and the other big Austrian team (Team Uniqa) had 11 girls in the race. I only looked at the, in my mind, strongest girls of that team. From the start on their team started attacking and attacking. At first one girl attacked, then a second and then a third. So three Uniqa girls were in the front and it weren't even the strongest once. The race was already over before she even started. The other girls were blocked every otehr attack especially mine. The race was over for me. The three first girls took more then six minutes on the bunch. I don't know ifthere will be fun in the next years when the best girls of Austria who rider in foreighn team had to conquer teams af more then ten riders. My only hope for next year is that the race will be much more uphill and that is more my piece of cake. Now I take some rest and I will relance my season in two weeks in the Czech Republic.

kisses - Andrea

28/06/07 : Austrian championships timetrial

Like I expected I had to be pleased again with place two in our national championships timetrial behind the specialiste Christine Soeder. It was a flat 20km long track and that is not my speciality. My classifications in the prologues of the different Tour i rode this season were good but not enough to go for the title. Two weeks ago I had a special trialtraining to make my possession better so I hope that more of these tests will increase my capacities in the future.Hereby you can find a photo of me with my silver medal.

23/06/2007 : Giro del Trentino

Unfortunately this nice stagerace was only hled in two stages this season, but nevertheless our team was outstanding again. With our best team of climbers we could take everything thanks to Edita Pucinskaite. The two stages and also the overallvictory went to Edita. Trixi took place 4 in the overall and Claudia Häusler place five. I completed the Giro thanks to a 6th and an 8th place in the stages as overall seventh. I was glad I could do a lot to help my team and chased even a long time in the second stage to help keeping the leadersjersey of Edite. The condition is what it has to be. I look confident forward to the championships and after that I take a welldeserved seasonsbreak.

See you next time in my national jersey : - ) Andrea

20/06/2007 Altheim - MY FIRST SEASONSWIN

Today I rode for the first time this season a race in my homecountry, at last... I started the race together with my three teammates Trixi Worrack, Claudia Häusler and Claudia Stumpf because we were on our way to the Giro del Trentino. Nowadays it is hot in Austria, we had to do 6 laps of 11km in temperatures of more then 40 degrees. From the start on Claudia Häusler was in a small group in front of the race. The rest of our team was waiting untill the gap was big enough and then we three rode in no time towards the frontgroup. Immediately afterwards the Nürnberger bluetrain attacked again and in no time the four of our team were lonely in the head of the race. The Austrian team Unique tried to close the gap but we managed to keep in front and at the end of the race we even took more bonus on the field. My mates let me WIN my homerace with a couple of seconds bonus. Thanks girls. Claudia Stumpf was second and Trixi third. Claudia Häusler completed our triumph by finishing as fourth. For me this race was a good rehersal for the national championships next weekend where I have unfortunately no teammtes to help me but I hope for the best.

a happy Andrea

10/06/2007 : Liberty Classics Philadelphia

This was the last race outside Europe. The race was 92km lonf (4laps) with a short climb at the beginning of each lap. From the start it was clear the the two best teams, our Team Nürnberger and T-Mobile would go for a massive sprint. At every climb a lot of girls couldn't stuck with the bunch but when it went downhill again they all could come back. So it was easy for us trying the keep the bunch together and leadin in the sprint for our fastest member Régina Schleicher. I had to lead the group with 2km to go till 500m before the finish, then it was Trixi's (Worrack) turn to take over and lead in the sprint for Régina. Un fortunately in the last meters it was another top sprinter Ino-Yoko Teutenberg (T-Mobile) who jumped over Régina and took the win. Our team had to be pleased with place two. The otmosphere was like in a Worldchampionship, a hige crowd and the race went live in TV. For me i was lucky seeing Philadelphia once but I am looking forward to go to my homeplace in Tirol Austria where I can train without any red lights and noisy traffic around me.

Greets - Andrea

08/06/2007 : Tour de Montréal

Stage 5 (115km) : Although this last stage was the most difficult one there was not much of disorder in the overallranking. We did with the team everything we could but couldn't help it that Trixi finished on place two in the stage and also in the overallranking. At the end of the race I was able to close a gap towards the leading group in which was Katherine Bates rode (she was standing on place three in the overall). With a few kilometers to go I tried to go solo but could hold it. In the last line I did again my teamjob for Trixi who took place to on a light uphill finishline. I finished on place seven and in the overallranking I took place six at 38" of the winner Oenone Wood. The team did very well, I rode a good Tour so I am quiet happy with Montréal although it would be better for meif the stages were much more difficult then this year.

Stage 4 : (50km criterium) : Creterium as not my piece of cake, but I was very happy with my performance in this one.In the first laps I was in an escape of 6 together with raceleader Arndt. But at about half of the race the bunch took us again. I escaped twice afterwards with as result that I had the change to take some bonifications but unfortunately I crossed the line twice as fourth so I took nothing :-(. When we were taken again by the bunch I did some work for the team for the sprint. Oenone Wood won again and I finished as 15th because our group was not that big because there was a crash with four laps to go. Trixi finished again as third and holds her second place. I am climbing in the overall and am classified on place seven.

Stage 3 (3.5km timetrial) : Today on the windy flat track I had a very good day. In the short race I rode the 5th best time and that was more then I espected. I was only three seconds behind Judith Arndt (T-Mobile) who won the race and only one place behind the woldchampion timetrial of Salzburg Kirstin Armstrong. Due to this performance I am now classified on place eight at only 14" on raceleader Oenoe Wood (T-Mobile. My teammate Regina lost her leadersjersy but Trixi Worrack, ad third this stage, is now second in the overallranking. The team is doing very well.

Stage 2 (105km) : Again a flat stage with 11 laps this time. After the start it started raining cats and dogs. The whole race it was dark and very hard to take the wet curves. We were riding the whole race in the front with our team to protect the leadersjersey. In the last lap I tried to attack twice but without succes. Again a massive sprint had to decide the stagewinner and again it was Regina who won the stage. Second stage, second win and second time the leadersjersey. We are starting wery good. I finished in the middle of the bunch on place 51. In the overall I am ta place 41 at 20" of Regina.

Stage 1 (107km) : This stage was not my cup of tea at all. It was a stage with a tour of 13.5km we had to do 8 times. Each lap was very technical and many hard to take curves. It was rainy and very windy and we had to start at 17.00 PM so it was nearly dark when we reached the finish. With my team (Nürnberger Versicherung" we controled the race as much as possible and in every attack we had a member. The race ended in a massive sprint in which my teammate Regina Schleicher took the stagewin and so we have the leadersjersey in our team tomorrow. I finished in the mainfield as 28th.

02/06/2007 : Worldcup Montréal

Unfortunately it didn't turn ou very good for me and for my team in the race I love the most till now.

It started already badly for me even before the race. When I saw the track it was quiet different then last years edition. The finish wasn't on top of a nice climb but it was flat this time, so I thought it would be for sprinters. The track was a littl bit harder, we had to ride 11 laps of 10 km and in each lap there was a climb of 2 km which was situated in the beginning of each lap instead of the end. The race was much more a tactical race then last year. The victory went to Fabiana Luperini (Ita) was was the best in the sprint of a small group which was already formed at the end of lap six, so far before the final. I also tried sometimes to escape but unfortunately i failed because the escpaes couldn't go untill the finish. You still need to hear my result.. well I finished as 14th, not bad you would think, at 1'47" of the winner.

Greetings - Andrea

 

30/05/2007 : Training or not....

For the moment I am in Montréal (Canada). I left Europe after the Tour de l'Aude. Because we don't have an intensive trainingprogram affter the hard race in France we could do some sightseeing, and shopping in this nice city.

Sunday it will be back to serious business again with the Wordcuprace. I am looking forward to it because this race was in 2004 my first top ten classification in a worldcuprace although i wasn't professional then. I have already notices that the track is much different then then. The uphill finish doesn't exist anyymore but i hope that the uphill in the beginning of each lap will make some selection because my sprint isn't so good. Although this changing Montréal stays my favorite race of the year. On Monday after the Worldcuprace I will start in the Tour of Montréal, a stagerace of four days with five stages. After Montreal I will leave to the US to race in Philadelphia on Sunday 10/06/07.

Greeting from Montréal - Andrea.