European Campaign All Set To Go! - bmwcycling
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14 May European Campaign All Set To Go!

Posted at 03:13h in Racing by

Our dream of sending a team to Europe and racing in some of the best and biggest races in Europe is now only days away!

The racing program is comprehensive with an exciting mix of one day races and tours across several countries.

The team will start with a racing block in Switzerland and Germany.  After arriving and settling into Lucerne, Switzerland the girls will be taking on the exciting SwissEver GP Cham-Hagendorn UCI 1.2 race on the 26th May, which will be on a challenging circuit in the beautiful Swiss county side.

This will be the teams first experience of racing on narrow and challenging European roads and will be a fast an intense race from the start amongst stunning country and village scenery.

Following a quick turnaround and a long drive to Gera in Germany,  will be our biggest challenge and most anticipated racing at the Lotto Thüringen Ladies Tour UCI 2.1.  This tour has a bit of everything, hills and more hills, mountains, cobbles, medieval towns, narrow lanes, wide country roads, time trial and very competitive fields. The hospitality of the organisers and locals at this race is legendary and something we are all looking forward too!

From their it is onto our next racing block in the home of cycling – Belgium and Holland!  The team will be based in the purpose built sports facility, the Watersley Sports & Talent Park.  This is the ideal base for a cycling team, in park like surrounds with great facilities, awesome riding and close to the heart of racing action in Europe, with fantastic staff who have been so helpful in making this campaign a reality.  As an added bonus Amanda, Rylee and Kate from our team are also staying in the facility with the MEXX-Watersley International Women’s Cycling Team.  Their team manager Tjarco has been invaluable with advice and helped us with the details for our program.

Our first race in the region will be the Salverda Omloop van de IJsseldelta UCI 1.2.  Although on paper this race looks flat the girls are under no illusion that this will be challenging race, with the conditions (wind!) and size of the field and the presence of strong World Tour teams making for an exciting race.  In 2018 only 32 riders finished!

The next day it is straight into a real Belgium experience at the Dwars door de Westhoek UCI 1.1!  We are in for a true test of our riders skills in this race with a bit of everything, flats, bergs, cobbles and aggressive riding  starting in Boezinge, Belgium.

After a week to recover and work on team work together in Sittard next up will be SPAR Flanders Diamond Tour UCI 1.1.  Another great Belgium race in and around the famous cycling region of Flanders this race is sure to be a highlight of the campaign.  We expect to really experience the full culture of European cycling in this race and hope to have put in placing some good learning from the early stages in the campaign to step it up a level here!

We then have a break from UCI racing before our final UCI Tour in July.  A common problem with NZ riders racing in Europe is they smash themselves with too much racing.  We will use this racing break as a short recovery and then further develop rider fitness and form combined with a further focus on team work and tactics.  Local kermese’s will further refine our riders and skills and tactics before their final tour in the Czech Republic.

Our riders will head across the continent in early July to their final race of our campaign – the Tour de Feminin UCI 2.2 in the Czech Republic.  This race is often used for emerging riders to stamp their mark in what is a very hard tour.  No mountains but relentless hilly courses on a challenging terrain with big fields and very aggressive racing.  This 5 stage tour will be a big test for our riders who will have a chance to show what they have learned and how they can mix it up with the best.

The riders and support team are very excited by this opportunity and can’t wait!.  Check out who is coming and the support team we have on board to make the most of the campaign.  The team moral is high and most importantly the attitude of the team to wok together, learn and develop their riding to the next level while giving it all to the racing on offer.

Riders

  • Jenna Merrick
  • Niamh Fisher-Black
  • Hannah Bartram
  • Libby Arbuckle
  • Connie Obrien
  • Emma Smith
  • Amelia Matthews
  • Alana Forster (acting team doctor too!)
  • Alicia Evans

Support Team

  • Switzerland
    • Jordan Gilmore (DS)
    • Patrick Harvey (DS)
    • Tammy Harvey (Soigneur)
    • Steffan Fuller (Mechanic)
  • Gemany
    • Jordan Gilmore (DS)
    • Non Racing Riders (Soigneur)
    • Steffan Fuller (Mechanic)
  • Netherlands / Belgium
    • Jordan Gilmore (DS)
    • Non Racing Riders (Soigneur)
    •  Steffan Fuller (Mechanic)
  • Czech Republic
    • Dirk van Hove (DS)
    • Lieve Drieghe  (Sogineur)
    • Steffan Fuller (Mechanic)

Watch for pre campaign posts from our riders on what are their expectations and for pre race reviews and post race analysis.

Bring it on!

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