The second week in Kirchberg, Austria cleared up nicely in time for us to practice the track we were to race on that weekend. Each day the track got drier and drier and we were getting to know it well and I was stoked with how it was riding. I was feeling good after a rest week and was itching to get going. The race was part of the Kitzalp Bike Festival in which there was a hill climb race on the Wednesday night – be rude not to surely? And if nothing else it was a great training opportunity. The race was at 6.30pm which allowed for the masses to arrive after work. Bec Henderson, from Trek Factory Racing and Lisi Osl, from Ghost Factory Racing were lined up to race which I was pleased about to give me an extra push. The race was an 8km road climb with around 600m of climbing, a baby hill compared to the Alpen Tour! I sat with the girls half way up the first hill and it was evident I was feeling good so I went for it taking out the win over 1.5minutes in front of Bec. The race was such a great atmosphere and the 15 Euro entry fee gave us two free drinks, a free dinner (which was a pretty delicious half cooked chook), music to enjoy and a great crowd. I won some prize money plus 2 bottles of wine, 1 being a huge magnum. I have left this with my friends Swampy and Emma to bring to Andorra for after World Champs! 

1st Place in the Hill Climb at the KitzAlpBike Festival

The XC race was on the Saturday and the weather was looking dubious. Sure enough 3o minutes before the start of our race the heavens opened and it absolutely poured. The once nice dry and fun track was now full of muddy, rooty, sketchy descents. One downhill part was a steep grass hill which turned into a slip’n’slide as the race progressed, it provided a lot of carnage! Some funny, some not so much. I was feeling pretty good in this race again and was leading the first lap but on the first downhill I had a crash hitting a tree at speed at was passed by a couple of riders. I was a bit dazed but continued and managed to take the lead again on the 2nd lap however my technical skills let me down a little during the race and I ended up in 2nd place. Exciting to have something to work on and improve. 

It was time to pack the bags and van again and head to our new destination, Lenzerheide for the final World Cup of this trip. Lenzerheide is at an altitude of around 1500m so high enough to feel the lungs! It has amazing mountains, a beautiful lake and it was around 32 degrees each day. What made it even better was having the World Cup Downhill there as well. There were more kiwis around and it was awesome seeing everyone again. I think Queenstown feels like a mini Switzerland, it is definitely somewhere I could live if it didn’t cost $30 for a filet of chicken! So expensive. 

Being a climber I really wasn’t sure how this race was going to go. The track was a lot of fun to ride but we figured out pretty quickly it was going to be a tough race. There was one climb which was about 2 mins long and the rest was undulating terrain with a lot of roots and features to manoeuvre through which allowed very little rest opportunities. I had a terrible (like really terrible) start and got caught in the carnage in the first downhill and was way back after the first lap – in the 30s I think. I then made it my mission to pass as many people as I could on the one climb we had to try and make back some places. Another goal of this race was to ride the technical features each lap which I managed to do so I was stoked. I finished in 19th which is my best every World Cup result on a track I didn’t think particularly suited me so I am really rapt! 

Photo: Michele Lotti – ILOVEGIRLRIDERS.COM

Photo: Michele Lotti – ILOVEGIRLRIDERS.COM

Photo: Michele Lotti – ILOVEGIRLRIDERS.COM

It was also the best finish to a race I have had with all the kiwi downhillers there to cheer me on as you can see in the photo below – it was actually quite scary being up in the air like that but totally epic! 

Photo: Sven Martin

My coach Sam Thompson and I

Overall I consider the trip to have been hugely successful. There is always a risk of travelling so intensely with 5 other people you do not know that well but the group dynamics really worked. Sure we all got sick of each other at some point but that is bound to happen in the often high stress race environments. I am now back in Queenstown which is a shock to the system, almost 30 degrees lower in temperature! I landed on Saturday and Reon had organised a little gathering at the new World Bar with friends which was a total surprise! We were the up Remarks first thing Sunday morning. It was a blue bird day, the snow was pretty good – a great day to be up there with friends. 

A great day skiing up The Remarkables with friends

I have finally got the bags unpacked and time to hit the training again. Just a small block before both Reon and I head to Canada on the 24th July for the Canada and North America World Cup Rounds. So excited to race these! 

Thanks to everyone who is making this possible for me. Rio is becoming a likely reality. 

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