Napier, National Cup Series: Round 2

Round two of the Nationals series had valuable UCI points and prize money up for grabs. It attracted many of New Zealand's top athletes, having one of the toughest competitive fields I've ever race. 

Photo from Michelle Bellamy

It was another hot race with the temperature sitting around the 30 degree mark. I had been feeling run down all week on the verge of a cold, so I found I wasn't in a very good head space come race day. The track was very different to Tauranga's straight up and down, Napier was mainly flat with one steep climb in the middle. 

The race itself went well, no cramps and I felt reasonably good in the legs. I had a small crash in my 3rd lap where I lost my front wheel going around a corner and ended up face first into the dirt. No major injuries just a few scrapes, bruises, and a chip out of my bike frame :(. After the crash my lap times decreased about a minute, but didn't get any slower after that. I finished 7th in the elite women and was very happy to receive UCI points and prize money.

Back on the Kapiti Coast now and starting to prepare for the South Island trip in February, with races in Nelson, maybe Christchurch, and Dunedin.

Photo from Michelle Bellamy