Lady and the Bike

10 Reasons to Love Being a Professional Ladies Cyclist

A couple of years ago a worldwide competition was run where the prize was the “best job in the world”.  The job description was to stroll the white sands of a tropical island in Australia.  I think my job as a professional cyclist deserves that title and you do not even need lady luck to win this job.

Here is my job description:

1.       Weekly massages are considered mandatory

2.       Most companies block social media websites but my job encourages the use of Twitter, Facebook as well as blogging

3.       You get to wear tight fitting clothes without any excuse

4.       Whether you use shopping as retail therapy or as part of your socialising routine cycling does give you the perfect excuse to shop for the best brands because they can actually make you go faster

5.       Without food you cannot perform so it is considered essential to eat a lot

6.       Coffee shop rides (ride to a coffee shop with a group of people) form part of our daily training regimen and drinking the occasional glass or two of red wine is actually a part of the cycling culture

7.       Get paid to work on your bikini body all year round

8.       Travel the world

9.       For all those single ladies out there:  The number of men racing greatly outnumbers the ladies so it is the perfect scouting ground for Mr Right and that cute view a few meters in front of you gives you just the little bit of extra motivation to go faster

10.   If you are lucky enough like me to be part of Team MTN Qhubeka which has MTN as title sponsor you even get to chat on your phone as much as you want

So get on a bike and you might just end up with the best job in the world.

P.S. remember that thanks to waterproof mascara you have no excuse not to look pretty while out cycling

Qhubeka Bike Handover - Luphisi, Mpumalanga

This past weekend teammates Charlotte, Sarah, Adrien and I had the privilege of joining Qhubeka and Wildlands Conservation Trust staff as well as MTN employees for the Qhubeka bike handover in Luphisi, Mpumalanga.

"Transportation is a fundamental element of development: Most of Africa’s rural population have no access to transport and people have to walk long distances to access opportunity, education, healthcare, shops and community services. Rural schoolchildren are particularly badly affected by lack of mobility. In South Africa, of the 16 million school going children, 12 million walk to school. Of these, 500,000 walk more than two hours each way, spending four hours getting to and back from school each day. Bicycles are the most effective and economical method of quickly addressing this problem."
http://www.qhubeka.org/qhubeka/HOME/HOME.html

This is where Qhubeka comes in. Many people are already aware of the great work that is being done by Qhubeka.  Qhubeka is an Nguni word that means "to carry on" and "to progress".  This bike handover was part of their "Trees-for-Bikes" project where children (called "Tree-preneurs") grow trees to earn bikes. 

For me the most memorable part of this experience was to hear the stories about the "Tree-preneurs".  Kids that used to spend hours walking to school can now use that time to study.  Something like a University degree that previously seemed impossible becomes possible.  Another boy was planting trees to get a bike for his little brother.  There are many more stories like these of how this project has changed the lives of children in rural communities.  With so little you can do so much.

"Tree-preneurs"patiently waiting for their new well-earned Qhubeka bikes

The trees planted by one "Tree-preneur"

Sign-in of a different kind - Maybe one day one of these kids will sign the sign-in boards at a UCI race or even the Tour de France

Teammates Sarah and Charlotte helping with the assembling of the bicycles

Getting ready to take one of the Qhubeka bikes for a test drive

Belgium Living

The unexpected and unplanned outings always seem to be the most fun in the end.  Cherise and I went to go pick An-Li up from Brussels International Airport after her visit to Spain.  Believe it or not the traffic in Belgium makes Midrand/Johannesburg traffic look good.  The traffic was so bad on the way back that we decided to be touristy instead of sitting in traffic for hours.  On a whim we decided to visit the Atomium monument in Brussels.  At 102 metres high it represents an elementary iron crystal enlarged 165 billion times and has nine interconnected spheres.  Afterwards we took to the street of Brussels to look for something to eat.  We ended up at a typical Italian pizza place.

The Atomium Monument and pizza dinner afterwards

Only in Belgium!  This is not the red light district but the "Drop & Go"at Brussels International Airport

With this weather you have to get a bit creative with your training routine.  I recently discovered what keeps Cherise on the indoor trainer…  The stories of Frikkadel, Boeboe en Worsie out of the Vetkoek Paleis (South African Afrikaans comedy show) in Nigel.  Who would have thought that this is all it takes?!  I have been caught in ice rain the past two days while out training so maybe tomorrow I will see if this works for me as well.

Cherise hooked on Vetkoek Paleis

Riding along the canal is part of our daily routine but it never gets boring.  The scary hissing geese usually provide some entertainment.  We have mastered the art of getting around these scary creatures.  You have to wait until another rider pass you before the geese section and then follow closely so that the other person scares away the geese and gives you a safe path to navigate.  Yesterday it was a cargo boat that unloaded a bit too much of its cargo which lifted it out of the water and barely made it through under the bridge.  We stared as the boat approached the bride and could see it literally back pedalling.  Much to their amusement we were cheering as they pass through under the bridge by what looked to be a centimetre or two.  I guess having a little baggage to weigh you down is not such a bad thing after all.

How is this for living on the edge?!

When in Belgium, do as the Belgians do so I decided to try some local Belgium beer.  It is no Castle!  With an 8.4% Alc content it surely is beer for the brave only.  When it comes to red wine I still say: oos, wes, tuis bes.

Beer for the Brave and a proudly South African Kanonkop Red Wine

It has been really nice to have the Team MTN Qhubeka men also here in Belgium.  No better way to catch up and listen to their race stories than a coffee shop ride from Ninove to Aalst Centrum.

Coffee shop ride with the boys to Aalst Centrum and the nice Trek bikes taking over the square

Race Report: La Flèche Wallonne Féminine World Cup

Celebrating the Minor Victories

This past Wednesday we competed in the La Fleche Wallonne Feminine World Cup in Huy, Belgium.  The race is famous for the very steep finishing ascent up the Mur de Huy.  I was expecting the race to be really hard from the start like the previous World Cup race, Trofeo Alfredo Binda, in Italy that I competed in.  It seemed like the bunch was waiting for the first climb up the Mur de Huy.  This gave me time to build some confidence in the bunch.  I even attacked once, for the first time in a UCI race, and although the small break was really short lived it was encouraging for me to be in a position to attack and respond to the racing that happens in the front of the bunch.  I got to the top of the Mur de Huy about a bike length behind the front group but with a strong cross wind over the top there was no getting back into the race even after a long chase.  For the last 30km of the race Jo and I were in the chasing bunch.  Ashleigh Moolman rode an extraordinary race and finished 5^th on the day.  A really impressive result!  Some mechanical issues with my chain dropping from the small blade on the steep climbs did not make an already tough race any easier either but I hit the last climb up the Mur de Huy with the chase group and finished 72th in the end.  From each race I gain more and more experience and although you always strive to do better achieving a small goal like being able to attack or move a bit better in the bunch build confidence for what is still to come.

After the finish we got to spend some time with the sponsors in a tent at the base of the Mur de Huy watching as the men battle the steep slopes.

Minor goal for race achieved:  Off the front after attacking and it was caught on camera :)

Me and Jo up the Mur de Huy

Team presentation in the freezing cold weather prior to the race



The men suffering up the Mur de Huy not once, not twice but three times



Enjoying the Finer Things in Belgium

The recent weather in Belgium has not been good for much else than staying indoors and eating.  Together with the quiet racing calendar this has given us some time to enjoy the finer things in Belgium.  We have been creative in the kitchen mixing it up with a Mexican meal one night, Chinese another night and a typical American take-out meal with pizza and ice cream.  Quinton van Loggerenberg, native South African living in Belgium, invited us to his house for dinner this past week as well.  We were treated to a full spread which resembled my Grandmother's Sunday afternoon cooking.  This is a compliment for sure.  To top it off we were spoiled with a traditional Milk Tart (South African dessert with a sweet pastry crust containing a creamy filling made from milk, flour, sugar, eggs…).  The dessert alone was a three course meal with Belgium cookies and chocolates as well as ice cream with homemade chocolate sauce also up for offer.

American meal, Mexican dinner and the 3 course dessert at Quinton’s house

It seems that for us here in Belgium it is not “Stop and Smell the Roses” but rather “Stop and Feed the Animals”. We are enjoying living life in Belgium. Pony Malony could not resist the PVM bar either. We did treat them with some freshly picked grass because in their case the grass really was greener on the other side of the fence.

Pony Malony and Friends

Luckily I have found a quick fix for any type of Belgium Blues caused by this cold and rainy weather.  Whenever it gets too much for us South Africans that are used to warm and sunny weather I just put on my Oakley glasses with special lenses and I see the world through different eyes.

Before Oakley and After Oakley

It has become a running joke that we South Africans on the team drink A LOT of coffee.  Jo even took a coffee break while doing a session on the indoor trainer two days ago.  Here is another typical training ride to Geraadsbergen with a coffee shop stop along the way.  In our defence this coffee shop stop did actually save us from being rained on.   

On the road to Geraadsbergen and a coffee shop stop at Soul Coffee

Between all the eating we do make time for serious training as well.  Today we went to the town of Huy, Belgium.  We are racing La Fleche Wallonne Feminine, a UCI World Cup race, there next week.  During the race we have ride up the infamous “Mur De Huy” twice.  It is a 1,300m long climb with an average gradient of 10% (sections of 17% and up to 23% in one corner).  It is also known in English as “The Path of the Chapels” since in its short distance you pass 7 chapels along the way.  I would lie if I said that I spotted more than one (the one at the top) but think it is excusable since if you do not pedal even for a split second you will end up back at the bottom of the climb.

Up Next In Terms of Racing:

Sunday April 15^th:  Halle-Buizingen UCI 1.2
Wednesday April 18:  La Fleche Wallonne Feminine UCI World Cup

Race Report: Dottignies 1.15 Belgium Race

On Thursday we did our first local Belgium race in Dottignies .  Having done a few of these races with Team MTN Qhubeka last year we knew what to expect from the race.  We were not quite prepared for the cold though.  We lined up with about 75 other ladies looking a bit more like the Michelin man with all the winter kit than actual bike racers.  The temperature during the race did not go over 10°C and it felt much colder with the strong wind blowing.  It was an 8.16km technical lap that we did 12 times for a total race distance of 97.92km.  After the first lap I decided to attack.  I was joined by Martina Corazza (ITA) from the UCI Kleo Ladies Team and Sylvia Debboudt (BEL) from the local Keukens Redant Team.  Sylvia Debboudt did not contribute after which me and Martina Corazza attacked to get rid of her.  We worked really well together to establish a gap of over a minute.  There was a decision made by the rest of the Lotto Ladies to try and get another rider into our break.  Teammate Cherise Taylor (RSA) crossed over to our break with two other ladies after the Lotto Ladies set a hard pace at the front of the bunch 45km into the race.  Together our group of 5 established a reasonable gap over the rest of the field.  Our break was eventually brought back on the last lap with 6km to go.  Teammate Joanna Van De Winkel (RSA) chose a perfect time to counter our break and the bunch let her go with 5km to go not realizing that it would be the winning move in the end.  She was joined by Martina Corazza and Laure Werner from the Sprinters Malderen Team.  It was a sprint between these three in the end and Joanna Van De Winkel secured a podium for the team finishing second behind seasoned sprinter Martina Corazza.

(Pictures: Ladiescycling-Cyclingnews.nu and Photographer: Alain Sennesael)

We Live In a Zoo - Our Belgium Animal Adventure

I have mentioned before that the team house we live in is on the property of a very interesting and entertaining Belgium family.  Included in their extended family is a horse, two donkeys, two dogs, sheep with new born little lambs, chicken, fish, ducks and a variety of birds.  Never a dull moment around here.

Egor the ladies man.  Due to his fondness of running after the ladies and causing havoc at every opportunity he gets he has to stay in the shed for the most part.  We make a point of treating him with some sugar cubes or apples every now and again.

Brother Love.  The two donkeys brothers Suzarre and Bill.  These donkeys are definitely not meant for pulling a donkey car.  They are a lot more like pets and come running from across the field when they see us coming.  A typical sibling fight erupts when the one is given more attention than the other. 

Mary Had a Little Lamb(s).  Soon after we arrived here in Belgium the sheep had two little lambs.  If you can handle the evil stare from the dad you can get close enough to touch the little guys.

Chicken dance.  Not sure what type of chicken this is but it looks a bit more like a cross between a chicken and a sheep.  This is just one of the many chickens that gives us the typical farmstyle wakeup call in the mornings.

Eendjies Eendjies Stap in ‘n Ry 1, 2, 3, 4 Stap Hul Verby

Birds of a feather flock together.

We found Nemo. 

He looks a bit like a bouncer protecting the entrance to the family’s house.

Make love to the camera…  Fragile (yes she is named after “fragile” due to her size and breakability) is the little dog with no personality but sure does like the camera with this model look and pout.