Phoenix Cycling Club
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Ladies' section
The club has produced several top women riders, and is looking forward to great successes in 2005.
Some of our women members recently attended a training weekend in Cong.
Jemma Donaghy (pictured right) will represent Ulster at the upcoming Tour of Malta.
Women's Cycling Newsletter (Jan 05)
For further information contact Elaine Harte. Email elaine.harte1@ntlworld.com Tel. 028-90623345
BEDFORD 3 DAY 2004 – RACE REPORT BY JEMMA DONAGHY
I was first asked to ride at the Bedford 3 day race way back at the start of the year, and said “yes”, not really knowing what I was signing myself up for! Obviously, it totally went out of my head and I set my sights on the earlier races, my first being the Tour of the Peninsula. And who could forget that, I certainly wouldn’t have contemplated it if I knew what was going to happen…..as they say ignorance is bliss!
Thankfully, the demand for separate women’s races is high this year and I have had the opportunity to race in a number of women only races, and much to my surprise have had a few good results, namely a 2nd in Hilltown, a 3rd in Moneymore and a 4th at the John Begg’s Memorial!
However, nothing was going to prepare me for what I was to experience this weekend. Can you imagine going from a bunch of about 10 at the most to nearly 80? It’s a daunting experience I can tell you, and sitting in the back of the team car on the way to the first stage, I felt as I did on the way to Ards that cold day back in March, both of excitement and absolute dread. These were top international riders and I was terrified, however, I wasn’t going to let that stop me, why should I, everyone has to start somewhere!
As there were only 2 of us, myself and Ann Paul to cycle for Ulster, George Boyd felt that it would be a good idea for us to join up with Mary Boyd’s Team, Letchworth Velo, so that we could work within a team situation! It was a shame really, I would have loved to wear the Ulster colours, but to ride for Letchworth made more sense, and so we agreed.
The first stage was a prologue around the Milton Keynes Bowl, and I’m going to be honest with you, I wasn’t completely sure of what a prologue was and was probably the only one there without a skin suit on! But I gave it a go anyway, and finished 2nd last. Ah well, at least I didn’t fall off, those corners are criminal, and much to my dismay the afternoon crit was in the same place!
Lining up at the start/finish line that afternoon the nerves really started to kick in, thoughts of, “what am I doing here,” and “I must be mad” were going through my head! And then they were off, at a speed most men would be scared of. I think I managed to stay with them for about 2 minutes and then settled into a group of about 3-4 riders, but we weren’t the last ones and slowly but surely I started to get used to the course, and by the about 10th lap felt reasonably comfortable, but then the lapping started, and that’s scary!
I finally managed about 27 laps all in all, as they needed to take the lapped riders off the course to get an accurate result for the finish! But I was happy with that, I rode my socks off and was so relieved to get round such a hard course without any mishaps!! Big respect must be given to Mary Boyd though, who had to take a lap out because of being sick, and still managed to finish at the front!
I woke up the next morning feeling the freshest I have ever done the morning after a race, and I owe that to Marcus the team masseur, the man has the touch of an angel, and one of the nicest men I have ever met! The first stage was a 10km time trial, and again I felt like a fish out of water, this being my first ever one, and I wasn’t the best prepared for it. For a start, my skin suit didn’t fit, as its Tim’s, and I didn’t have any tri-bars! But again, that didn’t bother me; I was here for the experience and to have fun and completed it in 17 minutes, about 4 minutes slower than the girl that came first!! But her suit fitted her and she had a time trial bike, well that’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it!!
The next stage was a 50 mile road race, and I felt better about this, as this was the only type of racing I had did before, but it might as well have been my first time on a bike, those girls are fast and so talented! The beginning was a rolling start, with a lot of hard breaking, which was quite scary, I stayed with them for about half a lap but as soon as the first tight corner came up, I was straight out the back!
But I kept on going and worked with a group of 2 other girls, we worked well together taking turns at the front! But at the end of the 3rd lap we had to stop as the gap between us and the first group was too wide, so we had to sit out for the next 2 laps, which I was a bit gutted about, however slower we were we could have finished, but its understandable all the same, it would be silly to make everyone wait for us!
So we sat at the side of the road and waited for the finish, and it
was brilliant to see, so exciting, all I could think was, “what
must it be like to be in there” but it has made me more determined
than ever, and one day I am going to know!
The next day was another road race a bit longer than the day before,
and hillier, and I was more relaxed than I had been the whole weekend!
The start was rolling again, and I managed to hang on for a bit longer,
but again at the first tight corner I was out the back again, really
have to do something about my cornering skills!! However, today was different,
I was on my own this time!! I could see one of the Maltese girls up ahead
and shouted for her to slow up so that we could work together.
Everything started out ok, and we took our turns at the front, but as soon as the first hill approached I dropped her and was on my own for the whole next lap! And you wouldn’t believe what happened next; she caught up with me at the very same place again, and again dropped her, on the very same hill!
So for the next lap I was on my own, and as I expected we were pulled out after 3 laps, but as I had expected it this time, I was prepared for it and quite happy I was tired and very proud of myself, I had achieved what I had set out to, to finish without any crashes or mechanical difficulties!
Finally, all I have to say now is, any of you girls out there reading this, don’t be scared of competing in a stage race, alright there will be top international riders there, but there is also people of the same ability and ones you will be better than, and that has got to be a good thing, I finished 62nd out of about 80, and I have only been doing this since March! So come on, give it a go, and maybe we will be on the same team at the Danny Boy in July!!
Can I also say a big thanks to George and Mary Boyd, they were a great
help and inspiration throughout the weekend, and I don’t think
I would have been so calm without their kind words of encouragement.
And not forgetting Ann Paul, thank you as well, you and Mary did brilliantly
and watching you and the rest of the Letchworth team shows a novice like
me what can be achieved through hard work and dedication!
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