EMILIA FAHLIN
FDJ-NOUVELLE AQUITAINE
The decision to start the World Championships road race was definitely setting myself a very hard challenge, after a mere month back training following my three-month long injury break. I had just one race in the legs the week before, and then it was ‘go time’. In the back of my head, I always had the hope to participate and if I was to race again this year it was because I really wanted to soak up the atmosphere of a championship. I think it was my 12th consecutive Worlds start, too. It would have felt so strange to miss a World Championships for me.
I went over to Yorkshire in May to do a reconnaissance of the whole circuit, so I knew exactly how brutal the course was, and that it would be the toughest - and probably not the most fair thing - to throw myself back in to. I started out the year having this day as my main goal, so it was definitely weird to re-adjust knowing this wouldn’t be the case. But honestly, that readjustment came very naturally as the months ticked by while I was out with injury, so I haven’t really struggled with the fact – rather, it’s just simply how it is.
Instead, I was worrying about how long I would actually be able to make it through the race, knowing the first part was absolutely brutal, and the very steep Lofthouse climb just 50km in meant there was going to be suffering from the start. But I enjoyed going to Yorkshire and it was the most relaxed I’ve ever been prior to a big event. I was just happy to be able to participate and slot in to try and help out the Swedish team the best I could.
As it turned out, a bit of willpower can get you very far. I suffered all day long. I got dropped on the two early climbs but made my way back and could hang on to the shrinking bunch for the whole race. The race for the medals was long gone up the road but to survive through one of the longest, hardest courses and finding the power to sprint for the line to a 15th place made me really, really proud of myself. Just knowing how far away even starting the Worlds had seemed the past few months, it had me quite emotional towards the end. I honestly don’t know how those heavy legs got me through, but wow, it was so good to see this for myself. And it was well needed to feel a sense of calm for the winter preparations ahead.