How to refocus after the Roubaix that never was
Paris-roubaix Femmes. The race that never was. Twice. We have been left hoping it’s third time lucky after Covid has once again thwarted our best laid plans. I wonder what the weather holds for 2 October? There has been much speculation and discussion on a wet Roubaix, but we are all going to have to wait a little longer to find out.
We were all gutted to receive the news of the third postponement of this much awaited race having prepared extremely thoroughly these past weeks. One of our primary partners, iconic French brand Mavic, had advised on reconnaissance and equipment choices along with our tyre partner, Continental. We had truly enjoyed the backing of decades of experience to be ready for this race and now, as I write this, find ourselves looking forward to an unexpected free weekend.
However, an exciting race programme has seen us rise up to 14th place in the world rankings – so after a good start to the season, a weekend off to reflect, recover and refocus is no bad thing.
Our investment in a large team house in the heart of Flanders for March and April has certainly paid dividends, reducing travel and stress during these challenging times. The Belgian government’s determination to back the
Flanders Classics organisation has been unwavering, giving armchair fans their fix of the finest spring one-day races. Greater TV exposure is what the women’s peloton has been asking for – and needs – so we are thankful to Eurosport and GCN for providing this platform. The genie is out of the bottle and audience figures for women’s races continue to grow.
Our next main goals are Flèche Wallonne and Liège-bastogne-liège. We skip Amstel Gold to concentrate on our preparation for these two and will be reconning them again this weekend.