A Monument to motherhood

With a few hours to go before the start of the Tour of Flanders, most riders were probably shovelling down rice and deciding which of the many key points of the race should make it onto their stem notes. Me? I was chasing my child’s poo around the bath, trying to catch it before he did.

I ate my rice too, and headed off to the bike race knowing that however it went, there would be a happy baby to greet me and my team-mates when we returned. The riders have been staying in a big house just outside of Oudenaarde, Belgium, for the duration of the Classics season, and at the suggestion of my DS, I brought my family.

As a family we thrived on the convenience of being surrounded by mechanics, physios and babysitters (also known as riders). And I’d like to think that the whole team benefited too. It’s easier to forget your pre-race nerves when you’re sat opposite a baby with an adorable combination of the hiccups and the giggles.

Two months in the life of an infant comes with some huge progressions. Ditto the life of a rider doing their first full Classics season. We’ve both learnt a lot and had some new experiences. While Nico took some tentative first steps, I had a few Bambilike moments of my own, along with almost the entire peloton on the slick Koppenberg cobbles.

While I’ve already raced more kilometres on the road this year than any other year in my career, Nico has racked up some miles himself by coasting the furniture at the team house. “First” has been the buzzword of the trip, referring to words, steps and a birthday in his case; Amstel Gold, echelons and a top 10 in mine.

It’s been a really special time, poo incidents aside, and I already can’t wait for next year. Elinor Barker rides for Uno-x