UCI TCL 1st round – Mallorca

from the stars to the stalls in 45″

What can I say? Where can I start?

It was an amazing experience and a big honor being at the start of this 3rd season of the Champions league. I’ve never raced with a big field like that before.

I did’n know what expected from myself at all.

Since I got the invitation to race the TCL I’ve started a big plan of work with Giogio (my coach) to try to start this adventure in the best shape possible.

Now I can say we made it.

I was so lucky to have Andrea and the track in Portogruaro opened just for me. Was the only chance I got to ride in circle.. yeah in an outdoor track of almost 400m.. but better than nothing right?

I’ve decided to ask to my parents to join me the entire week in Mallorca before I was needing some helpful people around me, mostly for the mental part.
I was way to nervous before the start of the event.

The race was Saturday but we had to be there for all the media stuff to do.
Since Friday afternoon I was not realizing at all why I was there.
When I’ve started to feel it everything was getting harder. I had to call a friend the night before the race to try to stay calm and don’t put pressure on myself, but it takes long time to fell asleep.

I’m not used to be anxious before the race and I know that doesn’t works good for my body. But how I couldn’t be excited and scared? I was living my dream.

Saturday I wake up with really good feelings, I was ready to race.

After the point race in the afternoon, where I’ve decided to not use energies but just try the gear I was feeling always better.

“GO BIG OR GO HOME”
I was all in for the scratch race, just 5km, full speed and big gear.
I’ve decided to use 61t x 15t (my usual race gear is 61t x 16t) because my legs were good and in my mind I was sure to have one big shot to use, and I was ready for that, so I was really hoping to have a race whit hight speed and no stops.

I was waiting for the start shoot at the banking, looking at who were my competitors.. thinking about the millions of peoples that were watching the race, being the only Italian, I was shaking. I was shaking so bad.

Finally the race is started, finally I can show all the work I’ve done to come here.
Lap after lap I was feeling more an more confident.
The gear was perfect.
I was moving in the bunch easily without use energies.
I just had to wait for the last 5laps to use my big shot.

And in the last 5laps I went from the stars to the stall.
* -5laps *
” ok time is now I need to be ready to move”
* -4 laps *
* Katie attached from the back and I saw her*
” that’s the perfect move Francesca, follow here, just stay on her wheel, you feel so good you can manage it”
* me starting to lose gap from her wheel -3laps *
” what’s wrong with me I’m still pushing at the same but my bike is not going anymore, there are 3 girls behind me I will try to follow them”
* I was not able to do it -2 laps *
” I can push more but I’m just loosing meters.. oh damn I felt the rim, I got a puncture”
* bell lap and me leaving the track *

I was so SAD straight after the race, but when I’ve realized what I was doing before the puncture I ‘ve started to be happy. I mean I was feeling good but I was not expecting to be there fight for the podium!
I just want to take te good side of this race. And I want to try to finish it off in Berlin.

I din’t really started the elimination, after my unlucky scratch and the big crash of the men I was not really into race anymore that night.

I know I was feeling good, I was really thinking was my day, and I’m sad that you all have not seen the final result that I felt on my legs.

Thanks for your support. I felt you all!