TAKING THE NEXT STEP

Following several years of effort by the CI Women’s Commission, the Irish women’s scene is healthier than it has been for quite some time. Increased numbers of competitors in Ireland have led to some good quality racing, and the overall standard has improved.

In addition to those racing domestically, several Irish women have set about moving to the next level by competing abroad in mainland Europe. Three of these, Colette Swift, Louise Moriarty and Siobhan Dervan have taken the plunge, and recently outlined to Irishcycling.com their team setup, the events they have been doing and their plans for the future. Their rider reports follow below.


Colette Swift:

I'm just back from a weeks training camp with CCC in the Ardeche. The form is coming on slowly. I've had to be careful this year because of my knee (tendonitis during Nov/Dec and early Jan). After upping the intensity over the last couple of weeks I can feel it twinge again so it's a balancing act for me at the moment. Other than that I'm starting to feel strong and it's good to be back racing, although a bit of a shock to the system! It's inspiring racing here to see so many women race, and so aggressively!

Last week’s race (third French Cup race in St. Amand - 17 April UCI 1.15) was my most recent and the most successful to date this season, in terms of having to dig very deep and manage to stay with the lead group. I came 26th out of 136 riders. Our team came 2nd out of 14 teams. The distance was 88km, average speed 41km/hr, included 9 laps of flat and 5 laps with 1.5km climb. Winner: Edwige Pitel, 2nd: Jeannie Longo, 3rd: Magali Le Floch.

The week before I did the same race as Siobhan Dervan, the 2 day Ladies Berry Classics (UCI 1.15 on both days 9/10 April). On the first day I was on the wrong side of a bunch split into the wind and fought my way up to as many groups ahead as I could. It was a tough and mentally demoralising day for me in the saddle. I finished 73rd, 13mins 46 secs down on the leaders. Winner: Oki Miko (Japan), 2nd: Tammara Boyd (New Zealand), 3rd: Elodie Touffet (France) (91km - 2hrs 06min 39sec - 43.158 km/hr average) (Siobhan had a great 2 days here.)

The second day of the Ladies Berry was better for me, I was more attentive and moved better in the bunch, went with moves and went on a break for a short while with a Belgian rider, which is always good as a confidence and fitness booster. On the finishing laps, I shouldn't admit this but I got a bit confused with the lap board and thought it was the finishing lap so floored it to come third, only to discover that I had another 2 laps to go. I won prize money for the prime sprint but absolutely stuffed my legs with the effort. Good job I didn't win it - otherwise I would have had a very red-faced victory salute! All in a good days training! I finished with the bunch same time in 59th place. Winner: Giorgia Bronzini (Italy), 2nd: Tammara Boyd (New Zealand), 3rd: Verhaeghe Lien (Lotto Ladies Belgium). (98km - 2hrs 41min 46sec - 36.4km/hr average)

The race before this was 2nd French Cup race (Prix du Mont Pujois UCI 1.15). I came 69th, 3min 15sec behind the leaders. This was a hilly circuit (1.5km climb with 500 metres that kicked to 15%). With 15km to go, when taking a drink from my bottle another rider rode into my front wheel and I ended up in the ditch. I got back up and finished with a buckled wheel, cuts, bruises and dinted pride. 68km in 1hr 56min 30sec (average: 35.02km/hr) Winner: Magali Le Floch, 2nd: Magali Finet, 3rd Larissa Kleinman (Stuttgart)

The week before was the 1st French Cup race (Cholet Pays de Loire UCI 1.15). 80km in 1hr 55min 39 sec. Got caught behind a crash with 500 metres to the finish, stopped and continued to come in 57th (out of 146 riders). Winner: Alexandra Lehenoff, 2nd: Elodie Touffet, 3rd: Magali Le Floch.

My first race of the season was GP de Chambery (UCI 1.15 Rhone Alps). Quite a rolling 80km in 2hr 17min 44secs. Winner: Sophie Creux (team mate), 2nd: Fanny Riberot, 3rd: Alna Burato. I was 23rd, 12min 44secs down (out of 66 riders).

This weekend I am off to Paris for the final round of the French Cup races. Louise is coming over to me for a weekend (13-16 May) for some training and then, in early June (7-12th), I'll head over to Belgium to meet up with the other Irish girls for some training and racing before the Nationals on 25 June.


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Louise Moriarty:

I'm based in Eindhoven, the Netherlands. My team is Moving Ladies (the team that comes to the TQ, I've been guesting with them for the past 3 years). It is a club team, the club is Groenewald. The sponsor is Weijers Eikhout. You might see any or all of those names in a results list (e.g. Weijers Eikhout Moving Ladies Groenewald)! The website is www.movingladies.nl.

I've had a low-key start to the season because in January I had to finish my university studies (MSc) and move country to start a new job with Philips Electronics. I am now working for Philips Research in Eindhoven (I'm an electronic engineer, but my job title is research scientist). This was a lot of upheaval so I don't have a lot of winter training under my belt. Hence I'm easing myself into racing. I've done 5 races so far, and have been just sitting in the bunch, "no heroics" as my brother Patrick would put it.

March 13 Straelen, Germany
March 19 Oud-Vossemeer, Netherlands
March 26-28 Gorey 3-day
April 16 Ronde van Gelderland, Netherlands
April 17 GP de Wallonie, Belgium

At the moment I'm concentrating on the new job and learning Dutch. Later in the year I hope to find some form to ride well in a number of nice UCI races that my team ride in July and August, plus the Dutch Top Competitie events.

This series is the Dutch equivalent of the Irish Classic league. It's a high quality competition with all 6 Dutch pro teams (Ton van Bemmelen, Buitensport-Flexpoint, Therme, @Work, Vitron-Wilstra and Vrienden van het Plaatenland), the Belgian pro team (Vlaanderen), all the good Dutch amateur teams plus guest teams from abroad such as Siobhan Dervan's Belgian team who rode Ronde van Gelderland (see http://www.rondevangelderland.nl for details).

The Top Competitie is a series of 5 races – 4 one-day 120-140km events and one 3-day race. The first one was Ronde van Gelderland April 16th (180 riders including the leader in the UCI rankings, Suzanne de Goede, the Olympic champion, Sarah Carrigan, the then World Cup leader, Mirjam Melchers), the next is Borsele on May 7th. The Top Competitie races are the most important races in the Dutch domestic calendar.

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Siobhan Dervan:

I am riding for Lotto Ladies team who are based in Merchtem Belgium. There are 9 riders on the team and the manager is Danny Schoonbeart. Three of the riders are full time, there is one duathlete, one cyclecross girl, and one under 16. There is a great team spirit and they have a great set-up.

I have only competed in 5 races with them so far, but here is some info on these

1. March 12th: Oostduinkerke (Belgium)- 90 km race - 80 starters. I got into the break of 15 - a chasing group of 10 caught us with 15km to go. The eventual winner attacked with 12 km to go. So I was in the sprint for 2nd.Finished 15th (had a brutal sprint that day!!!!)

2. April 9th - Ladies Berry Classic (France)- Race 1 - Chateauroux to Saint Amand-Montrand (91 km). Missed the break (of 10) because I wasn't at the front. Was in a chasing group of about 40. Continually attacked with my team-mate until she got away with 3 others. I finished 39th.

3. April 9th - Ladies Berry Classic - Race 2 - Saint Amand-Montrand to Chateauraux (94 km). It was a pretty negative race. I tried attacking but there was a strong head wind, so I couldn't get away. It all finished in a bunch sprint. I led out my team-mate who finished 3rd. I was 17th.

4. April 16th - Ronde van Gelderland (Holland) - Elite-Ladies Classic - 140km. 200 starters. The front group stayed together for 75 km after which we went down a very narrow road. On the climb the group split with 48 in the first group and 50 in the second. I was in the second. only about 10 of us worked to chase the front group - so we were pulled out after 110km. It was a very fast race and very windy.

5. April 17th Dottignies (WE 1.1) (Belgium) 91km. 260 starters. All the pro's were there. Another very fast race and very windy. Difficult for anyone to get away. Front group of 90 riders finished. I led out my team-mate who finished 7th (first Belgian) and i finished 79th. Winner was Nicole Cooke!!

My goals for the season are the usual, really! I’ll aim for the Nationals and the National TT champs. I will also be doing the Tour de Drome in France, from the 14 to the 18th of June.

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Interested in taking up women’s racing? Contact Valerie Considine for more details. She can be reached by email at valerieconsidine@eircom.net, or by phone at 086 3825842.