Two days after returning from a 1.5month training and racing block in Western USA, I am so happy to have defended my Champion of Québec (time trial, and road) titles at home in Québec. I was up against great competition. It felt good to bring home the titles after a scary and difficult mid-summer Bump in the Road (
this is what happened).
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| 2014 Québec Championships - Time trial podium. (1. Lex Albrecht -TWENTY16, 2, Alizée Brien - TIBCO, 3. Catherine Desserault - SAS Magocep). Photo : Antoine Bécotte |
The time trial course was an 18km race with some significant hills. Before the race I questioned myself on how I should distribute my effort on this atypical sort of course. My Quarq powermeter was a useful tool to help determine when I was going hard enough, and when it was time to ease up and save some energy.
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| Warming up for a time trial with E-Motion Rollers, one of my favourite training tools. I always bring them in my car when I drive to races, and I train with them almost every day in the off-season. They're a lot different than regular rollers! www.insideride.com |
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| Québec Championships time trial. Lex Albrecht and Felt DA2 with Zipp wheels. Photo : Antoine Bécotte. |
The road race course was also challenging, as it offered long climbs, and steep pitches throughout. By the first 1/3 of the race, we had already created a selection of 8 riders. Things were going well. Coming into 2/3 of the race, I knew there was a good climb that would be difficult for other riders if the pace was high enough. Some couldn't hang on, and we whittled the selection down again. In the final quarter I recognized one more climb that I knew was to my advantage, and drilled it. Kirsti Giroux (SAS Magocep) and Dafné Théroux Izquierdo (Espoirs Quilicot TRJ Télécom) were the only two who followed. In the last 15km the three of us worked together to stay away, and tested eachother at certain points. Coming into the finish in Amqui, Québec, Kirsti launched her sprint but I waited patiently in her draft, jumping off of her wheel when I knew it was the right moment.
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| Québec Cycling Championships - Final sprint. (Photo : Antoine Bécotte) |
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| 2014 Québec Championships (road race podium) 1. Lex Albrecht, 2. Kirsti Giroux, 3. Catherine Desserault. Photo: Antoine Bécotte |
Congratulations to Alizée Brien, Kirsti Giroux, and Catherine Desserault
who also brought home medals from the Championship races.
Next stop : Green Mountain Stage Race in Vermont. I'll be heading there to represent TWENTY16 Pro Cycling on my own, to enjoy some good hard racing, which will hopefully translate into some great preparation for the final part of the season...
Ride safe, ride hard, have fun!
SUMMARY OF LEX'S CHAMPION OF QUÉBEC TITLES
- 2014 Road Cycling
- 2014 Time Trial
- 2013 Road Cycling
- 2013 Time Trial
- 2012 Road Cycling
- 2010 Criterium
- 2010 Team Time Trial
