The Social Media Jersey

Have you followed my Faceboook posts and picture updates , my Twitter feed (@lex_albrecht) and my website updates during the Tour of Ardèche? 

You can vote for me HERE for the Social Media Jersey.

The contest was set up by Sarah and Dan, two huge supporters and fans of women's cycling.  All of the prizes were collected through fan donations, and the whole contest is flattering, fun, and thrilling, regardless of who wins.  Thanks Sarah and Dan, for your support.

The internet connection was bad in France but we did our best to supply a constant flow of interesting ''insider'' photos and news.

Thanks for your vote!

Next project: WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS in The Netherlands.  Keep following for the latest and greatest.

Big Day: Two Stages, and Some Big Results

Go big or go home.  There was no fooling around on the third day of the Tour Cyclist Feminin International de l’Ardèche (Tour of Ardèche for short).

We woke up early, got the coffee rolling, and headed out to the start of the time trial course.  Most of the girls opted to not even use a time trial bike.  The course was less than 4km long, beginning with a steep uphill section, and then a long, technical descent.  The winner would have to be able to crank  it hard on the uphill, but most importantly, be the one who would have the most guts in the descent.  The steep downhill part was on narrow, twisty, village roads where whatever was behind the next corner was pretty much a surprise. 

Joëlle Numainville and Leah Kirchmann got 8^th and 9^th place respectively out of the 100+ starters.  Nice handling, girls!

But things didn’t end there.  In the afternoon we took to the start line again for the second road race and the fourth start of the Tour.  Joëlle ended up on second place by no means of chance.

Emma Pooley who had escaped on her own, kilometers before the finish got the victory that afternoon but Leah Kirchmann gave Joëlle an awesome leadout, and Joëlle won the group sprint.  Talk about textbook perfect teamwork.  What's more is that Joëlle is now in the sprinter's jersey, and Leah in the Best Young Rider Jersey.

Stage 1

Stage one:  The sun is shining and the crowds of volunteers, race staff, riders, and fans are huge.  It's the Tour Cyclist Féminin International de l'Ardèche, so all of that is normal.  But what is not normal is that kilometers after we roll off of the start line, my dérailleur is all over the place and my brake is rubbing but I notice that part too late.  I can't manage to make the front group, I keep getting shuffled back while I fight with my bike.

Better luck in the next stage?

Leah Kirchmann is the top Canadian finisher, having raced in the front selection and finishing in the top 10.  She's only seconds behind the leader in the Best Young Rider classification.  Can we take it?

Prologue: TCFIA

The last Canadian off, Joëlle raced to a 4th place finish in the Tour de l'Ardèche prologue.  I rode in the front seat of the Canadian team car that followed my teammate.  Denise Kelly, our team director navigated the short and fast route, while our soigneur Michel cried out to Joëlle for the enitre 3:18 that it took her to cover the course from the backseat. 

Impressive.  Stage one is tomorrow.

Welcome to Ardèche

The international collection of teams has arrived in Ardèche.  Our accomodations are not typical, we're staying in a four-star campsite.  I'm sharing a fully-equipped cabin with my Canadian and Optum Pro Cycling presented by Kelly Benefits Strategies teammate, Joëlle.  There are plenty of activities for the campers here, a small water park, tennis courts and soccer fields and access to a river in the gorge for kayaking.  Our priorities are different though, we're here to race.

This morning, my Optum teammates, Joëlle and Leah, came out for a spin to ''open up the legs'' a little bit before our short prologue race that will kick off the 6 day event this evening. 

Leah on her Orbea TT bike

One of my favorite places to ride is alongside the gorges, going through a tunnel, way above the river.  Check out this short video of one of the scenic roads Leah and I rode on before the race!

We returned and our soigneur, the famous Michel from Belgium, had plenty of food for us to complement what we'll eat for the week.  I'm not sure about the 4.5lbs of butter, at least it will make our fridge look full...

I'll make sure the coffee gets put to good use but I'm questioning what we're going to do with the butter!

Optum-orange Lazer sunglasses look cool even with the maple leaf kit!

TCFIA

Le Tour Cycliste Féminin International de l'Ardèche fait partie des 3 plus grandes courses féminines par étape de France.  Du 3 au 9 septembre, j'y serai  présente avec l'équipe national du Canada.  Mes co-équipières pour ce projet seront Leah Kirchmann, Joëlle Numainville, et Véronique Labonté.

Ce sera ma deuxième participation à cette course, et ma première expérience en 2009 a été un vrai plaisir.  Les gens de l'Ardèche étaient vraiment acceuillants et les parcours étaient tellement beaux.  J'ai hâte d'y retourner avec l'équipe national du Canada et mon vélo Orbea.

Suivez le Tour sur Facebook ici: https://www.facebook.com/pages/TCFIA-Tour-Cycliste-F%C3%A9minin-International-de-lArd%C3%A8che/111999542162639

Et sur Twitter: https://twitter.com/TCFIA @TCFIA

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Je metterai aussi des nouvelles sur Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lex-Albrecht/137026036359510?bookmark_t=page

ainsi que sur Twitter: https://twitter.com/Lex_Albrecht @Lex_Albrecht