Newsgroup: it.sport.ciclismo
Titolo: Amber Neben al Giro di Toscana

Giro Toscana: My final world championship preparation.
Italy…. Aaaaahhhhh….. Italy.  Racing in Italy is always a little bit of 
an adventure.  You have to be ready to roll with just about anything. 
The Italian way is a bit different than say the Dutch or the German way. 
  Let’s take time, for example.  If a Dutch person says we are leaving 
at 8:00.  Then, you better be ready to leave at 7:45.  If a German 
person says we are leaving at 8:00, we are leaving at 8:00.  If an 
Italian says we are leaving at 8:00, they mean we are leaving anywhere 
between 7:30 and 8:30, but more likely 8:30… and it’s possible you don’t 
know this until 7:30!  Make sense?  It is a more relaxed atmosphere and 
things get done when they get done.  Things are organized, just 
organized on a different time table.
So with the World Championships a week after this race finishes, many of 
the racers use the event as preparation.  For the riders who are doing 
the time trial on Wednesday, it is difficult to complete this race hard 
and be recovered on Wed.  For those who are only doing the road race the 
following saturday, how they race depends entirely on the individual’s 
preparation going in.  And of course, there are many riders who will not 
be doing the world championships.  As a result, there is a good mix of 
people racing hard, doing specific work, and just hanging out in the 
bunch.  The race itself is a very nice race.  Toscana is a cool place to 
ride, and the terrain and speed lend itself to all kinds of options for 
preparation work.
Our team is mostly in prep mode this week.  Four out of the five who are 
here will be racing at worlds, so we don’t have any big goals other than 
to stay safe.  So far, so goodJ!!  The prologue was Tuesday.  It was an 
8k (roughly) team time trial.  Despite racing against teams with up to 8 
riders and losing one rider to a crash in the first corner, we finished 
third.  After a late finish, we were up early the next morning for the 
first of two stages.  (This did not feel so good with my jet lag! I 
arrived on Monday evening so on Wed morning my body was still somewhere 
between California and Italy!) The morning stage went ok. I was happy to 
roll with things and stay safe.  Annette pulled in a top 10 stage finish 
and Linda was close behind.  Luise and Madi were solid.  The afternoon 
stage was a flat 10k circuit that we raced 7 times.  It was fast!  I had 
a nice motorpace session.  Wednesday brought on Stage 2 (day 3 of 
racing,) the Volterra finish, and 130km’s in the rain.  I kind of 
enjoyed this.  It was something different, and it got the mind ready for 
racing.  The stage itself was good.  We all did what we needed to do and 
stayed safe in the process.  The rain in combination with the slick 
(diesel covered) Italian roads made for some treacherous corners.  I 
actually watched one of the motorbikes (who was trying to pass our 
group!) fishtail, over correct, and crash in a corner on the downhill 
from Volterra.  Thankfully, he and his camera man passenger were on the 
outside line and skidded away from all the riders… and me!  After the 
race, we had a long transfer back to the hotel, then dinner and much 
needed showers before finally getting to bed after 11pm.  And of course, 
we had an early morning stage the next day!!!
… which was this morning.  I did half the stage and then hopped in the 
team car.  I am finished.  Finito.  It’s time for me to rest.  (aka go 
crazy.)  The evening stage is going on now, while I write.  The race 
finishes on Sunday, but the field is already dwindling in size, and I 
really wonder how many of the original 170 starters will finish.
So after the stage this morning, I hitched a ride back to the hotel with 
a pink team.  I did this instead of lollygagging all day at the race 
scene.  Once I got back, I showered…aaaahhhh.  (I took 4 extra ones for 
my teammates who couldn’t…ha ha just kidding.)  I relaxed, cooked up 
some nice veggies to go along with dinner, and FINALLY took some time to 
update my website.  Sorry.  I will try and do better next week!
Ok… So I will spend another day in Viareggio with my 
Buitenpoort/Flexpoint team, and then I will travel to Salzburg on Sunday 
to meet up with my US National team.  The elite women’s time trial world 
championship race is on Wed, and the road race is on Saturday.  Wow, the 
season has just flown by!  I can’t believe there is only one week left.
SIDE NOTE:
For those who have asked me, Mirjam is doing ok.  Both of her surgeries 
went well, and she will be out of the hospital sooner than expected. 
She has a long road of recovery ahead, but she is healthy and fit and 
has a great support system around her.
http://amberneben.com/home/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=73&Itemid=30
-- 
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Here is Amber Neben getting 2nd at Saturn-Timex Women's Classic - 2002. Anna
Millward center, and Clara Hughes right. Notice the white face, I can't
imagine why since cyclists get lots of sun!
http://www.procyclingwomen.com/Images/Housatonic02.jpg
B-