ROC D'AZUR

Our final mountain bike race event of this season. Although it is the end of the season we always look forward to this bike festival. It is not just a race, but it is one big bike party in the sunny south of France.

Work for school

Tuesday after work we immediately set off direction France, because we want to get past Lyon before we sleep. It takes us a while due to heavy traffic. Traveling with a camper has the advantage that one can drive and the other one can rest and even lay down. So every two hours we swap.

Le 'croissant'

After a couple of hours of sleep we have a French breakfast before we leave Lyon for the last part of the journey. Around noon we arrive, so we first go and get our race numbers. There is a long cue, but we can get into the building with the first wave.

Le 'camper'...

Le 'garçon'...

...et la 'fille...

After setting up our camp for the next few days we went for an easy bike ride.

RACE DAY 1: ROC LIGHT 23KM

Last year this race was cancelled due to the stormy weather. I was looking forward to this one, because two years ago we had done this short race as recon of the start and finish area for the marathon. We stopped and made photos and I finished second.

Yes!!!

Smile baby smile

So this year I wasn't going to stop. I came to win this one.
This year there were more girls and I had missed my start so I went full force to get to the first women.

'Encore une fois'...

I had so much fun and finished first!!


RACE DAY 2: CANYON ROC MARATHON

I love this race. It really has everything. Sun, dust, rocks, technical climbs and downhills.
I didn't have my very best day of the season. I know I just have to eat, drink and keep pushing it.

Travelling at the speed of light

The first part is always a bit crazy, everyone wants a good position and some just go to hard not knowing what's left to come. And than you also have male riders who just think they are faster and stronger than you are, just because you have a braid coming out of your helmet. But over time I learned to claim my position.

Hide and seek

Warp speed

I go strong and really fast in the downhills, it's just so much fun!!
At one point a female rider passes me, she encourages me and just in a flash she reminds me of the greatest riders ever: Flesha Gunn Ritha Dahle. Could it be? No...

I can finish still strong and I'm happy. For the result I need to wait!

I drink, eat and catch my breath again. When I get back to the camper it doesn't really takes long before Peter arrives. He had a tough day, but he finished!


It took a while to get the final results, I know I wasn't in the first 5, I hoped for a top 10, but I just wasn't sure.

When I finally got the results, I noticed Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesja finished 8th. So I was right, she did pass me. My result was a 10 spot. Which is ok, not brillant, but ok.

And down we go

REST DAY

Usually this is our beach day, but it was less sunny than we hoped. And we had a lunch date. So we slept in, strolled around on the expo and had lunch with Matteo.

Beachtime

Le 'business' lunch

Playtime

In the afternoon we had a little walk on the beach to see other riders suffer on the part of the track where they cross the beach.

RACE DAY 3: ROC DAME  &  ROC D'AZUR

Our last ride of the season. I started about an hour before Peter, so I woke up and he could sleep a little longer.

Chat time

This race is such a great race. It only contains women, and not just a few. We started with 124 ladies!
I do know this is a hard one. It rolle much faster than the marathon ride because the long hard climbs from the marathon stage ar eliminated. But the top girls start with fresh legs and over a distance of only 40KM those girls fly!

I do still have more power than expected and some girls just start to fast and do underestimate the technical descents. I know what is coming. I pass most sections for the third time this week so I exactly know where I can go full out and where I need to be aware of the more difficult parts.

Race time

In the final I can leave some girls behind. And I finish in a 23th place and 7th in my age group. Which is good for me!

When I finish I first set off to the expo to say goodbye to our friends. Go to wash my bike and go to the camper to pay for our stay, shower and go to the beach part to see Peter finish.

One for the collection

I had to wait longer then expected, when I start thinking I missed him while I was in the shower. I see him coming. He yells he has a flat and needs a wheel.

In a new world record on slippers I ran to the camper. Got a wheel and than ran as fast as I could to the beach area to see him.  One last chance to catch a picture....

Ready for lift off

I made it in time.☝

The final race home was also a good one. We arrived around 2am at home.😀

Quite satisfied about the Roc, we now go into resting mode for about two weeks.

CU Soon

Sara