The race started with a prologue, had a team time trial on the third day, and plenty of hard racing in between.  The courses were laid out a little different this year.  There weren’t any long climbs, and there wasn’t really anything hard to separate things in the final few days.  However, in the end, the race produced a worthy podium with Ljungskog, Arndt, and Worrack. 

Here is a brief recap of the important racing:
I was happy with my prologue on a flat, short (3.9km) course.  There was also a lot of wind (and a little wetness when I started.)  I held my own in general and with respect to the GC riders, finishing 7th but within 3 seconds of 1st.  The cool thing was that my teammate, Alison Powers, finished third and landed on the podium and into a points jersey for the first stage of the race.

I started stage 1 with the hopes of doing something early.  However, in the middle of taking that risk, I realized it wasn’t working, but I failed to abandon the plan.  In addition, my body was overheating, because I had left my arm warmers pulled down on my wrists.  Doh.  I am not afraid to try and fail, but I certainly will make some mental notes about what did and didn’t work.  The day cost me 40 seconds to the leaders. 

The team time trial was the next critical stage.  I knew this was going to be difficult, but after seeing the prologue results and knowing we had a flat TTT course ahead, I thought the USA might be a dark horse for a podium spot.  The tricky thing with team time trials, though, is that it is not how good one or multiple individuals are, but how good the unit rides and works as a whole.  Considering our lack of work as a group, and my unfamiliarity with how strong my teammates were under the stress of a time trial, I thought we did a really good job.  We worked within ourselves, and we regrouped fast when things broke down.  We finished 4th, and I only lost 1min to the leader. 

The Osseja stage was where the race was won for Ljungskog and lost for the rest of the field.  She attacked at the top of the second GPM and was able to stay away alone for more than 50km.  The individual riders behind (me included) didn’t organize much of a chase, and neither did any teams once things regrouped.  This allowed the gap to become large enough for Susanne to take the jersey, and in the end, to win the race.  A Team USA highlight of the day happened late in the stage with Alison following an attack by non GC threats.  She was eventually able to get away from these two riders and finish 2nd in the stage.  Her second podium of the week! 

Although the rest of the racing remained hard, the climbs were either on the short side, or were followed by long downhills and runs back to the finishes.  These layouts encouraged regrouping and changed up the finishing dynamics of the race.  In addition, Susanne and her team proved too strong for anyone to take the jersey from her. 

I should also mention another individual highlight for the USA team.  Within the first few kilometers of racing on the 8th day, Kat Carroll managed to create a small break away group.  These riders stayed away, and Kat finished second to the crafty Zabirova.

I came out with a top 10 in the GC, finishing 7th for the week.  I took some risks and chances along the way, but I wasn’t lucky or good enough during the week.  Although I was a little bit disappointed, I was also realistic going in.  The race wasn’t exactly laid out for me, and I was missing my usual teammates in the mountains.  However, I really enjoyed racing with the USA girls, and I really was impressed with their willingness to do anything and everything they could.  The Tour de l’Aude is an incredibly difficult race, and for everyone but Chrissy and I, it was their first attempt.  The future is exceptionally bright for each of them.  I am very, very thankful for their sacrifices (and for causing some belly aching laughs) throughout the week. 

I flew home the Monday after the race finished… needed a week to get out of my post race and travel (9hr time zone switch) space cadet mode… and then a few days to get motivated to write.  Sorry for the delay.  I have some video from the prologue, from training in the area, and some photos to add.  Since I am leaving on Monday for Spain, I will get on it this weekend.

Thanks again to my USA team for the week:  Alison Powers, Katherine Carroll, Chrissy Ruitter, Amber Rais, and Brooke Miller.  Our staff was made up of Corey Hart in the director’s roll, Mr. Salami as the unselfish, do everything, find everything (broccoli included) soigny, and the wrench, Chris Franges.