Once again a Swedish Championship is over. This year was almost like last year, or maybe even worse… I took my responsibility as the professional rider I am and it was ME who created the first group of 7 riders that road away at Kinnekulle on the first lap. Lap number 4 it was ME who attacked on the hill again and road away with Susanne and Emilia. Together Me and Emilia worked hard to make a gap to the others but with Susanne not taking a turn the four riders came back. On lap number 5 it was ME again who attacked and came away alone with Susanne following on my wheel… I took long and strong turns and gave everything to show that I want to race. Still no interest shown from Susanne and Emilia came back. Soon the group was back to 7 riders again and back on the last local lap the attacks began. I know I should go on every attack, but I´m not a machine… So two riders (Jennie Stenerhage and Karin Aune) got away and they did a perfect race according to the situation. It´s nice to see offensive racing from girls that dares to win. Me and Sara tried to chase the two back but did not succeed.
Jennie is now the new Swedish Champion before Karin Aune. The Bronze medal was taken by Marie Linberg who did a strong race.

So what did I do wrong? The only thing I can think of is that I maybe should have agreed on Susanne sitting on my wheel for 123km and then easy beat her in the sprint… But since I´m almost not human that should be possible, shouldn`t it?!

I know I want to win, and I know that I´m selfish and egoistic. But I always try to race for victory that´s why I get upset about riders that not dare to win or lose.

I tried to win but I lost and I´m not happy about it.

This is nothing personal against Susanne it´s just me not understanding her way of racing. And it´s just one solution… Getting that strong so I can ride her off my wheel!

Emma

3rd place and a bronze medal on the timetrail.
Have a good feeling about tomorrows roadrace :)

Emma

Start at 16:36 so cross your fingers for me!

4 hours and 36 minutes til start…

As you maybe already now, I didn´t get better on the night between Saturday and Sunday.
My stomach just got worse and I didn´t get very much sleep. Tried to start on Sunday and things was OK as long as I sat in the bunch. But when the race started to speed up I felt very weak and I had no power in my legs. So I finished the race in the car instead, taking no risks for the rest of the season.

Back in Norway now and my stomach is better. Swedish Championship next!

Emma

Today have not been super for me. Have had a stomach trouble the whole day and it just don´t seem to get better. Had only pure rice and bread for dinner so I hope tomorrow I will wake up to a happy stomach!

Was 13th on the TT and 5th in the afternoon. The complete results from today you can fin here.

Emma

Warm weather (37 degrees!) made todays stage hard but slow… Think everyone was struggeling with the heat!
We came to the finish with a big group and I finished 4th in the sprint.
But tomorrow the real race starts.
Two stages on the same day, a mountains TT (2,2km) in the morning and then 79km in the afternoon.

So time to go to bed now…

Emma

La Bira has started and todays stage was short but intensive. Only 76km but the attacks and the two climbs made the race hard. I arrived to the finish in a group of 19 riders, sprinting in to a 3rd place after Arndt and Cook.

Just now I´m lying on my bed and waiting for massage…   And then after dinner Basquian radio is going to make a interview with me, hope they can understand my “almost forgotten” Spanish ;)

Emma

My “warming up” for La Bira was better than I thought it would be. 
I won the mountains classement and was 3rd on the race. Tomorrow we sleep a bit longer and after breakfast we go training. A massage and then we are ready for Thursday…

Buenas noches
Emma

Arrived yeasterday to this beautiful country, Basque Country. Already been out for some hours on my bike and for sure this is one of my favourite place both for training and vacation.
But this week I don´t have time for so much vacation, insted I will spend most of my time on the bike.
Todays race is Durango-Durango 113km and start will be at 15:00. It will be a hard race and a good warming up for the stagerace La Bira that starts on Thursday and goes on til Sunday.
After that I will have a reunion dinner with my “Basquianfamily” and I will also get to meet the new member Laia who was born 2 weeks ago. A big congratulations to Maitane and Joseba! Can´t wait to see you all :)

Emma

A jetlag have never ever been so wonderful… Just back from Montreal and I´m tired, very tired!
Flew over there for this one important race and for the first time this year I was actually nervous at the start. What if I can´t do what I´m here to do I thought… But standing there at the start side by side with my Swedish teammates and Klas and Martin in my ear (on the radio) made me relaxed. The start went off and just what we had expected, Emma Pooley attacked. Nobody went with her and she did the whole race alone in the front! Behind in the peloton the race was bit stressful for me since I had to change bike two times. First because my saddle slowly was sinking down and then to change back to my competitionbike again (which is much better than my trainingbike). Once my bike was ok again I could start to race. The climb was the breakpoint every lap and the peloton just got smaller and smaller. I attacked the last time over the climb and got the group down to 9 riders. Going into the sprint I knew that Trixie Worrack might be the fastest and to beat her I needed to start the sprint before her, so with 200m to go I went… And just made it :) 2nd place and the World Cup jersey is back on me again!  
Perfect timing since next time the World Cup will be in Sweden, 31 of July (TTT) and 2 of August.

Now some days to recover and save up some energy. Next race will be Durango-Durango and La Bira in Baskien, Spain.

Emma