Hello Everyone,

I just wanted to send a brief update regarding the Thuringen-Rundfarht race that just finished on Sunday.  It is one of the “grand tours” and hardest races on the women’s calendar.  This year, it was seven days long with a TTT prologue and 6 stages.  My HTC Highroad team was fantastic all week.  We won the TTT prologue to start.  Then, we won 3 more stages, had two second place stage finishes, and we missed winning the overall by 2 seconds!  I finished 2^nd in GC by 2 seconds.  Ouch.  Bike racing hurts sometimes more than just physically.

The GC battle for the overall race victory was very tight all week.  I picked up the yellow jersey after the TT stage on day 6, but I only had it by 3 seconds.  The last day was a sprinter type stage with 19 seconds of time bonuses up for grabs.  We were facing a tough challenge since the second place rider, Emma Johannson, was both one of the 3 or 4 best sprinters and all around riders in the world.  I am not exactly known for my sprinting prowess, but my team did our best to try to defend and then to go on the offensive.  We raced hard, but we could not do it.  Emma rode very well, and sometimes you just have to say congrats and well done to a competitor.

I am flying to Sweden today.  We race a TTT (Team Time Trial) World Cup on Friday and then a regular one day road race World Cup on Sunday.  I will be practicing with my team from Tues to Thurs, and we will be ready to race on Friday.  I am excited and motivated, and I know my teammates who are also doing this TTT feel the same.

I’ll drop a note after the races this weekend.

Thanks for all of your support!!

Best,

Amber