“It was the coldest race of my life. At some factors, I used to be considering that we have been going to die.” Marlen Reusser spoke by way of waves of shivers as she waited for the rostrum ceremony sitting alongside runner-up Megan Jastrab and third-placed Maike van der Duin behind the staging space after profitable her first massive Spring Traditional at Gent-Wevelgem.
The chances appeared to be stacked in opposition to Reusser virtually from the start. At a race like Gent-Wevelgem, which is well-suited to the sprinters. SD Worx had one of many strongest groups and plenty of playing cards to play, however even Reusser had anticipated a dash this yr.
“In all of the [previous] editions, our aim was to not have a dash, however it was by no means doable as a result of it’s so laborious to get away and keep away on this race,” Reusser mentioned. “This yr, I used to be not anticipating that it could occur. I used to be anticipating that we’d dash with Lorena [Wiebes]. Given the parcour, and it isn’t my favorite race. But it surely was totally different this yr.”
This yr’s race was held beneath abysmal climate situations that have been chilly and rain-soaked all through the 162.5km race between Ypres and Wevelgem.
The rain brought about the cobbled ascents to grow to be slippery and Reusser was pressured to stroll on the primary time up the Baneberg. A number of mass crashes brought about race-deciding splits among the many peloton, too.
Fortunately, Reusser mentioned, her SD Work teammates managed to make it by way of many of the accidents unscathed, at the least for many of the race. Nonetheless, a crash within the last 10km, whereas Reusser was off the entrance, brought about Lorena Wiebes, Lotte Kopecky and Elena Cecchini to go down.
“In the present day was particular, first, as a result of the situations have been so unhealthy. I can inform you that we have been all frozen. It was actually chilly. It was the coldest race and expertise on the bike, after which there have been crashes, a crash that made a small choice [mid-race], and we have been fortunate to have the entire staff up entrance,” Reusser mentioned.
“I believe this modified the dynamics of the race so much. I additionally assume that I’d not have stayed away for 45km if my staff was not so robust or if we did not have the numbers behind. So, thanks, SD Worx.”
Reusser rode away from the sphere on the second ascent of the Baneberg, with roughly 45km to go, when groups have been nonetheless organising themselves after a mass crash.
The Swiss rider slowly picked up the tempo, including extra strain to her effort, and when trying again was stunned to grasp that she had created a niche.
“I did not assault. I believed perhaps we might select or a small group, however there was nobody on my wheel, and I believed, ‘let’s strive’. I used to be very stunned. I put in a bit increased tempo, and it was a call that they [rival teams] simply didn’t experience that quick. I saved the tempo to see what would occur. I instantly bought time, so I believed, ‘we now have 5 different playing cards to play, I am the primary to play,’ so I went,” she mentioned.
“It was not a tough choice to proceed. I do know I am a superb time triallist, and generally, I favor being within the time trial reasonably than having to make laborious choices. After I heard over the radio that the staff was supporting my motion, it was good.”
The Swiss rider constructed her lead out to almost three minutes, however with restricted radio contact, she wasn’t assured in her benefit. A flawed flip inside the ultimate 5 kilometres was trigger for some preliminary concern, however in the long run, the error made virtually no distinction to her lead, and he or she received by 2:42 over the group dash.
“I’ve to look at it again myself. The race [course] went a bit bit to the correct, I went straight, so perhaps they might have proven me higher, or perhaps I might have been extra attentive as a result of I simply went straight. I understood that I went to flawed method as a result of [I heard] everybody saying ‘no, no, no’ once I turned. I used to be not completely satisfied,” Reusser mentioned.
“I used to be not so assured about my hole. There are totally different dynamics. My legs are going slowly, and I do know that if riders dash behind, they’ll drive the tempo up, so I used to be not assured that it could actually occur. I used to be not completely satisfied to lose additional seconds there [in the wrong turn].”
Reusser mentioned it wasn’t till one kilometre to go that she started to really feel assured that she would win Gent-Wevelgem.
Though she had not anticipated her victory forward of the race, she admitted that she had her podium bag ready, simply in case. “I’d not have thought that I might win it as we speak, but additionally, I’d not have mentioned I’d not win it, both,” she mentioned.
