My annual rendezvous for the 13th time!  It’s pretty much the same thing every year: I come to race, but that’s only half of it, because it’s like coming home and finally meet all the friends that have kind of become a second family again.

Unfortunately some of them have left, but they are still part of the race, living on in our minds and hearts.

I admit that this is a very cheesy beginning for a race report that’s supposed to be straight to the point, but this race is special and very important for me. Remy Pigois, who sadly isn’t with us anymore, the «creator» of the Trophée d’Or, always gave me the courage to keep on racing, not to mind what people might say or think: « As long as you like what you do and you are passionate about it, and you don’t feel ridiculous, go on, enjoy it!»

Many of my thoughts went to him during this year’s race and I am happy to say that I’m really satisfied with my performance (even if I only finished 77th with a backlog of about 21’). I finished 43rd in the first stage from St Amand Montrond to Mehun sur Yèvre on a very fast and tricky final circuit, 38th in the second stage from Aix d’Anguillon to St Germain du Puy after having been in an attack for over 3km, only five kilometres away from the finish line. Especially my breakaway over 25 km with Zorrilla Braceras Dorleta from Biskaia in the beginning of the 4th stage from Avord to Avord, taking 2 prizes (30€ each, which would pay the traditional pizza on the evening of the last day). The chrono was downright horrible, two stages in one day is a bit too much for an «older engine» like me and it was too short.

I was a little scared by the hilly stage of Cosne sur Loire, as I loose a lot of time on that stage every year. This year I was slightly dropped in the first uphill, but I came back into the bunch and stayed there until the second «Meilleur Grimpeur». I was finally dropped in the 3rd uphill, finishing in a group of around 20 riders at 12’ from the winner Emma Johannson.

An icy downpour got us soaked in the last 10km, which resulted in a cold, which got me into problems in the last stage, where I had trouble breathing and lost the contact to the bunch in the final circuit in St Amand Montrond, finishing 2’ behind stage winner Monica Holler.

All in all it was a very active race on my side and I hope to go back there for the 15th edition and this time see my daughter finish the race (she had to stop after the second stage this year)

Merci à tous mes amis du Berry qui viennent me supporter fidèlement tous les ans et à l’année prochaine!

Suzie