“Where’ve you been?” Tal quizzed when she caught up with me outside of the toilets.
“Eating?”
“Annika was looking for you.”
“I was only in the tent, talking with Cav.”
“The English?”
“Hope there’s not more than one,” I opined as we headed back to team HQ.
 
“Ah Gaby,” Annika greeted me.
“She was eating,” my warder advised.
“Well you’re here now, Frank’s already gone with the lads so its just us girls.”
“Where’s Izzy?”
“Here!” a hand shot up inside the bus.
“Right then, shall we get started?” our leader suggested.
 
“Thoughts on the circuit?”

We’d made ourselves comfortable in the mini bus, even if anyone overhears us I doubt they’ll understand German.

“Reminds me a bit of that race up around Kiel eh Gabs?” Tali proposed.

Kiel? Oh I remember, Hamburg, yeah I guess it does have its similarities, not much in the way of hills, fairly open and some longish straights.

“Yeah,” I agreed, “a bit, we struggled to control that with six of us, we’d have no chance with three. It’ll be nigh on impossible to make a break stick with all those straights.”
“So any suggestions,” Annika prompted.
“We could just send Gaby up the road so she can time trial round,” Izzy suggested.
“Gaby?”
“Erm, I had sort of thought something similar,” I admitted.
“But how do we get Gab out of the pack? Won’t the rest be looking out for her,” Iz asked.
“We’ve done it with worse odds eh Gab?” Tal chuckled.
“Yeah, I won’t be wearing a target tomorrow at least.”
“Target?” Annika asked.
“Series jersey, national champ jersey, wear one of those and everyone jumps on any move you make.”
“Never thought of that,” Izzy admitted.
 
We talked for a while, went through a few theoretical scenarios then went to check out the finish area, ironically the approach involves a couple of sharp turns and a long curve to within fifty metres of the line. By the time we’d done the lads were back so while riders got changed, bikes were stowed and we started our journey back down the Seven towards London.
 
Back at the Lamplighter, Laurin set up shop, we’d all get a leg rub before dinner – no junk food on today’s menu of course, dinner was in the hotel restaurant. Far from junk, we ate well but it has to be said rather boringly, grilled chicken, rice, green beans, peas – not a bad meal, just unexciting.

“Is everyone okay for tomorrow?” Frank asked as we sipped at our coffee.
“I wouldn’t say okay exactly,” I offered, “ready maybe.”
“Everyone else?”
“We’ll have a go,” Innerthausen told us.
“We can’t expect more,” Annika stated.
“That’s all we ask ladies and gentlemen, we know we are at a numerical disadvantage, that can’t be helped. No, all we ask is that you do your best with what you have, I know the girls have some hope but if it doesn’t happen its not the end of the world.”

He paused, we all sort of looked at each other, slightly embarrassed I guess.

“Onto practicalities, similar programme to today, early breakfast, we leave at eight thirty, Laurin will have a snack for the girls and lunch for the lads at Stratford. The forecast is similar to today, there’s no feed for you girls so make sure you keep hydrated in the morning. Annika, Laurin, anything to add?”
“Erm,” Leon put in, “I have if you don’t mind Frank.”
“Be my guest.”
“There’s only neutral service of course,” he told us, “I know a couple of you are used to team support and I hope you don’t need to resort to it but on top of what Frank has said, the neutral will have bidons and energy bars if you need them, just bear in mind that you’ll have to drop back to take advantage. You all know the service protocols?”
“Arm up and move to the kerb to stop.” Degenkolb supplied.
“That’s it,” Leon concluded.
“Girls?”
“Nothing to add Frank,” Annika advised, “except to wish you all good luck.”
“Hear, hear,” Laurin added.
“Okay then, the rest of the evening is yours, I’d promote an early night, I’m sure however that you are all more than capable of your own preparations, until tomorrow then.”
 
“You coming for a walk Gab,” Iz enquired as we all departed the restaurant, “there’s some sort of coffee shop just up the road.”
“Er sure,” well its still early yet so why not, “just need to make a call first.”
“Max?” Tal suggested.
“No,” I pretty much snapped, “Dad actually.”
“Hmm, sounds like a good idea, ten minutes?” Iz suggested.
“Fifteen,” Tal revised.
“Fifteen it is.”
 
“How’s Canada champ?” Dad asked when I got through.
“Okay,” I allowed with a shrug he obviously couldn’t see.
“So how’s the course?”
“Boring as.”
“Didn’t think it looked too bad.”
“There’s nowhere to hide Dad.”
“So have you guys decided on a tactic?”
“Not exactly, Izzy suggested I go from the gun, time trial it.”
“Risky,” Dad noted, “anything else?”
“Not really, it’ll probably end in a huge gallop.”
“Would that be an issue?”
“I’d rather not, I mean I’ve only got Tal and Iz, no one else will help here and the finish is a bit technical, touch a wheel and its over.”
“So its back to plan A then?”
“I think we’re going for a variation unless someone else pulls something.”
“Keep an eye on the Italians and Dutch, they’ve been strong all season and don’t discount the Canadians, home turf can be inspirational.”
“I guess,” I allowed.
“So what’re you up to now?”
“Going for a short walk I think, Izzy’s seen some coffee shop just along from the hotel.”
“Well don’t be out too long, get a good night’s sleep eh?”
“I will,” I sighed.
“We’ll all be watching kiddo, oh your boyfriend sends his best wishes by the way.”
“Max?”
“You’ve got more than one?”
“No!”
“Just checking kiddo, one I can live with, go enjoy yourselves at the coffee shop and do your best tomorrow eh.”
“I’ll try.”
“Nite kiddo.”
“Nite Daddy.”

Well I’m feeling a bit lonely.
 
“So where’s this coffee shop?” Tal queried as we assembled outside reception.
“Maybe two hundred along the road, I saw it when we came back earlier.”
“And its open?” I enquired.
“It said ‘Open 24’ outside,” Iz told us.
“Good enough for me,” Tal stated leading the way.
 
Two hundred? More like a thousand but it was open as advertise, we slipped inside and were soon nursing Cappuccinos and monster slices of cherry pie.

“Good job Frank can’t see this,” I opined.
“He’d only be jealous,” Izzy scoffed before putting another fork full into her oriface.
“Well I propose a toast,” Tal stated.
“We’ve only got coffee,” I pointed out.
“Who cares,” she replied.
“So what’s this toast then?” Iz queried.
“To us, whatever happens tomorrow.”
“I’ll buy that, to us,” I stated lifting my cup.
“To us,” Beyer agreed as the three of us clinked our cups of white froth.
“So we wearing the skinsuits then?” Tal suggested.
“Be a shame not to,” Iz mentioned, “Gab?”
“Guess so, any advantage is advantage,” geez, I sound like Dave Brailsford!
 
So of course, two Cappuccinos and a walk back to the hotel later and I was wide awake. My brain was fizzing like cheap pop, sleep wasn’t gonna happen anytime soon, I sought out my phone, ring Con. I tried twice before I realised my Handy wasn’t going to connect, oh well. Fifteen minutes later I had my phone book open and I was dialling Germany through the hotel landline.

“Hello?”
“Max?”
“That you Gaby?”
“In the flesh so to speak,” I sniffed.
“You crying? What’s up?”
“Nothing.”
“If you say so, what time is it there?”
“Half eleven.”
“Shouldn’t you be asleep, its your big race tomorrow right?”
“Can’t sleep.”
“Look, hang on a minute we’re just eating, I’ll take it in the parlour.”
“’kay,” the line went silent for a bit before it crackled back into life.

“You still there?”
“Hmm.”
“So you won that, what do you call it, time affair?”
“Time trial,” I corrected, “yeah.”
“So my girlfriend is a Weltmeisterin eh, do you get the Spandex™ suit and boots and everything?”
“Don’t know about the boots but I do have a skinsuit.”
“Ooh, this I must see,” I could almost see his grin down the phone.
“Behave yourself!”
“I don’t want to.”

Well the conversation went downhill from there and no I’m not going to repeat it all. On the other hand by the time we ended the call, his dinner would be cold and it was costing me a fortune, I was feeling somewhat happier, less lonely and importantly tired. I turned the light off and in moments I was slipping into a happy slumber.
 
Maddy Bell © 22.10.2018