Bonjour de France. It has been too long ago since my last news item. I was shocked myself seeing the last date that I posted something. A lot has been going on, but a website needs to be updated on a regular basis I agree. I will shortly tell what happened in the last 2 months and will start to tell about my snow ... I mean bike training camp.

The last few weeks I have been busy with  my trianing build up, working (more hours than in the contract but that is why I can on a camp again now) and many things concerning our new house. To start off with last, in about 2 weeks we get the key to our new house in Leidsche Rijn, Utrecht. Yahoo closer to Utrecht and more space for all of Jochem's stuff (or is it Sione's stuff? ). Close to the ice skating rink, swimming pool and the cycle track in Nieuwegein (Nedereinse Berg) and also last but not least friends. A new house gives you a busy schedule with making arrangements and going shopping for things. It has taken quite some time and we have only 7 weeks from the moment we get the key of our new house (which is a  new house but the interior has to be done by ourselves) until we have to leave our "old" house.

Fortunately my men is in the building business and knows exactly what needs to be done. My task will be mainly to pack boxes, of which I already got some on my birthday  from Sjoerd and Heike (uncle and aunt). This will have to be done in between working and training as I also want to focus on the cycle season now. However it is a positive change, which also gives positive energy. This also counts for the womentriathlon, of which the preparations have started again.

At the end of January I went on my first training camp to Mallorca. We, Debby vd Berg (team member) had luck with the weather and were able to make some big kilometers. Furthermore, we were able to learn form the SKill Shimano Pro Team who happened to be stationed int the same hotel. Besides that the differences between a trainingscamp of a triathlon team and a cycling team became clear. The triathletes sportsnutrition in a plastic bag so drinkbottles can be refilled at a gasstation, the cyclists have their following car with supplies. Cleaning your bike by yourself and having someone cleaning your bike. Washing in the bathtube and a washing machine in the truck.  

We, ladies of the Dolmans Landscaping Cyclingteam (website almost in the air) have also  nothing to complain. This also became clear on our teamday of February 8th at the bike store of our bike sponsor Van Tuyl. Bikes, helmets, glasses, clothing, bags, everything was there. We were able to meet our main sponsor (Dolmans Landscaping) and our medical/support team. Furthermore, we had to say cheese many times for the pictures that had to be made. This smile was a little bit faked when we had to pose for a picture outside (at minus 5 degrees). This resulted in a race back inside. 

On Tuesday I quickly went to David of Footconnection for some fine tuning for my bike position. A triathlete has a little different bike position. Besides that I have some long legs compared to my total body lenght. On Wednesday I left for a training camp to the French Riviera for some training in the sun. On Thursday I woke up and it was raining and the rain changed to snow not much later. This is not were I am coming for! Part of the highway was closed down and there was some panic as this was very rare. In Cannes the snow was extremely rare click here for the newsreport of RTL4.

Rare, but I would not have mind to miss it. The first training took place on the windtrainer. Something I could have done at home. Fortunately on Friday I clear bleu sky and some sun. Time for my 3 country trip. The rest of my training camp story will be soon published. For now enough to read!

A tout alors