Hey guys - kinda shattered now - and it's only day 1! Links to full results for the day are on this page here http://www.nelsonevents.co.nz/TourdeFemmeResults.htm

The HTT went well for me today. 8 minutes faster than last year, although it was about a km shorter, but still a fair few minutes faster than last year so I was pretty stoked with my result there. Still only 53rd in gc so it's a good thing I'm not here for the win!

The circuit race this afternoon didn't go as well as I'd hoped, but still much improved from last year (where I pulled out on the final lap after getting dropped about 3 corners in). I was with the bunch for the first lap but lost it and couldn't close the gap when the pace went on for sprint points. I wasn't prepared for it and wasn't in at all good position which resulted in getting dropped with a few others.

Slowly we developed a group of 6 and we were just behind the main bunch. Out the back of the second lap our group split as a couple tried to gap up to the bunch up the only real climb on the course - I tried to go with them but it ended up being a group of 3 chasing the main bunch and me chasing them. I spent the next 2 and a bit laps on my own (TT!) and at the climb again on lap 4 got caught by a group of 4. The group of 3 was about 60m ahead of us and the bunch was about that again ahead of them.

The new group didn't work particularly well together but I was able to use them for shelter on the side of the course where we were in to the wind which had picked up and finished a couple of minutes back from the bunch. Not how I'd planned the stage, but still all good training and I didn't lose much time overall in that stage.

Tomorrow stage 3 is a 70km road race with 1 significant hill about 15km in and another much smaller hill about 15km from the finish. Stage 4 is a 19km TT on the flat (so I've heard) so the wind could be a factor in how enjoyable that stage is...

I'll have a little dance for ya..

Sorry about not reporting in yesterday - too busy eating and sleeping! So, 3 stages to report...

Stage 3 was a 70km road race heading south from Richmond over Spooners hill then a loop taking us over Rea's saddle before joining back on to the highway we went out on (so short when you say it like that!). Last year I barely hung on to the bunch to the bottom of Spooners. Spooners is a loooong climb, one of those ones where at points you can see it going up forever. It's not steep, but certainly taxing.

I had one objective for this stage. In stage 2 I got dropped because of poor positioning - I was at the back of the bunch when they went for the sprint and next thing just couldn't get on. I just get plain scared in the bunch where people suddenly move in to gaps that aren't there and you don't know and can't trust the people around you. So my objective was to get in to a good position, hold it, and start the climb at the front of the bunch. Mission accomplished Unfortunately I'm just not strong enough yet to stay with these girls up the big climbs so I was at the back end as the bunch started to stretch out up the hill.

Within a few kms of the descent we had a group of 4, which grew and shrank as we went and finished with 7. We worked together lapping out quickly, holding it together up the saddle and then lapping again back to the finish. We were 12 minutes back but we were all really satisfied with our efforts. Most (maybe all) of the 7 had been dropped and effectively TT'd the majority of stage 2 - we're getting a great workout!

Back to the motel between stages for a clean up (Gen had gone down in a crash during the finish sprint but wasn't badly hurt) and some good food and then we were off to the club rooms for stage 4 - ITT, 19.6kms - a significant increase from last year when it was about 11. We drove what we thought was the course but made the same mistake as some others and only drove about half of it, but saw enough to get the idea.

I'd strategically placed myself low enough down on GC that I would get a fairly early start on stage 4 which meant an earlier finish and maximum recovery time til stage 5 on day 3 (my story...). Gordon McCauley's wife Pam was racing and she had been in the group of 7 in stage 3 and left for the TT right ahead of me. But she was fully kitted out on a TT bike, helmet and skinsuit so ate a couple of minutes in to me. I've never been jealous of TT bikes and tri-bars before - lesson for next year...

The course was mostly flat with a few undulations and a few sharp turns, and 2 turn-arounds thanks to a deviation on the leg coming back which included a slight climb on the coesrast chip I've ever ridden. I finished up right on the time I expected so another satisfiying stage.

I caught up with Sam, Trev and Jill for dinner and was feeling much more energised than I had after day 1.

Day 3 - where are my legs? They were here when I went to sleep...

Stage 5: 80km road race - 3 hills and lots of undulation. I was far enough back on GC to get an early start for this stage along with 20 other riders. We started 15 minutes early and had a chat agreeing that we would work together to try and hold the main bunch off. Pam and I lead out to the first hill just a couple of k's in to the stage and by the time we were over that we were mostly all together and started lapping out in single file with good long periods of rest. Legs were feeling good (phew).

The first 25kms were flat so we maintained a good pace and didn't drop anyone until we hit the hilly/undulating terrain. I was feeling really good on the climbs, sitting or standing, comfortably spinning up them. I'd hoped to stay away from the bunch for 50kms which we did easily. At 60kms they still hadn't come past and we were heading towards the 2nd main climb of the course. Gordon drove past a few minutes after we'd crested and told us the bunch was just starting the climb. We were just about to start the final climb - the down side of the first hill of the stage.

78kms and nearly at the bottom of the hill and the stage leaders came hauling past like a freight train - there was no jumping on those wheels! With just a couple of k's to go we just all put out heads down and tried to hook on to wheels as they came past - I managed to get behind a couple for about the last kilometre and was very happy to finish, particularly after last years DNF.

And I didn't come away with nothing - I won the award for most improved up Takaka Hill (stage 1) taking nearly 8 minutes off my time from last year. Nice bottle of merlot to celebrate with thank you very much (I was most impressed when the room gasped collectively at the time improvement ). Looking for more of that again next year eh?

Special thanks to Oli for the loan of his super quick race wheels (no, you can't have the wine). They were absolutely brilliant and I'm sure a big part of the reason I felt so good on the hills today. I'll borrow them again (They might need a bit of a tweak but I didn't do any bunny hops OR take them off road...).

So, now I'm just chilling out, staying out of the hot, hot sun and am actually feeling really good. A stark contrast to last year and even to how I felt after Tour of Taranaki back in June.

Improved? You bet - and plenty more to come