Race report still to come, but for now a few photo's from the prologue starting line.

I started 30 seconds ahead of Spencer and if that's not motivation to go fast I don't know what is.

Just waiting to go fast!

Spencer is thinking he's gonna catch me!

I've been meaning to post these for a while. I have more pics from races and rides as I am sure everyone else does. Here is a link to a flickr page I set up for the Team.  I have sent everyone on the team e-mail list the password. Feel free to contribute any pics and also manage the page, add tags,  descriptions, map, or change privacy settings (for example , maybe you want to show a pic of your buddy throwing up at the top of the mountain but you only want a hundered or so people to see it ). Enjoy.

More pics are available here.

So I have learned a few things about Italy.  Everything is domani (tomorrow) the air lines lost my bike and that is what they told me for a week and I just got it. They love their espresso drinks, wine is a must at all meals, everyone rides in every attire and there is no recovery.  From the gun these people just take off hard, getting theirs wattage and heart rates up and they keep at that pace for hours. Until the climb then it’s time to go up up up and not slow at all.  After hammering for over two hours it’s time to stop for espresso and you have to be quick because we're training; off again weaving through traffic. For a three or so hour ride you take one water bottle, eat little to nothing and go hard until you finish.  Oh yes helmets are not necessary but I love mine.  Spinning your legs out what is that? When you get into the cities the cyclist have dominance over the road or so we think, we weave in and out of traffic passing on the left and right, going between cars and running lights and stop signs. I will probably get hit but as long as I am constantly out sprinting someone I am fine. I love it. 

My first major adventure that I have taken part in was one of the girls and I decided we were going to go watch the KOM of stage 1 of the Tirreno-Adriatico race.  Hincapi and Cavendish are on the front, there are people lined up the climb, helicopters above and support cars for days before and after the peloton. Very impressive, each team has two cars with lots of wheels and bikes on top. I pretty much have not stopped smiling and most of all learning.  Our ride back was another story, we got lost. We were only 10 minutes away from the house and managed to go completely away from it, but now we know Lucca pretty well now. 

So now it’s late and we have just received our official schedule, it’s pretty packed but I am really looking forward doing all of these races. We have three world cup races to do and the others are pretty much going to hurt as bad same women just not part of the world cup series.

I am off to bed, I have intervals to do tomorrow and they are having a boot sale in down town Lucca so we’re headed down there after an early morning ride for espresso and shopping (I know really girly and not pro but sometimes you need to step out of the norm, it’s good for your head), I need to tour the cities some more before my life is confined to racing and flying all over Europe.

Ciao,
Ally

Oh and I forgot to mention Mario Cipollini is our neighbor, so when we do motor pacing workouts we just go out for a ride with him. Pray that I can hold his wheel please.

Spencer let me, Tim Turk, and Stephen Staha come along on his recovery ride.  Just 25 miles, but with a 4500-foot climb and snow thrown in.

I think my bike needs a bath.