Dijon World Inline Cup

I didn't really get a chance to celebrate my birthday on Saturday because I had a 5.44am train to catch to Dijon on Sunday. I spent the day cleaning my bearings, changing wheels and packing my bag. But crossing the line on Sunday definitely made up for that.

For once there was absolutely no sign of rain on Sunday. I can recall frantically changing wheels on the start line previous years in Dijon. The course is always tough because the road is a little uneven and one straight is a false flat, which after 19 laps can take its toll.

Since I've had successful breakaway attempts this season and won Dijon in 2007 in a breakaway I thought I would give it another go. Early on I attacked and even though I created gaps and had a good mix of skaters away with me no one was ready to commit themselves quite that early. So nothing ever look like staying away, at least for the first quarter of the race. But I kept persisting and at one stage was away solo for a whole lap, but everyone still had enough energy left to work together and chase me down. There were a few other attacks made by Laetitia Le Bihan, Mareike Thum and Melissa Chouleysko but nothing ever got to the stage of looking dangerous.

Photo - Vincent Buin rollerenligne.com

I just kept attacking and with about seven or eight laps to go I saw an opportunity. I attacked around the top roundabout and coming off of the pack with speed I went full. No one followed me and after a quick glance back I stuck my head down and committed myself. After a couple of laps I had a lead of about 500 metres and then it started to grow. In the end I won by over a minute and a half. The spectators were amazing, every time I went past they would clap and cheer me on. I could also see the chasing group which can sometimes be a disadvantage because they can see you too, but on Sunday it was an advantage because I could see the gap grow lap by lap which kept me going.

Photo - © WIC - Alexander Pfiffner

It felt a little bit like deja vu crossing the finishing line alone. The French skater Justine Halbout had a strong sprint finish and won the pack sprint followed by her younger sister Clemence Halbout.

The men's race was also won in a breakaway by Bart Swings and coming in second was Yann Guyader. Peter Michael also racing for X-Tech MPC International missed getting on the nine man breakaway which escaped after only 7.5 km. However he did win the pack sprint and ended up finishing 10th.

Thanks to Alexandre Chartier and rollerenligne.com for the lift back to the train station. The trophy I won is big and made out of thick glass so it's heavy too. It may have to travel back to New Zealand with me as carry on luggage, literally being carried in my hand.