Racing in Turkey with my brand new Factor Lando XC
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- 31 mei 2022
The Lando arrived Wednesday and got tested this Eliminator raceweekend.
To be honest I would not recommend testing a bike like this, last weekend I rode the first KM’s on my new mountain bike. The recently launched Factor Lando XC full suspension mountainbike. It came in last Wednesday as i flew to Turkey on Thursday. So I had a very short installation run back in Dubai before I left.
Okay, I had a little bit of stress last week. Do I receive my brand new mountain bike in time? And can I bring it to my first race abroad? The answer was YES, Monday the box came in the store. And the mechanics built the bike on Tuesday so i could test it out one day later. What an amazing bike. True, we still need to get along more, but first impressions count. And he didn’t let me down this weekend. So allow me to share my story of this weekend. My raceweekend for the Eliminator Nations Series in Bodrum – Turkey.
After my first introduction to MTB Eliminator Racing during the UCI MTB Eliminator World Cup in Abu Dhabi I felt I had some bad luck. I was not able to show my true potential. So I signed up for the Nations Series in Bodrum-Turkey. To get my revenge.
Testing the bike in Cross Country and Eliminator racing.
Okay true, my ambition is to race the entire World Cup Season in 2022. Although it is kind of a challenge after we moved to the UAE. Most of the races are in Europe and flying two to three times a month is not ideal. But we’ll make the best out of it and try to race as much as races possible. Last weekend, my first race abroad, first time travelling on my own, first time leaving Dubai after we moved.
Friday travel day and a small spin close to the hotel we stayed in. Saturday XCO time, we arrived 5 minutes before the start which was a little bit hectic. But the race was on a very nice course up a hill. I suffered big time on the climbs (due to the lack of elevation training). But on the downhills I was super confident. The Lando acted how I wanted and felt super comfortable. All of this resulted in a fourth place
Sunday XCE day, the race were I came for. The course was super slippery and in the middle of the city centre of Bodrum. So a lower tire pressure was recommended on this course, luckily I customised my Lando With hookless rims which give me space to run a lower tire pressure for more grip but without burping and with the same performance. I liked the course, narrow passages, slippery corners and a long sprint to the finish.
My time trial was fast, I managed to get the second time! I wasn’t expecting anything from this race as I didn’t know how the bike would react and how my fitness was after the lack of training due to a sandstorm. With a smooth run in the semi-final I managed to place myself in the grand finals. My start was not that bad, but it was not good enough to get in front of any of the other ladies. I could follow them easily, but I hit my hand against a barrier and lost a little bit of time with that. This made it impossible to pass the ladies in front of me. Resulting in again a strong 4th place and even my first UCI points of 2022.
There is a lot to learn, I need to work on my starts and on my strength the upcoming weeks. Lando and I are going to spend a little bit more time together to get along as a team. And hopefully I will be starting at the UCI MTB World Cup Eliminator in Falun-Sweden at the seventeenth of June
Photo’s: GST Productions
