World Cup Preparation With...Imogen Buick

It occurred to me that I spend up to week at a World Cup venue but only ever report on the race. Of course, the race is what it is all about, but what about those days spent leading up to the race, what happens then? 

For each athlete it will be different; some spend every possible moment in compression socks with their feet up, and others take a more laid back approach. Some riders know exactly how best to prepare to race, and others are still trying to work that out. As I sat outside our hotel in Andorra I saw some riders spinning down the hill on their way back from the race course and another doing high cadence intervals up the hill on his road bike. The Russian Federation riders are never without arm and leg warmers despite temperatures in the thirties, whilst Nino Schurter evidently favours checking out the local shops. And the Downhillers sit on their balconies in the scorching sun - in their generic baggy vest and jean shorts combination - throwing peanuts at you...

Round three of the 2013 World Cup was held in Vallnord, Andorra, and I travelled with Imogen as her manager and soigneur, and, most importantly, her big sister. Here's what she got up to in the lead up to her first World Cup of the season:

DAY ONE: T - 3

Having arrived at a cheery 4am on Wednesday morning, Imo's first mission was to catch up on some sleep. That accomplished, first on the agenda was accreditation, without which a rider has no number and therfore cannot ride the course. There is an accreditaion centre at each World Cup, often in the nearest town rather than at the race venue itself and a wander into La Massana saw Imo signed on; a well-oiled production line of license checking, payment, pit passes and a goody bag. Food was next on the check list. Eating well is a pretty important part of the preparation to race and staying at a hotel can sometimes make this a bit tricky. In order that Imo never felt panicked by when, where and what she would eat, we brought a camping stove with us for a cheeky make-do hotel room kitchen. After some lunch Imo got kitted up and rode up the mountain to check out the course. First time at the track is just about a gentle ride around, figuring out what is where and discovering you're going to need a smaller ring at the front! Although she wasn't nervous or stressed, I could tell that she was anxious to get on her bike, see the course and feel like she had arrived at the World Cup proper. As a big sister and someone who has travelled and raced with Imogen since she was twelve I'm pretty sure I have a good idea how she feels, what emotions she is experiencing and what thoughts run through her head. Sometimes I know these things better than she does. But I still ask, to see how she puts everything into words. On being back at a World Cup [she raced Houfalize, Nove Mesto and Val d'Isere last year] she exclaimed, "It's awesome to be back! I just love being here. It was a twenty four hour car journey, but that doesn't really stress me out, I am just happy to be here". 

DAY TWO: T - 2

Having a world-class XC racer boyfriend has its benefits. One of them is getting to ride a course with someone who really knows how to ride it. So, Imo set off for a more in depth look at the course with Michiel [van der Heijen], riding several sections a number of times to recconoitre the different lines and test the limits of tyre adhesion (Imo takes this pretty seriously, there was a muddy jersey and shorts to show for it!). Imo and I met Michiel and Fabian Giger in town later in the day and we chatted about the course, how they were feeling about the race and the saddening inability to purchase Fanta Lemon in the UK. And the difference between 'shadow' and 'shade'; a tough one to explain to a foreigner! 

The course at Vallnord was not particularly technical so Imogen didn't need to spend a lot of time practicing any of the sections, however, there is always time to be won and lost and thus knowing what roots to avoid bouncing off and which gear to exit the singletrack and begin to climb on can really benefit your race. I asked Imogen how she felt about the course. "It's not very technical and the climbs are very hard". Not ideal for the demon descender then, but she goes on to explain how she can make things work to her advantage, making it obvious just how much she has thought about the course, her strengths and weaknesses and the conditions. "I'm not the strongest climber, but I know I have good endurance. I don't need to sprint up the first climb, lose my breath and never get it back. I just need to keep steady and attack into the descents where I can because I am super quick down them". Michiel and Fabian interject at this point to agree. Michiel apparently wouldn't have descended any faster! Whilst Imo is mostly relaxed about the race, there are flickers of nerves and doubt. The climbs are brutal, and at 2000 metres above sea level they become even more strenuous. Imo says she struggled with breathing and could not push as hard as her legs would allow. 

After our Fanta Lemons we browsed the shops and then said goodbye to the boys and headed up to the course by way of the free gondola from the town centre. Tonight was the Eliminator race. I was there to work, and Imo took on a purely vocal role, receiving commendation from some Austrian downhillers for her impressive encouragement of British racer, Kenta Gallager, and our Belgian friend, Fabrice Mels. Despite wanting to take a walk around the course and catch up with friends, Imo found a spot to sit and stayed there. It is important to keep the weight off your feet in the lead up to a race, and Imo dutifully obliged this 'don't stand when you can sit' rule whilst enjoying the race at the same time.  She was a little agitated though. It was time to get back to the hotel to eat, relax, get a massage and sleep. The travelling, the climbing and the altitude had given Imo heavy legs so half an hour on the massage table [hotel bed with a towel on it] did the world of good and relaxed both her muscles and her mind. The main aim of the day - an intimate assessment of the course - was complete and with that she was keen to get horizontal. 

DAY THREE: T - 1

Imogen, the eighteen year old about to ride her first World Cup of the season, was still sporting an enormous smile and a relaxed attitude. Kudos. With race day just one day away, day three was to include a spin on the road and plenty of lounging around. After her spin - not all that easy in mountainous Andorra - Imo and I cleaned her bike and her kit. I prepared bottles, food, clothes and all the other little necessities and 'could-come-in-handy' items of race day: pit pass, suntan lotion, wet wipes, tools and spares, ice blocks, water, water and more water. With an array of everything we needed neatly lined up around our hotel room we headed up the mountain once again to watch the U23 race. I, again, had work to do, and Imo cheered on Michiel. She was joined by a number of other riders who were to race on Saturday, all carrying stools and chairs and plonking themselves down in the shade (or shadows!) to watch. 

When we got back to the hotel the camping stove came into its own and I cooked up some pasta. Michiel had suffered hard. This was playing on Imogen's mind. "Every race is tough, but I don't want to just struggle round. I don't want to just be surviving."  An early night ensued, with alarms set for 0700. 

RACE DAY

Though still seeming fairly relaxed, the painfully slow rate at which Imogen forced her porridge down gave away her nerves. I was definitely more nervous though! 

Timing chip collected, warm up complete and into the gridding pens. Still smiling but now evidently focussed. The call up - tenth, second row - the wait, the gun. 

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