Flanders beckons Kiesanowski

Mar 31st, 10.  It's not just the men who compete in the Tour of Flanders, Kiwi Jo Kiesanowski is looking forward to Sunday's Belgian classic and is in fine form having podiumed last weekend.

Jo K ready to tackle the cobbles of Flanders ©RoadCycling.co.nz

In the criterium of the Redland's tour, Kiesanowski was the leadout rider for one of her teammates, Brooke Miller.  

With three riders in the break, Tibco were well positioned to execute their leadout train until a competitor from Colavita Baci jumped early with half a lap to go and surprised them by holding on until the line.

"I thought we were in great position for the sprint because she had gone so early," Kiesanowski said.

"I got straight on her wheel, but with the short straights and corners I was never able to get in front of her before the final corner. So Brooke and I kept our positions over the line! We ended up moving ourselves up into 3, 4 and 8 on General Classification which was good."

The following day Kiesanowski's team weren't able to hold their positions after working hard to minimise the time gap on their lead teammate who had fallen back off the pace. 

"It was a tough race, pretty hot and lots of climbing, like 16-1700m in 106kms!" Kiesanowski told RoadCycling.co.nz

And now to Europe

This afternoon Kiesanowski and her team are jumping on a plane to Europe where they'll race the Tour of Flanders on Sunday.

Kiesanowski is looking forward to heading back to Europe where she has raced in the past.  Her Tibco teammate Ruth Corset, Queen of the Mountain at the recent NZ Women's Tour, is in Europe already.  Racing for the Australian National Team Corset placed 4th in the first round of the European World Cup race, the Trofeo Alfredo Binda in Italy. 

"My teammate Ruth just got 4th at the first World Cup so we are looking forward to racing with her over there. I'll be there almost two months, doing a month up North in Belgium and Holland, I think 7 or 8 one day races. Then I'm off to Limoux again for a month where we will finish off with the Tour de l'Aude."

"I'm excited to go over there again after having a year off from Europe last year. I can't wait for Flanders, it's definitely one of my favourites."

Villumsen to race Flanders too

Kiesanowski isn't the only Kiwi women racing the Tour of Flanders one day classic.  Linda Villumsen is on the provisional start list for her team HTC Columbia.  

While Kiesanowski generally comes into her own at the end of races, Villumsen does her work much earlier.  The new Kiwi is a worker for the team and her strengths are used early on in the race.  Finishing isn't necessarily even a goal. See Villumsen heads back to Europe.