Kiesanowski ready for Tour l'Aude

May 5th, 10. Next week Jo Kiesanowski is racing the world's top women's bike race, the ten stage Tour l'Aude. The Kiwi is in fine form and looking forward to racing this French tour once again.

Not your average race accommodation! Team Tibco stayed here in Belgium before racing Fleche Wallonne.

The Tour l'Aude attracts the top riders from around Europe with nineteen teams expected when the 3.9km prologue starts on May 13.

Kiesanowski's US based Team Tibco is heading to the tour with big expectations.

"We are ready to win the tour!!  We improved so much as a team over the month we've been here racing in Europe, so we are all very excited about racing, and knowing now that we can be one of the dominant teams," Kiesanowski told RoadCycling.co.nz from Switzerland where she was enjoying a week's downtime before she headed to France to look over the tour course.

"I really enjoy being on Team Tibco. It's my third year with them and it was always a dream of our managers to race in Europe. It has been great to be able to race with them over here and show that we can also be a factor in the races."

While Kiesanowski's role at Tour l'Aude is to help her teammate Ruth Corset win the tour, and to lead out Brooke Miller in the sprints, she'll also be looking for opportunities for herself.

"There are always opportunities for breakaways in this tour, so I will be looking for those on the days where it suits my strengths."

The last time Kiesanowski raced this tour was back in 2007, but she recalls it fondly.

"I've done this tour four times, I think, so I really like it and am looking forward to being back in Limoux to some awesome training roads and areas that I know quite well after being down there on and off over the years."

Over those four tours, Kiesanowski has had top results many times.  She has been first and second in the sprinter's jersey competition and she can't count how many 2nds, 3rds and 4th she got before she was rewarded with a stage win.  

Kiesanowski is looking forward to adding to her results when the race gets underway this year.

European season to date

While they don't have the trophies to prove it, Kiesanowski feels her team has performed incredibly well, and only a touch of bad luck has left them off the podium each time they've raced.

Holland's cobbles are just as unforgiving as Flanders cobbles in Belgium. The white line is for the sprint points!

In their last race, the GP Stad Roeselare (UCI 1.1), Kiesanowski was leading out her teammate who, unfortunately, lost her wheel. The Kiwi was able to hold her pace and finish 7th in the top ranked race.

"As a team we had an awesome race in Roeselare and were super aggressive so that was cool to be a part of."

"A lot of people noticed us these last few races so we have a lot of confidence going into l'Aude. We were disappointed not to get on the podium, that's why we are so focused on l'Aude and getting a great result there."

Before heading to Europe Kiesanowski told RoadCycling.co.nz she loved the European classics and was looking forward to racing them again.  After the series of races, she still agrees they suit her.

"They are always tough, but yes, I can still say I liked those races! It definitely took me a few races to get back into the swing of European racing again after not racing here all last year, but now I'm back in the zone so it's all good!"

"It's been great to have been able to race again over here. I must admit it was hard at first coming back after a year off but now I'm loving the racing and the culture over here. I will be sad to leave at the end of May!" she said.

Photos provided by Jo Kiesanowksi

Related articles

• Tour de l'Aude results
• St9: Pooley wins the Tour de l'Aude
• St8: Kiesanowski sprints to 3rd against the world's best
• St7: First British win in the Tour de l'Aude
• St6: Kiesanowski and TIbco still in the hunt
• St4: Cervelo take back Tour de l'Aude lead
• St3: Teutenberg takes win in Tour de l'Aude
• St2: Puncture changes lead in Tour de l'Aude
• St1: Cervelo and TIbco share Tour de l'Aude success
• Prologue: Kiwi opens Tour de l'Aude with a podium result
• Preview: Kiesanowski ready for Tour de l'Aude

The Tour de l'Aude is the top women's tour. The ten day tour runs from May 13-23.