Liv Racing has a busy week ahead of them. On Monday (30 August) the team will start in the GP de Plouay-Lorient-Agglomeration Trophee Ceratizit. After this French one-day classic, the Ceratizit Challenge by La Vuelta will start on Thursday (2 September). This Spanish four-day race lasts until Sunday and is, like the GP de Plouay, part of the WorldTour calendar.
Pauliena Rooijakkers will ride both races on behalf of Liv Racing. “My last race was the Clásica San Sebastián at the end of July which went very well. Afterwards I did a good training block at home, I didn’t exactly take it easy. I will take the confidence I have gained in the past few weeks with me to France”, she says.
“I have competed in the GP de Plouay about four or five times now.The climbs follow each other in quick succession on the local circuit. There is little recovery time in between, which makes it a difficult and selective course. That appeals to me. And I actually think that our whole team should be able to do well here. We have to wait how we digest the hills. Then we’ll see if we can go for a top classification.”
Liv Racing’s selection for the GP de Plouay-Lorient-Agglomeration Trophee Ceratizit: Sofia Bertizzolo, Soraya Paladin, Pauliena Rooijakkers and Sabrina Stultiens.
Lotte Kopecky is part of the selection for the Ceratizit Challenge by La Vuelta. It will be her first race for Liv Racing since the Tokyo Olympics. “Shortly after the Olympics I had trouble with my hip, as a result of the crash in Tokyo. I was off the bike for a week. After that, I slowly built it up day by day. I felt a little better each time”, said our Belgian, who also briefly went to Italy for an altitude training camp. “That training, in function of the world championships, I continued at home in an altitude tent. The Simac Ladies Tour unfortunately came too soon for me.”
“The Ceratizit Challenge by La Vuelta will be a journey of discovery for me. I don’t really know where I stand in terms of fitness at the moment. That is a question mark for me. That is why I am looking forward to racing with the team again and to experience what I am capable of. I checked the profile of the race. There is a lot of climbing to do. But some of the finishes are fairly flat. After the first day I hope I can say to what extent I can make a difference. It would be nice for the team and myself if we can take a nice result. We will discuss the team tactics next week.”
Liv Racing’s selection for the Ceratizit Challenge by La Vuelta: Sofia Bertizzolo, Valerie Demey, Alison Jackson, Lotte Kopecky, Jeanne Korevaar and Pauliena Rooijakkers.
Photo credits: Cor Vos