You don’t need expensive kit or an expensive bike to enjoy riding or to try racing. That’s how it was for me too. I started cycling in May 2021 and was still getting to know my road bike. At the end of May I tried my first race, at Hubalová, and a month later came my first Slovak Championships: the hill-climb time trial at Vršatec.
My black panther
No carbon rocket, no aero skinsuit. I rode an unremarkable Koba bike that I call my black panther. I didn’t worry about whether I had the right kit; I just wanted to see what I could do.
Race day
In the morning I rode over to pick up my race number and warmed up a little on the way. The race was part of the Merida Road Cup series and went from Pruské up to Vršatec, below the cliffs and castle ruin in the White Carpathians. The course was 6.9 km with 467 m of climbing, uphill almost the whole way, and in the summer heat it was hard work.
In a time trial you don’t ride in a bunch; it’s you against the clock. Nobody pulls you along and there’s nowhere to hide: just you, the hill and the time.
The result
I reached the top in 25:55 at an average of 222 watts. That was enough for 1st in my category and the fastest women’s time across all categories. I went home with a medal and a diploma from the Slovak Cycling Federation for first place at the Slovak Championships.
After the race we rode around a bit more and I also took on a climb with a 20% gradient.
What I took away
That there’s no need to wait for a better bike or better form. Just line up at the start and give it a go. Vršatec was where it began for me, and I’ve raced many times since; you’ll find them in the results.
The Vršatec ride is on my Strava.