I’d like to take a small opportunity to express a big congratulations to the seven Aussie ladies selected for the World Championships this month. Sadly and unfortunately I won’t be wearing the Green and Gold in Florence, racing through my European training ground, Toscana.

Obviously this is an enormous disappointment not to represent Australia on the world stage twelve months after the proudest moment of my life.

A complex knee injury mid way through this year resulted in minimal race days in the past few months, hence racing against time for optimal preparation required to race a world championship.

Currently I am extremely happy to have made a comeback competing in some late season races and rounding out what has been a very successful season for Hitec Products.

I am looking forward to big picture goals beginning with rebuilding over the offseason in Australia. I smile while I anticipate a very different 2014 season!

I have an enormous amount of gratitude for all my supporters throughout this year especially my coach Tim Decker, trainer Andi Lang, my professional team Hitec Products, Cycling Australia, the Australian Sports Commission European Training Centre, my private sponsors and family and friends.

My final month of the season will be determined by finding race form and world champs team selection in these races….

Trofee Dor UCI 2.2 http://trophee-or-feminin.com

Plouay UCI World Cup http://www.grandprix-plouay.com/grand-prix-plouay/4-jours-cic/cdm-feminine.php

Ardeche UCI 2.2 http://www.tcfia.com

Always time to celebrate small victories…. Even if its just a small race in Belgium damn happy to be back racing pain free after a persistent month of conservative knee rehabilitation. It’s been a testing time but I am never short of a day where I dont learn a new tool to place straight in the kit…. onwards to the real racing and business end of the season now!

We NEVER stop learning and so far this year the lessons have been hard and fast… I am understanding that striving for athletic success is not an execution of mind or body science, rather a delicate art intricately involving both.

This season has been beyond my wildest dreams…. just on the adverse side!

After the May training block I experienced a knee injury which after investigating proved to be more substantial than first impressions. This put a huge spanner in the works for the planned race block for Spain and the Giro…. sadly missing both.

I am extremley grateful to my team Hitec Products for the support and grace with my race schedule. To Cycling Australia and the AIS European Training Centre for the access to this world class facility to create and activate the solutions! I’ve had two rehab stints in the Gavirate (Varese) facility during the past month, things are on track to race Thuringen in Germany 15-21 July.

I maintain belief that there is something to learn from every adverse situation. The challenge is to find the diamonds in the rough….. the small experiences, new skills, challenges which make us act differently, stimulating an unknown unprecedented response. Ultimately this process has revealed a lot by testing flexibility of my athleticism in mind and body both on and off the bike.

May punctuates my year with an important training block leading into the June / July tours and setting up the second half of the season.

Usually when there is a three week opportunity without races, there is great benefit in seeking a high altitude location to train… in attempt to gain added endurance benefits from living and training with lower O2 levels. I chose to come to the island of Tenerife and stay up at the highest possible point, the volcano El Teide at 2200m elevation. Half way through the tough training block things are moving along well…. the leg fatigue is most certainly dulled by the unique and completely stunning scenery around the island.