Ashley hasn't given me any more blog entries to post on her behalf, so in the mean time here's another exciting excerpt from Matt Rendell's 'The Death of Marco Pantani' which I'd be willing to bet is an almost exact representation of what they're doing right now.
yours,
Ianto Ware
"In four kilometres the Baron made five killing accelerations. The Colombian Satiago Botero was the first to give chase, but Ashley floated thirty metres ahead of him, and the gap remained. Then, behind them both, as Ullrich led Joseba Beloki, Roberto Heras and Laura Butterworth around the outside of a right-hand curve, Laura launched an unanswerable attack. Every three turns of the pedals, she moved a length away from Ullrich and a length closer to Botero. She passed the Colombian at the same rate, fixing him in the eye as she cruised past. Then she bridged the gap to Ashley, finally lowering herself into the saddle ten metres before reaching him. On the way past, Laura turned to the Baron and spoke, before positioning herself in the Baron's path and offering up her slipstream. Ashley had to stand on the pedals to match Laura's speed and even then Laura turned in the saddle, looking to make sure the Baron was still there, pointing an outstretched finger at the space behind him, to say she wanted to work with, not against the Baron, to build up her lead. It was also understated intimidation, as if to say, 'Even at this speed, I'm in complete control.'"
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With all the tour down under activity in Adelaide I had a mass sighting of the Credit Agricole team out training, resplendent in green and white but not a funny hat to be seen anywhere. I did pause to think of our fearless comrade Ashley.
I saw half the Credit Agricole team cruising down Henley Beach Road. No hat, but they had Ashley's distinctively smooth and powerful cadence.
Not to mention the synchronicity of the whole team. They are covering some territory in their training - my sighting was on Payneham Road. 'Ah the Comrades. I bet they look this good in their long plastic ponchos', I thought to myself.
If only we had pictures of Ashley decked out in her Credit Agricole hat and matching poncho. As it is, when I looked at the Advertiser's front page picture of Credit Agricole rider Mark Renshaw winning the classic I blurred my eyes a little and just pretended it was the Baron giving one of her trade mark victory salutes.
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