{"id":21837,"title":"Millie Couzens blog: Riding Cycling's Classics","description":"In her first guest blog, Plantur Pura professional Millie Couzens provides an insight into her season riding against the world\u2019s best female cyclists.","content":"

Published in<\/strong>: COBBLES & CLASSICS<\/strong><\/a><\/p>

In her first guest blog, Plantur Pura professional Millie Couzens provides an insight into her season riding against the world\u2019s best female cyclists.<\/p>

\"c8ist0d82t9zsaxmljr4kgmhqx9kftnmjpfzkdcicv6equla.jpg\"Millie has achieved two victories in her first season<\/em><\/strong> Image: Courtesy of Millie Couzens<\/em><\/p>

I was delighted when Millie Couzens agreed to write occasional blogs for Rijden. In her first, the eighteen-year-old reflects on her opening season riding for Plantur Pura and looks forward to international cyclocross races.<\/p>

Introducing Millie Couzens<\/h3>

Following on from a fourth place at the Junior World Cyclocross Championships, Millie signed with IKO-Crelan. The team is owned by the Roodhooft brothers who also own Alpecin-Deceuninck which Mathieu van der Poel rides for and the team of Anna Kay (Team 777).<\/p>

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On the road, the different female riders from the cyclocross teams (777, Alpecin-Deceuninck and Crelan-Fristads) combine forces with road riders such as Kim de Baat to form Plantur-Pura. This has been Millie\u2019s first road season riding for Plantur-Pura which is widely expected to become a UCI World Tour team next year.<\/p>

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Once her cyclocross season gets underway, Millie will ride alongside cyclocross legend Sanne Cant, Manon Baker, Yara Kastelijn and top male professional Laurens Sweeck as part of Crelan-Fristads.<\/p>

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Classics Shock<\/h3>

The start of the cyclocross season also marks the end of my first season on the road as an U23 and with Plantur Pura. It\u2019s been a steep learning curve as due to the lack of U23 races for women I was straight into racing with the elites.<\/p>

\"1fwqempmtxzfiqzk7gaprqt2qfpao6hjb4xneqf1ewurqf2o.jpg\"Millie rides for Crelan-Fristads in the field<\/em><\/strong> Image: Courtesy Millie Couzens<\/em><\/p>

I started my season with a block of classics races, my second race of the season being the Amstel Gold race which was closely followed by Brabanjtse Pilj, Fleche Wallone and Liege-Bastogne-Liege.<\/p>

It was an amazing experience<\/p><\/blockquote>

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It was an amazing experience to be a part of these races that I am used to watching on TV and racing amongst riders I have looked up to since I started racing. However, it was definitely a shock to the system to go straight into racing at such a high level!<\/p>

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As expected I was really nervous before these races, not just because of their prestigious nature but also due to the complete unknown of everything within the race - from how physically hard it would actually be, to how the bunch would move, and also my first experiences of using race radios.<\/p>

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This has been a recurring theme throughout the season with each race bringing new experiences and styles of racing. I have definitely grown in confidence since April and it\u2019s been nice to feel my strength improving.<\/p>

Kermess Races<\/h3>

After a bit of a break from racing and a couple of weeks off the bike to recover and focus on exams, I was back in Belgium for the summer. Alongside some more UCI races, I also got the chance to race some kermis races. It was really nice to be back at the front of races picking up two wins and two third places in the four races I did!<\/p>

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(Ed: Millie won alone at Herentals, in a sprint at Kapellen and finished third at GP Bolle behind two former World Cyclocross Champions Thalita De Jong and Lucinda Brand. She described, with typical understatement, that being in the break with them as being \u201ca bit hard\u201d.)<\/p>

I finished my season with a short but very intense block of racing. We raced GP Wallonie on Wednesday, AG Tour de Semois on Friday and Saturday then finished with GP International d\u2019Isbergues on Sunday.<\/p>

My first UCI top ten<\/p><\/blockquote>

These almost back-to-back race days posed a new challenge competing against riders who were most likely a lot fresher. However, it provided some of my highlights of the season with the team finishing 1,2,3 in Wallonie and achieving my first UCI top ten on the second (and last ) stage of Tour de Semois.<\/p>

\"qwmzvktazlqdpuzgwwhkm5g9qcwnjbqhvrp6dh0eugllojkg.jpg\"Millie\u2019s focus switches now to cyclocross<\/em><\/strong> Image: Courtesy Millie Couzens<\/em><\/p>

I\u2019ve learned so much this year and enjoyed being part of the team, I\u2019m already looking forward to next year when A-level exams won\u2019t disrupt my season and I won\u2019t have the stress of juggling studying and training.<\/p>

I think the biggest learning point this season is how to effectively carry out a team role and having the confidence to perform it well even when the racing gets really hectic.<\/p>

Cycloross is Back<\/h3>

My first UCI race of the cyclocross season will be the second round of the UK\u2019s National Trophy Cyclocross series in Falkirk, Scotland which I am really looking forward to after being forced to miss the first round due to illness.<\/p>

After this, I will head to Belgium for my first block of races hopefully to improve on my results from last season during which I struggled with injury.<\/p>

It will be a bit strange racing in different teams and against my teammates from Plantur Pura in cyclocross. But I don\u2019t think it will be an issue. Last year I found that we all helped one another before the races doing recces together. Once the flag drops it\u2019s just a question of riding your own race and not letting it affect you.<\/p>

Millie Couzens, October 2022<\/p>

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