{"id":17671,"title":"Textbook Athlete","description":"Talented cyclocross and road rider Millie Couzens has a dual challenge - A level exams and her debut at the Women's World Tour. She found time to put down her textbooks and tell us how she coped racing against the world's best.","content":"

Talented cyclocross and road rider Millie Couzens has a dual challenge - A-level exams and her debut at the Women's World Tour. She found time to put down her textbooks and tell us how she coped racing against the world's best.<\/strong>\"\"Image credit: <\/em>Bj\u00f6rn van der Schoot<\/a> <\/em>Millie at Amstel Gold<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

Double Challenge<\/h3>

The final year of A levels is a stressful time. The countdown to the exams starts. What were months soon become weeks and then it's the final push of revision and committing key facts to memory. Suddenly, pens poised, the invigilator is announcing \"you can turn over your exam papers\" and the clock is ticking inexorably down.<\/p>

Millie Couzens faces the combined pressure of taking on her final exams with starting out on her first year as a professional road cyclist. Last season we spoke to Millie<\/a> about signing for the Roodhooft brothers' Crelan-IKO cyclocross team. She's also riding for their Plantur-Pura road team which brings together the brothers' contracted cyclocross riders.<\/p>

I was keen to find out how she'd faced up to the double challenge of preparing for her exams and her debut on the World Tour. It's been demanding at times, she admits.\"\" Image credit: Mick Searle <\/em>Two years ago Millie was racing and winning at her local cyclocross league<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

Cycling commitments have compelled her to miss out on school. She's had to rely upon discipline and hard work to balance the two effectively. But then you don't get to ride against the world's best without making sacrifices.<\/p>

Preparation<\/h3>

Millie knew she'd be making her World Tour debut this year whilst riding last year's cyclocross season. In anticipation, she'd increased the length of her rides but it's always a challenge during a cross-campaign when extreme efforts and recovery are the focus.<\/p>

She was informed by Plantur-Pura of her exact schedule when she was in Majorca as part of the GB junior team. The 18-year-old no longer qualifies as a junior but due to school commitments was unable to attend the senior camp.
\"\"Image credit: Phil Couzens <\/em>Millie in her first World Tour race<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

Rather than targeting any individual race, her aim in conjunction with coach Emma Trott was to prepare for what would be an intense three-week block of racing.<\/p>

Team House<\/h3>

During her three-week stay, Millie was based in the Plantur-Pura team house near Herentals. The Flemish city which is a UNESCO World Heritage site lies 30 kilometres East of Antwerp. Famous residents include Wout van Aert, Rik Van Looy (The Emperor of Herentals) and the Chocolate Group.<\/p>

Having a consistent base was preferable for Millie. It obviated the need to constantly move and she was able to use her free time from racing and training to study.<\/p>

As she was scheduled to ride five races in just under three weeks Millie didn't have to train too much. She developed a pattern of riding in the morning and studying in the afternoon. Dad, Phil, stayed with Millie for some of the time too. He'd brought his bike with him so he was able to get out and explore whilst she studied. They also found time for sightseeing together.<\/p>

Teammates<\/h3>

Millie was already well acquainted with teammate Yara Kastelijn from previous team camps, but the former European cyclocross champion wasn't scheduled to ride Millie's first race.\"\"Image credit: <\/em>Bj\u00f6rn van der Schoot<\/a> <\/em>Millie (right) with her new teammates<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

Any nervousness Millie had at meeting her other new teammates soon dissipated. They were friendly, welcomed her into the team and spoke excellent English. She was not the only newcomer as she was joined at Scheldeprijs by Marion Norbert Riberolle. The formerly French rider, turned Belgian has only recently signed for Plantur-Pura from the defunct Star Casino team.<\/p>

First Race Nerves<\/h3>

Leading up to her first race at Scheldeprijs, the team management stressed to Millie that there were no expectations of her. Despite their assurances, she couldn't help but suffer from a mixture of apprehension and excitement, especially as race day dawned with strong winds and rain. Millie was, by far, the least experienced of her new team.<\/p>

She was lined up alongside cyclocross legend Sanne Cant, Julie De Wilde (already second at Dwars door Vlaanderen), cyclocross stars Norbert Riberolle and Inge van der Heijden and the experienced Kim de Baat.<\/p>

Due to Covid, the reigning British Junior National Champion has had limited exposure to road racing and her international experience has been almost non-existent. Despite this, last year she finished sixth in the World Championships and fourth in the three-stage Watersley Ladies Challenge held in the Netherlands. These precious few races gave Millie a glimmer of confidence as she stood on the start line and the tension grew.\"\"Image credit: Phil Couzens <\/em>Millie's brief was to aid Yara Kastelijn<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

She was relieved to find that the race started at a less frenetic pace than the junior races she'd been used to. An early break soon established itself and the bunch settled down to a steady, long drawn out pursuit, enabling Millie to concentrate on her positioning. Something that's as critical as fitness in a 130 plus rider field. The result was a 50th place finish in the large group that finished a mere 10 seconds down on winner Lorena Wiebes.<\/p>

Working for Yara<\/h3>

Having seen Millie in action, the team designated her as Yara Kastelijn's minder for the following hillier races. Her role was to keep Yara close to the front for the first half of the race especially in the lead-up to the climbs. With the hilly nature of the Amstel Gold Race, the team's expectation of talented climber Yara was high and Millie had a critical function to perform.<\/p>

The course of the Amstel Gold Race is punctuated by a sequence of short but brutal hills that provide limited opportunity for recovery or relaxation. Knowledge of the route and the best places to move up ahead of the next berg is a significant advantage but this was not a luxury enjoyed by Millie.<\/p>

In such races, there's always constant jostling and fighting for position. It was a steep learning curve for Millie. She had to cope with the physical demands of riding hard on the flat to keep Yara well-positioned and then making sure she didn't lose time on the climbs. She also had to be confident to push through gaps in the bunch and avoid being intimidated by other more experienced riders.<\/p>

Yara took an extremely hard-fought 11th place, a mere eleven seconds down on Marta Cavalli who was in the form of her life. Despite the work performed in service of Kastelijn, Millie was able to complete this toughest of World Tour races. She crossed the finish line in 85th place alongside teammates Kiona Crabb\u00c3\u00a9 and Justine Ghekiere.<\/p>

Proud<\/h3>

At De Brabantse Pijl, Millie scored her best result with a 30th place, second finisher for Plantur-Pura and her first UCI points for the team. Along with her teamwork at Amstel Gold, it's the result she's most proud of.\"\"Image credit: Mick Searle <\/em>Millie is delivering on the promise she demonstrated as a junior<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

The race was notable for the high number of abandons caused by the demanding route that featured twenty-four climbs and damp slippery, inhospitable conditions. Millie's teammate Kim de Baat was one of many forced to walk on the treacherous cobbles of the Moskesstraat climb.<\/p>

Ardennes<\/h3>

Millie's final two races were held in the Belgian Ardennes. A place renowned for its rugged unspoilt beauty and mountainous enough to be home to Belgium's little known ski resorts. It was an area unknown to Millie and she expressed her surprise at the stark contrast with Flanders.<\/p>

At Fleche Wallonne she was once again working for Yara Kastelijn to keep her near the front in preparation for three climbs of the infamously super steep Mur de Huy. Again, Kastelijn finished in the top ten whilst Millie was left to battle in for 67th place.\"\"
Image credit: <\/em>Casper Menting<\/em><\/a> <\/em>The stunning Ardennes<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

Her final event was the fearsome Liege-Bastogne-Liege, located deep within the wooded valleys and peaks of the Ardennes. Unfortunately, Millie was ill and after she'd guided Yara for the first flat 60 kilometres she climbed off. It was a slightly disappointing way to end her Belgian adventure.<\/p>

Millie is typically modest about her results. Given her limited experience to date, having to prepare for World Tour races alongside studying hard, she's delivered an outstanding set of results that bode well for the future. What impresses me is the way she talks about her challenges and outcomes as if they are completely ordinary.<\/p>

Exam Time<\/h3>

Millie's next challenge is the small matter of her A level exams which kick-off at the end of May. Her cycling career will have to go into temporary abeyance until she's finally finished with Maths, Physics and Biology. Then she'll be back over to Belgium racing as a full-time professional. We wish her luck.<\/p>

Tim Costello, 4 May 2022.<\/p>

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