Stage 2 of the inaugural Friends Life Women’s Tour has come to a close and boy was it another action packed day. We managed to grab a quick chat with Wiggle Honda team member, Dani King to find out what the last couple of days have been like and how she is feeling ahead of stage 3.
You had a massive smile on your face as you stood on the start line yesterday morning. How were you feeling?
I knew it was going to be good but I didn’t realise how much people were going to support it and I think it was just so good to see and so nice to have so much support. I was hearing my name out on the road and that was so special. I am not even a road rider, I am a track rider and people were you know coming out to support us so ye it was amazing.
You have had illness in the team, how has that affected morale in the team this week?
Not a lot to be honest, not morale. It’s just a little disappointing as we see it as a major race for us in Britain but you know we are battling on. Giorgia (Bronzini) has done a really good job the first two days to be up there in the top 10 and she is the one that’s been ill so I think we are doing really well considering what we have had to deal with. Thankfully I have sort of stayed clear of it.
Do you have any tip or tricks on how you avoid picking up colds etc?
Hand gel and Vicks First Defence.
We have seen Gerogia in the top 10 but Wiggle Honda have been reasonably quiet so far. Are we going to see big things from you girls later in the week?
Hopefully. Obviously we haven’t had a plan just to be top ten, we are hoping to win a stage but it hasn’t worked in our favour yet. I think the weather conditions didn’t help today and it was a very technical finish. With two riders up the road, it wasn’t our job to chase as we weren’t up there on GC, and then obviously to risk it all for thrid, we didn’t do that. We do really want a stage win so we are going to do everything that we can.
We have also seen huge crowds gathering outside the Wiggle Honda camper every morning before the start of the race. Do you find this level of attention a positive or a negative?
I try and look at it as a positive otherwise it will just stress you out. There is added pressure not just to perform but to sign autographs. To go out there today when it is pouring rain, it is not great to be standing out there getting soaking wet before we are going to be riding in it for three hours but it is incredible and I wouldn’t change it because I think the reason they are all there is because we have all been so successful so it is nice to soak it up and look at it as a positive.
Last night I saw a tweet from your sister saying she sees more of you on TV than she does of you in person? Do you ever get homesick when you are on the road?
Yep massively. I Facetime them all the time. My parents, my sister and my boyfriend. It is tough and I think for me that is the hardest bit about being an elite athlete – not seeing loved ones as much as I’d like to.
There are three stages left. How are the legs feeling?
They are feeling alright. Although I think it will start to bite tomorrow as I am not used to stage racing, I have only ever done two or three stage races in professional women’s cycling so it will be a challenge just to get through it for me. But I haven’t lost any time on the main bunch yet. I think there are about 40 of us that are on 19 seconds, the others have got the time bonuses so I am feeling pretty strong so hopefully I can do something, help the team. That’s my priority – to get someone else up there.
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