Yesterday, National team coach Warren McDonald, mechanic extraordinaire Nico and I made a quick jaunt up to Switzerland for a spot of course reconnaissance. We drove past Monte Rosa (4638m), Mt Leone (4218m) and then stopped just before the border at Dogana, to get the last Italian coffee of the day (believe me, the beans are roasted a whole other way in Svizzeria). We made the most of the recent heavy fall of snow on the Simblon Pass (2005m), constructing a Modigliani-esque snowman, but as Nico's more of a Epi Calvin La Loosh kind of guy, he experimented with wind up and shoulder release (rent: 'Bull Durham'). We had left a cold and rainy Varese behind, and as we approached Sion, east of Lausanne, the sun was shining, the cows were mooing and the grass was definitely greener.

An opportunity for some insider trading on the course was courtesy of Team Cervelo Lifeforce DS, Thomas Campana and race organiser, Andre Massard. Thomas wanted his girls to see what they needed to do to win and kindly invited to me up to play also. Now let me just remind you, Cervelo Lifeforce is neck and neck with Team High Road in the race for domination of the women's pro peloton. But Cervelo can boast more World TT Championships than any other team in the world (including the boys):

Kristin Armstrong was 2nd last year, 1st in 06 and 3rd in 05. Oh, and US National champion 3 times.

Karin Thurig was 9th last year, 2nd in 06 and won back to back titles in 04/05 + bronze at Athens Olympics. Swiss Champion 6 times.

Christiane Soeder got 3rd last year, and was top 10 in 05/06. Austrian TT champion 3 times Priska Doppmann has been 5th-10th place for the last 5 years and is Thomas' partner (I beat her last year at Chrono des Nations - woohoo!)

So it was just me and these bunch of no-hopers, first doing a lap in the pro team van - nice upholstery - with the race director, before we did some promotional posing for the papers. In the car, it was all beer and skittles, but it's not like they were about to be threatened by my results in the Westpac Maths competition or the 1st place in CONSECUTIVE poetry eisteddfords, 85/86. The only thing I had over Thurig is that we both raced Hawaii in 06 and she didn't finish. It was after she'd ridden a blistering 4h52m for the 180km bike leg, but hey, sweetie, ya still gotta get thru that damn marathon to get the crappy medal and the inappropriately large 'Finisher' t-shirt. So I guess that's - Thurig/Armstong/Soeder/Doppmann: 146, O'Donnell: 1

An easy warm up lap saw 11km of flat road then point upwards into the sky for a 2.6km climb of evil switchbacks, some at a gradient of 17% (Mum, that's like riding up Kondalilla Falls). I let the showoffs go on ahead and then caught them on the super fast 4km descent with speeds reaching 80km/h. A few tricky corners at the bottom, an uphill drag into town and a finish line at the main square surrounded by shops and cafes meant this was going to be a cracker jack race!

I went on to do some solo efforts on the course, farewell Team Legends (including a nice, too-tight handshake squeeze for Armstrong, just for good measure) and quietly pee my pants. Lucky I'm into being brave and taking on a bit of public humiliation. This race is run on the same day as the men's TT in the Tour de Romandie, a 6 day ProTour evet that Cadel Evans has won in the past, and there are going to be crowds a plenty. No better day to be wearing the fine green and gold skinsuit of the Australian Champion in an Olympic selection race, it's certainly going to rival the status of ANY event I've been in before.

We drove the 200km home, with the wind blowing in Sion, the snow blizzarding at Simblon and a wee bit of sun shining in Varese. A few drinks were had at the Patate Festival (potato-centric food + Italian DJ + too many men in double denim = the best night I've had out in 34 days) and then an easy day today. Next Friday is Liberazione Day, and we'll be racing in Novellara to celebrate.

Ciao

Bird