Feature – Laura Cameron Q&A

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Question & Answer feature with birthday girl Laura Cameron of the women’s Drops Cycling Team

RST Cycle Clothing & Trigon Bikes

Feature – Laura Cameron Q&A

1. When will you start your road season and what will be the first race?
Laura: The start to my season is not your average one. Recovering from a badly broken leg in August 2015, I will be able to start in earnest when my leg is healed and I’m back to full fitness.

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I’ve given myself a goal to be fit enough to race the Tour de L’Occitanie at the end of May (should we get places). The timing of it will provide a gauge as to how my rehabilitation is going, and will definitely highlight any areas of improvement I will undoubtedly need to work on! Until then I will start with the local crits and some road races to help build me back to full strength and fitness.

2. What races will be your targets for 2016 and why?
Laura: I think this again will be a wait and see, as when faced with injury, all races become targets to some degree. I will have to take each race as it comes, see how I fare, then set the next goal. Having been off the bike for the best part of five months, I have missed valuable training rides and so I really am having to start from scratch. Not to mention building up a completely withered leg!

The UCI licence has opened up a whole new world of opportunities for the team, and personally is something I had never dreamed of or anticipated would be available to me this year. I have in my mind a goal – I want to race Tour Cycliste Féminin International de l’Ardèche. For me that has everything in it – and with Mt Ventoux being the mountain stage – it’s my ultimate challenge. If I can race that well, be competitive every day, and most importantly finish, I will know then that I am back to full fitness. That will be a very happy moment!

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3. How will you spend the time on the bike between now and your first race in training?
Laura: I don’t have the luxury of being able to pick and choose when I can ride. I work long hours in a full time job and so for now, it has to be very structured and smart training. During the week, will see shorter more intense turbo sessions with me getting the longer miles in at the weekend. My training is only just beginning – some serious catching up to do!

4. What was your favourite Xmas present?
Laura: You can’t have a favourite! All my gifts were very thoughtful and appreciated, but if I really have to choose something, then my new RAB jacket (which just so happens to be Drops green in colour), was pretty cool! :)

5. When it rains, which its doing a lot right now, is it turbo time or wrap up and get wet?
Laura: Ha! Possibly the wrong time to ask me – regardless of the weather, five months off the bike, you need to go out wind, rain or shine! Ice however, that’s maybe another story. Nothing wrong with rain – you can’t choose the weather when racing so you should practice in all conditions. You will never stay dry, but layers are key.

6. If you could do any race in the world including the best ones in the world etc, what would it be and why?
Laura: Aviva Woman’s Tour. You can’t beat racing with the world’s best, and on home ground. It would be my dream. Second to that has to be Tour des Flandres, truly iconic – and hard!

 

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7. What piece of food can you not do without where ever you are on the road during the season!
Laura: Oats! You can eat them any time, Porridge, Flapjacks, Bircher. I also have a pint tea mug I take everywhere, am slightly tea obsessed.

8. What is your favourite music track when warming up for a race or on the turbo?
Laura: You know, I have never listened to music warming up. I as a rule, I never listen to music while exercising as I hate to rely on it to motivate me. When racing you don’t have music! If I’m on the rollers, I just listen to the radio or chew through endless episodes of HOUSE on Netflix!

9. If given the option, would you prefer normal brakes or disc brakes on your road bike?
Laura: Never tried disc brakes so would have to say normal.

10. What’s the spec of your race bike for 2016 and your favourite bits on it?
Laura: Trek Emonda 9 Series Project One H1 Dura Ace with Aeolus 3 Wheels. It’s my first ever team bike, and by far the best spec bike I have ever ridden – the whole thing is my favourite! But, having my name and #ColourTheRoad on it is very cool.

11. What is the best thing you like about your new kit from Santini/Prendas and which item is your favourite?
Laura: I’m not sure I will be able to name a favourite. Everything is of the highest quality, fits perfectly (well it will once I shed a few winter comforts!) but can’t wait for racing to begin and to be able to wear the sleek jerseys, I think we will stand out very well in the peloton. Exciting times ahead.

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