Lauren Kitchen

The season has now began! My first race in Europe was yesterday's Omloop Het Nieuwsblad. This was a really cool race to begin with, a belgium classic with alot of history and a big following as the men's race is the classics season opener. For me there was alot of positives from the race. Our team was very strong with all six riders right up in the mix from the start. Pauline had a great day to finish 5th! I felt great in the race but I guess it just wasnt my day with mechanicals. The next race is Le Samyn on Wednesday. Go Raboteam!!!

The Ladies tour of Qatar was held in the first three days of Febuary in the deserts of the middle east. It was a great race to begin the season with, staying at the luxurious Ritz Carlton in Doha. It was my first race with the Rabobank team and our first race together for the 2012 season. It was not a focus for results for our team, we saw the race as a great opportunity to see how each other rides and to get to know eachother on the bike. It is great preparation for the Classics which are coming up in a couple of weeks in Belgium and Holland, where our team has alot of focus.

Im currently on my way home from the Aussie Nationals for 2012. It was an interesting and exciting week in Ballarat, in country Victoria. For me it was my first race in the Rabobank colours and also my first series of races for 2012. On Thursday the 5th of January, I competed in the National Crit in the main street of Ballarat, as the defending champion. The new women's Greenedge(AIS) squad of riders proved too strong for the remaining peleton and took top honors in both the Elite and U23 categories.