January 18, 2008 – Defending Canadian women’s cyclocross National Champion, Wendy Simms (Kona-YourKey), 35, has been gallivanting around Europe for the past several weeks, preparing for the upcoming World Championships in Treviso, Italy, January 26-27. She has racked up several top-five’s during an intense schedule of UCI C1 and C2 racing in Belgium and the Netherlands, but her crowning achievement came last weekend at the UCI World Cup #8 in Liévin, France, where Simms placed fifth. She is currently ranked 16th in the UCI Cyclocross Rankings. Simms took the time to answer some of our questions about her season so far in Part 3 of Pedal’s Canadian Cyclocrossers in Europe series. To keep track of Wendy’s season, visit her blog: www.wendysimms.blogspot.com.

Here is an excerpt from Simms’s blog, where she describes the critical moments in her race on January 13, that led to her best World Cup performance to date: Then we went through a muddy section and it was like I had pulled some voodoo magic out of my butt, because every single girl in front of me hit the ground, at the same time! All five of them. And I rode right through the middle. Suddenly I was leading the World Cup. Crazy. I am pretty sure there was a fair amount of snot hanging off my face for the majority of the race, but I held my own. I suffered in the middle, but found my form again near the end to shake a wee little leech off my wheel through the last mud section. Fifth place! My best World Cup finish ever. Not too shabby considering I had zero confidence an hour before the race.

What do you think made the difference between you achieving a top-20 performance in Hofstade in December and your top-five in France less than a month later?
Wendy Simms: I arrived in Europe and raced three times right off the plane, so I was pretty scribbled for the Hofstade World Cup. It was good to blow all the travel out of my legs, but I think it was just one too many races ….vs. the France World Cup, I was pretty rested and recovered from the six races over Christmas and New Year’s and the travel to Europe.

Have your goals for Worlds changed, now that you’ve achieved a top-5 at a World Cup?
WS: I don’t think my goals will change. You just never now what will happen at Worlds. Girls crawl out of the closet with incredible fitness, everyone gets super agro on the line and crash each other out, others crack under the pressure, so you never know where you fit in the mix. My result in France will just let me start worlds with a bit more confidence. I would not want to blow it out of proportion and go into Worlds cocky. One fifth-place finish does not directly transfer to the same result at Worlds.

What’s up next for you? Any more racing between now and Worlds?
WS: One more World Cup in Hoogerheide in the Netherlands this weekend before we head to Italy and get ready for Worlds.

What would be ideal weather and course conditions for you to achieve your best performance at Worlds?
WS: I have given up trying to figure out what course and conditions are best for me. I used to think I was a mudder, but I have had some great races on fast, dry courses. Basically, I am a generalist, so the more stuff they throw at me the better.

Do you know the Worlds course?
WS: I have a video of the Treviso World Cup in 2007 so I have some homework to do in the next week. It looks pretty fast and open with a few hills.

What is the most motivating thing someone can say to you or do during a race?
WS: Hmmm, probably something like, “if you catch that girl I will give you chocolate at the finish….” I was a fat kid for a few years, so food has always been a pretty good motivator.

Anything else to add?
WS: I have to add that it is pretty amazing to see so many Canadians racing ‘cross in Europe this year. It shows a huge growth in the sport, which is really exciting to see because I absolutely love cross!

I also want to thank everyone that has helped me get to the point where I can follow a dream to race cross in Europe. My team Kona – yourkey.com, my brother and coach, Kevin Simms, my husband, Norm Thibault, who is here now, FSA, Helly Hansen, Frontrunners and the Malaspina crew who let me sneak away from work for the year!

Good luck at Worlds!
WS: Thanks.