The Women’s Cross Country will take place on Sunday and today most of the 17 participants paraded through the streets. We spoke to them about the bug race on Sunday.
Shalini Zabaneh, Rider
“It feels exciting. Like I said earlier today I am glad that I am at work, everybody is looking at me so it is exciting to be one of the best.”
Jules Vasquez,
Is that a burdensome feeling going into the race, knowing that you’re marked?
Shalini Zabaneh,
“Perhaps a little bit but I’m very confident in my fitness, in my training, so I am going into it 100% feeling confident that I can do whatever I want out there and be confident.”
Jules Vasquez,
How does it feel heading 2 days before the race, how does it feel right now? Do you have nervousness, you can’t sleep, what’s it lijke?
Kaya Cattouse, Rider
“Well when you hear the ad on the radio your heart races. Yes I am nervous going into the race but I am also confident.”
Alicia Thompson, Rider
“It is good to be nervous however you just make sure to control it because it can affect you and we are sure to be one of those who are able to control that nervousness. However in terms of getting the energy from fans, if they come out we will definitely get that energy to push us to that line.”
And while everyone has their game face on, the game just changed this afternoon, when the Cycling Association announced that defending champ Brenda Aguallo will participate in the race. She had said she wouldn’t – but in the cycling world, things do tend to change suddenly, and now she will. That means that the woman who smashed last year’s record by 33 minutes is in the hunt – and we asked the competitors how that will affect their game plans.
Jules Vasquez,
Brenda Aguallo is participating in this year’s race.
Kaya Cattouse,
“Not to my knowledge, I don’t know. I really don’t know if she is coming.”
Jules Vasquez,
I am pretty sure I saw something that Yvonne Robinson sent out saying that Brenda
Aguallo is one of seven…
Kaya Cattouse,
“I haven’t gotten the memo as yet.”
Jules Vasquez,
If she is, how does it change the game?
Kaya Cattouse,
“It changes the game not only for the others but also for me because even if she is coming, she is not going to be riding with C-Ray. Riding as Brenda’s team mate last year, I got a free ride home. I sat in the whole way and this year if she is coming, riding alone, it will be even harder because now she will be another cyclist in the field, someone else for me to watch and that a powerful one.”
Jules Vasquez,
I saw a release saying Brenda Aguallo will participate. How does it feel knowing you’re facing a woman who obliterated the competition last year?
Alicia Thompson,
“Well I wasn’t a part of the competition last year however I went behind the race and I noticed that she has power. So that is something we had worked on and hopefully that prevails for us this year.”
Shalini Zabaneh,
“I am glad that she was able to come, she makes it exciting. But I guess we didn’t know her last year but we know her now and what she can do so she will also be a mark. But she is going to make it better so that’s good. Thank God she’s here.”
