The Trek-Segafredo rider wins the Polish Time Trial Championships for a second straight year.
Anna Plichta put all her doubts to rest as she successfully defended her title in the individual time trial Thursday at the Polish National Road Championships. It was her first race after the lengthy postponement of the 2020 season, and Plichta was never assured to take home the jersey.
I was a bit stressed before this race because it felt like the first one of the year. It was a big goal for me, so I was motivated for today, and I was already training a long time with this in my head that I want to win the nationals again and defend the jersey.
I saw some results in small races in Poland that the other women were doing, and I knew who would be strong and fight for the medals. But I had no idea where I was compared to them, so that was stressful for me.
The power course suited the specialists, and Plichta followed her race plan to perfection.
The race was hard. The course was flat, not technical, and quite open and windy. It was all about power, all about pushing. I knew that I needed to pay attention to my power and not push too hard in the first direction, which was more a tailwind as I knew that the way back would decide the race. So I think I made a good tactical plan.
Plichta remained in Poland once the race season re-opened for the women’s team in late July, focusing instead on defending her National Title. Trek-Segafredo soigneur Anthony Lafourte provided support to Plichta, also adding the roles of director and mechanic.
Being with a team at a race is easier because you have this whole environment around you for support – DS, mechanics, soigneurs – and they are helping you with everything, preparing you, and you just have to focus on the race.
So going to Nationals is something else, something different, and much more stressful. But I had the big support of my family and my friends and of course, Anthony. He was also behind me in the car with my Father, and they guided me really well, and that made me confident about myself and how I was riding. That helped me a lot.
Anna Plichta in the Polish TT Champions jersey at the 2019 Giro Rosa.
I think I did a good race. It was a solid time trial and the first race for me after a really long break without racing so I can be happy with this performance. I am really proud to defend this jersey that I will be able to ride in again for one more year and represent my country in the races. This is really important for me.
I have to say that having the support from the team during the lockdown period helped a lot. It was hard for everyone mentally in the last months to be focused and motivated to train hard. But I know I did everything 100% and there’s nothing I could have done better. Everything I could I gave today, and I am really happy about this.
