A weekend of mixed fortunes

So this weekend I had two races.

 Saturday was a 1,2,3 Category totalling in 130km with a 90km big loop followed by 6x7km finishing circuits.

The morning began with light snow and freezing air temperatures but as the start approached the weather improved and was cold and dry for the rest of the day. 200 riders took the start and the break was established with in the 1st 10km "I wasn't in it". The route was on quite wide open roads snaking up small climbs through woods and little valleys. The pace was pretty good and teams with numbers worked away keeping things in control. On the final climb approaching the finishing circuits I made my way up to the front and went over the top in the first 10. Moves started to go but nothing was sticking and decent down to the Arrivie was pretty quick. Well positioned coming into the finishing circuits I managed to clip of the bunch and work well with a group of maybe 10 riders. We worked well together and bridged across to a group of maybe 15/20 riders. With three loops to go I was getting pretty tired but managed to keep up front and go with most moves. In the final 3 km's of the last lap 5 riders jumped clear and I was unable to go with them, we came in to the finishing straight and 15 of us were going for the sprint for maybe 30th but I'm not certain. I was happy with my race and just glad to get some warm clothes on and some food in me.

2 groups come together on finishing circuits

Sunday was an Elite National race "Route Bretonne" Teams represented included Sour Saun U23 team and several other continental setups who's names are too complicated for me to remember. This was high level race totalling in 150km. A big loop of 118 km and 6 small finishing loops. The race set of pretty sharpish and my legs took a while to come round but after a few hard efforts in the wind my legs woke up and felt really good. My positioning on the other wasn't so good. My race fell in bits at around the 80 km mark. i was caught out in a split in the bunch over the top of a long draggy climb. The group I was in worked hard for upwards of 16km and managed to fight our way back on to the bunch, a hrad effort that had took its toll. I immediately moved up the bunch to seek recovery and shelter only to be greeted by "a sawley brow type climb" to those of you who know it. I went BANG rider after came by in a long string and eventually the string ended I was unable to keep up and unfortuntly only 10 miles from the finishing circuits had to climb off. Normally I would have ridden to the loops but with no more support out on the road and with the chance of a puncture I was told to climb in the Broom, which Im happy to say wasn't empty.... I was dissapointed as my legs were good but with the huge effort just to rejoin the race done its damage and with little time to recover before a nasty drag I have to put it down to miss fortune and bad positioning.

Podium For Route Bretonne

Hope you can make sense of this ........ Hamish

Beaucoup de Soleil

OK so my 2013 racing season began today and I'm happy to report it went pretty well, I'm not entirely happy with it but it was pretty good nether the less.

The race was in the village of Camors about 1 hr ride from where I am currently living in Hennebont. My Club president Sebastian picked me up at 13:15 along with my two new team mates Josh lawless and George Moore. The lead up to the race was what I'd very much expected lots of blingy bikes, big ARRIVEE banner, podium lorry and an outside sign on table.

The race started at 14:30 and was a 13 lap "interclub". The first few laps took some getting used to with the big group "approx 110 riders" and unknown roads, especially after riding mostly with 2-4 people all winter. The race was pretty nippy at points but i have to say i felt pretty good and apart from when I had a few jumps didn't feel in any difficulty.

Unfortunately as of yet I have no exact results of the race but I have been assured by spectators I may have just scraped a top 30..ish. and as for photos I have seen a few and seem to be hidden in almost everyone, a shoulder here, a helmet top there ect... Not worth posting.

Fellow Team mates George moore and Josh Lawless had very good races. George 5th and Josh "15th?"

We then got kitted up and road home behind the car. maybe good maybe not......

Fellow British Rider Doug Dewey made the podium with a strong 2nd place. Well done Doug.

Pastures New

So a long time since I wrote this job. Last season in Belgium I never really got round to writing it, partially because i was too busy and enjoying myself and mostly because I just couldn't be bothered. But I think this time short and sweet is going to be the key to a constantly updated blog.

So on to this season, I've had a good winter with lots of miles mostly wet and perishingly cold riding my favourite roads in the world "The Dales and Ribble Valley" with the best possible company, Wilko, Robbie P , Pete Williams, Sam boast, John Hopkinson "aka Old Hopkin and in the latter few rides two good young local lads Connor French and Oliver Payton. Most of all reason for mentioning the above is to be honest good lads like the above give my training a good boost and makes it so enjoyable.

This year I will be racing in Brittany, France with Union Cicliste Hennebont Lochrist with fellow Brits George Moore and Josh Lawless. Already had a good few laughs ie Dog encounters but thats for later.

My 1st race with the team is this Sunday a local race to our Base Town, Hennebont. As of yet I have no details of the race but if the training I've done so far is anything to go by it will have its fair share of lumps and bumps touch wood it will be dry but I aint counting on it.

I travelled over on Sunday night with the lads and Nick Mills from Portsmouth to Caen. We were welcomed into the Mill's lovely Farm house where the sons are putting in some fair graft renovating which was of interest for me been a hands on lad myself.

The afternoon we arrived the 3 of us went for a spin to get the long drive out of our legs, more so for myself coming from the sticks of "Up North". Well it could have been a better start, literally 5 miles from clicking in we encountered a pretty territorial boxer dog. He stood his ground at his garden boundaries but then decided that wasnt enough and gave chase. I managed to get away but this wasnt case for George and Josh, i thought that was it however thrown down from the heavens a Renualt Clio came to their rescue and gave the dog a bit of persuasion back to his kennel with its Bumper. ..............60kph persuasion. Not the best but better than a savaged leg or worse for the three of us.


Enjoy the read more soon.....