A few weeks to Forget

Right been a bit laxed with this blogging job recently so I'm here to tell you what been happening in last few week. Ive raced 3 times since last update, First one was a 123 inline race with 8 quick finishing loops. I was very active in the opening kilometres trying desperately to get in a move. A few moves stuck for a few km's but were soon dragged back. Eventually a break did get a lead with quite a comical outcome. The break followed the race route and the peleton was directed down the wrong road for atleast 10km.

Attacks still came during this period the last of which I was represented in, just as I was using a short drag as a spring board the lead motorbike Commissare pulled in front and asked me to stop. As you can understand there were many frustrated riders in the bunch, however I decided to defuse the situation by suggesting a cafe stop........ There weren't many takers. However we were soon rounded up and told that the break had been stopped and we rode neutralised back to the intended course. The break was let go and then we resumed, you could just tell it was going to get ripped up after a lull in the racing.

Team Loudeac basically sat on the front all day controlling the race like a pro team. It was pretty good I saw 70kph at one point and wasn't even pedalling. Anyway to cut a long story short that break was caught coming onto the circuits and a further 5 more guys got away. I kept in the front of the bunch which was down to about 30 riders by this point and then made a spectacular job of cocking my sprint up, which left me boxed in and rolling over in 26th. Ok from more than 100 starters it doesn't sound so bad but there was a sniff of a good top 10 and I messed up but Hey Ho!!!.

Next up was a local race the following Sunday, the sun was out the wind was blowing "hard" the circuit was good, what could be better?!! Well I tell you, my legs that's what, I felt terrible I was grinding up the "hill" on the circuit like it was the Zoncalon. I was unable to follow attacks and this left me in the bunch crawling around while the break gained a healthy advantage. However after 15 laps of 19 I dug something out and rode away from the group and finished alone just behind the front group. Ok I didn't get a result "28th" but I just needed to take something from the race. "Personally".

And so to the week after, where the previous Sundays condition came to light. I couldn't even get out of bed and stayed in my pit for 2 days. Some kind of virus I'd picked up was doing his work and gave me about 18 hours sleep in 24. Ok I felt terrible but it kind of made me feel better about my feeling on Sunday, as there was no way I should have felt so shit.

Consequently I DNS'd a 1st cat Crit on Thursday night which was disappointing. However Friday I felt much better and decided to go along with the lads to another crit, only to snap my gear cable in the opening 4 laps!!! I groveled round for two laps but even the 39, 11 was too hard on the short sharp climb. So I did what any right minded bloke would do and found a bar and drowned my sorrows .....  if your going to have a bad week may aswell go the whole way....  

And very Finally onto Sundays Race in the very famous Plouay "in cycling circles anyway". A circuit of 5 kilometres which each lap too in the finishing climb of the Year 2000 World Champs. After a week in bed I wasn't expecting much from this race but surprisingly I managed to get in a 6 man break on the 2nd lap which was later joined by a further 10 riders. In to the final laps I couldn't hold the group and was dropped, I came away 20th but was quite pleased to say I'd had such a bad week.

All for Now Tonight I have a Criterium and Tomorrow a race in the town where I live......
http://www.directvelo.com/actualite/26994-le-chemin-leclerc-les-engages.html#.UbxEyYBBvIU

Ok so since my last update, which admittedly was quite a while ago I've done 4 races. 2 x 2/3 cat races, 1 1st cat race and 1 Elite National Race.

After the two previous races which I spoke of in my last update I had the 4th and final event of the Trophee Job Morvan. The race began in wet conditions "not my favourite" it was an inline race with a big loop and then as far as I can remember 8 laps of grippy up and down windy finishing circuit on single track lanes. My team mate Josh managed to get himself into the winning break and I was left to salvage something for myself in the latter stages of the race. The break contained 20 people, I knew that on this hard finishing loop this would dwindle and weaker riders would be dropped and be swept up. On the 1st loop I went on the climb and pushed myself hard to get a gap over the bunch. I managed to force a gap with maybe 10 others, we worked well for 6 laps but after a while people began to sit on and not do their share. This in turn allowed the bunch to come back to us, but I wasn't going to have riders taking vital points from me which would serve well for the overall team prize. So therefore before riders from the bunch could recover I went again this time with 2 laps to go. I had good legs but so did 5 others, next time around bell ringing i went again and got rid of 3, I rode hard to finish with one of the lads rolling me on the line. He took 20th which was the last points scoring place but we secured the team prize nonetheless and I was happy to have had the legs to keep myself ahead of the peleton.

And so on to Sunday. It was the Championships of Morbihan "a region of Brittany". The race was 100 km in line over very hilly terrain followed by 6 finishing loops taking it up to 140km. I began very attentive at the front and was very close to making the break of the day but just didn't have the legs to make this move. I stayed in the first 15-20 riders all day, something that in this category of race I had struggled with before. This kept me well positioned on all the key climbs of the day and therefore saved me a lot of energy. Unfortunately I couldn't keep this up on the finishing loops and found myself going backwards. I went pop with 8 km to go but managed to hang onto the coat tails. Afterwards I had quite a bit of food still in my pockets and kind of put this down to my "blowing up". 

Now almost a week later I had my first criterium of the year. I was the only rider from the team entered and was really looking forward to it. It was a 20:00 hour start, the sun was shining and after my morning spin I had good feelings for this race. The circuit was a 1.8km fast flowing circuit around the town centre of Chatres de Bretagne. There were well over 100 starters and I was very keen from the beginning. After a few go's myself and watching others I realised nothing was going to stay until the latter stages of the race. After it was 45 laps 81 km "50 miles for you oldies". People were going bang all through the race and more so in the last 20 laps. Moves were going in the last 10-15 laps but none were dangerous. Then with 5 to go a group of 10 chipped off, I watched and counted there gap, "10 seconds Hmmm bit too much for my liking" I hit the front and rode up to the group in just over a lap. I felt unreal next lap I attacked up the finishing hill splitting the group off again, now it was 10 of us; I was like jesus we are away, the gaps massive this is it!!!!. 2 laps to go sitting well, which was more than I could say for the others. Final corner 1 lap to go, BOOM!! guy in front of my came down allowing the remanding riders to jump and get an un closable gap. I kept my self upright rode strong to end but just ran out of road to get back. After all only had 1.8km. I held off the bunch for 12th but this was no consolation of what could have been. I "KNOW" it was my race for the taking but thats bike racing, especially in Crits. I was gutted.

And Finally my latest race. An Elite National in the beautiful village of Moncontour. The race was very prestigious and I could see why. The setting was amazing "shame about the weather" the route was 17 laps of an 8km circuit taking in a 2km climb every lap.

 I felt pretty good from the start and kept myself up the front. The speed was pretty high too, we averaged 26.8 mph for 3 hours solid never letting up. After the first 5 laps I was starting to feel it but I kept plugging away and managed to crawl my way back up to the front quarter of the bunch. The winning brake didn't get away until the last 2 laps on the climb but I was no where near getting in this. I was just happy to be up there in the bunch at the end after a hard day in the saddle. I came home 58th from over 170 starters. 

Tomorrow "Sunday 26th I have a 1st cat race will keep you posted..............

Getting back in the game

So I neglected the blog last week as I had such a terrible weekend there was nothing much to say. Long and short of it was I took in far too much sun during the week and at the weekend felt trained with sunstroke and tired. Coupled with a few mouth ulcers and two DNF’s I felt seriously run down and tired. However a good few easy days and nice early nights have got me feeling ok again.

 Fortunately there was a race Wednesday so not much time to dwell on the weekend prior. The race went ok, nothing special I felt ok but did struggle at times. As the race went on I began to try and get in the moves on the finishing circuits but none of my attempts stuck. I had 1,2,3 jumps in the tank but the critical one went on the fourth and I just had to watch it sail of up the road. I rolled in 44^th from well over  100 starters and was just pleased to get the full distance in my legs after the bad weekend.

And so on to this weekend. The race started and finished in the same town as Wednesday but the finishing circuit was an entirely different beast. The race was very aggressive, everyone who could was attacking on the inline loop but nothing was getting away, little groups got 10 seconds and then were shut down. I was very attentive up at the front not dropping out of the top 15-20 riders. When we came on to the finishing the sun was at its peak and it was getting pretty warm out there. The loop was a 4km slog with not one inch of recovery.  The climb continued through the finish line and then swooped down a fast long open section, at times I wished I had a 56 chain wheel on. Then there was a steeper decent and finally up the climb to the finish, the climb was pretty pacey but also kicked up at numerous points into the town. The best way I can describe it is like a typical Spanish village, every road to the centre goes up to a church at the top. On the second lap I had a go on the fast downhill which was a mistake..... I rode my nuts of here and as I reached the bottom of the accent the whole bunch came by. I grovelled onto the back and held on desperately through and over the crest after the finish, I was then dropped and distanced on the decent and had to make up around 200 meters. I managed it and held my speed and got myself back in the first 15 for the climb. I know that if I hadn't made this decisive move I would have been dropped on the climb.

And so we kept at it, I followed everything and kept myself safely up there. Lap after lap after lap the pace didn't ease at all if anything it got quicker and I was in a world of pain, all these stick legged climber types twiddling next to me on the penultimate lap. And so one to go I was right there first ten final time on the hill, thought right this is it lad “COME ON” the pace eased slightly and this allowed some riders further back sneak up, I rounded the last bend and just sprinted with anything I had left. I was 19^th in the end from well over 100 starters.  

My next one is this Wednesday, Hopefully I can build on this weekend....

Guilliers 1,2,3

To be honest I have more photos from last weeks race than words........

On the start line with Mr Dewey

 So race this weekend was a 1,2,3 category 130km with a very good field and so it proved with an avg speed of 42kph. 72km enligne which was very fast and went through some amazing scenery, both undulating and wide open roads "I only noticed, I wasn't looking about", I stayed up the front and went with good attacks on the climbs but nothing happened.

In a world of pain here, just been caught after trying to get up to a move

After there were 8 finishing loops,they were very hard and fast especially through and over the finishing area.  I missed the important attack on the 4th one which I was unable to get to. I was caught behind other riders and consequently too far back to get to it. . I was disappointed as I felt good and it was my tactics that were wrong. In the last few laps I tried very hard to take something from the race but I just ended up getting more and more tired. However by this stage I had nothing to loose by having a go. I came home 66th from 180+ starters.

The finishing circuits were literally 1 long lineout for 60km

No Pain No Gain............ Or Not.....

Ok so this weekend we had 2 races. Saturday was a circuit race. Taking in a lap of 4.5km 22 times. Or for me 13 laps. After my race last Monday I had an excruciating pain in my knee. I thought this was maybe due to change of cleats, However like many other people "who see it as normal" my pelvis is out of line and needs a tweak. For those of you unknown to this, everyday life causes strain on the body, moving parts often move where they shouldn't and then add that to riding a bike almost everyday and you get problems. See with your hips locked in the saddle and your ankles in the pedals your knee suffers in the middle, resulting in power loss too. Anyway enough of my terrible anatomy lesson, to cut a long story short, which I haven't done,... have I? .... I had to stop, I felt terrible and couldn't seem to get anything from my body, coupled with awful weather and cold wind this wasn't doing me much good....... Sound soft don't I!!!!!.... That won't do.

And so on to Sunday, I had planned to start and see how it went. I awoke to bright sunshine and instantly this made up my mind for sure. The race was an 80km loop taking in quite a good few 2+ km climbs leading on to a tough 7.5km finishing circuit which we had 5 laps to do. At the start I felt a bit sluggish, but after a good few miles moving up through the bunch I felt quite good. Luckily I recognised the road from a previous race and moved up to the front at the foot of one of the key climbs. And so it proved, a group chipped off 3/4 of the way up and I managed to get clear over the top and eventually bridge up to them. We were 2nd group on the road with the break 1 minute in front, including 4 of my team mates. After this move there were several other climbs, which despite the previous day I felt fine on, not good but fine.

 Then the toughy came, a climb that's been used in several Tour de France stage finishes. I rode up well enough and the break were in site just cresting the top. However by this point I was dieing and didn't have the kick to go with a small group who chipped off to try and bridge, so I just sat there looking terrible I'm sure.... But still there.

As we entered the finishing circuits I found a little something and was able to keep near the front of my group. 3 laps to go and the attacks started to come, Unfortunately by this point my knee wasn't feeling too great on the climbs and I had to ride everything seated and couldn't follow much, just ride up to wheels over the top. I really wanted to go myself, but my body just wasn't allowing me. I guess pain is the first warning. Fortunately within these last 3 laps only 1 little group managed to get clear and it was down a "bunch sprint" for us. I managed 6th in my group and an overall result of 34th. A shame considering the group who chipped off within the big loop managed top 15's, and I know from previous races I would have been able to go with them, However I'm confident after my treatment this week I'll be back to full strength.

Highlight of the day, slumped on the floor after the finish absolutely wrecked and been patted on the head like a dog. Good ride Hamish... Pronounced Haeemish....

Wet and wild weekend in Brittany.... Things got dirty....

So this weekend I had 2 races and to be honest they were both pretty unspectacular.

 Sundays race was a 19 lap triangular course, with every kind of wind except the welcomed taily.

It was the 2^nd of a 4 race series and with George sitting 2^nd overall it was the plan to get him a good result and by helping him out a nice result should come of it for myself too. However this didn’t quite come off as our other team mates got in the break with the overall leader and instead of sitting in the move and hoping we could come across they worked driving the break further out of reach. I tried desperately to get across and 1 of the attempts looked hopeful. I managed to get clear on the finishing hill but unfortunately only 1 other was able to come with me and over the top into the head wind we made little headway and soon were back in the clutches of the Peleton. Had 5 or 6 come we may have had a better chance of making the gap to the front group. As the race went on the bunch kept splitting and I found myself in the back of these splits, I managed to hop across to the next group and there I stayed. With one last attempt with a lap to go, to get up to the 2^nd group I had a go on the finishing hill but after about a km I was caught and to be honest I was cooked. I came over the line first of our group but this was like drinking the dregs from a warm beer glass. 35^th was my official result, nowt to get merry about.

.....And so on to Monday, which was to be a dizzying 35 laps of a 3.5 kilometer lap. We arrived at the race in pouring rain and set about getting changed in the back or a car. However there were 3 of us, George decided to take the boot and Josh and I in the car, “I think we still have our dignity”..... Thankfully the rain stopped and on the start line there was even a bit of sunshine, the lap began down a longish open windy section and then curled down to the coastline along a road with a surface complimented with tree roots uprooting the tarmac and back onto a wide section leading up a slight hill to the finish. Normally right up my street but to be honest I wasn't enjoying myself, a combination of slippery bends and dodgy “moving up strategies” made me quite nervous and each lap I eased of through the bends and without much effort road up to the wheel. But for some odd reason despite looking and feeling comfortable riders around me didn’t seem sure and insisted on taking my space. For some reason, whether it was the weather or just one of them days I wasn’t interested and just sat at the back and road round. Little groups were chipping off but nothing was sticking and when it did George was up there, my head wasn’t there and I just stayed where I was. This move stayed out of site until about 12 laps to go. I rode up to the front and had a dig, Josh did his best to slow the bunch and It was looking like I might make it across, unfortunately represented teams; team mates had other ideas and had me back in there grasp in just over a lap.

 After this it began to rain heavy and I was getting fed up and cold and seeing 8 laps to go didn’t fill me with joy. The race was over  and I was sick of getting the trademark wheel spray from the chap in front so that’s where I went, I sat on the front for the last 7 laps and road at a good tempo to keep warm and avoid the cold water and mud. Obviously after dragging the back markers round for 25 km they HAD to sprint past me  at the end for some kind of mental stimulation. All I wanted was a hat and a warm drink, one of which I received.... yes my own hat. Oh and a towel to clean up with.... shared between 3 of us.....

That’s all for now...  It may sound a shitty weekend but I have 2 more races in the legs and some more speed... Alls left to do now is clean this up....

A progressive agressive Weekend

Right so this weekend just gone I had 3 races.  Saturday an Inline race as the French say,  Basically we departed from the Town of Noyal did a loop of around 75km to return to the town and finish off with 7 laps of a 3km circuit.

Tale of the race- It took quite along time for any moves to stick in the race but once one did we were represented with George. It wasn’t so much of an attack more of a drift of 20ish riders moving clear off the front. When the gap had grown to around 30 seconds “out of site” I decided to have a go and get across. My first attempt was brought back half way up a climb so over the top I went again and I was pleased it stuck. Shortly after  1’s and 2’s came across and we formed a good working group. We had the break in site “1 minute” but of course ideally I didn’t want to take anyone with me so I stuck with the group and saved myself from going alone. As we reached the circuits riders from our group began to get ahead of themselves and started attacking the group thinking they were Vino’s . I just followed all of these moves until they were all burnt out, and after 3 laps it was me and one other.  Still he persisted in trying to get shut of me although we were only going for 20^th place. Anyway his energy soon ran out and with 3 laps to go I was on my own. I rode very hard for the final 3 laps not sure of where the break was, with the bell lap ringing the now “split break” came into site, I had 3kms to catch them i tried desperately but they kept looking back and decided not to mess about, round the last bend with 300 meters to go I was a mere 100 meters off them. I came home in 20^th, I was happy with my race and pleased I could get away from the bunch so far out and last till the end.

Me and the levitating bidon

 Sundays race was a circuit race – 17x 5.8km. There was quite alot of pressure to do well in this race for 2 reasons. One it was the 1^st of a 4 race series with 1000€ and a 40 inch tv up for grabs for the eventual winner and secondly both me and George were in the previous days news paper as potential favourites.  The race was hard, with the previous days race in my legs and unbelievable winds I was finding it pretty tough, people were attacking every lap and been brought back on the same lap so we decided to save ourselves for a last hard hit out for victory. With 7 laps to go a group of 20 riders slipped clear both me and George in this move. The group worked for a little while but with so many people its very rare that everyone will work and soon it turned into who could attack in the daftist place. With 2 to go 4 riders managed to get away “one of whom was George” Happy days let that go sit on and get 5^th!! Hmm no.. on the last lap one chap found an extra gear and I could not get to him but 2 others did. 8^th was my hope now, coming into the sprint I was sat around 10^th wheel and this is where I stayed, a disappointing sprint left me in 18^th. But George managed 2^nd and put him up there in the series. There’s 3 left so time yet, one of which is this coming Sunday.

And Finally to Monday. Another circuit race this time 18 laps and yet again very windy and cold with heavy roads. The bunch stayed together for  4 laps but then it all kicked off, and I had nothing in me to follow, 2 known strong riders were in this group of 5 and so despite how bad I felt it was crucial to try and get there if I was to have any chance of a result. I got halfway to the break before I was joined by 10 or so more riders.

Between groups trying to bridge to break

 We were working but not well and the gap went out to a minute. Lap after lap I was sure my legs would come round but they just didn’t and I was suffering, I managed to keep with the front of the group and as legs were getting tired this group also split now into 5. So now it was 5 against 5 and we were getting closer but I was getting more and more capput. The wind was amazingly strong and on the long dragging grovely climb i felt like id put 20 kilos on and lost 200 watts. With 4 to go i couldn’t hold the group on the hill and their wheels disappeared from my sites, they got a huge gap on me over the top and through the village and by the finish they were out of site. I road alone for half a lap and recovered catching another dropped rider we worked for a lap and then he went bang finally after 16 laps my legs felt normal, I pressed on and was catching the group of 4 who in turn were almost upon the break. The bell lap rang and I was maybe 30 seconds off  them, along way in only 4.5km but I rode hard and gained on them on the climb in the last km I was 200 yards from them and caught one on the approach. I was absolutely knackered but happy with my race, I was disappointed to have lost contact but this was with 3 days racing in the legs and in the end I was more or less back with them. I came away with 8^th hopefully my 1^st top ten of many to come.

2nd Groups split, me following eventual winner

2 laps to go suffering like a dog