Good Fighters

The Tour of Pendle was one of my targets for this season, a circuit suited well to my characteristics and within an hours drive, a rare treat in the Premier Calendar Series. I’ve been racing the series throughout the season after starting up north in March and so far have been unlucky or lacked the form to make a mark on the races, this all changed at Pendle. I was determined to make a show today and after my ride in Eire, I knew I had the legs. So through the first 20 miles, including the first long climb up Blacko, I kept myself up front and following moves. Then on the 20 mile mark the race split and a group went up the road including three guys from Rapha, including our national RR champion, three guys from Halfords, two Candi TV riders and a few other strong men. I quickly realized this was a good move and if I didn’t go quick it would disappear without me, so up a draggy section through some traffic lights I put in a big dig and powered across to the break, leaving the bunch floundering in the turbulence. Over the next 30 miles, taking in another climb of blacko we pulled out a max of about 2mins. Unfortunately for us the peloton led by Sports Beans and Candi TV started to reel us in and as we hit the last ascent of blacko it was as good as over as our lead group spit with me being popped out the group after doing way too much work when I had no reason to do any work, durrrr, ill know better next time. The rest were caught a few miles later in the long headwind section. No sooner had it come together than the favorite for the day, Russ Downing, went clear taking Chris Newton and Rob Partridge with him, game over. The finishing circuit resulted in Russ romping away to win solo and me imploding up the last climb and going so far out the back of the bunch a police man decided to announce I had no road coverage with 1k to go, I sat up and rolled home safe in the knowledge I had helped shape the race, and got my face about!!

The Final Podium

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Ok so its ages since I’ve blogged, apologies!!!!

Picture the scene, it’s a mundane Friday working in the bike shop when I get a call from my team manager, essentially saying there’s a stage race in Ireland this wekkend, book flights. No more details. So after blagging the time off from the shop (thanks Scott and Kieran) I book my flights, have a brief chat with Phil Leigh (head of irish cycling performance ish) and I’m set to go! So Friday rolls round and I’m in Liverpool airport (thanks mom for the lift!), shoot the cat the flights delayed by an hour!! Finally I get to Cork airport and meet Seamus, my lift. After briefly being stopped by the Garda (police) for speeding I finally hit the hay at 12:30, not ideal but hey what could I do? And so to the race, after a brief trip round Clonmel I find the HQ of the Suir Valley 3 Day, here we go!! No going back now!!

Stage One: This stage consisted of 60 odd rolling miles in what felt like a wind tunnel!! It started fast, these irish guys love to attack and in numbers!! We soon hit a long bypass into a block headwind where after loads of attacking, some by me sensing the race could split, the race split!!! Ha!! A group of about 10s gone and im not there, craaaaaap! I put in a huge attack and get halfway across the gap before the headwind cracks me. All that goes through my head is ‘well that’s it, race over’. However after some hard riding back in the peloton it comes down to about 10seconds and I power across without getting out of the saddle, animal!!! So a group of 20ish has formed at the front as we hit the finishing circuit after the only kom of the day, where 6 guys go clear and I crack, dang! I sprint in for 7^th a minute down.

Stage Two: A tough day with the races biggest climb, the pike, in it. Again the race started with loads of attacks and small groups going up the road with nothing sticking, I cruise over the first two kom’s in the bunch, practically whistling. So we hit the pike where Tim Kennaugh puts in a big attack and soars ahead, I follow and am making good headway, passing and dropping other riders in my path. With about 1k to the top the race leader (Dave McCann) and a few others come up to me, so I scrap onto the wheel and we go over the top in a group of about 20 with a small gap. The headwind descent meant it all came back together, again!! It wasn’t long before I followed a hard attack from McCann and joined the lead group of three, including kennaugh, forming a lead group of 8 guys. Late in the day McCann and Adam Armstrong broke free with the latter taking the stage, and I sprint in for 5^th on the day, 7^th on GC.

Stage 3: The less said about this crit the better!!! It rained, many crashed, I lost big time in treacherous conditions leaving me 12^th on GC as Martyn Irvine powered clear to a fine solo win, chapeau.

Stage 4: Last day and I wake up hungry!! Weetabix soon solved that ha!! No no, seriously I desperately wanted to win and was going to do everything to ensure this happened so I could stand on the podium with the girls. Again lots of early attacks meant fast racing up the first kom before the isle of man boys lined it out to set it up for kennaugh and Andy Roche. The race soon split on a windy drag, and 16guys went clear with all the favorites there, and me. As we started the 4 finishing loops with a small climb each lap a few attacks came and went. Then with about 28km to go, POW!! I attacked over the top of the prime hill and got a gap. But the wind made it tough and I came back 3km later then POW!!! I went again on the flat section, but soon came back. Time to slope off to the back and rethink!! We get the bell, 10km to go, then as we hit a draggy climb POW!!! I attack over the top and this time I’m gone, head down here we go!!! A quick look back see’s two guys coming across including stage two winner, Armstrong. We work well together and pull out 25sec. Right im in the podium, but which step?? I attack at 1.5km to go and achieve nothing but a glorified lead out for the others, the result?? 3^rd out of 3 in the sprint and 8^th on classement. A good weekends racing that has given me confidence for the last two months racing now. A brilliant race, superbly organized, big thanks to Paul and Declan for orgainising it and all the people who helped me get there!!

Ciao x

Hi,

It’s been a hectic few weeks since I last posted, there’s been highs, lows and punctures (hence the title). Firstly ill start with the Bole Hill RR a few weeks back. A slimmed down field meant me and the boys in black set out with high expectations, my personal goal being the win or podium minimum!! Lap one, a small group breaks off on the main climb followed by some more riders, a few names who I knew so I decided it was time to go. Stu went across with the legendary Mark Lovatt and I soon followed, hitting the bunch with two tones of pow over the top of a climb and into a fast descent. After a few near death experiences down there (sorry mum) I got across to the chasing group and we set about closing the gap. A lap later we’d made it to the main break only to find out there were still two guys up the road. So it was back to chasing down and as we had three guys in the move, me, Stu and young Johnny it was up to us!! After a lap of attacking our group split in two with myself and Johnny making the front split in chase of the lone leader who had dropped his companion. However instead of co-operating and chasing it down some guys in the group had other ideas and instead decided to attack me and Johnny until finally on the final lap my legs gave up as it started to rain. The result, 5^th for me and 6^th for Johnny. Not too bad, but not what we’d hoped for.

A turn in fortunes the next week though as Stu took out a crit win on Tuesday night after I’d worked the break and whittled it down, Stu took of with another rider and romped to the sprint win as Andy cam home fro 4^th with me 5^th taking a valuable point from Jack Pullar (Kinesis uk) for the overall series. Friday was another crit win for the man with the little feet taking out the 2^nd cat crit at the Beaumont weekend. All this set me up for the longest race so far this year, Beaumont Trophy RR, a flat 106mile romp with three short but devilishly steep climbs known as Ryals, claimed 30% mid point. The pace was blistering to start with attacks willy nilly. My game plan wa sot get in some of these moves, however that went awol as I punctured first lap and ended up riding the rim at 35mph!!! Believe me it’s no fun!!!! After a hard chase back on, I eventually made my way back to the front of the 140 man field but it was too late the move of the day had gone and in it were favorites Bradley Wiggins (Garmin) and Russ Downing (Candi TV). After cottoning on to a large chase group that went no-where I was left to fight out the minor places, making the front split of the remaining peloton to finish 33^rd in the sprint behind Rob Hayles. Not bad considering a puncture and I’d been in that break!!! A confidence booster, I know I can finish top 20-15 I just need that confidence!!!

And to round out the blog good news on Tuesday as I took another crit win in text book fashion starting the break before ripping it to pieces late on. And to boot Jack missed the move so I put a big jump in points on the overall. I now sit top in the league comfortably but boy am I watching my back. Roll on the weekend!!!!

 Picture is me winning on tuesday, see th

Ash

Hi,

If anyone actually read my last post you will remember me stating that i wanted to go well at the Regional Champs? More on that in a minute, firstly the week before the event i got a surprise in that one of my former training partners (before he moved away) was back in the area. So after 4hrs on tuesday followed by a crit, finishing 6th, we set out for a nice 5hr ride the next day. One problem, it was lashing it down! un-deterred we headed out at 10am sharp (ish) to take in a scenic route out round towards blackpool before heading across to the forest of bowland. With the rain still persisting we hit the headwind heading back over the last ‘major’ obstacle of the day, a sly 17% climb into a brutal headwind. Thanks go to the local council for putting down an inch on gravel for us, making it impossible to get outof the saddle resulting in me barely turning my lowest gear of 39-23! Finally made it home though completely knackered after two hard 5hr days. Thursday brough a 2hr chain gang before rest on firday a short hour or so on saturday before the big one on sunady!!

Contrary to wednesday the weather was awesome, clear skies and 27 degrees sun, perfect. The move started on lap one when Cronshaw (rapha) attacked taking a couple with him including my team-mate dillon (good times), then dan craven (rapha) also went across, then ben greenwood (rapha) and a few more strong lads from teams like sigma and sports beans and pinarello. Craaaaap i’ve missed it!!! After spending 3 more laps attacking the bunch in a vain attempt to get clear i eventually broke free with Andy Tinsley of SIS and we powered across to the leadgroup which had dropped dillon but he had been replaced by Stuey. As soon as we got there we jumped taking a few riders with us in an attempt to reach the three man lead group of Ben, Dan and Andy Guy (SIS). Unfortuantely we never sawe them again and coming into the two finishing circuits it was attack attack for 4th!! a tractor added intresting company allowing to riders to get by (one risking near death) to take 4th and 5th. Finally i broke free of the group with Matt and Rich Wilkinson (sports bean) and we constested the sprint for 6th with Matt taking th honours, and me taking 7th. All in all a good day out, with me doing way too much work in the group (as usual).

Good news for me on wednesday as i pick up a brand spanking super six frame from the guys at Wheelbase, can’t wait!!!

Adios

Ash

Hello there,

My first post on here, where do i begin?

Well as of this week i’m taking an easy week with only one small 1hr crit at salt ayre on tuesday evening resulting in a sly 2nd place to Jack Pullar (kinesis uk), if only i could sprint!! Big thanks go to the lads behind, damien, cal and johnny, i know you guys helped in my escape. Not all doom and gloom though as my 2nd place on the night took me to 1st overall in the series, not bad for a non sprinter!!

Next ‘proper’ race in the NW regional RR champs, and boy am i up for this! Love the circuit and i think i might have some good form coming along. After a good ride on sunday and another weeks training after hopefully ill be on top legs for the day. Ill keep you posted!!