Good Fighters

So the 2009 season has been over for a good month now, and the reason for no post is school. Its now half term and think its time just for a quick catch up.

So, I left you at Cockerham. Since then I think I had 3 major races, 1. Junior Tour of Wales (the biggest race of the season)! 2. A race in Scotland in the Supersix series 3. Preston Grand Prix.

Junior Tour of Wales - So this is a 3 day, 5 stage road race which is THE junior race to do. The Tour of I

reland is better in terms of length, changing terrain, and experience but Wales is a much tougher race especially when you look at the calibre of the riders. All the best British junior teams were riding, and there were few single entries and many turned away. DAY ONE – Stage 1 was a TT going up the Tumble, a medium gradient first, then downhill and flat follwed by a steep uphill finish. Tri-bars were needed and those on TT bikes had an advantage on the middle section due to it being so fast, but luckily for me the junior gearing really restricted the time difference. With a lot of advice from Matt I paced the ride well and placed 49th (much better than Ireland!). The second half of the day was a road race, this had a steep hill finish with my finishing 44th. My best result in the race. DAY TWO – Stage 3 was a circuit race. The conditions made this the hardest stage as the circuit was very muddy, it was cold and there were many crashes. The first crash nearly happened in the neutralised as people fought their way to the front, I tried this too but didn’t put too mch pressure on this as I did not want to come down. The first cr

ash came on the first bend of the first lap. Someone just lost their wheel and brought a couple of other riders down. I think this caused a minor split with me being the only herbalife rider to make it in the front group. Only just and struggling. Luckily our guest rider Laurie Brooking managed to get across and I eventually popped. On my way backwards I saw Jonny was riding round nearly closing on the front group with two of the Irish riders (I think a few of the Irish riders missed the split). Unfortunately the placings for this race were well off due to the confusion of so many riders dropping out and getting lapped. Stage 4 was a tough stage for me as well. This was becuase my rear gear cable had basicallly disintergrated and so only able to have 3 rear gears only by pulling the cable on the frame. I struggled to stay in contact and was unable to get any mechanical help and so grinded away on finishing (and only) hill. So day two was the best day of racing I’ve had. DAY THREE – the epic day that was day three. We did around 65 miles finishing going up the tumble. A beast of a climb and made harder by the awful rain that day, with the miles upon miles of moors we rode over and George Atkins on a mission. There was little wind so there was no major split but had there been, there would have been riders all over Wales. I hung on till the bottom of the tumble then rode my own pace up it as I was happy just to finish it this year.

I had underestimated how hard doing double days would be. I had done double days in training which were hard but racing double days is twice

as hard. Especially as the weather was so poor. I didn’t really enjoy it at the time but I really looking forward to next year. I must give a massive thanks to Matt Cronshaw who took some time out to take me down, and look after me. His advice was a massive help and without it god knows how badly I would have done!!!

The Scottish race which was part of the supersix series was an important race for the team as we were riding for Ash to try and help him get as many points as possible towards his elite licence. Unfortunately the course did not allow me and Jonny to do this as we were getting dropped on the decent which was 40mph + for about 3 miles and meant we were spinning out on our Junior gearing. Ash managed to get into the main break himself and secured a top 10 despite having a puncture on the last climb (hill finish) which was very impressive.

The peleton in Wales

The last race of the season was Preston Grand Prix. A city centre race and another local one. This was my first elite crit race due to me now being a 2nd cat. It was stupidly fast. Olympic medallist Ed Clancy was riding, Rob Hayles, Dean Downing and Matt!! The race was slightly gridded and I had no hope and after 4 laps blew and lost contact. Then just rode round for half of the race. It was so fast and I have massive respect to Briggs who won on his own, and lapped almost the whole field. It wasn’t even breathing!!

So now my season is done. It half term and I’ve already started training for next season after a 3 week break of no cycling what so ever. Unfortunately it is back to the winter bike. It has been this past week that you really realise just how good the cannondale bike is. So fast all of the time. Can’t wait for next season already. It sounds like its going to be a good one.

In a bit.

Well, since my last epic blog a lot has happened. Really there’s probably a good 4 blogs of writing here. I’m just lazy (riding my bike too much). So, since Smithfield, I’ve race at Ulverston, Dolphinholme and Cockerham in the CDNW league and the usual Tuesday night Crits at Salt Ayre. I’ve even done some timetrials!

Ulverston – Similar race to Smithfield really, although the break of 6 managed to stick. I tried to chase it down on the climb hoping for the bunch to sit on on the penultimate lap but I simply road away. I sat up then but should have kept on going. So for the bunch sprint I managed to get 7th, which I was amazed about considering that I sunddenly found myself at the back of the bunch having got squeezed out and boxed in so went to the back. Then realising that the finish was near thought it was time to go. 2/3 rds of the way up there was a cattle grid. I braked, squeezed in for this then smashed in my highest gear on the uphill finish. I was able to get so far as there was a wind coming from the right meaning everyone was trying to stay on the left and keep sheltered so I had a clear run to the finish.

Dolphinholme – This is my local race, I live literally 2 minutes away with the circuit being my hour’s training loop. This is a hard, technical hilly/draggy course. I was really up for this and again in the 3/4 race so I knew I could do well, hoping for the win. First time up the climb I rode tempo, a mistake as I should have sat in but I was hoping to make it hard for everyone. First lap 2 got away, second time up the climb people started to bridge across and as some were strong riders, this is when I realised I had to bridge. So along with 2 other riders, we bridged acorss on the decent of the climb and the headwind section (the photo). After this I simply sat in the break as the bunch wasn’t chasing. Then the penultimate time up the climb the winner attacked with another guy following. I chased this down with another junior and the final break of 4 rode to the finish. Last time up the climb and I couldn’t keep pace. I was struggling to work in the break and then my chain came off on the climb. It lost me some momentum and I just couldn’t get back on. I came 4th which was a good result on such a tough circuit losing 22seconds to the winner.

Cockerham – This has been my best result so far and I’m really chuffed with it. We decided that it was best to do the E/1/2 race as it would be much better training for the Junior Tour of Wales and with the Premier Calender Richmond GP taking place, along with the Tour of Ireland then the race would not be as strong as it could have been. Don’t get me wrong, it was still flat out! With cross winds, head winds and tail winds, with no hills this race should not suit me. But after the first lap with nearly all 3 from Herbalife nearly getting dropped in the first cross wind section we sorted ourselves out for the next lap. There were a few attacks of the front but nothing stuck due to the wind. Then a group of 15 or so created a break and this looked likely to stay. The peleton chased and when it got within spitting distance Jonny was able to bridge across. This meant for me all I had to do was to sit in and follow any moves that tried to bridge which I did until I got tired and decided to sit in a lap later. Eventually this break came back and so on the lasp lap I was expecting a bunch sprint. I was sitting near the front as much as I could and then an attack went. I followed the wheel and found myself in the break! I did what I could in the break but pretty much just sat in thinking that the bunch would bring us back as it was the last lap. It didn’t happen and I was amazed. A couple of the usual juniors managed to bridge across which was an effort in that wind. Then on the only hill I attacked hoping to get a gap. They were on my wheel immediately. Then I just tried to recover and prepare for the fast downhill sprint in the rain. A car on the turn before the sprint split the break and meant I lost a good 20m before the spint and managed to ride in for 7th which I was massively chuffed with. This meant that i got my second category licence which was a big aim for this year and takes the presssure off for the rest of the season.

My other races at Scale Hall involved 2 11th (one from a puncture on the last lap), and 2 timetrials preparing myself for the tour. With Cockerham being a massive boost of confidence I’m really looking forward to Wales and enjoying the rest of the season and the start of next year already!!!

(Happy Nic?) All photos again from http://www.ilm-photography.co.uk/home.htm with a BC report http://new.britishcycling.org.uk/road/article/roa20090816-road-CDNW-Dolphinholme-Road-Race-0

Me on the finish line of Dolpinholme.

Chasing the eventual winner on the main climb

Attacking and stringing the field out to get across to the main break. The first 3 guys in this are the ones who help to bridge across to the break with me.

Sorry for a bit of a long blog, I’ve got a lot races that I’ve done!!

Junior Tour of Ireland

Day 1 – Tues 14^th

I prepared for the prologue, which was a 5.5km hill climb, but a power climb so big ring all the way. This was hard, having had no hard efforts for 2 weeks, (due to completing my Gold Duke of Edinburgh expedition which was 4 days walking in the highlands and 3 nights wild camping. This was extended to 6 days to include 2 days of travelling and because of previous commitments it meant that I had not ridden for nearly 2 weeks (at least with and duration of intensity.)) Anyway, the prologue was tough going and although my heart rate was high (due to a good warm up) I didn’t have the speed and finished about a minute down on the winner. Not embarrassing but nothing to shout about, finishing in 54^th out of 67.

Day 2 – Weds 15^th

This day had 3 categorised climbs in it. With so many high quality teams the pace was fast from the beginning and only calmed down with about 5 miles to the first climb. This allowed time to eat and drink but leading up to the climb I lost a bottle due to the roads. I went backwards to find a drink in the cars and did so pretty quickly but only realised that it was a categorised climb once I saw the peloton strung out so worked very hard to get back on, unfortunately I got back on and then it split so I ended up chasing the main peloton. I worked very hard at this point and probably went into the red too much, especially with my form at the moment. On the next categorised climb I went out the back due to the legs giving up and then I realised my new bottle had fallen out again and no one would give me one and the cars wouldn’t allow me to chase back on to get onto the group peloton again. Once dropped the final but most severe climb came up which actually didn’t seem too bad and I span up this and hoped to get back on, on the decent. I flew down and dropped the guy who was on my wheel but unfortunately could get back on. It was now trying to get as much in me as possible and eat and drink so I could be ok for the next day. There were lots of team cars giving riders a lift and one Belgium team were motoring at 30mph!! I stayed on for a good 10miles but then due to me not sitting on the bumper I lost sat up and then had a 30km ride back into a head wind. Not good. I kept going and eventually about 10km a car towing another lad let me get on and we cruised to the finish. I finished 12 minutes down on the winner in 55^th place (out of 67) and 54^th on GC 13 minutes down.

Day 3 – Thurs 16^th

The longest day by far and it went better than yesterday. Now I’m not too sure what was going on at the front as for the first 40km I sat in the bunch hiding from the wind. Then we hit the smaller roads and straight away I went towards the front trying to stay in the front 15 all the time. I did this well and it’s amazing how much better you feel when you go to the front. As one of the Dutch teams had a man/men up the road they were blocking the front. I thought it was time to spice things up a bit and attacked. My jump was good, but I think I went too hard and so immediately went into oxygen debt. I kept going and then sat on with a couple of guys as I planned the attack with Mike Gregg so sat on his wheel and did another turn. Due to the bunch going so slow beforehand everyone was reasonably fresh and so got on, it did not surprise me but it encouraged more attacks and the pace went up a few k’s an hour. It also meant that it was a bit harder before the cat 1 climb. I think this was better for me as it felt like the climb was a bit longer. The climb itself was 1 km long, and 1 in 3 in places. It was a strong head wind and made the group split into 2 with me on the wrong side. I rode my balls off to get onto the group, it was very hard and fast but eventually there was a let up and the groups got back together. So I was in the main bunch over the climb and so was very happy. For the rest of the stage I simply sat in and didn’t go to the front saving myself. I came 45^th in the stage out of 66 and this shows what an attacking race it was. As anyone who came ahead of my group had to attack away from it, that’s over 30 people attacking (as some were already in the break and away).

Day 4 – Fri 17^th

Today has been the best day so far. I attacked from the gun, I tried to get in a break early on as this is where a lot of the top placings have come from. Not today. The wind was far too strong. For the first 10 miles it was a blockhead wind and then the worst type of wind, a cross wind. I did not understand fully the term riding in the gutter, and no one does until you suffer like I and the rest of the peloton did that day. Someone drove the pace along burying himself and lined out the peloton. Everyone was struggling to keep a wheel and I was riding virtually on the grass. To make things worse due to the roads not being completely closed cars would on their side of the road stopped, and due to us being on the right hand gutter there were a few narrow escapes until the inevitable happened and a rider hit a car. Not badly, but enough for people to start warning about the cars more frequently. I got dropped on the first categorised climb (at the end of the day) and spent 10km chasing to get back and through the cars and eventually got back onto the main peloton for the last 5km. The last km was a hill and so pretty much blew on this. I still came over the line in 36^th day and 2’47” down and so upped my GC place to 53^rd. I felt much happier after this stage.

Day 5 – Sat 18^th

This day was expected to be the main decider. With Sunday’s stage expected to end in a bunch sprint and with none of the GC contenders being allowed to get away today would decide the race. My ride was ok, I stayed in the wheels for as long as I could to give myself energy for the last 2 cat 1 climbs (the same climb but done twice with a loop of around 15km in-between). So up the climb the first time it blew apart as expected and I was in the second group over the climb which was part of the main peloton. I helped to chase to get back on which we managed. People kept trying to attack this group with no through and off going so the yellow jersey group went away. Due to the group often speeding up and slowing down more riders managed to get back on until the peloton seemed to be almost completely together. I stayed in the first 15 the whole time to the finish from now. The second time up the climb I attacked with 4km to go, with an Isle of Man rider sticking to my wheel. I think he was breathing out is arse and couldn’t come through but was told later he was just chasing any moves down. So I waited for the main climb, trying to keep spinning and then I let the wheel go as the climb kicked up again. The peloton had split to pieces and it was a case of just trying to get to the finish now. I kept going and where the hill levelled off at the top, I got it into the big ring and ‘sprinted’ past the lad whose wheel I was on as he gave a big moan! I came in 37^th. I think I should have down better, as the course was ideal for me, but never mind.

The story of the day has definitely been that of the winner. For the last 40 km he soloed on his own, with eh yellow jersey group chasing hard, built up a lead of 1min and took the stage win. A very memorable ride I think.

Day 6 – Sun 19^th

Today has been the best day for me. I felt strong and not too tired. I went on the attack from about 10km in. About 2km from the one and only KOM, which was only a Cat3 so a big ring climb. I attacked the peloton and made chase towards break, I got within around 50m but by this time the peloton had chased me down. I attacked several times and got in a 3-man chase group with a South African lad and a lad from the Irish Stena team. We chased and probably would have caught them and were bringing them back but unfortunately, the peloton saw us as a danger and chased us back ad shortly after the break was drawn back in. After this, I was pretty knackered so was just about hanging in bunch. The race got hard as we hit roads that are more rolling and the attacks started to come. I got myself to the front of the peloton and got in a few moves but they were quite big and so lots of people jumped across to them. I tried to get in a couple of moves and hit the front to try to bring a lad back who got away on his own. As there were lots of attacks going, it got quite tough and so I launched my own attack and got away!! The best bit was when I saw the 10km sign and had a 20-second lead and the bunch still were not chasing. I got very excited at this point and ploughed on. The next time I looked behind another rider had clipped off the front and was coming over to join me. I kept my speed up and attacked up a small rise as I did not want to lose my momentum. The other lad seemed to take ages to get over to me but finally he did. He sat on for minute and I flicked my elbow for him to come through. He didn’t!! I was so annoyed but didn’t have the breath to shout at him. I kept riding hard hoping that he was just trying to get his breath back but he just didn’t come through. Then a couple of minutes later Jamie (who had been on the front earlier) came flying past the rider on my wheel jumped onto his. I had no jump myself and couldn’t quite keep the wheel but the bunch very quickly gathered up anyway as the foreign teams could smell a bunch sprint. The best part of my attack was that I got my photo taken! I’d just got off the front and the next thing I see is the cameraman jumping off his bike and taking my photo. I was so happy then! I got so excited and thought I was going to get one of the awesome solo victories. But it wasn’t my time.

I went straight to the back of the bunch and tried to recover as well as I could and started to move back up. I saw the 5km sign quite a while later and so think I would have struggled with a 10km solo win! I was able to keep going and due to the adrenalin didn’t feel too bad and so jumped again onto the back of another move. This went nowhere though. Then with roughly 1.2km to go I went again. I got a gap. I kept going, got past though the 1km sign and got very excited again. I could taste the win but again, a bunch engine chased me down and brought the bunch with him setting up the bunch sprint. I sat up at this point and just free wheeled as I had nothing in my legs and the bunch were going far too fast for me at this point. In the end, I came in 57^th and 17seconds down. Due to it being a bunch sprint I lost no GC placing as Hamish was the rider below me on GC and he was 5 minutes down.

This had been my favourite day so far and my strongest. I was so close and know my first win is soon. A really good experience and enjoyed it immensely. I felt under prepared for the start but not feel very motivated for the rest of the season.

Back home

I got home on the Tuesday at 5.30pm, I was out the house by 6.15 and racing at 7! This was at scale hall and got a 3rd! First result there which was good especially having sat in a car for a day. Ash was able to get in the break and then simply rode them off his wheel and half an hour later lapped the field. This allowed me and Callum to simply sit on and once lapped just attack in turns. I would of got second if Callum hadn’t just got me on the line! Ian McVety was there taking photos, http://www.ilm-photography.co.uk/home.htm

Me 'powering' round scale hall!!!

The top 3, Me, Ash and Callum

And the following Sunday I rode the CDNW event at Smithfield. This was a typical 3/4 event with everyone chasing everyone and mainly marking me! Any time I jumped there was always someone on my wheel. It was very fustrating. Due to me not able to mark everyone a break of three got away, and it was looking like they would win until the last lap when some people started to chase and due to one of the riders in the break blowing meant a bunch sprint was inevitable. I felt strong, (mainly from Ireland having the shortest race of 55 miles and the average at least 65) and apart from a bit of cramp (from not drinking enough due to the amount of rain!) and so did quite well with 7th! This was quite good as I got quite boxed in and am not a natural sprinter so I’m pleased.

Then tonight, at another scale hall I got an 8th winning the sprint for the third group over the line. Its quite nice getting in the points regularly. It makes a change!!

First race this week was Otley. This was definitely my favorite race this year. The whole team was there along with a few of the sponsors, the streets seemed packed and so the atmosphere was great. I was racing the support race to the elite and due to me being more of climber I didn’t feel too pressurised to perform which meant I was relaxed. Due to the race being in the evening and it being a crit I could eat properly and it was the first race where I wasn’t sleepy at all! I also warmed up really well which I learnt from my previous crit in Newcastle (where I was blown out of the back with in 6 laps).

The race started and I had a good starting position, I got the front quickly yet avoided any wind so was riding really well. I was feeling very strong up the hill and coming down was good due to me being a confident descender (spinning loads due to junior gears). It was the best I’ve ridden. I was in the top 10 over the line every lap and it was looking good for a top 10 but with 3 laps to go (out of 12) I punctured on the back of the course (away from the pits) it was game over. Although disappointed I was really happy with my form and the way I rode the crit. It may not have been a bad thing that I punctured as there were 2 crashes on the last lap, the final bend (45mph descent) and the finishing straight. It was great watching the rest of the team in the senior race as well, they were not out of place with the continental pros over for the nationals.

Otley

There’s load of galleries online on the BC website.

My other race was the nationals where I felt good except I didn’t listen to my team who told me stay near the front and not get caught behind any straggerlers. I new I wasn’t far enough up for the climb and on the second lap I did an effort to get me on the back of the group, I was on and the next time I look up the guy in front has let the wheel go and then that was it. There were about 10 of us who rode back together in the 3rd group on the road, the top 40. I worked hard in this group to keep it together and keep us moving. I enjoyed the race and thought it was ‘promising’ for me!!

Lazonby was a CDNW event, as all the big guns were in the Nationals there were no elites so I was put in the elites race. This meant 2 hard races straight after each other and good preperation for the junior Tour of Ireland. I lasted well and just seemed to go with 1 lap to go. Again I’m happy with that and it gives me confidence. Eventually the results will come, I’m sure. The best thing about this race was Dillon coming 3rd. He obviously has some good form as he won at Salt Ayre last night (Tuesday) with ash coming second!!! The next Cipollini?

Well on Sunday I had the Top Simpson Junior RR. I was expecting it to be much tougher and so stayed in the bunch saving myself for when would really string out and split. The last lap suddenly came and I realised I should show my face a bit! It had come round very quickly. My idea was more to keep it together for Jonny at the sprint but someone sat up and a gap formed, I swept up a few guys and formed a break of around 7 for about a minute but this got brought back. Gutted.

A lap before I got caught in a crash at the feed station, it happened just by Jonny, and just in front of me, I didn’t come down but the peleton split with me on the wrong side and so I chased to get back on thinking it would split and annoyed I was on the wrong side. As I got back on the front group slowed and it all got back together anyway.

Then when I wanted to go again half a lap later, I got boxed. The bunch sprint I half heartedly attempted and didn’t lead Jonny out as he was on the other side of the bunch: quite a few basic errors by me. Jonny had the legs for the bunch sprint and perhaps with a bit of luck would have got it. It was close I think. He got 4th giving him 17th.

Next race is Oltey support race and then the Nationals. =)