Tramontane and Ronde du Canigou

So first two races in France were bloody cold and windy, both races there was around 70 - 90 km/h winds and with the wind chill the temperature was in the minus. I don't think I have ever worn so much kit for a race....

Tramontane
This race was on a 30 km circuit done 4 times with 1 decent climb in it of about 6km. would have been a really good race for me had there been no wind.. From the start the first 3km were head wind then a right turn into a massive cross wind. The peleton instantly split up with people dropping wheels all over the show, there was a group of 20 at the front and that was the race already decided. I was in the 3rd group by the time we made it to the hill and I managed to bridge up to the second group in front on the hill and stayed with them for the rest of the race. I finished in 36th. Only 50 finished out of 200 starters. I was feeling ok but just suffering in the cold, especially in my lungs.

Ronde du Canigou
 Second race was on a big loop fairly hilly with one long climb of 6km again and then 3 finishing circuits at the end. This race I had much better positioning in the wind and made the 2nd group before the first hill. I was really feeling good on the climbs and I managed to bridge up to the first group with one other guy so there were 24 of us at the front. I was with them till 60km when in a cross wind section I got blown of the road and into the gravel, luckily managed to stay on my bike. But when I was back on the road I couldn't get back on the group. Unfortunately I had to wait for the group behind and ended up finishing with them in 32nd place. Again only 50 out of 200 finished. Also during this race I have picked up a bit of a knee problem which I think was from my new pedals, so Iv changed back to my old ones and I'm just trying to rest up my knee at the moment and really hoping its nothing to serious..................

The rest of the training camp went really well. Most of the guys are the same from last year so that's good. I am back at the apartment now and its snowing which is not so good.


In other news me and Martins bought a new coffee machine. Goes real good

2012!!!

Firstly welcome to all my readers it has been awhile! but don't worry I am back writing for the 2012 season with Team Vulco! Before I get into what I'm up to now a quick catch up on my time in NZ. Basically I spent most my time catching with mates and working so not a massive amount of training was done, but all good I have all year to some of that. It was bloody good to get back home and see everyone again, and after a week at home it was like I hadn't even left I'd just slotted straight back in which was cool. Cheers for everyone back home for a sweet as summer although the summer weather wasnt all that great....
I did a few races back home but never found any form so that was a bit shit but almost to be expected as I'm really aiming for the season away in France so just gotta look at the bigger picture. For sure the most enjoyable race I did back home was the NZ cycle classic in Manawatu, for team Armstrong motor group with Ryan Sissons, Chris Macic, Jason Christie and Kieran Hambrook. I didnt have any decent results but I was really starting to feel good on the bike again. The whole team got on really well and we managed to have some good laughs off the bike, so a really huge thank you to Tim Stephens who put the team together it was awesome!

Well now I'm back in France after some hectic times, with only a day after the NZ cycle classic finished (in which I had to go the docter and the dentist and pack my bags) I was on the plane back to France via Osaka, Japan and Frankfurt. When I touched down in Lyon I was greeted to snow and -5 degrees a bit of a shock after coming from a New Zealand summer. Luckily it was pretty easy to settle in to my apartment as it is the same as last year so it almost felt like coming home........

Looking out the window of my apartment the day after I arrived (there's nowhere near as much snow as the day before)

Unlucky for me the next day I had some testing to do on the bike. Because in France if you were in the top 300 riders the previous year you must do some testing to make sure your all good and healthy etc. Feeling a bit jet lagged I had little choice but to do it this day because the team was leaving  for a training camp the following day. For the tests I had to do an eye test, have my heart scanned, check my lung capacity, height weight BMI and fat percentage recorded, eating habits recorded, teeth checked, general check up and a V02 max test on the bike. Was a shit load just to get a racing licence if you ask me.... Just in case you were wondering I passed everything and I have my licence.


I am now in Spain for our training camp and luckily down here the sun is shining and the temperature is a little higher just getting above 0 degrees. The team has 2 races this weekend which I'm not doing as I'm still a little jet lagged, and then we have 2 again next weekend which I should be doing. Being one of the few not racing today gave me the chance to ride my new bike for the first time and I must say I forgot how good it is to ride a brand new bike!

Training in the Hills and looking down on where our hotel is

New Bike