Nationals...

Bit of a disappointment! Was really hoping Shleck would atleats put a dig in, but nothing. I guess he just didnt feel he could. It was still a brilliant stage, I really wanted Klobonov to stay away.

Its a shame, this tour has had alot of guys talking up their chances massively but not actually doing anything. A certain Brit jumps to mind. Although I do love Bradley, and he has now atleast admitted he was wrong, I think he reason is correct, the Giro De Italia was way harder than anyone imagined it could be. The interesting weather definitely reminded me of some of the crazy (great!) weather we saw in the Giro. This is starting to sound like a journalistic dig at the Tour and its riders, forget that, its been a great race, super interesting, and still some brilliant stages to come! Im sitting here wondering if any riders will miss the time cut, I heard Mcewen was in trouble early on, but hopfully he will soldier through..!

On another note its the Rollapalluza Urban Hill Climb tonight, really wish I could have ridden, its up Swaines Lane, one of my regular training hills. Unfortunately Nationals on Saturday means im not taking the risk! Very impressed by Rollapalluza, they have secured a full road closure and I am sure the night will be a huge success!

Rest Day at the TDF

Just looking through the photo gallery on cycling news of le Tour rest day and noticed two things.



I really love this picture of Lance looking all relaxed infront of the camera, and his kid Max giving the photographer the eyes!



Second checkout out my mate (Tom) Laker in the Orange of the One life Development Squad, chasing Andy Shleck! Ace...

A couple of weeks ago Claire from Condor Cyles asked me If I would help her out with something for the new Condor Cycles website (soon to be launched!). Here is one of the photos the photographer took at Crystal Palace. I did an interview with her today and hopefully we will see the result in the not too distant future.

Weekend Racing In Britain...

Saturday saw the last of the Rapha Condor Summer Series races at Hog Hill and my first E12. As a youth with full dispensation to ride as an Adult I can ride pretty much any adult circuit race but had so far just ben riding 3/4s. After seeing some lads getting decent results and riding the E12s at Palace I decided it was time to move up.

To my disappointment the organisers announced we would be riding the circuit the opposite way to usual, I have the National Champs next Saturday on the same circuit and was looking forward to some final practice. I finished in 5th place, admittedly a whole lot better than I had been expecting but I was also disappointed... I had eaten to near the start of the race and had a really painful stitch by the end, this messed up my sprint a bit but I was still pleased with the result. Learn from my mistakes!

Next day was the British School Cycling Association National and Southern Regional Champs, I wasnt sure what the field would be like as this wasnt a British Cycling run event but was looking forward to one last tune up before the National Championships. After about half the race we had established a 3 man lead group, we had been working well together in the hilly conditions and had a nice gap. Coming up the hill with 1 lap to go I put in an attack, after pressing on the hill every previous lap, I gapped the other two riders and set off for one lap to the finish, the only problem was although I could out climb the rider behind (Dan Murphy from Milton Keynes), I was going to find it very difficult to out ride him on the flat, I pushed on for about a third of the lap and then slowly sat up getting as much rest as possible. There had been a strong headwind blowing into the hill all day and naturally coming into it know one wanted to take up the lead. The other lad in our group caught up just before the climb and all three of us spread ourselves out in a line, a matched sprint - going at walking pace. About halfway up the climb the other lad kicked, Dan went as soon as he did on the opposite side of the road, I reacted and was behind both of them deciding which wheel to latch onto! Dan was defiantly moving quicker so I jumped on his and sprinted hard. Coming into the steep and decisive section of the hill I saw he was veering more to the centre of the road, preferring the lower gradient for a longer line, I took no hesitation to jump into the inside line and try to get past him. I kicked hard and edged up to his Bottom Bracket, then his handlebars and finally I started to edge past him as we hit the flat just before the line, this is when the real time is made up as you can raise you speed if you have the legs, I pushed on hard and only started to labour of the gear just before the line.

Boom I had won! Sprints always feel sick when you win, you have that moment or two when nothing hurts and you raise your arms and usually in my case shout with delight! Then you grasp back onto the bars and it hits you, all of a sudden you are shattered but it doesnt matter because you have won! A solo win is different because you have lots of time to realise what is happening and to savour the moment, a sprint is nothing more than a flicker. Losing a sprint is the exact same feeling except you dont get the moment of 'nothingness', instead you just feel even shiter and it really does matter because you have lost! Anyway I was really glad to win, I had been doing so many adult races that the wins had slowed down a little and this was the first in a while, still felt great!

Ronde Van Oost Vlaanderen Stage 2

It was the second day of the Tour of East Flanders, I woke up with pretty good legs, but I was nervous about the stage. I was the best placed rider on the Eastern Regions Team, I also had a chance at getting on the podium for the Young rider (1st year) White Jersey competition. I was currently 16th overall and 4th in the white jersey, 1 min down on the next 3, something I hoped to overturn on the hills of todays stage.

We arrived at the start early and made a trip to the local spar, in retrospect I had become very dehydrated the day before and learning on my mistakes I bought 6 litres of water for the rest of the day. At the checkout, looking through one of the papers for some Tour results, In the middle of the sports section I came across a whole page on Ametuer cycling in the region, with Miel's winning picture from the previous day spread across the whole page, things like this I love about Belgium.

The start of the race came quickly, I had been drinking constantly all morning and was feeling much better and cooler on the start line than the previous day. On a quick recon of the first couple of km of the course, I noticed a little sign (I wish I had had my phone for a picture) stating that we where currently riding on the Ronde Van Vlaanderen (Tour Of Flanders Pro Race).

After a really good start and unlike the previous day, not getting held up by any crashes I was well placed in the first group on the road. The course included a km long climb and 500m of cobbled decent, around halfway through the 72km race there was a crash just infront of me halfway up the climb, one of the riders was sprawled with his bike across the whole road, I was one of the last few to get through cleanly, although still had to push very hard to get back onto the bunch. Some teams went to the front of out reduced 20 man front group (133 starters) and started to drive the pace, although some teams where reluctant to help push it away. A lap later the rest of the group joined back on and there was a jostle for the front places, as it was coming down to crunchtime.

With a lap to go I knew if anything was going to get away it would be on he climb, it summited around 3km from the line. I tried to get myself in the best placing I could coming into the climb, the bunch quickly lined out. I was about 12th wheel and could see gaps opening ahead of me, I tried to close the gap but 5 riders had gone of the front and know one wanted to take up the chase from the bunch. I placed myself well in the sprint but got very blocked in on the outside, I felt i could have won the Bunch sprint for 6th but eventually came in 12th.

Overall I had moved up to 11th overall and 2nd in the White Jersey. With the first days result, overall result and white jersey result I had got a nice pot of prize money. Unfortunately the organisers sent it via bank transfer to Team Managers but Im still planning on getting my hands on the hard earned cash!

East Flanders, Stage One.

Saturday started at 5 Am, force feeding myself breakfast. By 9 we where on the shuttle to France, the Eastern Regions team, travelling to East Flanders, Belgium for the RONDE VAN OOST-VLAANDEREN, taking on some of the roads from the pro race, Ronde Van Vlaanderen.

We arrived quite late and after a frantic sign on, changed into our club shorts and eastern jerseys. It was 37 Degrees and before the race had even started I was suffering. I had been running around so much before the race that I had forgotten to drink as much as possible, the humid conditions on a course without any downhill and little wind where hellish at some points!

I started very well, straight into the top 15 riders in the field, being swept along. Then about halfway into the second of nine laps (72km) I got caught behind a crash. This dropped my placing from right up the front to almost the back of the 130 man field. Although I never look back I could sense I was near the back and started to panic, the racing is always so much easier at the front and more importantly I was going to miss the breaks.

I spent the whole race going full gas out of every corner and with about 5 laps to go was almost at the front. With 4 to go Jonathon Dibben, riding for the British Talent Team attacked and took a rider with him. The next time round, about 2km before the line I attacked along the right hand side of the road and escaped. After about 4km I caught a rider ahead of me and we started to work together, a lad who had followed my attack then caught us up. We worked really well together, I put in some big turns knowing that the time we where gaining on the bunch would be valuable in my overall GC hopes.

With 1km to go, and two corners to come I pulled of the front and slotted into second wheel of our group of three, I was still trying to keep the pace high, wanting to gain as much time on the bunch as possible and make sure I wasnt caught! We could also see a group just up the road, all bunched out and obviously playing with eachother before the long straight 700m run to the line. Around the last corner and we where meters away, then with 500 to go we caught on the back. I realised they hadnt seen us and that we where going quite a bit quicker than them and launched myself down the far right of the road.

I had never expected to win the sprint but went for it in the hope I might. With about 150 to go I looked under my arm and saw them chasing me, I put my head down and really dug in then with 50 to go looked again and new I had got it. I crossed the line knowing I had not won by hoping I had atleast got a good placing. 16th! I thought it was going to be alot higher but early breaks had gone whilst I was stuck at the back.

I was still really pleased with my sprint and gaining a minute on bunch. I learnt that there was a 1st year (un15s) competition, with prize money for the top 3, I was currently 4th overall, 53seconds down on the next 3. Time I hoped to make up the next day!

Miel Pyfferoen a friend I have made over in Belgium won on the day and would wear yellow the next day. Hopefully I can find some pictures of the race soon.



EDIT - just seen this photo, turns out the rider at the front was just about to be caught by our group, its funny because my mind seems to have completely erased him from my mind, i remember knowone infront!

Uk School Games

I have been selected for the Eastern Regions Uk School Games team for the Road, TT and TTT events! Very happy.
Have also been selected for the Inter-Regional Track Championships representing Eastern again! Both events are in September, Uk Skl Games in Newcastle and the Track in Newport.

London Youth Games

Saturday gave the chance for the Hackney Borough Team to defend their 2009 title at the London Youth Games.

After riding down to Crystal Palace with my team mate (and training partner) Alex Peters, I changed into my brand new Cyclign Club Hackney, GSG made Skinsuit (they make Aqua Sapone kit!) We arrived to the news that a very young under 16 team had come 4th in their category. My category, the under 18s (although im 15 so could ride either) was later in the afternoon, I was to be the last rider off. Early in afternoon session a friend from VC Londres, riding for Lambeth, Conor Bunn set a scortching 7.40 time for 4 laps around the twisty, mixed terain of the Crystal Palace Circuit. I was very impressed, although with the knowledge that last times winning time was 7.25 I hoped to go faster. Alex then set a wicked time of 7.25 and I slightly adjusted how fast I wanted to go! After hiding in the shade at the start, plugged into Eminem, I started my ride and went as hard as I could. A mate was giving me splits, but over the prolouge style TT I didnt really get any information and just put the hammer down as fast as I could. On the last lap, I was lining up to enter the sharp hairpin and a fly flew straight into my eye! I had forgotten my shades at home and immidietly got thrown off my line! Taking it at full speed but in the complete wrong line, I thought I could have pulled off getting around it without crashing! Then my front wheel started to slide out and I thought it was all over, somehow I had managed to keep it up and adrenaline rushing I sprinted out of the corner, thanking whatever had kept me up! 7.13! I was so pleased to have got the fastest time, and apparently an event record! Really made the day, and although we thought we had lost, ten minutes later the Hackney Team found out we had won the overall! This year was much closer than in 2009, it also felt alot better as we thought we had lost!



110 miles on Sunday with lads from the club. Not sure about racing during this week, but I have a two day stage race in Belgium on the weekend! Woop!