Looking ahead to 2014

Since my last post I completed the Rapha Festive500k over christmas, 310miles in 5 days, I also raced the 3rd round of the Gorrick Brass Monkey's, It was my second race as part of the KTM Mtb UK race team and it was the first race on my new 2014 race bike, the KTM Myroon 29er. Initial impressions are that the frame has snappy acceleration, it feels very efficient and the slightly smaller frame size make it feel more manoeuverable, i'll write a longer review once i've spent more time on it.

Yes the saddle is high, i've long legs

Back to the race.... I warmed up well, got a good start, but the big boys are too strong for me! I settled into the middle of the pack. The course was muddy, but solid in most areas, apart from a nasty slog over a moorland, but with plenty of fun single track. I was top 10, riding well with a Certini rider, we'd yo yo positions but eventually I dropped him, the last lap felt comfortable and I tried to pick off a few riders, as is my current racing style, I caught sight of 7th place, 10meters before the finish! 8th will do, not entirely happy but competition has been fierce this year, despite several top class riders missing.

I will miss the last round as i'm heading to the sunshine of Lanzarote for the Club Lasanta 4 day stage race, it'll be a new experience for me, but i'm not treating the race result as the be all and end all, its a dose of sunshine to get me through the winter.

 

On my return i'll be getting through the winter, by aiming at some xc races, with other adventures to follow.

 

Thanks to my new Sponsors for 2014: KTM Bikes, Four4th Lights,Torq Energy and Continental Tyres, and for the continuing patience and training expertise from Francesca Bennett

Torq In Your Sleep 12:12 &The Endurance Series final round

It feels like its been a relatively long season, but it seems to come from all my races being in blocks of 2 weeks, Bontrager 24:12 then 2 weeks later Brighton Big Dog, then 2 weeks later Torq in Your Sleep. I had originally planned to race the 6 hour option, but after my result at Brighton Big Dog( I was 7th overall in the Endurance Series) I thought I had a good shot at a podium finish, so I switched to the 12hour option. Unfortunatley my chief pitman (my dad) was away, luckily I managed to find some kind biking friends who stepped up to throw bottles and encouragement at me! thanks Team Cycleworks.

After arriving the mornning of the race I did a full practice lap, the course was ok, but I felt it got rougher as time went on. I started near the front but didn't get an especially good start, getting caught up with riders through the vast amounts of singletrack, but as laps ticked along I got into a good rythm and felt ok. towards the 5 hour point I felt a little weary, thinking previous races were catching up with me, but I knew I was in 4th place and I couldn't drop out knowing I would score enough points to finish on the Endurance Series Podium, so I had two cans of coke and a caffeine gel and ploughed on!

The last few hours went well, but I was suffering from the bumpy course and knew another lap near 12 o'clock was a possibility, I conciously began to slow up, knowing I had a big enough buffer to 4th and wouldn't catch 3rd. Crossing the finish line at 11:59:50pm I wouldn't need anoter lap, and i'd secured 4th place, but I was only 7minutes down on 3rd, BUGGER!!

A great result overall in the end! The Endurance Series had not been a season aim, but it was a great bonus and its only my first season racing with gears.

My main season is over now, I have a few races lined up but i'm reducing my training hours to try and fit in being sociable…..

Thanks Vermont Images

Thanks again to my sponsors for the support this year and Francesca Bennett for her coaching expertise.