Blog 5

First update from Italy! I’m very happy to now be in Italy after a long old trip across from Barcelona to Rome, then a mega drive up to Igea Marina where we are based. It was a long few days of traveling including getting lost in Barcelona IKEA with Jack and a delayed 28 hour ferry crossing. Eventually and thankfully, we reached our base on the North East coast of Italy near Rimini.

The day after we arrived in Italy, we went straight off to our first race which was Montecassiano an U28 National. I was very apprehensive ahead of this race knowing how hard Italian racing is and how big a jump junior racing was to this level. It was a rolling course especially in the second half of the race which switched to a hillier circuit. I was pretty happy with how I did lasting for 149 of 167km (only 35 finished out of 200 starters!). The racing here really is ‘full gas’!

Post-race we had a steady week getting to know the area and exploring Italian roads. Where we are based is a ghost town at the moment. It is a holiday destination and nothing is open until summer; it is quite bizarre walking around the town. Apart from this, the area is ideal for training; always starting on the flat before reaching the hills after 45mins on each ride. Also it was a great experience to visit the Pantani memorial. Surreal experience to pay respects to one of the best climbers that's ever lived! Another highlight of this week was getting to ride a strade bianche recce. It was a lot of fun pulling some shapes and sliding around on the gravel roads. It did make me pretty gutted to be missing this race as it would have been a lot of fun. 

 

Strade Bianchi recce

Strade Bianchi recce

The weekend of the Strade Bianche when the other boys were racing, I was placed in a tough section, with wheels in hand, in case of punctures. Unfortunately, most of the boys suffered punctures. All in all, I think they had a great experience in racing it. It looked as though they had been to war post-finish! After the race, I have to give a big thanks to Owen’s Aunties for inviting me out for the night for my 19^th Birthday. I had an ace evening out in Old Rimini which almost made up for the disappointment of not riding the Strade Bianche. 

The last few days we have just come off a tough block of training. We have had 2 big days out in the mountains. It was great for me being new to the area; exploring the new roads and scenery was ace. It was particularly cool, winding our way up to San Marino. Mind you it was hard to take much in, digging deep up that climb! I am pretty happy with the way my legs are coming along during this block. I am really looking forward to getting stuck into my next Italian race soon. 

Ciao!

Blog 4

I am writing this as I come to the end of my time in Spain for pre-season training. I've got a few races under my belt now ; some Spanish regionals and some Nationals. This has just wetted my appetite to go and get stick in to a packed Calendar of Italian National and UCI races.

In an early Break at Don Benito

Picking up from where I left the last blog, the team has since competed in Don Benito. This was a Spanish National Race that was over a flat course with one kick half way around the course. My job for the day was to try to get in the early moves and to help our team sprinter, Scott Auld. We did well in the race with Ben Hardy getting the Green Jersey and Scott sprinting to a great 9th place. All in all, a very successful trip! It was also great to race as a proper unit, riding as a team, all working together. We have since competed in another two Spanish regionals.

These races are quite deceptive as they seem easy on the face of it only being 70 odd km. However, they are 'full on' and highly competitive. We've managed to organise well as a team, especially in the most recent race to really thin the field out and dominate, which is good for morale. I feel like these races will have got my legs going, ahead of giving them the first major punishment in Montecassiano our first Italian national on the 19th March.

Currently, we have come off a pretty intensive block of training so we have all felt pretty knackered but hopefully these hard days will stand me in good stead ahead of the start of the Italian season.

We have been very lucky with the weather compared to the first block I spent here in Spain. The temperature has been consistently 24+ degrees this last week. This has made the long days all the more enjoyable topping up the suntan. My legs are definitely starting to feel the benefit of the big workload with 5200km of riding under my belt so far in 2017. 

Anyway, enough of the 'on the bike' stuff. As seriously as we train, we always have time for a laugh and a bit of down time. In the last month we've had a few days enjoying taking in the picturesque surroundings of old Altea becoming regular tourists for the day. We've also had a few evenings in Benidorm.  I don't think they need much more explanation...... We have also enjoyed a nice chilled day at the beach which was nice to take in the sunshine. All in all, it's been a very good month and I feel in good stead ahead of the packed Calendar that is about to meet me on the horizon.

Ciao!