Blog 9

I have just a few days left before I travel to the Isle of Man for my first Senior nationals. I'm excited and nervous in equal measure! I have been making the annual pilgrimage to the IOM for the Youth and then Junior National Series races since 2012 and have always really enjoyed my visits.

(2012 in my first leaders jersey with my now team mate Owen Dudley in 3rd wheel) 

                                          

It's always been one of my favourite destinations on the Calendar due to its lumpy terrain and changeable weather....... I also have a number of good Manx friends including Zappi team mate Owen Dudley.  I've always had a good run of GC races in the IOM:

In 2012 as a 2nd year under 14, I finished second overall to Dan Tulett. I was chuffed in this race to wear my first ever leader's yellow jersey.
In 2013 I rode my first time for Wales and finished 12th on GC in a support role for Joe Holt
In 2014 I narrowly missed out on the win - by just 1 second to Matty Walls who was to become my teammate the following season.
In 2015 I endured some of worst conditions I'd ever raced in and was happy to end up in 4th overall without hypothermia!
In 2016 another tough race but finished in 5th overall

(2016 during y last IOM junior tour)

This Year will be different, racing the likes of Mark Cavendish, Pete Kennaugh, Luke Rowe, Adam Blythe etc..... My aim is to produce a respectable result in the Time Trial and to get stuck in to the road race. Basically I'm looking forward to the whole experience at my first senior Nationals.

During the last couple of weeks leading up the nationals I've been putting the hours in but also had a dabble in a few circuit races and a road race. I've been pretty happy with how the legs have felt riding these races aggressively and trying to make each race.

My next blog will have a run down of how the 2017 Nationals went for me.

Blog 8

So a quick update. Unexpectedly I'm still at home! I should have been on a flight to Bologna, Italy last week - flight booked, online check-in complete. Just 36 hours before I was due to fly, my team informed me that plans had changed. I was asked could I get to Nice from Bologna. This would have meant getting a train from Bologna to Milan. Then a train from Milan to Nice....... Just one problem here - my team bike, shoes and kit, are all in the Team House in Northern Italy and the house is locked! I had two options:

1. Fly to Nice. Race on a team mate's spare bike and borrow some kit.

2. Cancel my Bologna flight and stay at home to concentrate on preparing for the Nationals (Road and TT)

I chose option 2. I was initially pretty disappointed. As I said in my last blog, I was looking forward to getting stuck in to the Italian races. My form has improved a fair bit and I was interested to see how well I went in the these races. However, I'm not one to dwell. Since I've been home I've thoroughly enjoyed getting stuck into some consistent quality training and also doing some TTs. I broke the Course record on my local club 10 and have improved my personal best for a 25 mile TT. My legs are coming along nicely and I hope to build upon this form ahead of the June Nationals.

Aside from the 'on the bike' stuff, the weather on the whole has been fantastic. This had made the hours in the saddle a lot more enjoyable. It has also been nice to take some time to chill and get down to the local beach to make the most of this weather in Wales.

Ciao

Blog 7

I am currently back in Wales for some family time and quality training on Wales' finest roads. It was a bit of whirlwind of a trip home. My race finished at 5:15pm and my flight left at 6:40pm. The airport was a 30minute drive from the race. To say I was a bit stressed about catching this was an understatement... luckily I made the flight with a bit of time to spare!!

I only realised once I'd touched down on home soil, how much I needed some time at home. As fantastic as it is in Italy, I needed to see my family and spend some time away from the Zappi house in order to regain my focus and find some form.

Whilst being home, I've capitalised on the opportunity to see close family and friends which has been really nice. I've also enjoyed jumping back on my Time Trial bike after wayyyyy too long. People that know me well, will know I like to spend plenty of time on my TT bike. Since I've been back I've done a few Time Trials to gauge my form. The first TT was a shock to the system I can tell you, after doing lots of long slow miles in Italy. It was a refreshing change to come from the razzmatazz of Italian UCI races to the humble UK TT scene. In all honesty, it was great to be back doing welsh TTs surrounded by people that have been with me for years. I enjoyed catching up with the long standing officials such as the legend that is - Tudor Thomas "e huh, e huh!"(those in the know will understand...). I've missed hearing the excuses of club riders back at the clubhouse too - explaining why they didn't go so well whilst scoffing slabs of cake! This is such a contrast to the aftermath of an Italian race when I'm left puzzling how some of the top Italian riders are consistently dominant?!

It's been a boost to my morale with a 3rd in an open TT on Saturday and breaking the Course record for the local club TT on Thursday evening. I have to say I've loved every minute of riding at home. The weather has been particularly kind and I've been reminded of how awesome Wales is.

I'll be returning to Italy shortly and I now can't wait to get stuck in to the next Italian UCI and National races on my Race Calendar before returning home ahead of the British National champs at the end of June.

Ciao

Blog 6

It’s hard to know where to start with this... sorry that the updates have been a bit slow.  I have been all over the place recently with racing and travelling. We have been racing twice a week most weeks, all over Italy and even up in eastern Belgium for Liege.

               

Team Presentation

So starting off from where I left the last blog, I have had lots of racing. I have competed in 3 UCI 1.2's and 1 Italian National (U28) race. These races have been incredibly tough and a huge learning curve for me. I haven't had the best luck in these races either. I had a mechanical issue in Collechio and a crash in Liege Bastogne Liege. Most recently I've came down with a cold meaning I missed GP Venderiano and GP Libraziano. This has been a bit frustrating. However, on a positive note I was very happy to get round my first Italian national - Vincenza Bionde. The parcour for this race suited a sprinter and the race was really fast averaging 45kph for 170km! It gives me confidence for the races I have soon.

 

Dressed up for Belgium weather

Aside from the racing, I have gained a ton of new experiences along the way. It's hard for me to even remember all of them which is crazy as it’s less than a month since my last blog! My journey to Liege in the van with Flavio and Owen was certainly a trip I’ll never forget for the tremendous scenery on route. Driving past Lake Como and then through Switzerland was just awesome.

Probably the most memorable event for me would be following my crash in Liege. I was out of the race, riding by myself, in the middle of the Ardennes in the cold, rain and wind. I was following little yellow signs for the finish and questioning my sanity whilst shivering away (it was just 6 degrees and I’d left Italy at 26 degrees!). Anyway, before I could get lost, I was picked up by the guys who were collecting the signs for the race. I flagged them down, used my best French and jumped in to the van with my bike. It certainly made a very entertaining journey back to the Finish. Safe to say I soon forgot about my race with these lads. After some very exuberant driving, a few cans of Jupiter later, we arrived. It was late and I arrived in a very different manner to how I’d planned on the Start Line that morning!

Crash in Liege Bastogne Liege. Note my red Zappi leg in left ditch!!

I feel very accustomed to the Italian culture now and it's felt like I've lived out here for ages. It is very different to the UK. I appreciate each for different reasons. I feel the Italian culture suits me pretty well with everyone seeming to constantly be moving at 200kph. Also it's fair to say I enjoy Italian gelato and coffee a bit too much. The town in which we are staying seems to feel a little more alive each weekend as more and more businesses open up for the season. Only problem is Italian weather has been treating me a bit too well because I was in for a shock with how cold I felt in Belgium. It’s definitely making me soft being out here.

We have enjoyed a few chilled out evenings in Rimini which has been a laugh, be it mostly at Paul’s expense for having a few too many…. Going to each race in a different location lets you explore new areas for a brief period most weekends. We have been to lots of picturesque towns and fabulous cities such as Verona. It's been great to take in some breath-taking scenery as well. My favourite of which was still passing the Italian lakes on our way up into Switzerland on route to Liege.

Stunning Scenery

Ciao for now

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!

2017 - Blog 3 (VIP guests!)

I had a good week back in Wales catching up with my family but also cracking on with some solid rides on home turf. It was actually a strange feeling getting back to Calpe; it almost felt like home after spending most of 2017 there! I was greeted by Owen as I stepped off the plane in Alicante. We then headed off to our house together. It was a mint day and no need for the multiple layers that Id been wearing in South Wales.

The Zappi house was still fairly sparse as lots of the lads were coming and going over a 2 week period at the start of February. This meant that when we arrived, there were just 4 Zappi riders and 2 guests in the house. It was real 'chilled out' week, which was nice.

This great old Spanish guy on an electric bike was with us for 10 minutes

Last weekend, I had my first race of 2017. It was a 70km regional race and the first tester of the legs this year. We woke up at the crack of dawn on race day to ride the 47km to the race, hit a pre-race expresso, then cracked on with the race. After the race, we had a fair bit more riding and efforts to do; it was a big old day (195km) !

Anyway, back to the race. The pace was pretty fast but nothing too crazy. It certainly opened up the lungs and that's for sure. The best moment of the race for me came when at a steady point in the race, I looked across to my left and did a double take - it was Johnny Brownlee! He then looked across at me and asked "are all bike races this sketchy?" After answering this and having a quick chat, I caught up with him and brother Alastair post race. They were really 'down to earth' and it was great talking to them. I found it very inspiring as I have quite a link with triathlon as my dad was a top level triathlete. Back to the race, another highlight was the finishing loop. It was the same as that used in the Tour of Valencia the previous week when Tony Martin took the win. It was a 5 minute climb followed by a descent to the finish. I managed to finish in the front split in 26th place. I was fairly content with this to start off the season.

Great to meet Johnny and Alastair Brownlee

This week started steadily but the latter half has been pretty hard with a few big days and lots of efforts. I'm writing this with very heavy legs. Tomorrow we have our next Spanish regional race in Benidorm so I'll be back with an update soon.

Ciao