The month kicked off to a great start.  I had just had a 9th place at the end of May, then on the 3rd of June had a 6th place.  Both on 2 weeks training, just after being ill for 5 weeks!  So there go all theories of training helps you do better!

My programme at the start of the month wasn’t quite as planned.  My manager told me to get some more training done in preparation for the coming stage races we have and not rush back into big races too soon.  So I had 2 more weeks of full training and kermess racing before 2 Interclub races and then returning back to the UK for the National RR Champs. 

After the 2 weeks training I was really starting to get back into my stride again and just needed a little ‘fine tuning’ on my speed. 

In the first of the two Interclub races (17 June), I was feeling strong but not great and with no team orders, had to play it by ear a little.  It was on a rolling course and was open and windy at times so it was destined to break up by the finish.  All the usual attacks went from the gun, but nothing stuck, as the peleton was moving pretty quick for the first half an hour.  As some of the weaker riders were obviously tiring and leaving gaps, I attacked over the brow of a small hill.  I didn’t get the response I was looking for; in fact I didn’t get a response from the bunch at all, and was left out on my own.  It was very early in the race and I didn’t want to waste too much energy so I decided to ride hard to the top of the next hill, about 10km away, and hope a group would break clear.  To cut it short, it didn’t happen and at the top of the climb the peleton caught me.  So nothing really came of it but a short clip on local TV.  From there I managed to miss a few groups that got away and finished in the bunch about 50th, a bit annoyed, but happy to be back at full strength again. 

Two days later was the second Interclub, the notoriously hilly Romsee Stavelot Romsee.  A 170km race in the Ardennes around Liege, Francochamps and Spa.  I was looking forward to that day.  I was abnormally relaxed, I think because with not being much of a climber I wasn’t going there expecting to do well.  There were a few hot spot sprints quite early in the race, which I decided to go for, so if I didn’t get to the finish it wouldn’t be a wasted journey!  My team started near the back and the race began with a long descent followed by a 2km climb.  The speed was too fast to pass anyone on the descent and the first time I saw the front of the bunch at the top of the 1st climb a group of 20 had already got away!  After the next short descent a couple of others and myself tried to get across the gap and got within 15 seconds, when we were caught by the peleton.  The gap then shot up to 2 minutes.  Typical!  Although I had missed the front group I was feeling really good, it’s just a shame there were so many hills, which I don’t like!!  I think I made it down to the last 50 in the race before being pulled out.  It’s always nice to get round but I was still happy with how I went. 

That night I had to pack my car ready to come back to the UK for the Nationals in 10 days time.  We didn’t get back from the race till late and when I got home there were some new riders coming to stay so, needless to say, it was a bit mad around the house – just what I wanted when I was already shattered and tired!  I got up early the next day to try and get well on the way before rush hour and get home (UK) early enough so I had time to relax as I had a CTT Time trial that evening.  I as all ready to leave at 7.30 when, yes, the car wouldn’t start!  It took me about half an hour to find the buried jump leads, and then they didn’t work anyhow.  So it was a call to the breakdown service! (Thanks to Ken for providing this!!)  They soon got me on my way, just 3 hours late.  So much for wanting to drive home like a ‘granny’ to save petrol!  I just got the last train available on my ticket, only to get back to the UK and sit in traffic for hours on the M25 and M1! 

As the time ticked on, my planned breaks were going out the window and my speed was getting faster and faster!  My start for the time trial was 8.20pm and with an hour to go before the start I pulled into the HQ car park, got my number and sped off home (luckily in the same village!).  I threw some stuff out of my car to get at my bikes and kit, put my bike together, got changed and then shot off to get a bit of a warm up and then to the start!  Got there 2 minutes before the off!  Nicely timed!  Needless to say, I didn’t have the best of rides!  I got round and embarrassingly (for a national champion!) finished 3rd!  All said in my defence, the riders that did beat me only did so by a few seconds and went off much earlier in the evening with much heavier traffic to blow ‘em along!  Still 3rd it was!  It was great to see some faces from the good old days of evening time trials from when I was a junior! 

It took a couple of days to fully recover from those last few days’ antics.  That weekend I had my sisters wedding and I had been asked to be usher!  Just after I said yes I thought, what the hell is that?!  Having not been to a traditional wedding for the last 10 or 12 years, I honestly didn’t really have a clue what was going on! 

Luckily for me it doesn’t involve too much work and I just got through the day without too many mishaps! I’m not sure about some of the traditions of these kind of occasions though.  One, I was told it was tradition to not do up the bottom button on your waistcoat.  I later found out that it came about years ago so that overweight people who couldn’t do the bottom button up, wouldn’t look out of place!  Well, I’ll keep my thoughts to myself on this one!! 

It was a really nice day and luckily, contrary to the forecast, it didn’t rain at all.  Unlike the next week, when we had some almost tropical rain, which as I’m sure you’re all aware led to mass floods in the UK, the National
Road Race Championships on the 1st July being cancelled as a result.  

So, I have had a bit of R&R at home and celebrated my 21st Birthday a week early!  I head back out to Belgium this week for another busy month, ending with the Tour of Vlaams Brabant 5 day stage race.  Bigger races I have this month (with a few more kermes races stuffed in!) are:

Fingers crossed and I’ll have some good news for you next time!

Well, thanks for reading!  Till next time. 

Dan

Special thanks this month to…

Ken Wingate                        Homespace Design and Construction
Mark Sheffield                     Sheffield Cycles, Burton-on-Trent
Plan-B Racing