Well once again, things didn’t go too well after the last news!  (Anyone spotted the trend here?)  The form was low for some reason but being late in the year and without a real result I decided to gamble on this occasion and just batter through!  I had a couple of days training and then two kermes races.  I felt a bit ‘average’ in them but got round with no real difficulties.  I then had a recovery day and still feeling a bit jaded had another before training the following day.  Out training it felt having the extra easy day paid off and I was battering round!!  However the next day I woke with a really stuffed nose, which as they day went on got worse to a full on cold.  I think the 4th time being ill this season!

Whilst having a cold I decided to spend a bit of time chasing up some team managers for next season.  Anything was a bit of a long shot, bearing in mind I’ve had a bad year, but it was worth a go.  After many knock backs I had an offer from a team I didn’t even ask!  Although I wasn’t particularly keen on this team I met the manager for a chat, after all I had the time and had nothing to loose.  It turned out to be quite a good team so they saw me at a few races and then took some physiological tests.  The first thing he said was “ahh, you have a heart and lungs of a cow”!  My first thought to this was, oh sh*t, that’s why I’ve had a bad year, followed by well, it could be worse, he could have said a chicken!  He then explained this was good (I think he would have been better saying horse but he is Belgian after all!!)

A week later, when better but having not trained hard, my season was all but over! I spoke to my manager and I got the OK to go home after the weekend.  That weekend I had 2 kermess, I got round again but didn’t have the form to do anything and after the second went out for a meal with some of the team and yes drunk too much, feeling worse for wear for the drive home the next day! 

I really wasn’t looking forward to the drive home, as the last few trips I've done, I’ve caught massive traffic jams somewhere along the way, and with a head ache I was expecting a rough time!  It actually turned out ok traffic wise, only delayed a bit by a girl in a bad mood at customs who was asking me hundreds of questions.  It didn’t help that she didn’t have a clue what bike racing was – typical! 

Well that’s it for this season!  It’s been a bad one on the whole for me but I’ve got through it and not packed it in so that says a lot I think.  All being well ill be back next year, for my last season as an U23. 

Thanks to you all for reading.  I hope to catch up with most of you over the winter. 

Till next time.  I’m off to the pub now!       

Dan

Special thanks this year to…

Ken Wingate                        Homespace Design and Construction
Steve Locke                        M.W. Cripwell Electrical Contractors   
Alistair Staley                     Plan B Racing / Big Ring Cycles
Russell Carter                     for the website!
The Dave Rayner Fund
KW Heist Zuiderkempen

Email:  dan.davies@talk21.com