2016 well albeit 3 months in, excuse my late reporting !! with another season and a smoking fresh new team.
This year I'll be flying the colors for a Dutch-based team Restore Cycling another top competition team. So I will be privileged to try rub elbows with some of the pros for another season, hoping to make more of an impact.
So after the highs and lows of 2015. I spent a peaceful 6 weeks off the bike, extended a bit due to my crash out of last season. It was great downtime to get in touch with my social life and just kick back and think of something other than cycling. Amongst some weeks touring around Europe, I made a quick impulse decision to come back to my homeland Australia to spend my Winter training.
It was quality time spent with family & friends whilst also being able to get a good solid training base in with no distractions of snow, rain and the whatever else the European winter throws at you. Back down under I was usually found on the local group rides, down at the track, In the gym or just kicking it with friends. Off the grind was usually spent working back at Active Health clubs, for a little pocket change for the coming season.
Upon arriving back in Europe it was and still is a headspin, barely gathering the time to take a breath.
here's an example of what my schedule has been over the past weeks:
Arrived: Munich, Germany 3days
- Ludwigsburg, Stuttgart 4 days
- Holland 1 night, medical for cycling license
- Stuttgart 2 days
- Mallorca, Spain Team training camp. 7 days
- Stuttgart 4 days
- Belgium: Vollezele race. 2 days
- Holland - 3 week
- Germany - 1 week
So life on and off the bike has been, let us call it "turbulent".
Let's review:
Australia = 🚴🌞 🌴
Next stop Mallorca, Spain. Cyclist Heaven. 7 days spent with the team exploring the vast island from its rocky climbs to its coastal flats. It was a great block of training to feel out the legs and the new team. Although I was carrying a sickness over that period there was definitely some quality rides put in.
Spain: 🌄 ☕
LET IT ROLL>
12/03/16: Ronde van Zuid Holland 170k classic.74th/180 riders. The weather was bliss although a bit nippy, the sun made up for it. This would be my first introduction into Dutch racing best known for its winds, I was quite luckily though that it wasn't in full force. Besides a few rookie positioning errors and dodging crashes and road furniture, it was basically smooth sailing, coming down to a Bunch sprint which unfortunately the legs couldn't turn on the afterburners for. This was where the small positioning errors turn big and came to bite me in the ass. This happens when you have used all those little efforts making better positions or holding on in the echelons when you could be sheltered in the pack. Though all in all not a bad first Dutch race ;)
19/03/16 Rotterdam Championships Criterium. It was a frustrating 2nd. The legs were in fine form but once again the head was in the clouds. I missed the early break, then set sail trying to bridge solo, Realising too much energy was being spent I opted to go back to the peloton in which seemed to be working well.This was till I was caught and then, basically no one or less than I could count on one hand, were willing to do anything. With the break almost a half lap ahead, this was STUPID... It was just time to put the hammer down and drive the front not really the best way to save energy but there's no need to save energy if your not going for the podium. Eventually, as the gap shrunk the pack came to their senses and worked together to catch all but one of the breakaway members within 2 laps to go. The lone survivor managed to hold for the win, I came in 2nd with my team mate trailing behind for 3rd.
short/tight/aggressive crit racing Dutch style. With a bustling field of 120 fighting for position on the small cobbled town streets of Bruinisse, it was Hell stupid of me arriving at the start line late and starting dead at the back. On a 1500m short course, there wasn't much room for overtaking so I basically used over half the race getting anywhere near the front again. Coming into 5 laps to go I had finally gotten back near the front but the candles were already burnt. The final gallop to the line saw me falling short in the middle of the peloton. So some good feelings in the legs but a lot of tactical work to be done.
This year I'll be flying the colors for a Dutch-based team Restore Cycling another top competition team. So I will be privileged to try rub elbows with some of the pros for another season, hoping to make more of an impact.
So after the highs and lows of 2015. I spent a peaceful 6 weeks off the bike, extended a bit due to my crash out of last season. It was great downtime to get in touch with my social life and just kick back and think of something other than cycling. Amongst some weeks touring around Europe, I made a quick impulse decision to come back to my homeland Australia to spend my Winter training.
It was quality time spent with family & friends whilst also being able to get a good solid training base in with no distractions of snow, rain and the whatever else the European winter throws at you. Back down under I was usually found on the local group rides, down at the track, In the gym or just kicking it with friends. Off the grind was usually spent working back at Active Health clubs, for a little pocket change for the coming season.
Upon arriving back in Europe it was and still is a headspin, barely gathering the time to take a breath.
here's an example of what my schedule has been over the past weeks:
Arrived: Munich, Germany 3days
- Ludwigsburg, Stuttgart 4 days
- Holland 1 night, medical for cycling license
- Stuttgart 2 days
- Mallorca, Spain Team training camp. 7 days
- Stuttgart 4 days
- Belgium: Vollezele race. 2 days
- Holland - 3 week
- Germany - 1 week
So life on and off the bike has been, let us call it "turbulent".
Let's review:
Australia = 🚴🌞 🌴
Spain: 🌄 ☕
LET IT ROLL>
12/03/16: Ronde van Zuid Holland 170k classic.74th/180 riders. The weather was bliss although a bit nippy, the sun made up for it. This would be my first introduction into Dutch racing best known for its winds, I was quite luckily though that it wasn't in full force. Besides a few rookie positioning errors and dodging crashes and road furniture, it was basically smooth sailing, coming down to a Bunch sprint which unfortunately the legs couldn't turn on the afterburners for. This was where the small positioning errors turn big and came to bite me in the ass. This happens when you have used all those little efforts making better positions or holding on in the echelons when you could be sheltered in the pack. Though all in all not a bad first Dutch race ;)
19/03/16 Rotterdam Championships Criterium. It was a frustrating 2nd. The legs were in fine form but once again the head was in the clouds. I missed the early break, then set sail trying to bridge solo, Realising too much energy was being spent I opted to go back to the peloton in which seemed to be working well.This was till I was caught and then, basically no one or less than I could count on one hand, were willing to do anything. With the break almost a half lap ahead, this was STUPID... It was just time to put the hammer down and drive the front not really the best way to save energy but there's no need to save energy if your not going for the podium. Eventually, as the gap shrunk the pack came to their senses and worked together to catch all but one of the breakaway members within 2 laps to go. The lone survivor managed to hold for the win, I came in 2nd with my team mate trailing behind for 3rd.
26/03/16: Ronde van Bruinisse. 33rd/120 riders.
short/tight/aggressive crit racing Dutch style. With a bustling field of 120 fighting for position on the small cobbled town streets of Bruinisse, it was Hell stupid of me arriving at the start line late and starting dead at the back. On a 1500m short course, there wasn't much room for overtaking so I basically used over half the race getting anywhere near the front again. Coming into 5 laps to go I had finally gotten back near the front but the candles were already burnt. The final gallop to the line saw me falling short in the middle of the peloton. So some good feelings in the legs but a lot of tactical work to be done.
Next race on the cards will see me racing back in Germany at schwarzbräupreis zusmarshausen. This was a race I competed in last year but was of no success, so ill be hoping to get some revenge. So till next time thanks for reading, hope everyone is enjoying the new year and are out on there bikes :).
