Hi Ladies and Lads, the week just gone has been quite a good one for me, as now I have finally taken delivery of my Aprire Celeste frameset, which is currently getting built up at the local bike shop, Macarini's and just a solid week of hard training with nothing really going wrong. Here in Brittany, we have been blessed with some warmer temperatures too making the whole experience and series of sensations this week much more pleasant, on a side note, my tanlines have come on leaps and bounds drawing many an envious and admiring glance.
I had the one race this week on the Sunday, Le Ronde de Poerhut, a 1/2/3 race covering 134km. The race was rapid from the off as the weather was good and very little wind. There was lots of activity at the front of the bunch with lots of breaks constantly going and coming back with nothing properly sticking until a break went with about 8km before the finishing circuits, 9 laps of 7.5km on a tough, draggy route. I was nearly in this break and could go with the first time, however when they stuck their heads down and went for it a second time I just didn't have the legs. That's the difference compared to most British races, as in the latter you only need to launch the once, you don't necessarily always have to go again on top off the initial attack.
Once on to the finishing circuits the peloton stayed pretty much together until about 2 and half laps in when all hell broke loose and lots of little groups were breaking away, re-forming, all very liquid. I ended up in a group with George where we sat in thinking we were going to sprint for about 20th place at best, at worst 30th. The rest of our group also seemed to think this too and so the sprint was quite keenly contested. unfortunately the sprint was at the top of a hill, albeit not a serious one and I made the cardinal sin of launching my sprint too early, with about 200/250m to go. I was winning the sprint and then cramp hit my thighs with 100m to go and so I had to try and sprint sitting down. At this point a couple of riders come flying past, including one who was trying to do his best Theo Bos impression, George. He won the sprint, I think, but sadly for us it was not for 20th or 30th, but 40th and so that's where he came and I finished in 44th. Sam Allen and Doug Dewey had great races finishing 10th and 3rd respectively.
My Pinarello held up well during the race and hopefully I can continue with another good block of training and being able to race without any issues, this will definitely help with the new bike and then when I finally get the bearings for the Reynolds front wheel, then I should be really flying.
In other related news this week I haven't had the opportunity to conduct as many discussion with Marie as I would like, but French is gradually becoming easier and I can get my point across, though ruefully, in quite a barbaric manner, not only with my heavy English accent, but using the infinitive form of words and roughly describing the actions of an object, for example, that I am attempting to describe. Hopefully my advances in French won't be disrupted by me beginning a new book after finally getting over Captain Scott's fateful journal, this book is called The Balkans 1804-1999 by Misha Glenny. I initially began to read this about two years ago, however it had to be put on the back-burner due to my degree and the necessary reading for it getting in the way. From what I remember it was great read, however I did only read 120 pages out of the nearly 700 so I can not really judge yet.
I hope everyone is well and their racing is going great too, congratulations to Graham Howell on his first win of the year also.
Another great week of professional road racing this week, it's just a shame that we didn't get to see the anticipated showdown between Nibali and Wiggins, but it only makes me pine for the Giro to start as soon as possible especially with Hesjedal return to form as demonstrated by Martin's win at La Doyenne yesterday.
Check out Graham Howell's and Verity Ockenden's blog, they've written some great, interesting pieces that are nowhere as disjointed as this blog entry.
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