Malaysian Olympic Cyclists in Europe
Long flight, but finally in Europe for the last leg of training before London 2012.
Josiah.
How do you celebrate Le Tour?
While the wind and rain are lashing the UK we are preparing to switch our collective attention away from our sinking Noah’s Ark to mainland Europe for the greatest cycling race in the world…. with the pavé of the Champs Elyse looming in the distance. Some riders will just hope to make it round the last few bone shaking kilometres in one piece while a hardy few who suffered at the back through the mountains will be licking their lips with relish at attempting to take the glorious final stage at an astonishing pace (one particular Manxman springs to mind).
…But lets not get ahead of ourselves, before the cobbles comes an array of stages from the pan flat to the ridiculously steep and impossible mountains that us mere mortals get breathless just gawping at before we attempt to slowly plod up. Most wouldn’t even consider clipping their feet to a bike frame for a pain filled single effort to the cloud covered peaks.
I’m getting prepared to immerse myself in the epic vistas that will appear before my eyes. I’ve treated myself to the new limited edition howies KOM T-Shirt and placed an order for the rest of the set so I can celebrate each stage profile in style. I’m resigned to the fact that I’m never going to win my own yellow, spotty or green jersey… it’s ok really, I’m over it. ;D
So I feel it would be wrong to buy a replica jersey to wear, I’m not keen on being one of those people that buys their favourite teams statically charged ill fitting replica shirt, at least my T-shirt won’t look odd when I’m out and about, it can be worn any time of the year… And as you may have noticed the shopaholic in me is justifying the purchase, my partner would normally respond to such a justification… “I’m sure it was a bargain too!”. I’m comfortable just celebrating the greatness of the tour with my new t-shirt (which was a bargain!), turbo trainer and friends. I like to get some miles in while I’m glued to the action (when time allows), I don’t like the idea of just slobbing while watching TV, I never have, it seems so wrong particularly during a bike race. I get restless legs. I have to ride, and since I’m still not sure if I’ll make it over for some of this years stages I thought I’d get organised, fingers crossed I will be there, I have my bag ready! For some of the weekend stages we’ll gather the gang together for a Tour celebration of food and festivities.
Us Brits are feeling nervously excited as this year could be Wiggo’s, there are so many variables in the Tour de France and I wouldn’t want to jinx it for him but we are quietly confident that he can step on to the podium and hopefully take the top step. We have great pride in Cav’s Rainbow Jersey too which he’ll be sporting in this years Tour, it’s been 46 years since a British rider has done this so it’s turning out to be a fabulous few years for GB riders. It’s been a long time in the making though with a huge amount of blood sweat and tears from the guys. They seem to have adapted well from the huge success of their track days and some of that training and discipline seems to have been brought into their road training.
Obviously we all have our favourite riders and teams from around the world but in the true cycling spirit I get behind all the riders. Friends of mine who don’t watch or take part in cycling really don’t understand this but it’s the way the cycling community is. So good luck all!
Back to my tour preparations… what are your plans this tour?
Keep an eye out on iTunes for the ITV4 Tour de France Podcast presented by Matt Rendell, Ned Boulting & Chris Boardman and guests.
For more information on Le Tour visit the official website: www.letour.com/
BBC Radio 5Live for audio coverage: www.bbc.co.uk/5live
I will add more online viewing options and other TV stations from around the world when I stumble across them.
The AN Post Rás
The AN Post Rás. It was probably the highlight of my 2011 season, so I had high expectations coming into the 2012 edition of the race. Last year I rode for the Irish national team but this year I was taking to the start line in the often-described-as ‘feckin brilliant’ black and white jersey of Rapha Condor Sharp.
I flew over to Dublin by myself to meet the rest of the team who were driving from Manchester. As soon as I arrived one of the lads noticed how much I was smiling. It isn’t just the tough unpredictable racing that makes the Ras such an enjoyable week, the atmosphere amongst all the teams and staff is something I’ve only experienced at this race. The Irish always know how to have a good time and it’s definitely the attitude of people that plays a large part in a good atmosphere that always keeps teams eager to return.
Looking back at the past winners of the race, it’s not a surprise that the team are well known in this part of the world. However, this year Rapha Condor Sharp has taken a completely different approach – focusing on the development of younger riders. The Ras squad was no exception with our eldest rider being 23, which I’m sure would give us the youngest average age of any team competing. The lineup consisted of; Rich Lang our Aussie climber/sprinter/everything’er, Chris Jennings our South African climbing specialist, big Ben Grenda our strong man from Tasmania, Rich Handley the British rider who can also do much pretty anything and finally me, Felix ‘the local’ from Ireland (and Brighton).
The first few days of the race consisted of 140km+ stages with tough rolling roads. We all rode aggressively trying to get at least one black jersey in every break. However, it quickly became apparent that the Ras was going to live up to its potential of being unlike any other race in the calendar. Break after break would try to escape but each attempt was swallowed up. The roads in Ireland are always rolling and usually have a rough broken surface, which made the averaged speeds of over 48km/h every day in the first hour pretty unbelievable.
Every stage of the Ras from beginning to end is like the first 10km of every other normal race – relentless attacks with everyone wanting to get in on the action. Straight away it was apparent that this year’s race was to be tougher than the 2011 edition. There was a lot more strength in the international teams, which meant you had a lot more riders strong enough to attack and consequently a lot more riders strong enough to close the gaps.
Rich Handley fought his way into the successful breakaway of stage two and finished with a 28 second advantage over the rest of the U23 peloton. It doesn’t seem like much, especially at such an early stage of the race, but this smart move from Rich proved to be decisive. With no time bonuses available, the only way for the race favourites to take time out of Rich was to either get away in a break (difficult now with teams wanting to desperately defend their slender advantage) or they’d have to ride away from him on the tougher climbs. Luckily for us, no one in the race was capable of doing that.
As the week progressed we became more and more organised. John kept us on our toes with tactical advice each night and our jobs were simple. Myself and Grenda were to follow all the early moves, disrupt the breakaways and, if needs be, close gaps to any splits or breaks that contained dangerous riders. Langy and Chris had to keep Rich up at the front of the race and then take over the job from myself and Ben in the last few km’s. Rich’s job of having to always be at the front was probably the most stressful – having your team mates work solely for you adds a lot of extra pressure but it was clear that was our best chance of securing the white jersey, so it we were all fully committed to him.
This organisation made things easier for us mentally as well. It’s a great feeling when you know you can ride at 100% to close a gap for your team leader, safe in the knowledge that one of your teammates will be there to immediately back you up and cover the next attack. Morale within the team was high all week, which definitely makes a big impact on the way you race together. Being able to have a laugh in the evenings and forget about the race for a few hours has a very positive effect.
Rich rode well over the very steep climbs of stages five and six and held onto the U23white jersey. One climb in particular was like nothing I’ve ever seen before – Mamore Gap on stage five. It was towards the end of a 160km day, and it must be over 30% in places. A few of us took the decision to ride 28t cassettes but I still struggled to make it over the top. It was 2-3km long and easily the hardest climb I’ve ridden. I had to ride hard in the first 2-3 hours of the stage to contain breakaways and generally try and make Rich’s life as easy as possible. Finishing the job riding over the line in Skerries was one of the best feelings I’ve had on a bike. Thanks to all my team mates, Rich, Ben, Langy and Chris for a great week. Also thanks to John, Ian, Rob and Iona for keeping us in line and for keeping it fun.
Cheers
Felix!
Malaysian Olympic Cyclists in Training
Final month of training before the big event.
Josiah.
Book Review: Stephen Roche “Born to Ride”
Have you ever dreamt about sitting down with a relaxing glass of wine and spending an evening just chatting cycling with a former World Champion? What if you could spend time with a Triple Crown winner? Well, that’s how reading the new book by Stephen Roche ‘Born to Ride’ felt to me. It gave me the distinct impression that I was having an intimate conversation with one of the all-time greats in the world of cycling.
The stories and the thoughts behind the action in the book are fascinating. Stephen’s personal views of the nature and culture of cycling in the 1980s–the teams, the Directors Sportif, the teammates and the rivals are the needed details. They fill in gaps in the urban legends and the well-documented stories that have become the lore of cycling. To be allowed into the depths of that world, just a bit, is a compelling read and well worth the price of admission.
Setting the stage with the details and drama of the World Championships of 1987, Stephen Roche narrates the tale of that fateful day, bone-numbingly wet, riding the circuit course at Villach, Austria. “During these early laps I am just staying in the wheels, sheltering from the wind behind other riders, freewheeling almost. That’s obviously an exaggeration, but that’s how easy I want it to feel, so that I can save everything I can for the end.” The winning strategy, the gear choices, the details of the day are the simple things, like putting on three rain jackets layered upon each other, that make for a build up that seems so very personal and intriguing. It also makes a fascinating read for fans of cycling and of sports psychology.
Mixed in with the racing are touching details of Stephen’s early days trying to gather up money to make the trip over to race in France as an amateur, as well as, engaging stories of the many people who helped make it possible. Stephen openly lets us in to his personal life in a genuine and straight forward manner. It is this glimpse into the triumphs and failures of the man that make you feel closer, that make you want to read more. It also makes you realize that a Triple Crown in cycling doesn’t insulate you from being human, from being a parent, or the devastation of having a child who develops leukemia and needs a bone marrow transplant. Within these pages are the joys of winning and the sorrows of life.
One of the most intriguing takes I have from the book ‘Born to Ride’ is the strong undercurrent of confidence that comes through when Stephen Roche talks about being on the bike. He didn’t just think he could win, he knew the race was his to win, and he belonged on the top step of the podium. Interestingly, he is quite honest about the price he paid for it, within his own team and with others, cyclists and fans, who thought his tactics were not “pure” team spirit.
For me, these insights into the mindset of a champion come through between lines, chocked full of the images of iconic cyclists who are brought to life through Stephen’s reminiscences. The legends of cycling from Miguel Indurain, Laurent Fignon, Roberto Visentini, Sean Kelly to Robert Millar play prominently throughout Stephen’s career. The book runs the gamut from glimpses of the boy, who collected clippings of Sean Kelly and was told at school he “wasn’t likely to get anywhere”, to the triumphant 1987 World Champion and winner of the Giro d’Italia and the Tour de France.
Like most conversations, which zig and zag and take you to unexpected, but not unwelcome places, Stephen also addresses the climate of doping in cycling that existed at the time, his opinions of the present-day UCI and its concerns about “cheating” and improving the image of the sport, and his role in each. It left me ever more hopeful for the future of cycling, that there is still a sense of direction for the sport which comes from people like Stephen Roche who have been there and lived it.
As I came to the end, finally putting the book down, there was a sense of joy and a sense of loss. The interlude with the past, like a fine wine or a lovely evening, was over all too soon, but I was left with a profound sense of place and a newfound appreciation for the real challenges and sacrifices it takes to be a cyclist. Overall, ‘Born to Ride’ is an absorbing and interesting new book, Stephen Roche’s first full autobiography, and I highly recommend spending a few enjoyable evenings savoring the conversation.
Title: Born To Ride
Author: Stephen Roche
Published by Yellow Jersey Press, The Random House Group
Available from 7th June 2012 in Hardback & eBook
Price: £12.99
123 Days and Counting!
UCI Para-Cycling Track World Championships Los Angeles, USA – ©Copyright Christina Kelkel
With only 123 days to go until the London 2012 Paralympic Games, I decided to start writing a blog to keep you all in the loop of how things are going and I hope you will all enjoy reading my monthly updates.
2012 has already been quite a year for me having made my international track debut at the Track World Championships in Los Angeles in February. Looking back at it, I have to say it was a very tough and emotional time for me, with my dad falling seriously ill before I went out to LA, and then unfortunately passing away the day before I raced in the final of the 3km Pursuit. I was very close to my dad and I know he wanted me to go to LA and bring back “that Gold” for him, as he knew just how much hard work I had put in over the last 18 months and just how much I wanted to become “World Champion”.
Going into LA, I had two main goals that my coach and I had set out for us to achieve: to win both the Kilo and 3km pursuit. I knew a few weeks before we flew to LA that I was in good shape for the 3km pursuit but really didn’t know if my mind was going to perform as well as my body, with my family issues getting progressively worse every week!
However, my performance in the pursuit went accordingly to plan and I know my coach was very happy with how I coped and performed on the day of the Pursuit. I was expecting to go quickly in Qualifications but never expected to catch and pass Michael Teuber (GER), the world record holder as quickly as I did. I guess this was an unexpected experience for me, which I felt I dealt with very calmly and professionally with, and kept pushing hard to gain a quick time to qualify for the final.
After qualifying, I did actually have a few small issues while trying to get to the 3km Pursuit final, such as another nation protesting against my disability, which I felt might happen due to my very fast improvement over the winter. But once my classification was confirmed as a C1 rider by the UCI, I was able to go into the final with my head held high and focused 100% on my job at hand – becoming a “World Champion”. And in the final, I did just that catching and passing Juan Jose Mendez Fernandez (ESP) after just 6 laps out of 12 to claim my first World Championship Gold medal and rainbow jersey!
UCI Para-Cycling Track World Championships Los Angeles, USA – ©Copyright Christina Kelkel
The second task was to win the Kilo, but unfortunately I missed out on the sprint discipline by just 0.278 seconds. And whilst I was disappointed not to win Gold, considering that my training programme going into LA was mainly pursuit based, I was happy with a 4 second personal best time and coming away with a Gold and Silver medal from my first Track World Championships!
My dream of becoming a “World Champion” in Para-Cycling started 2 years ago, when I first started to cycle again after my near fatal paragliding accident. Having raced in Triathlon for a few years albeit as a hobby, I knew just how fit and fast I could become on the bike, it was just a matter of time and lots of hard work. So to now be able to say that I have achieved one of my goals makes me very proud of how far I have come – in such a short space of time.
UCI Para-Cycling Track World Championships Los Angeles, USA – ©Copyright Christine Kelkel
The experience of racing for GB in a Track World Championships was like nothing else I have ever experienced in cycling. The adrenaline buzz that you get when that gun goes on the start line and then it’s just you, the track and the clock to decide who takes the win!
Moving forward into London, I know that if I want to achieve all my goals then I have to mix-up my training almost like a decathlete. I have to increase my sprint workload to help me with the Kilo race, plus, continue to become faster and stronger at the Pursuit, as this will help me with my 
speed for the Road Time Trial race. I enjoy the challenge of the different disciplines and having gained experience of two major world competitions, I now know how my body copes with racing “back to back” on the track and the road. This means I can adapt my training to cope with the demands of performing in a short space of time to win those Gold medals. Being a Podium Funded athlete since winning Gold in LA, I now get the chance to access the best sporting facilities there are for my Para- Cycling career, which will be absolutely essential moving forward and certainly for the preparations for the 2012 London Paralympics.
Currently I am in an endurance phase of my training block, to where by I train heavily every week on the road and also spend time in the gym doing strength work. My training is going very well after a mixture of road and time trial sessions in Mallorca last month, so I am really excited to see exactly how far I have come in one year since I joined the GB Para-Cycling Team in June 2011, when I start back on the track next month. Training in a warm weather climate for me is essential for my preparations and health. As a spinal injured athlete, I can’t naturally regulate my body temperature, which means that my body and muscles almost shut down in the cold weather. This has been a major factor in my training plan with my coach, and we plan to utilise the warm weather camps in Spain and Italy for our preparations for London.
Before London though, I will be riding in both Para-Cycling World Cup races in Italy in May and then Spain in June. I then move back onto the track and time trial phase full time, for my run up to the 2012 London Games in August/September.
Beside training, I will be promoting and talking at various private functions about Pedal Power in Cardiff, a charity which helps to encourage people of all ages onto the bike and for which I am an official Patron. Cycling is not only a healthy way to exercise but also a way of helping to build people’s confidence and social skills at the same time.
I am also planning to do more motivational talks and appearances to pass on my experiences and hopefully inspire people to greater and better things. I regularly visit various organisations and businesses to give motivational talks, but I also visit schools to help the children see what can be achieved in life even after having a life changing experience. I felt that after my accident 3 years ago I could maybe influence other people in my spare time to overcome adversity in a similar way that I did, plus, maybe even help others to find a passion in life, so they would not give up when times get hard.
So I hope that all the people who read this blog will be able to see what is achievable when you put your mind and body into something 100%. I was told a long time ago, that if you want your life to change, then you have to change! So don’t sit back and let the world pass you by, as “Winners never quit and quitters never win”!
Thank you for reading my blog and watch this space for the next one!
Mark
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