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After Kitzbuhel

I had two days off after my win at Kitzbuhel and I needed it. I never really drink alcohol only when I’m on my break or Christmas so when I do go out especially after a race when the body is at its most fatigue it takes me at least a week to get over it. I had a great couple of days training after the race but on Friday I came down with a sore throat which for me usually means a full blown cold. I took lots of vitamin C, Zinc, and garlic and did three recovery days and with a bit of luck my cold went away. This was a first for me so I was very fortunate to have nabbed it before it nabbed me.

After a couple of days easy at my mum and dad’s house in London I came back to Loughborough to train with the Team Dillon squad. We have had a great couple of weeks training and with my win the moral has been awesome in our group. We have just been joined by Clark Ellis from New Zealand he was training at altitude recently with his national team but wanted a changed so he came to us and he’s loving it. We also had a few of Michelle’s athletes Richard Todd and Jill Parker who are racing at the world champs in Budapest join us also. it’s certainly made the sessions fun and great to train with a few more in the group.

My mate Will Clark is having a bad time at the moment he has had a very bad season and has just had a bike crash and needed 9 stitches in his arm. I really feel for him as last year I was in the same situation. I crashed mid season, got very ill and then flatted at London Hyde Park which was meant to be my big come back to ITU racing. Its a really tough time for a pro athlete when things are going bad but I found if you keep fighting things turn around.

The other day our squad were given a bit of a treat, British triathlon gave us a 50m swim lane to train in which was nice so things are starting to turn around here in Loughborough. Budapest is coming fast and things have been going well for me so fingers crossed it stays this way.

My Mum and Dad are driving out which is going to take them a week so they are getting ready now. They like to take there time and enjoy the scenery. I will keep you updated on how the race goes, thanks for reading my blog.

Stu

The Golden Gears

I’m sure my heart missed a beat in what was a nail biting finish, 3 riders had broken away from the bunch in the slight up hill to the finish. With a 150 meters to go two riders were hotly contesting the sprint when suddenly one racer stopped sprinting, sat up to take a large gasp of air before reaching back down to the drops to finish his sprint to take second place. You’d be hard pressed to accept these riders were in the 80+ age category of the world masters road race given their all out effort to win.

The week of World Masters races has a combination of UCI and non-UCI races, featuring a Hill Climb, a UCI Time Trial and 2 road races, one sanctioned by the UCI and the other an open event. Age categories start at 30+ going all the way up to 80+ with each race well represented and hotly contested by many nations, some as far away as Australia and South Africa.

This was my target race for the year, the one I’d put so many hours training into since the first week of January. From those hours on the turbo when it was snowing outside, to the hours on the turbo when it was blazing sunshine and I was indoors because I needed to do a structured session, this was where the truth would come out. Had I done enough?

The 40km race circuit ran through the valleys around St Johann in Tirol in Austria, with 3 minor climbs to speak of and a long, flat run into the finish, this was going to be more of a sprinter’s course than a climber’s course. The views were breathtaking, quaint wood chalets among the green pastures, chocolate box peaks and everywhere you looked cyclists on the latest gear, dare I risk a cliché “the hills were alive with the sound of carbon”.

Normally I’m a bundle of nerves before a race, thankfully I’d started using the Team Wiggle Tandem coach Colin Batchelor whose structured warm-up programme and visualisation sessions kept me largely calm and able to focus on the race ahead. To my left was a rider in French masters road champions kit, behind her the German and Italian champions, so really I should have been quaking in my boots.

The open race took place first and going up the initial climb the pace was incredibly fast so I dug in and stayed with the leading pack, heavily breathing ladies were being shelled out the back. It was at this point I stopped cursing Colin’s interval sessions and secretly thanked him. A break went on the second climb, I was sucking air in through my ears at this point when the wheel in front of me dropped off the pace, by the time I got around her we were cresting the climb and I was 10 metres off the lead bunch, with enough of a head wind to stop me from bridging the gap.

This left us with 5 ladies up front and 4 ladies in our group, 2 of which were not willing to share the workload. As I didn’t want to be caught be the chasing group, I kept pushing the group to work, but found only 2 of us taking up most of the effort. So when it came to the sprint I was determined not to lose to those who had done no work and when I saw that sprint line I threw the bike over the line with all my might. It was enough to get me 8th place in the open race and the biggest cup I have ever received in sports.

The main UCI race started in glorious sunshine and light wind conditions, considering the day before and after had been lashing rain and howling winds, we were very lucky. With the field doubling from Monday’s race, getting on the starting gird was key and keeping position going up the first climb was going to be tough. Having looked up last years speeds with the race averaging 37kph, I was expecting it to be fast, yet it felt quicker and as it turns out we had an average of 40kph for the race.

The pace was fast going into the first climb with a handful of riders getting away before the bunch could respond, so I positioned myself well on the second climb to instigate a second break and hoping to get a few riders to come with me, I gave it too much gas a found myself solo at the crest, I sat up and waited for 3 other riders who had escaped the main pack. Unfortunately we had the same coasting rider in our group from Monday, which left us being caught by the chasing group.

My worst nightmare was about to come true, a climber having to contest a mass sprint. The run into the finish was frantic taking in two bends with riders pushing and shoving to get into a better position, keeping a level head and the bike upright were key to not losing any ground.

The final 200 metres approached and I gave it full gas weaving around one rider who changed line to take a respectable 15th place in my first ever UCI World Masters race and another cup for the Team Wiggle Tandem cabinet.

With a bit of time on my hands post racing, I was able to take in a bit of riding around Kitzbühel. To do justice to the very lightweight Cosmic Carbones, kindly sponsored by Mavic, I took the Focus Cayo for a spin past the finish of the Hahnenkammbahn (I see how the skiers manage over 100kph down that slope) and up a few of the hills in the area. I’ve been waiting 9 months to go for an unstructured ride.

Race results: http://www.masterswm.org/en/ergebnisse-2010

FOCUS will again be at the starting line in next season’s ProTour. The German bicycle brand has recently signed a three-year contract with the Russian Team Katusha as technical sponsor for their bikes.

FOCUS Managing Director Mathias Seidler and Team Katusha President Andrei Tchmil recently met. Following several discussions and negotiations they finally found an agreement. Having taken his team to third place in the world rankings by the start of August 2010, Tchmil aims to secure them a permanent place place among the world’s best. To achieve this he is investing in the new high-end bike from the FOCUS workshops and the “Made in Germany” quality label for the three next seasons. Seidler too is investing in sporting success. For two years now, FOCUS has been an active player in the arena of the world’s most important cycle races. The partnership with the German Team Milram opened the door to the international bicycle market. Now Seidler and FOCUS are hoping to open this door a little wider.

“Our aim is a long-term partnership which will allow us to further broaden our excellent experiences in the ProTour over the last two years internationally,”

says Seidler.

Russian team – international riders

One of the topics discussed was the make-up of the team. FOCUS has agreed with the team management that the core of the team’s riders in 2011 should come from Russia. In addition to these, there are riders from very different backgrounds in what is already a very international team. For example, 2009 Italian Champion, Filippo Pozzato will continue to ride for Katusha. Spain’s Joaquin Rodriguez, the only rider able to challenge the leading pair of Contador and Schleck up in the mountains in this year’s Tour de France, will also remain with Katusha.

“We are investing quite deliberately in a strong international team,”

says FOCUS Marketing Director, Herwig Reus.

“We hope to achieve great sporting success with this team and to prove beyond doubt what our bikes are capable of. Needless to say, these expectations go hand in hand with our aim to further develop our markets abroad and increase demand for our products.”

The bike: FOCUS Izalco Team Katusha

Katusha will compete in the stage races and one-day races on the FOCUS Izalco Team Katusha starting in the next season. Based on the latest phase in the evolution of the FOCUS Izalco frame, the components used include those from partners Prologo, SRAM, Continental and FSA. The frame design is based on the team colours, red, blue and white. Red will be the dominant colour of both the jersey and the bike in future to match the FOCUS brand colours.

For time trials, the team will compete on the FOCUS Izalco Chrono, co-designed by time-trial guru Andreas Walser and also sporting the new colours.

Besides the original team bikes, FOCUS customers will also be able to buy a team replica, a FOCUS Cayo, track and cyclocross bikes in matching designs.

Continental and U23 Team choose the FOCUS Cayo

Team Katusha was founded by former cycling pro and current Team President, Andrei Tchmil, in 2008. Within an incredibly short time the team has secured a place among the best of the cycling elite. Known by its made-up name, Katusha, the team aims not only to achieve sporting success, but also to make cycling better known and more accessible in Russia. In addition to the ProTour team, the other teams from the Russian racing stable will compete in races on FOCUS bikes. Both the Continental and U23 teams will be equipped with a team version of the carbon racing bike, the FOCUS Cayo. There are plans to extend the Katusha project to MTB and cyclocross as well in future, sports in which FOCUS has been a benchmark in the industry for years.

LIGHTEN UP

As the nights draw in, bike lights become an absolutely essential piece of kit. Whether you need them for your daily commute or want something special for your next enduro, here @ Wiggle we stock a wide range of products. Lights can vary hugely in weight, burn time, light output and the modes they offer. Tiny LEDs with flashing or constant modes are great for being seen in built up areas while rechargeable systems can keep the road or off-road trails lit up for non-stop riding at night.

Bike lights are a legal requirement in most countries and with sets such as the great value Topeak Highlite Combo there’s no excuses for not being safely seen on the road.

The environmentally conscious may prefer the innovatively designed Cateye Hybrid Solar Front Light which features a unique dual battery design (solar and alkaline) that allows you to choose between power sources for maximum power and run time.

If you’re after something a little different, the Fibre Flare Ultimate Safety Single Rear Light might flick your switch: it is visible from more than 300 metres and uses super-bright fibre optic technology in a versatile, bendable tube. It can be mounted on seatposts, chainstays, bags or clothing.

The highly popular Knog Boomer Lights – front and rear – are some of the sleekest looking bike lights around. Available in six funky colours, they have an integrated lens in a flexible silicon body which can be easily wrapped around your handlebars (front) or seatpost/seatstay (rear).

As well as lights, it is also worth investing in reflective gear which can be worn when cycling, running or walking after dark. Items such as the Respro Hi Viz Hump Rucksack Cover (and its waterproof equivalent) will help ensure you are safely seen by motorists, as will the Respro Reflective Ankle Bands.

If the thought of running on a treadmill is enough to make you put your trainers into hibernation until spring, don’t let the darkness deter you. Pull on a hi-vis vest or bib such as the Ronhill Vizion Pro Bib and you’re off. There are plenty of other great value hi-vis accessories available too, such as these Ronhill Vizion Snapbands which can be worn around your wrist, arm or ankle.

Be seen, be safe and keep on training!

The Wiggle Team

TIME TO TURBO

When riding outdoors this autumn and winter is simply too cold, dark, wet or icy, don’t resign yourself to another day of no riding. Summer might seem like a distant memory but that’s no reason to let your bike fitness slip away. Turbo trainers allow you to continue clocking up the miles indoors regardless of what’s going on outside. Here at Wiggle we have a huge range of turbo trainers in stock, from entry level set-ups which are perfect for first time users through to top-end machines which monitor power, cadence, heart rate and mileage and can simulate real life riding.

Getting started
If you’re new to the world of turbo trainers, you’ve nothing to fear as they are easy to use: simply slot your rear wheel into the device and you’re off. It’s always wise to turbo in a well ventilated room, ideally with a fan next to you to keep you cool, and don’t forget to put a bottle of water or energy drink on your bike so you can rehydrate as you ride.

Turbos at Wiggle

For those just starting out, the Tacx Speedmatic offers great value and is simple to use. There are seven different resistance settings which enable users to vary the intensity of their workout. It can be easily and neatly folded away and is one of the quietest magnetic trainers on the market.

The Elite Crono Hydromag Elastogel is also worth checking out and is currently on a steal of a deal at Wiggle.

For those looking for something more, the Tacx Satori is the warm-up trainer of choice for many a pro team. Designed to withstand incredible forces, this trainer is perfect for monster sessions and has a handlebar mounted shift lever with 10 levels of resistance. It is sold with a front wheel support which also serves as a carrying brace.

In a similar price range is the Elite Crono Mag Elastogel, which is one of the smoothest turbos around, and is highly rated for being easy to transport and its minimal noise and wear. Its Breakthrough Fluid+Mag technology offers higher resistance at a set speed, especially at low speed to replicate riding climbs and in headwinds.

Accessorise your turbo

Using a turbo trainer can get sweaty so it’s worth investing in a couple of essentials such as the Tacx Sweat Cover to prevent sweat corroding your frame and the Tacx Turbo Trainer Mat to help protect your carpet/floor. A mat will also reduce vibrations and noise, which is particularly useful if you’re using a turbo on hard wooden floors or live in a flat. A top tip to remember: be wary about rolling your bike over the carpet/floor immediately after your turbo session. The tyre will still be warm and usually leaves behind a black mark which can be hard to remove. There are dedicated turbo tyres available here if you’d rather save your regular road tyres from turbo wear and tear. If you’re going to be spending a lot of time on the turbo through the autumn/winter, it is worth setting it up somewhere where you can listen to music, watch TV or put on a DVD for entertainment. Try this training DVD, shot on a Pyrenees stage of the Tour de France, if you’re looking for inspiration.

Happy turbo training!

The Wiggle Team

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Day 2 & 3 – Austria Bike Trip

It’s not going so well. We took a vote over breakfast on Sunday morning to a back drop of torrential rain as to who was keen to ride and who wanted to get a bus. The group was split 50/50 but after venturing out into the 5 degree morning the decision was made that we would all get the bus. Unfortunately it was the wrong call and almost on cue as the bikes were loaded into the trailer, the skies cleared.

We got over to Fugen, checked into the hotel and with most of the group keen to ride it was decided to head out after lunch. Our timing stinks. Just as everyone filed out of the hotel in cycling gear, the rain started again. My mind was already made up that I would be spending some quality time in the spa. Most of the guys keen to boost the vertical completed during the week soldiered on to climb Zillertaler Hoehenstrasse starting from the town of Aschau. Unfortunately they only managed to get 7km up the climb, which was an average of 12.5% including pitches of 21%, before having to turn back because the weather was so bad.

The rain hasn’t stopped since, and I don’t mean a light rain. It’s a complete washout. Being down in the valley we have watched with trepidation the snowline slowly creep towards us which doesn’t bode well for the next few days. This morning we decided not to jump the gun and hold back before making a decision on what to do but at 11 the decision was made to stay in this hotel for an additional night. The forecasts are for clear skies tomorrow and we don’t want to miss out on doing all of Zillertaler Hoehenstrasse which is known to have the most beautiful roads in Austria. There are 5 ways up the climb so we are hoping to take a different route up tomorrow and fingers crossed we will have sunny skies!

Happy training.
Cx

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Finally Some Form!

Who’d of thought at the start of the season when I got 2nd place in round 1 of the British Mountain Bike Series on a course that I’ve never until this year had a good race on, would have been my best race of the year….

For most of the season I’ve been battling through races, struggling to get just one race where I just feel healthy let alone race fit. Problems with my back, and generally not feeling 100% healthy for months on end, have made this season pretty annoying to say the least. We was recommended by a fellow racer to try tweaking the position on the bike and see if it makes a difference to my back pain. Me and my dad went over the bike and ended up dropping the seat post by 1cm and moved my seat back 2 1/2cm and found that this was a much better position, and although my back does still niggle from time to time the position change has made a huge difference to how I feel on the bike. This has allowed me to push hard in training again without experiencing swelling, and also keeping my training more consistent. The last 2 to 3 weeks I’ve slowly been improving my fitness and strength back to somewhere near where I was hoping I would have been for most of the season, and I’m now hoping for fashionably late form and a result that I’ve been chasing all season.

Last Weekend (22nd Aug) saw me racing for the first time since the disappointing National Champs 5 weeks previous, in round 5 of the Southern Series near Alton. Although I hadn’t raced for a few weeks I was confident going into the race that I was healthy and despite not being race fit I knew that I would be able to give it a good slam and enjoy the race whatever the result. The course at Alton was quite a good flowing course with a mix of fast very flinty single track, open fire roads, and wet technical rooty sections. There was a lot of anticipation on the forums for this race being a real mud bath, but the course held up well and made fun racing. I enjoy racing the Southern Series if I get chance as every round offers good prize money and always attracts a couple of fast boys to make the racing fast.

Off the start I managed to hold a decent position, going into the first single track section in second place behind Ade Lansley (pedal on bikes) with Jody Crawforth (specialized uk) right behind. I followed Ade for the first few sections of single track, but I kept catching all the tricky wet roots that I couldn’t see until I was on top of them, so soon as I got chance I passed to take the lead so I could see where I was going. Soon as I was on the front I actually felt quite smooth and tried to push the pace a little early on and see how I felt. With that Ade dropped of the pace and only Jody was still on my tail, so I kept pressing on. By the end of the first lap I was on my own and from there on I continued to open out a lead and with consistent lap times I took the win at the end of lap 5 by over 7 minutes….which was massive!

I was over the moon that I finally put in a performance that should give me a good chance of being up there for the Marathon Champs on the12th Sept and the final round of the British Mountain Bike Series on the 26th Sept where the competition will be hot! So hopefully my best race of the season wont continue to be round 1 of the British Series…. its still to come…. :)

Report, Pics + Video
http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/mtb/article/mtb20100824–Video–Southern-XC-Series-Round-5—Chawton-0

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Day 1 – Austria Bike Trip

The annual cycling trip to Europe has begun! This time there are 17 of us and and we are attacking the mountains of Austria. We flew into Zurich on Saturday morning to meet up with the group who had mostly flown in from all over the US including Texas, California, Washington State, New York as well as the regulars from The Netherlands and UK. We had a bus collecting us to drive to Bludens in Austria where we would be starting the trip the following day.

There were a few worried faces as we were driving through really heavy rain from Zurich and a lot of blackberry action trying to figure out what the weather was going to be like for the start of the ride in the morning. The rain was relentless all afternoon as the bikes were put together varying between steady and torrential. Not a good start! I have my with me which is light and handles like a dream so really keen to see how I handle some of the tricky descents.

Thankfully we awoke to some fog but mostly clear skies which prompted me to head off ahead of the group with Cathy who lives at Lake Tahoe. I really hate getting wet on the bike plus I am much slower climbing than most people in the group so needed the jump not to get left behind! Today’s stage was 112km and 2400m so it wasn’t going to easy.

The first climb of the day was taking in in the Silvretta tourist road which was awesome! So many twists and turns to get to the top of Bielerhöhe pass as well as some pretty steep stretches. Due to the rain there had been some snow on some of the peaks which made it look gorgeous. I love that someone had put a sticker on the signs warning of kangaroos in the area.

Down the other side of the pass to Ishgal where I spent a week skiing in March this year. Really cool to see it in summer with all the flowers out! After lunch we jumped on the Oscar express to head down the valley doing 60km average and hanging on for dear life! Oscar is our Dutch giant who doesn’t feel anything under 5% gradient and a massive head wind is a refreshing breeze to him.

After making our way down the valley we did a small climb and a small descent and then the steepest of steep climbs which was a 7km with an average of 12%. It had these nasty pitches and a small amount of recovery and it was a killer. Unfortunately I had to pull the pin on the climb after 1.5km after my hip flexors which I have been having issues with for 6 months started to scream. My gears are not small enough so a smaller cassette will be going on tonight! (Of course it had nothing to do with my legs or fitness!!!)

Tomorrow is another tough day with it being quite long at 136km and 2000km. We go over the Kühtai pass, then heading through Innsbruck and onto Fügen. 136km and another 2000m.

Lets hope the legs hold up!

Happy training.
Cx
More Photos

EVOC Signs World Champion

EVOC is pleased to announce the signing of current British and UCI World DH Champion and all round MTB legend Steve Peat.

The sports luggage brand has brought a fresh approach to the MTB market with their stylish and high performance products, which are made with high quality and high function right across the range. The young company has been making serious waves in the luggage and trail pack market and having the current UCI World Champion join the team is the icing on the cake for the brand. EVOC’s marketing manager Jan Sallawitz said:

“It is incredible how much attention we are getting after only being in the market for 2 years. Initially we made bags just for ourselves and now we are absolutely stoked that so many people love our stuff – including a world champion! Having the chance to work together with Steve Peat is a great step for us, not only because of his long time experience with travel luggage and backpacks that can make our products way better, but especially because of his absolute passion for mountain biking. This was one of the reasons for us founding EVOC in the first place. Welcome aboard, Peaty!”

Steve will be using the full range of EVOC luggage to transport his bike and kit to races and events, as well as the range of back packs to take his hydration system and tools out on the trail. With a full C.E rated spine protector built into the FREERIDE CC and FREERIDE TRAIL back packs they are the perfect companion to Steve when he heads out on the trail. As a rider who likes to ride at full throttle the EVOC high performance and low weight do not hinder movement whilst riding, and knowing that your back is protected is a top priority for anyone, let alone a World Champion.

After years of travelling the globe racing his bike Steve is also very happy to be ditching the old cardboard bike boxes in favour of the EVOC Bike Travel Bag. The bike travel bag has become ‘the’ way of transporting your bike and is the number one choice for riders, racers and magazine editors alike. Between them they have given the bag 10/10 scores in tests and now with Peaty on board it is the choice of champions.

“I am very happy to be joining the EVOC team and to be using their quality products both on the bike and when travelling the world. The trail packs offer such high performance and knowing I have a full back protector built-in gives me the peace of mind to go faster out on the trail. The bike travel bag is so easy to use I know I can put my new carbon V10 straight in, zip it up and head off to the race track without the need to keep taping a box up, brilliant.”

Peaty commented.

EVOC would like to take this opportunity to welcome Steve Peat to the EVOC family. Having a World Champion on the team further proves the performance of the EVOC range and is testament to the performance of the product.

EVOC protect the things you love!

View all Evoc kit via our Evoc Page