40

Custom Fitting Lake Shoes.

Location: My House

Custom Fitting Lake CX401 Shoes

With Team Wiggle being lucky enough to be supported by Lake Shoes I managed to get hold of a pair of custom fit Lake CX401 road shoes. I have been using the Lake CX330C road shoe for the last two season and have got on with them really well but there is nothing quite like having the shoe fitted to your feet rather than making your feet fit the shoe. Although the CX330C fit really well they don’t compare to the fitted CX401.

Martin form Moore Large kindly agreed to come to my house and fit the CX401 shoes for me…what a service. Martin showed up at my house with an oven and we were soon set up in my shed ready to start the process. Whilst the oven was warming I set up my bike on the turbo trainer so that the shoe could be fitted to my foot in the correct position I would be cycling in. One shoe at a time was then placed into the oven for a few minutes until the carbon sole/heel cup was moldable, then the shoe was place on my foot and loosely tightened. As the shoe is cooling Martin is molding the carbon around my heel and foot whilst I’m sat on the turbo trainer. Then the shoe is tightened some more and this process is repeated until the shoe cools right down.

Then once that process is complete it is time to have a pedal and see how the shoe feels and the minor adjustments are made like lacing the boa lace through the shoe. Once I was happy with the fit the next shoe was fitted in the same way…simple as that! After a few rides with the new shoes they felt noticeably stiffer and more responsive but this does reduce the comfort slightly. I would prefer the shoes to be stiff as I want to perform better in races so want all my power going through the pedal and this shoe does this perfectly!

I would like to say a big thanks to Wiggle and Martin from Moore Large for supplying and fitting the shoes, it was a great experience and I now have a perfect fitting pair of shoes. I would recommend to any one who is looking to gain an advantage in their racing to get a custom fitted pair of shoes especially by some one as experienced as Martin (who fit’s shoes for people like Tour De France Sprinter Tyler Farrar).

Ben

39

Ras De Cymru

Location: South East Wales

30th June – 4th July 2010

This is a race that I have previously won (2007) and when Wiggle got a team together I couldn’t wait to get racing. 6 Stages in 5 days and with the stages being held over some of the biggest hill South Wales has to offer it was going to be a tough race. The team consisted of myself, Richard Pearman, Peter Kitching and my main domestique Jon Cannings.

Stage 1 – Prologue

Well I was looking forward to the prologue until a last minutes course change spoiled my chances of getting off to a good start. Instead of a rolling course finishing up a hill it was now a sort of flat straight course. After having a good warm up on the rollers it still didn’t prepare me more the painful experience of the prologue. I finished in a disappointing 37th place some 49 seconds off the leader.

Stage 2 – Hilly Road Stage

Having raced on this circuit earlier in the year I knew that the main climb which we had to ride over 6 time was going to be wearing on all the riders. The second time up it though I managed to win the King of the mountain prime and continued to ride at the haed of the race marking any potential break aways so I could get away and gain some time on general classification. In the end though the racing was so fast that it was hard to get away that was until two riders managed to break clear and maintain a 1 min adavantge. The last lap saw this reduce rapidly and heading in to the last 2km I attacked thinking it was 1 km to go and soon realised this when I approached the 1km to go sign and looking back saw a charging peleton. I sat up and finished in mid bunch avoiding a dangerous crash where 5 riders had to go to hospital.

Stage 3 – Team Time Trial

The team time trial was next on the agenda and was described as a rolling course but it was far from that. We started off on an uphill drag and by the time we got to the top Rich and Pete were loosing contact so Jon and myself eased up because we need 3 riders to finish as the clock stops on the third man. We started rolling through well together on the slight down hill but as we approached the half way point we lost Rich and decided to carry on leaving myself, Jon and Pete to get to the finish. When we got to the half way point we turned into a strong wind and the road was grippy which made it extremely hard going and when we got to the return climb Pete began to suffer so me and Jon set the pace to keep us all together. We finished with a downhill sprint but only managed to finish one from last team. This pushed me way down on General Classification.

Stage 4 – Hilly Road Race

This stage followed the team time trial and was one of the most feared stages by the riders but I knew I could get up the leg destroying climb OK. So the first time up it I pushed hard and the bunch split, there where now 13 riders off the front. I sat on the back missing my turns as I was so far down on GC that I didn’t want to help these riders gain even more time just to jump me at the end. So once the gap was over 3 minutes I went through to do some turns but they were pushing harder than I wanted to especially when we had such a substantial gap. I moved to the back and bided my time so I could try and win the stage and salvage something of the race. In the last kilometre 3 riders were hovering in front of the rest of the break, the finish was approaching and I attacked jumping past the 3 riders in front but could see a rider sat on my wheel. I kicked all the way to the line but I got rolled at the last few meters to finish second. The others weren’t happy with my race tactics but it is a bike race and I was doing what I had to do to win the race. We had over a 5 minute advantage over the bunch by the time they crossed the line.

Stage 5 – Rolling Road Race

Having gained back some time in the pervious stage I was hoping to gain some more time in this stage. I knew the course well and new it was tough for the first part and then easier the latter part. The bunch stayed together at a high pace but a few rider managed to clip off the front and stay away until the finish although none of the riders were a real threat to GC. I stayed at the fron and pulled the bunch along because I dint want them to get too much time and then attacked up the final climb to finish in a small split at the front of the bunch. It was a warm day and a lot of riders suffered which included team mates Jon and Rich.

Stage 6 – Rolling with a Sting at the end

The final stage and I was in 8th place on GC and I was confident in my climbing abilities that I could gain some for place on the 4 mile finishing climb where I previously won the race in 2007. The race was fast from the off and with the intermittent rain made racing all that much harder. There was an early break and they were holding the bunch off just about but we were closing in on them in the final kilometres. I punctured on one of the final descents which was super fast and really rough so was trying not to destroy my very expensive lightweight wheel!!! Jon Cannings stopped to help me get back on so a delayed wheel change I started to chase with Jon and a Local rider John Fitzpatrick who also saw I was in trouble. Eventually the car caught me back up and shortly I managed to get back to the bunch and ride through straight to the front just in time for the climb. This was the final chance to gain some time and with the break now caught the natural selection was being made as the bunch whittled down to about 8 riders including myself. I didn’t feel as strong as I thought I would so sat in whilst the pace was high and as the climb opened up the wind was strong and the rain was sideways! The final kilometre there was an attack which I responded to and left us with 5 riders to fight to the finish, the last drag was a slow sprint and I managed to clinch 4th place.

Overall I finished 7th on GC at 2.48 off the leader, I was quite pleased with my performance and it was a shame we lost some time in the team time trail. I really enjoyed the event and racing and relaxing with my Wiggle team mates was great fun and I’m defiantly looking forward to future events like this!

Well done Team Wiggle and thanks for all your help and support in one of the toughest 5 day stage races in the UK.

Ben

38

Aberystwyth Seafront Criteriums.

Location: Aberystwyth

19th June 2010

The Aberystwyth Seafront Criterium is a new addition to the 2010 calendar but this race goes way back before I was born. I love racing town centre and seafront crits as it attracts great crowds and usually means the circuit is going to have a good few corners in it. Thankfully the weather was fantastic as it was a tight course and wouldn’t of fancied racing round the circuit in the wet. The circuit contained a short sharp climb which suited me along with the twisty corners and long drag to the finish line.

From previous experience I knew that if I started at the front I word stay at the front and true to form this was the case as I hugged the motorbike for the first neutralised lap. Then a rider rolled his tub on one of the hairpin corners which left a gap between the bunch and four riders which included myself.

I started pushing the pace and increasing the gap, I then won the first 3 primes. The other three riders were moaning and wanted to share the primes so I let one of the riders take the 4th prime and the following lap attacked the three riders to ride the rest of the race solo. This was at the half way point and I managed to increase the gap to them every lap whilst winning the remaining primes and lapping most of the field.

I crossed the line to a well deserved win with a great crowd watching and shouting throughout the whole race. So taking the win and winning 8 out of 9 primes left with a good wad of prize money and a place on the top step of the podium! It was then a long journey home to get ready for the Original Source Mountain Mayhem 100km Sportive which I rode with Wiggle Team Mates Richard Pearman and Carolyn Hewett. Caroline Managed to get the fastest women’s time of the day which is fantastic and it was also great to see the Wiggle Team doing so well in the 24hour mountain bike race! Top weekend of riding for me!

Follow me on www.twitter.com/BenSimmons

Ben

37

Verenti Dragon Ride

Verenti Dragon Ride

Location: Pencoed

6th June 2010

This weekend was the famous Verenti Dragon Ride sportive which is known to be one of the hardest sportives on the calendar. It was based at Pencoed just off the M4 which is only a 45 minute journey from my home, although the route is not one of my local rides. I had entered in to the 190km Gran Fondo which was the longest option for the sportive and this would be one of my longest rides of the year. The weather forecast was hit and miss but on the day it was chilly to start but soon temperatures started to rise much to every ones delight.

I arrived nice and early although still had to queue for 20 minutes to park, I got kitted up and done the final check on my bike. I loaded all my food and spares in to my pockets, the only thing left to do was put on my cycling shoes and lock the car…hmmm S**t where are my shoes…at home! After ringing some of the Wiggle Staff and riders looking for a spare set of shoes I had no option but to go home and get them, luckily my dad met me half way at a motorway junction. So after breaking every traffic law I eventually made it back to the start area ready to roll off with one of the last groups for the Gran Fondo route…I was a little bit stressed at this point because I missed the first group containing all the fast riders who I knew would work well together.

I sat in my little group for a while before deciding to press on and ride on my own; I soon caught up with fellow Wiggle rider Carolyn Hewett and had a short chat before pressing on again. The next Wiggle rider I caught was Paul (Big Wiggle Boss Man) on a climb so had another short chat before setting back in to my rhythm. I continued to ride and over take people at a fair pace and I could see people looking at me as if to say your never going to keep that pace going and I will be over taking you in a couple of hours. I was thinking the same but still felt good particularly on the climbs, psychologically over taking people makes me feel good and strong when riding but if some one was to overtake me I would feel as if I was going slow(no one over took me all day).

I continued to pass people hoping that I would come across a group who would ride at a good pace so I could have a rest but this didn’t seem to happen as I kept riding past them all. I was still having friends shouting at me as I went past so I would slow and chat for short periods and I would also give a shout to my Local Welsh Clubs as I rode past. At the second feed station I stopped to refill my bottles and Rich Carter was there with his new Verenti Rhigos 1.0 so yet another chat and refuel and I was on my way but this time I found a group of riders who were setting a fair pace so decided to work with these riders. We were riding well but I was dropping them on the climbs but I would sit up and wait for them as I was getting a little bit lonely riding on my own. By the time we got to Port Talbot and had a steep climb to the third feed station I dropped them all again and decided to keep going on my own.

I was thinking to myself it can’t be that far to go as I’m rolling along on the big ring and then saw the 40km to go sign. I still felt strong and had plenty in the tank so thought right if a push hard from here on I will be finished in an hour. Shortly I was faced with the 2nd ascent of the Bwlch Mountain and you can see how long it is from the bottom with riders scattered all over the mountain side. I started to feel a bit slow and caught up with Sam Shaw from Team Cycling Plus magazine who I coach through my business (www.elitewales.com). He was matching me on the climb and riding well even half wheeling me at one point but suddenly I had my second wind and powered on hard.

As I was approaching the top of the climb Paul (The Boss) asked me if I was doing the big ride and my reply was yes, his reply was well your leading then! This gave me a second boost of confidence and I really started to hurt myself, I was descending like a maniac. I was on the limit around every bend and was determined to produce a good time if I was in the lead. I pushed the big ring up the last climb and furiously started to descend ignoring the caution dangerous descent sign…big mistake as I over cooked a left hand corner that didn’t seem to end. I was on the wrong side of the road locking up and unlocking my back wheel in an effort not to crash in to some loose gravel.

With the adrenaline pumping through my body I continued the descent and really put every bit of energy in to turning the pedals around. I eventually saw a sign 5km to go so really gave it every thing and then after what seemed a life time came across the 1km to sign. That was the longest kilometre I have ever ridden to the finish and I still felt strong crossing the finish line.

I had no idea what my time was, but I knew I was strong all day and still had the power to finish strongly. That was the longest ride I have done all season and any thing over 90 miles usually I start to cramp or tire.

I was ecstatic when I found out on Monday that I had the fastest time and not only this but beat Dan Lloyds record time! I finished the ride in 5 hours 40 minutes and 40 seconds. Looking back now I wonder how fast I could of gone without all my chats and stops around the course as well as getting caught up in congestion with traffic and riders throughout the day.

Overall it was a fantastic event with the weather to match! I can’t thank Wiggle enough for all their help and support they give me as an individual but also the amount of effort and money they put in to sponsoring these high profiles events for everyone to enjoy!

Ben

36

Abergavenny Handicap Road Race

This was the final round of the Abergavenny Handicap Series and I was looking forward to getting a good result even after a late night. The weather was dry and sunny but was windy and cold just standing around. As usual I started in the scratch group which had to make up 5 minutes on the lower category riders so we started off hard and fast.

In no time we caught the middle group of 3rd cat riders but this then slowed our pace down as nobody was willing to work and a lot of riders were trying their luck by attacking to get across to the 4th category riders in a small group. After plenty of attacks including some off me resulting in a string of riders stuck to my rear wheel I decided to pick my next attack so that the weaker riders couldn’t follow me. There were four riders up the road by this point with a 30 second gap.

I attacked hard up a short sharp climb and got a good gap only bringing one rider with me who was one of my main rivals. We soon bridged the gap to the four riders and started to drive the break along opening up a good gap on the bunch behind. Soon some of the riders started to tire and one got dropped on the climb I attacked on. We were now in pursuit of catching the front group of 4 cat riders and managed to catch them with 4 miles to the finish line.

We rolled straight to the front of the group and I got myself in a good position for the sprint which was up a gradual climb. With 1km to go we were all together lined across the road all waiting for the first attack. The finish was getting closer and with me not being a sprinter decided to go for a long one at 500 metres to go, I put in a hard effort and had one rider on my wheel I kept going watching the rider behind but with 50 metres to go managed to come around me after I gave him a perfect lead out.

I was happy with 2nd place though and felt that I was riding strong in the race and if you don’t take risks racing then you might not ever win, I also managed to get 3rd overall in the series after only competing in two of the three rounds which was a nice surprise.

I also raced Castle Combe crit last Thursday which is a great training session for mid week but unfortunately I missed the main break and just rolled around to finish. My next big race which I would like a good result in is the Welsh Road Race Championships on the 23rd May!

Ben

35

Wiggle Enduro 6

Location: Catton Park

1st May 2010

Wiggle Enduro 6

Well what a weekend the Wiggle Enduro 6 turned out to be! This was probably one of the most enjoyable racing weekends I’ve ever had. I rocked up on the Saturday afternoon to find a mass of Wiggle flags, banners and tents it was an impressive site as I drove across the field to the Team Wiggle camp.

I was keen to get out for a couple laps of the course with Team mate Lee Williams and after a quick change and Ben Jeffery the Team mechanic and racer sorted out my disc brakes I was ready to go. The course was dry but hard going due to the grassy climbs but two laps later was confident we could have a good result in the race. I was also contemplating racing the Night Time Trial but the wind was picking up and was getting cold and looked as if it was going to rain, at this point the wiggle staff riders were all off for a meal in the pub….hmmm I didn’t take much convincing and though I would save my legs for the following day! But I was pleased to see Lee won the night time trial with ease.

After a disrupted nights sleep it was race day and I was ready ride, the weather was dry but cold. I was starting which meant I had to run 800m to the pits before I could get my bike and start the first lap. I entered the pits in forth position after the run and started the lap and finished the lap in about 8th position before changing places with lee in the pits. The plan then was to change every two laps giving each other a nice amount of time to recover in the pits n our sleeping bag to keep warm.

Lee was storming around and soon put us in the lead, I was then out on the course battling with the Hope riders but we soon started to push hard and gain a good gap. It was great riding through the arena with all the wiggle staff cheering and commentator giving us a big shout out! Towards the end of the race we were both beginning to tire but the other teams looked to be feeling it worse than us! Lee finished off the last lap for us by this point we had a gap of over 6 minutes on second place.

Top result for us winning the Men’ Pairs category! Matt Page won the solo category! Lee Williams won the night time trial the night before! And the Wiggle staff had their own separate race which was great to see especially when they were cheering us on when we passed them on the course!

Top weekend! Thank you Wiggle and all the staff for making it such an enjoyable weekend! I am now looking forward to the Mountain Mayhem 24 hour weekend!

Ben

34

Noel Jones Memorial Road Race.

Location: Three Cocks, Near Talgarth.

25th April 2010

Noel Jones RR

After last weekend moral boosting race I got my head down and made the most of the weather and put a few good hours in on the bike. I also received my new race bike for the 2010 season… Focus Izalco Extreme so had an extra boost of confidence especially after putting the bike on the scales!!!

I was down as a reserve so was a bit unsure of whether I would get a ride but knowing the organizer is always a bonus so soon had a number on my back and was lined up ready to start in the sunshine. I had a lot of comments on the bike and had to wipe there drool off it before I started the race.

The race started and there was an immediate attack of two riders which I knew wouldn’t stay away so I just tucked myself away in the bunch for the first lap. I soon made my way up to the front on the climb and went with a few attacks to test the legs and surprisingly they felt good. There was then a crash half way round the second lap that happened right next to me (arghh my new bike) but luckily he fell to the other side wiping out a pile of riders including a few of my friends. The riders regrouped and the pace was high with attacks going along the small winding back lane and I was waiting for the right move to go with.

I went away with a large group of riders but no one was committing to ride hard so came back together. Shortly after a strong break got away and I knew that was the winning move so soon jumped across and got myself comfortable. It was a group of 9 riders and most of them I knew were strong riders, as we approached the climb I moved up to the front and rode away from them to take the prime at the top of the climb. I then sat up so the riders could catch back up it was still a long way to go on my own.

We were all working well but with 3 riders from the same team I was keeping my whit’s about me the next time up the climb I done the same thing and won yet another prime before waiting for the riders to catch up. We soon had a 3 minute gap and started to slow the pace down and save our legs. Two laps to go and I missed out on the prime and my legs were getting heavy and a few riders tried their luck at getting away but they didn’t succeed.

The last lap and we are all still together with attacks going every time we regrouped until eventually a strong solo attack got away and with two of his team mates chasing any rider that tried to join him. That was pretty much game over for the win and with my legs feeling tired after 7 times up the steep 1km climb. We all got to the bottom of the climb together I set the pace trying to control the riders and see who was suffering but as it began to level off slightly I tried to put a dig in but lactate acid had other plans and was soon over taken. I ended up finishing 7th after some excellent racing and even had a cheer from the crowd to wheelie across the line so I mustered up enough energy to finish in style.

Overall I’m happy with my performance and new bike, 7th and two primes is not a bad result considering my knee is still in pain. I am now looking forward to racing off road next weekend at the Wiggle Enduro 6 so hopefully see you guys there.

Ben

33

Auchterlonie Handicap Road Race

Location: Abergavenny

18th April 2010

Training

I have been managing to ride more often even with some anger for shorter ride before my knee begins to hurt now. I had an MRI scan last week and now have to wait and see the specialist at the end of the month which can’t come sooner. So with the racing season off to a flying start I thought I would race a very competitive local handicap road race. My knee is still bad but I just love racing my bike and really miss the banter and routine of racing and I don’t think I can do any more damage to my knee so thought I would give it a go.

Auchterlonie Handicap Road Race

I had to start in the scratch group which consisted of Elite, 1st and 2nd category riders so knew it was going to be a sock to the system. The race started fast and with an 8 minute gap to make up on the front riders we had our work cut out especially when we only had 40 miles to do it in. With no warm we were straight up to 30mph doing through and off and it stayed like this for a lap and a half with our speed not dropping below 30mph even uphill and peaking at 50mph on some of the descents! My legs felt so tight and took the first lap to loosen up this is probably due to my lack of recent training but felt comfortable.

We caught the middle group in no time and were then in pursuit of the front group which we managed to catch with 10 miles to go. by this point the group contained 80 riders all fighting for a place at the front of the bunch, I maintained a sheltered position so that I saved my legs for the uphill sprint.

Coming in to the last 1km which consisted of a gradual climb all the way to the finish I was holding a good position but was soon getting swamped by other riders until the pace started to increase and then I was finding gaps to squeeze through so I could get ready for the sprint. 300m to the line and I’m boxed in so manage to sneak up the inside and start putting the power down to start passing people. I only managed to work my way up to 10th position before I ran out of road and crossed the finishing line.

Overall I’m pleased with my performance and enjoyed racing in the beautiful sunshine and am now looking forward to racing next weekend at the Noel Jones Memorial Road Race.

Ben

32

First Race Of The Season

5th March 2010
Training

My training has been very inconsistent over the last two months and this is due to a problem with my knee. I have a pain underneath my patella and is very similar to a problem I had in 2008. In 2008 I was very close to having an operation after seeing a specialist and having x-rays and MRI scan but it mysteriously cleared up. I had a brilliant year of training and racing last year as you could probably tell from my blogs.

Now I have a pain again I have been back to see the specialist and had x-rays taken again and have an MRI booked for this Thursday. After the MRI I will probably have a camera put in to my knee so the doctor can see what is going on behind the patella as MRI scans can’t show up problems behind the patella very well. He said that my right knee did seem to be more worn than my left and am hoping it will just need a wash out and tidy up.

I am still able to ride my bike but does cause pain more from the bio mechanical movement rather than the force I exert. So I am doing some training as it can’t really make the problem worse and decided to enter a local circuit race so that if I did have to pull out it is a short distance to ride back to the car. I am getting really frustrated and fed up of not being able to ride my bike when I want and for as long as I want but will hopefully get this problem sorted soon.

Forza Crit – Llandow Motor Racing Circuit

After having some terrible weather on good Friday and Saturday in South Wales Sunday was surprisingly sunny and dry. I was looking forward to getting my Welsh Criterium Champs kit on and showing it off at the race and have some riders to race. I was a bit worried I was going to get a kicking because of my lack of high intensity training but I was soon at the head of the race marking any dangerous attacks.

My attacks were surprisingly strong and managed to gain good gaps but was struggling to maintain the speed with a lined out bunch chasing me down on a particularly windy circuit. After a couple of efforts I decided to recover in the bunch for a few laps as no riders were getting away due to the strong winds. After resting my legs and my lungs I made my way back up to the front to mark some dangerous moves but didn’t try my luck at going with any.

The last five laps saw a group of six riders gain a 20 second gap which slowly reduced each lap towards the finish. The bell rang for the last lap and I push my way up the strung out bunch to sit in around tenth wheel and coming in to the last 300m made my move sprinting in to the last corner and to the line. I finished in around 10th position which I was quite pleased with as I know I’m not up to full fitness by far. My knee was hurting during the race but the lactate acid in my quads and calf’s superseded the pain in my knee slightly.

I am now looking forward to getting my knee sorted and racing as much as possible, my next race will most likely be the Exposure Lights Big Night Out Enduro in Builth Wells on Saturday evening and possible the CRC Spring Enduro the following day.

I hope your training is going well and will more than likely see you guys at the races!

Ben

31

Revolution Series & Update

5th March 2010

Revolution Series

I have been the team manager for Team Slicks this year and what a team they have turned out to be. The Future Stars were a mix of Wales’s best up and coming riders and with such a huge pool of riders to choose from its not surprising that they are also the best young riders in the UK showing all the other regions up at the Revolution series. Team Slicks has also had four super team coaches who have played a massive part in Team Slicks success and they are Kyleigh Mannors, Mark Griffiths, Andrew Russell and Alan Davies.

We also had a strong team of elite riders for both endurance races and also sprint events. Sprinting legend Craig McClean was our team captain and you could not meet a nicer gentleman who really helped out with the younger riders unlike some of the other team captains. We also had Welsh double Junior Sprint World Champion Becky James for our most recent event and put in some fantastic results competing against senior World Champion Vicky Pendleton. Welsh senior riders Luke Rowe and Sam Harrison put in some of the strongest performances in the elite races and for Revolution 26 had one of the most respected British riders Bradley Wiggins.

Team Slicks won two out of four races and still managed to finish second on the other two events only one point behind on both occasions. This meant that Team Slicks won the Revolution series with ease and were rewarded with a trophy presented to the team in front of a sold out audience at Manchester Velodrome. Amy Roberts and Owain Doull won the majority of the races they competed in and this allowed Owain to ride in the Leaders Jersey for all four events proving to every one that he was the strongest male Future Star there!

At Revolution 28 the final round I told the Future Stars to ride the Madison event steady so they would save their legs for the main event and stay safe y avoiding crashes. Robbie Westwood and Matt Cross where up first and were soon off the front leading the race (I’m standing there scratching my head) and they eventually finished second and they did not find the race hard so just shows how strong these riders are. Newt up was the girls’ team Amy Roberts and Amy Hill and again I told them to conserve their energy, the next thing I know they are also off the front leading the race (I’m still there scratching my head thinking will they ever listen). The girls finished second with ease and said they felt fresh and didn’t push too hard which gave them confidence for the main event. Not only did the Future Stars do well in the Madison but also Team Slicks rider Luke Rowe and his partner Mark Christian won the 200 lap British National Madison Championships with an average speed of over 30mph!!!

I’m really proud to be part of this exciting and successful team. I can see all these riders producing some top results for the following season and am now already looking forward to the next Revolution Series!

Well Done TEAM SLICKS!!!!

Products and Promotion

Recently Paul (Big Boss Man) from Wiggle asked me if I would be available for a photo shoot at Calshot Track and as ever I couldn’t miss the opportunity to promote myself and Wiggle products. The photo shoot was for a new Ford S-Max advertisement and the idea was to get us riding around the track and find an angle that would suit the shot they were looking for. The idea was to have us super imposed on to a Damn wall with the Ford S-max sitting in front of it (easier said than done). After a few hours of waiting around for the crew to set up they finally found the correct shot, I made most of this time to rip around the track. I have never ridden at Calshot before and it is a lot shorter and steeper than Newport or Manchester Velodrome. It was great fun to ride, you get a real sling shot out of the bankings but I must say I wouldn’t fancy racing on the track with more than 10 riders!

This week I had a delivery of some custom Exposure Lights with my name etched on them…what a treat! I now have a Diablo front light with Micro Red Eye attachment for use on my helmet or for commuting on my road bike and also a MaXx Daddy Front Light with Red Eye attachment for off road use. I have used plenty of light in the past but these are such high quality and look super cool compared to the others. Not only to they have a longer burn time and also the added bonus of the smart port for additional battery or other attachments but there are no cables so it is very neat on your bike. I would describe them as being the ‘iPhone’ in the lights market, sleek looking and very practical.

Not only did I receive my lights but I’m also starting receive my 2010 kit. I have already got my 2010 Focus Cayo Expert Compact training bike which is a dream to ride and my Crud Roadracer mud guards make it a lot more comfortable to ride in the rain and keeps your kit clean. 2XU Compression tights have been a life saver when it comes to recovery from riding and for use when running or in the gym. My Saucony ProGrid Paramount 2 running trainers have been a great tool for my training as it is something I never really used to do but have found that it is a good form or exercise if you are short on time or when it is dark I find it safer to go for a run. I am looking forward to the rest of the goodies I am very lucky receiving! Thank you Wiggle :-)

One last thing I have been working on is a website to promote my sponsors and also professional services which I am qualified to do. So for up to date news and information check out the following links:

My Website: www.elitecymru.com

Facebook Fan Page Link

Follow Me on Twitter

Enjoy the dry and sunny weather while it lasts!

Ben