Training in the Pyrenees

Just come back from a wonderful week riding in the Pyrenees, in preparation for a few epic adventures later on in the summer... watch this space!

Ian and Julie of Pyrenees Multisport couldn't have done more to look after me... with awesome routes, delicious home-cooked meals and general cycling banter!

One of the highlights of the week was racing 10 Army guys up the Port de Bales (18 km, 1775m, HC), beating all but two of them and knocking 12 minutes off my previous time!

The week ended with a cold, cloudy climb up the Col du Tourmalet, which had only been open for a few days, as the snow has only just cleared. It was a tough old climb with the last 10km of climbing done in a cloud! I could barely see where the road was going and I was worried the motorbikers zooming up behind me might not be able to see me.

There was applause from a coach-party when I got to the top. Unfortunately the cafe wasn't open, so I put on all the clothes I had (only gilet and arm-warmers) and set off down the mountain. I could barely see more than 2m in front of me. I had the brakes on most of the way for the first 10km or so, as I just could not see where the road was going. I FROZE. I couldn't feel my fingers and I couldn't pedal because I couldn't see where I was going. There were tears! It was probably one of the most unpleasant experiences I have ever had on my bike!!

Below the cloud line, the temperature increased quite substantially and I managed to power down the last few km of the descent. Thankfully the van was at the bottom with some dry clothes waiting for me. Phew. Just enough time for the best chocolat chaud I have ever had, in a cafe in the village, before heading home.

All in all a fantastic week: around 47,630 ft (14,500 m) climbing; 450 miles and 32 hours of riding! Big thanks to Ian and Julie for all their support and encouragement. I will be back...

Sarah

Team GB Cycles rider Sandra's road to recovery!

At the end of March I had an Anterior Cruciate Ligament reconstruction following an injury I sustained early December!
MRI scans showed a complete ruptur of the ACL, Fracture to the Tibia, crack to the head of the femur, and dense bone marrow bruising. I had carried on cycling and training as normal, playing 2 further games of rugby and 1 of hockey, which i think led to further damage! When you realise the extent of your injuries, it does make you stop and think.
I had an arthroscopy in the middle of Jan which was routine to check for any further bone damage, and there was, a crack to the retro side of the patella, which was filled in like a crack in the wall.

My training continued as normal, and I booked my ACL reconstruction to coinside with work and school holidays at Easter,my aim was to fit in a few time trials, before the Op.

I ended up doing 4, the first one I punctured, and had a 5 mile walk back, the second I came 2nd to Anna Grundy of look mum no hands, the third I won having taken the wrong exit at the roundabout, and the last time trial again comming 2nd to Anna Grundy. But I have to say it was nice to get those 4 time trials in, in such lovely weather.

The op went well, and I threw away the cructhes from day 2, I was very lucky to have use of a game ready Ice and Compression machine, which was bliss and controlled the swelling immensley http://www.gameready.co.uk/.

Day 12 I went to have the staples taken out and the incision hadnt healed so it started to fall apart, so a trip back to see Professor Kevin Chea to check there were no infections was done, and he was amazed at my recovery, and my walking, and said "Walk as much as you like" maybe wrong choice of words!

Four days later I was back for my check up with Kevin, and I faced a cross surgeon, who said Id over done it, the punishment was having my knee drained, not very pleasent! What he told me is this, "When I said you could walk as much as you liked, Most people cannot, so dont over do it!"

Week 4 I was on the turbo, just 20 minutes easy spinning,along with doing pilates, and all the propriosceptive work advised. I was also back at work at this point too!

End of week four I ventured out with two of my best friends looking after me, out on the suffolk roads on my trusty cyclocross bike called Paul, as the roads were slightly flooded, it was just so nice to get outside, and there was no pain to the knee, just amazing how much strength has gone in it.

Week 7, and I had another visit to Kevin, who was amazed and very pleased at my recovery, he said normally people are 50% recovered but you are 75/80% its amazing! But please ease back a bit, now you are so far ahead.

I have been given the all clear to ride out on the road now!!!! ;-) , and do some hill work or inclines!! On the whole its nice to get out,and I really appreciate being able to get out and ride, also there is alot of strength that needs building up, but I have to take each day as it comes, but so far so good.
In 3 weeks time i am allowed to start the use of free weights, and also my 1st club 10TT to see how it goes.

Bedford 2-Day Stage Race

Adele and Iona raced in Bedford at the weekend. Sarah had hoped to race but unfortunately didn't make it... check out her blog here to find out why!

Adele writes...

It was a great start to the day and the weather wasn't too bad, apart from a little wind. The team time trial went ok considering we had never ridden as a team before!

After a little break we started to warm up for the road race. It was going well and the pace was good. There was a crash on the first lap, where I injured my wrist. After carrying on for another couple of laps the pain started to kick in. Steve then took me to hospital and unfortunately that was the end of my weekend racing!

Steve spent most of the first day picking riders off the floor and ferrying them back and forth from the hospital.

Iona stayed upright and thoroughly enjoyed the final two stages (in the pouring rain).

Get well soon Adele and hoping you'll be fighting fit for the Junior National Championships next weekend.

Yorkshire Day at the Races 2

Saturday 28th April, I arrived at Tockwith circuit for, Yorkshire Day @ The Races 2.  Within 10 minutes of driving up at the circuit the heavens had opened!

The race set off in the pouring rain, and for the first lap or so, I really didn't feel like my heart was in it today.  But as we got going, and got warmed up a little more, (well as warm as I was likely to get given the constant rain) things got better and I tried to get off the front a few times, but no luck.
All attempts form anyone to get away today didn't work, by the time we got to 8 laps to go, I think most were waiting for the sprint finish.

I found myself on the front a few times, later on in the race, so just tried to keep pace going, as the bunch was bunching up a lot and the corners were becoming a little dodgy!

With 3 laps to go Cath Wiggins attacked, like I knew she probably would.  Think another benefit was her just trying to string it out around the corners, it made it a lot safer, as she did the same with one lap to go too.

By this point I couldn't see a thing!  The rain was worse than ever and I was having to peer through my lenses, trying hard to judge where everyone was around me!

I found myself quite far back going into the last lap, but I managed to move half way up the bunch once we entered the headwind section before the last corner.

Coming into last corner, I saw Cath go on the inside, I went to get on her wheel, but Alice Barnes blocked her path through, and I found myself mid bunch on the inside round last corner.  Out of the last corner, the bunch went to the left of the track and me on the inside on the right, found that a massive gap had opened up.  I kicked and was passing people, I must of passed 10 riders in that last finishing straight, and as I crossed the line I was amazed to realise I'd just finished in 3rd place!  I was quite pleased as I hadn't expected to get a result in such wet horrid conditions, and glad that I hadn't had a wasted journey, even if I only did have 30 minute drive to get there today, unlike my usual 5 to 6hr round trips to races!

Now for next weeked and the Bedford 2 day!

Iona

Cheshire Classic 2012

The sun was shining as we set off, in the team car, up the M6 towards Northwich for the Cheshire Classic. This did not explain why sat-nav spent at least 30 minutes "acquiring satellites". With no map in the car this added a little extra anxiety to the journey!

My pre-race preparation had been less than ideal... but I'm starting to get used to working four A+E shifts back-to-back, finishing at 7pm the evening before the race, legging it home (usually avoiding a monsterous rain cloud), quickly packing my bag, cleaning my bike and hitting the road for the following day's race.

This was the second race of the season for me and my first chance to race with my new team-mates. This was Adele's first big national race (as a Junior) and Iona, having come second in the Tour ta Malta, had got the season off to a fine start.

Adele in her first big national women's race

Whilst less nervous than the previous week, I was still rather apprehensive. The line-up looked even stronger than last week's, with Paralympic World Road Race Champion and Olympic-gold-medal-holder Sarah Storey, top time-trialist Julia Shaw and several other National Champions on the start sheet. In addition to this, there was the slightly unknown quantity of the climb up Acton Bridge Hill, which the locals apparently refer to as "the cliff"...

Coaches, I thought, were supposed to encourage but Steve's words to me in the car on the way up north were, "It's going to be a tough, fast race!" I managed to take my mind off things by spotting lorries (our usual team-car entertainment) and was rather amused when we went past the Eddie Stobart depot on the motorway!!

About 20 miles from Northwich, the heavens opened. This was going to be a wet race!

Team GB Cycles lined up at the start

The pre-race nerves soon settled as I went out for a quick warm-up spin around the course: a five mile circuit: fast bypass, a sharp left turn followed by a steep climb and then some winding country lanes back onto the bypass. Ten laps in total. The climb wasn't half as bad as I'd expected... over the last few months I've been riding with a group of guys whose approach to training is generally to "beast-it" up every climb. Whilst this is rather annoying at times, my climbing has certainly improved since last season.

As expected, the pace was fast from the start and the bunch soon started to diminish in size. The biggest surprise (for me) was that the pace increased signficantly at the top of the climb (rather than on the fast surface of the bypass). Adele was looking good - holding her position towards the front of the bunch and riding well up the climbs.  I found myself "out the back" on lap three but soon chased back onto the bunch and did a bit of "brain recalibration"... hang on in there girl!

Sarah

Each lap the climb seemed to get harder and harder... thankfully I wasn't the only one feeling the pain! There was a mega downpour of rain on about lap 4. Apart from a bit of moaning in the bunch, this didn't seem to bother us too much! On lap 5 (or 6) there was a crash. Unfortunately, Iona was caught behind it and unable to chase back onto the back of the bunch. Adele had also lost contact with the main bunch by this time. However, they both rode really well and finished the race.

Iona (left) and Adele (right)

About halfway through the race I spotted a stripy helmet on the side of the road as we were going up Acton Bridge Hill. It was my Dad! My parents had never turned up to watch me race before... ever! Head down. Better try even harder now! By now the bunch had been whittled down to about 30 riders (from 70 starters). The pace was still fast but I was feeling strong. And much to my amazement I was still with them. All those winter endurance miles are finally starting to pay off.

Sarah on Acton Bridge Hill

A break got away on lap 8 and stayed away. Lap 9 and there was another injection of pace. By the time we got to the 10th time up the climb I was plodding rather than spinning... but just one more lap to go. I was still with the bunch :-) I stayed near the front on the last lap, as I wanted to get a good position into the last corner before the sprint up the hill to the finish line. As usual I managed to mess this bit up a little, finding myself further back in the bunch than expected... and in the wrong gear! One day I'll get it right... But I passed several people on the way to the line and finished 24th overall, ahead of some very strong riders.

I was so pleased. Dad seemed surprised to see me but nothing could beat the big fatherly hug on the finish line! Back to HQ for showers, tea, cake and the prize-giving ceremony. An awesome race and a great day. Well done to Sarah Storey for a brilliant performance and a richly-deserved win. Big thanks to all the organisers for putting on a fantastic race, to Steve for driving me to the race and looking after our team so well... and to my Dad for coming out to support! I think he enjoyed it!

I've really got the racing bug now and can't wait for the next one!

Sarah

Photos courtesy of Larry Hickmott: www.velouk.net
Hopefully some news from Iona and Adele to follow...

Women's Team Series Round 2, Twickenham

First race of the season for me today in the second round of the Women's Team Series. After a number of crashes in last year's race, the course was changed and the race was held just outside Virginia Water.

Pre-race preparation consisted of six, nine-hour shifts in A+E, finishing at 7pm the day before the race, a recovery sprint home from work in freezing rain and a 15-minute bike-cleaning session in the garage at 22:10! Not ideal. Pre-race nerves also got the better of me... after all with the whole Matrix-Prendas team and the Junior World Champion on the start-sheet, it was not going to be easy!
 
The course consisted of 13 laps of a flatish 3 mile (ish) circuit with a draggy climb on each lap, followed by 5 laps of a slightly shorter circuit, taking in Staple Hill (a fairly significant climb) on each lap. The race finished on the 6th climb (something that caught many of the riders out, as we thought we'd only have to go up the climb 5 times!!)

As usual, once we got going, the nerves settled down and I started to enjoy the race. The pace was fast and the short circuit, with several left hand turns on each lap made the race more like a crit than a road race. It was quite a struggle to maintain my position in the bunch. There was an attack early on, in which Natalie Creswick and a Matrix-Prendas rider got away. Amazingly, Natalie stayed away for the whole race and won by over 3 minutes!! Chapeau!

It was difficult to keep count of the laps but eventually the race transitioned onto the second circuit. The climb wasn't half as bad as I'd expected and I found myself easily keeping up with the bunch (which had, by this time, been whittled down to about 30 riders from the initial 60). There was an attack on the second climb and for a few moments, I thought I had got into a break that would stay away. No such luck. On the third climb, I was elbowed in the ribs by a Dynamo rider and came very close to crashing, as we bounced off each other! Eek! Big thanks to Chris Smith (Zappis) who spent some time teaching us race skills over the winter, including staying upright when you come into contact with another rider!

On the final lap, I thought I was in a great position for the finish - up the front around the last corner, in a good position up the climb and on a good wheel. 500m to go everything went slightly mad, I was pushed into the gutter and found myself with nowhere to go, as most of the bunch passed me.

A disappointing finish but a solid race overall and a good first race of the season. Big thanks to Steve for coming out to support me and to Darren Hague and Steve Avery for the photos. Bring on the next one...

Sarah

Great start to the season for Team GB Cycles!

With a place on the podium in each stage, Iona Sewell 2nd overall and Steph Magri first Maltese rider, Team GB Cycles have had an epic start to the racing season at the Tour ta Malta.

Clare Leaver showed superb form with a fantastic solo win in the Stage 3 road race and 2nd place in Stage 2. 

In addition, Elena Eggl (of the German team Bike-Aid), who was unofficially riding with the team, won both time trial stages and finished third overall.

In the final stage, a hard-fought time trial on the Zebbug Bypass, Iona finished in 2nd place, 6 seconds behind the winner, leaving her in 2nd place on GC. This is the fourth consecutive year that Iona has finished the Tour with a place on the podium. Finishing in second place was an excellent result, given the increase in strength and depth of this year's much larger field. Chapeau!

Final GC: Iona 2nd, Steph 7th, Clare 9th.

Fantastic results all-round. Big thanks to Steve and Klaus (Bike-Aid) for their support.