Italian racing!!14° Giro della Provincia di Biella

Just got back from racing the fastest race of my life. It was a 112km of road the on to this really tough finishing circuit with crazy steep climbs.

As i was lining up at the start i was looking around at the amount of riders wearing arm warmers and vest when i was 30 deg. I have heard its so the cover up bruises etc on arms so it is pretty easy to spot the cheats.

The race started with very high speeds as everyone wanted to be in the break.

First 10km Average speed 56kmph

First hour of racing av 48

With the race so fast it was hard to hold good position. I was hanging in the peloton fine until a guy in front of me came across onto my front wheel I rubbed it for a bit until hitting the deck and bringing another rider down, the other guy that came down in the crash then started to kick my bike which was pretty gutting because i was still on the ground.

I pulled out because bike was pretty screwed. The rest of the team made it to the finishing circuits but where dropped and made to pull out by the fast moving broom wagon.

Pretty amazing experience though as riding with some top teams and Italy itself is amazing will put some pics up of the place we stayed.

chur

Morteau Crib

Link to the crib in morteau funny stuff,

check it out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7rNhv-30AI

the end is near

Havent really been updating lately because have been fully on busy!!

After a full week off to try and pick the form up a bit (because im not going to lie it has been slipping after a long season)

Rond de Jura Finale

With a strong VCCMM line up we where keen to throw some spice into the mixer. The course was a testing 4.5km circuit with no resting spots.

The pace from the start line was hectic and Sam pulled the pin early. I was finding the cold pretty hard on the lungs, I managed to hit out on the climb to try and split a select group off the front but it wasnt to be. In the ended a small group got away and only just held off the PELO, I was mid field in the sprint. Ended the Jura series 7th so got bumped back a bit.

Two races to go in Italy so will see how they go!

Peace

More hard yards

Rond de Jura, Prix de Chatelneuf.

Coming into this race i was 7th in the series and really wanted to get up for a good result so i could move up as far as possible in the series. But this wasn't going to work out. I tried hard for an early break as it is easier to go with the eb than to go with the moves on the hill.

That didnt work so i sat back and let the race drift along playing it safe in the bunch, there where a few moves i had to bridge across to. Team Morteau rode the front a bit to bring in the break and once the break was caught more moves went and eventually two guys slipped off and no one was keen to chase so they got away and managed to just stay clear of the front bunch. I made it over the final climb and was in the group sprinting for 3rd. I went early in the sprint because it was a really dodgy finish and i thought if i could just get to the town first then no one would be able to get around me. That plan failed and i got swamped by the whole group to place 15th. Bit gutted not to pice up many points so im still sitting 7th in the series.

Sunday 22nd of August,

Along drive in the van of about 3 hours before we got to the race venue. The weather had turned a bit wet but still pretty hot so amazing racing conditions. Oh i almost forgot the wind!!

We rode the lap of just under 10km was a decent little course with some sizeable rollers and false flat kind of terrain. I was feeling average at the start as wasnt up to much but when i decent size group was off the front i went across with another group and Sam came across a bit later and Clement was already up there. The group had 15 or so but a few guys weren't up to much so someone split it up. So down to 10 everyone is still not rolling to hard and sizing each other up. I went with a attack and got a gap and bridged to one other to make 3. Then on the main climb Sam and the other strong guy Josh Hunt bridged so we lapped for a bit then another attack. By this point i was pretty smashed and we had one guy sitting on. Sam rolled off and then another jumped across, i then got dropped by the guy who had been sitting on and he bridged to Sam and the lead break away guy. I rode solo for 2 laps in the head wind and held of the next little group from the initial break to get 5th.

A bit gutted about the Saturday race but just need to get a bit more smart and lucky and things will turn my way.

That is about it for today, got a couple of Crits next weekend so should be swell.

Some fun in the hills!!

So after a fairly easy week on the bike, Team Morteau got stuck into a couple of decent races.

Saturday.

Prix de Plaimbois du Miroir.

This was a race organised by our club so it was going to be a hard course. Sure enough on the way to the start line we drove up the main climb which was 3km long to the finish (i would say the climb was steep if that if you stopped pedalling you would probably fall off)

So the race was 7 laps of a 15km lap. I got in the early move by bridging to 2 up the road. We where driving hard but got time taken out of us on the main climb then at the top attacks went from the pelo which was good as the front group was now formed with myself in there.

Not much happened through the rest of the race. The hill ridden at tempo. With two laps to go things started to heat up, i threw in some attacks because didnt want to hit the hill with the climbers. I got away for a lap but my break away partner wasnt contributing much so was frustrating.

Final lap heaps more attacks and nothing sticking then Sam got away slightly on the last little decent and managed to hold off the rest of the break up the hill. I got swamped in the final kick and got 7th.

Sunday

Valfin (rond de Jura round)

Another hilly race so didnt rate my chance to much. Up the second main climb of the day the pedal was pushed flat to the floor by someone up front this splintered the group with 3 slipping away. I was in front group happy to sit as Sam got in front 3.

Thats how the race finished up. I messed up the final corner which was a 180 turn into a little up hill then 50m to finish line managed 9th in the end so at least bagged more points in the series.

Thats about it, Thanks for reading.

Kieran

Tour de la Drome

The big event had finally come around. So early friday morning everything was packed up into the van ready for the long journey into the rhone alpes region. After the 5 hour or so drive we, got straight out of the van kitted up and rode 20km to the start of the 11km TT course then rode that twice with a few efforts thrown in to awaken the legs.

The TT course was pretty decent with a 4km climb. then 1km down and 6km flat.

Stage 1,

Had an amazingly hard profile with the initial climb gaining 1000m in hight. I managed to survive the first climb and the second but was dropped on the final climb and lost the front group, but fortunately for me I crested the top and rode really hard to get back into the convoy and then by the bottom got back into the lead group 20. After this i drove hard to keep the momentum going, this turned out to be not such a great idea because there was still 30km to go which included hard cross wind sections.

It ended up coming to the line in a small bunch kick, i had good positioning just before the final corner then got swamped before the corner so had to do a bit of work on the final straight but managed 2nd so was pretty pleased how the stage played out.

Stage 2, TT

What can i say.

It was a TT it was hard, i was second to last to leave and wanted to lay down a good time to stay high on gc. With no tt bike though it wasnt going to be great. I came in 22nd and was now sitting in 11th on GC.

Stage 3.

Lights out.

Didn't manage to stay with the front bunch. got dropped with 2 kom mountains to go and couldnt regain the pelo, pretty disappointed that i couldn't hold on to my GC position but the climbs where constant and steep and ridden at a decent pace and. All i can say is luckily I packed the 27 otherwise i would have been in trouble.

That is about it,

KH

Update

Over the last couple of weeks i have had my fair share of bad luck with a puncture or 2. So no updates.

Last weekend i managed to win a race with a false flat sprint.

This weekend was the 7th round of the credit mutel series. It was a 6km course with one little hill in it. I was feeling tired right from the start but was sitting in fine.

Some how the break went with out any of my team mates in it. So we chased it back. But when we caught another group slipped off, and again no one in there. By this stage i was feeling it and was pleased to get to the finish. still finished up 20th so not to bad.

Next week is pretty big tour, so hope to have good news coming soon.

kieran

Prix de la Ville Pontarlier.

Just had a race on bastille day, it was another crit style race of around 1.2km lap, 60 times.

the course had one really tight hairpin turn and a head and tail wind straight. I went really hard for the first 5 laps and split a small group off the front and another small group got across so that was the races break.

A few more laps down the track, the break became negative so attacks followed. I very nearly got dropped as i just kept going on the front trying to chase it back, and then people would just jump me. I should have learnt by now that thats how these greasy French roll.

Once i bridge back to the front group, i sat in for a bit. Then the team in the break with the most riders started putting guys up the road. Luckily the rest worked well and bought back the moves a couple of times. Coming into the last lap the pace was up and one ACB guy slipped clear and no one responded i was happy to wait for the sprint. Another guy slipped clear at the ended i won the bunch kick for 3rd. (why no chase from the team that had 3 guys? who knows.)

Another race, Fri night and then Sunday Cat1.

Laters.

A few races, and a bit of drama.

Thursday 8th of July> Nocturne d'orchamps Vennes

A pretty hard course put on by VCCMM with a hard climb, then quick decent.

I was struggling at the start with all the attacks going down and missed the move, lucky it came back. Then i went a couple more times and i got in the move that was going to stick.

I knew i didnt have amazing legs so i was hoping that the others where feeling it as well, turns out they where fresher and when the attack went i didnt follow then couldnt make the bridge. So ended up with 4th.

Fri 9th

Another Nocturne crit, this time dead flat and along way from morteau (eneded up getting back at 2am)

Race had a few attacks but nothing getting far, i was just happy to stay in the bunch and wait for sprint as was pretty cooked already. Ended up with 3 guys just staying away and then the bunch i placed around top 10 easy but seeing it was dark the finish line people never really got numbers so i dont even know what my placing was, pretty gutting to be honest. Also a huge scrap between this old guy on our team and our director Oran, pretty funny.

Sunday 11th

Cat 1. (the hottest race i have ever done, i bottle ever 10km)

Was really tired from fighting the carnival people the night before, but had to get amongst it because Julien Absalon was racing. All the morteau team missed the Early break so, had to just ride with the pelo, as the break got further out Julien pulled the plug so i was a bit gutted, ended up getting in a break with a uci rider but it was never going to work out because he kept on break checking me and the attacking and was really just pissing me off.

So nearing the end i was pleased that the bunch caught us.

thats about all really hope this carnival leaves town soon, cause they are dodgy people.

Kieran

July 2nd and 4th

Nocturne de la Ville de Morez.

A mixed bag of a race to be honest.

Got in the early break and all the other riders hit the deck when the storm hit. So i attacked solo and stayed away for all but the last 8 laps when i got caught by a small chase bunch. I threw down a few more attacks but they whernt in the mode to let me go again, with a couple of laps remaining my team mate got away with another guy rider and got the win. I got 7th pretty gutted not to stay away but thats life i suppose.

Prix de St Lupicin

6th round of rond de jura.

Got in early break and as usual the break stayed away i was really aggressive the whole race, but always got covered. I was hoping that team mate clement would also attack once i got caught to make the other break riders work hard but he wasnt interested. Ended up with clement getting away on last lap with 1km to go and no one covered his attack so i to settle for a sprint for 3rd, but narrowly got pipped on the line so got 4th, so another gutting race for me, hoping for some good luck soon, on the plus side i moved in to 4th in the series!! so will be pushing for more solid results in the series.

thanks for reading

KH

June 25 and 27

Nocturne de vieux Charmont.

So had a Crit on the Friday went ok. I was mixing it up but because of the style of french racing with so many attacks and then more attacks its just to hard to cover everything and still be strong at the end, so basically i missed the move with 5 laps to go and won the bunch sprint so got 10th.

Prix Vanotti Montrond

Cat 1.

Interesting race because a bit of fire power was missing because of the french nationals. Race ended up being similiar to a cat 2. with moves going off the front and people bridging and coming back. To save along story missed the break where the bunch sat up and break rolled off. Sam made the break but was out numbered so couldnt do to much. (very hot day as well)

Tour de pays de Sessyel

So the weekend just gone was pretty gutting for me because:

stage one.

Was at the back of the pelo when the break went and it had 3 of our guys so had to sit in the slow moving bunch and chill, which was annoying. So finished well down this stage.

Then the next day.

Stage 2.

16.8km ITT

Not much to apart from i went the wrong way at the first round about and lost a lot of time. Still didnt get last though.

Stage 3.

Survived the 7km climb, but was in the box. Finished in front bunch but break up the road so couldnt go for the stage win.

So thats about it disappointing but big July to come!!

KH

Prix De Valempoulieres

Ok so this race was the 5th round of the jura series, which meant that all the usual teams would be there.

We drove a lap before the race started and it looked like a good course for me with open straights and a few rolling hills in the mix.

I rode the race pretty aggressively because i was feeling good. So as a consequence made all the breaks. the main break got away with 3 laps to go in the 7 lap race. But the only problem was the one of the big teams ACB had 7 riders in the front group and we only had myself and JB which made things very hard and to make things worse the other guys not from Acb where looking for a free ride to the finish. I set about breaking the group up but it was near impossible because Acb would pounce on any move.

So on the last lap attacks went down and a group of 4 got away then i tried to bridge with everyone on my wheel (bloody frustrating) after that i pulled a group of 4 off the front. but 3 where Acb so they where pissing around. On the main climb one guy jumped me then the other 2 did as well!! but i caught them through the rollers and then they just sat on me and jumped at the finish.

Really angry out there today because felt good but just so hard with that many of one team in the move. Finished 8th. so i will be moving up in the series hopefully.

Thats about it, got a decent tour coming up next weekend so until then.

Ciao

Nocturne Crit Besançon

Myself and Matt where the only riders from Morteau doing this race because the other riders on the team have the regional champs on this weekend.

The race was a tight fast and technical course with a mix of cat 1 and cat 2 riders. So i knew it was going to be fast, i got good positioning from the get go but just didn't have the fresh legs to jump up the road. So a couple of decent sized groups got up the road. I was suffering with the intensity and the fact that i had eaten dinner to late. (pm crit started) so i just kept at the front lapping in the main group. The group in front got caught and my bunch was getting smaller every lap.

I ended up doing a heap of work on the front to keep good positioning, but wasn't the best idea when i few riders got away in the last 10 laps.

I ended up 13th which i was happy enough with considering everything. Would have liked to be fresher for the race because that circuit seemed to be my type of course with the sharp turns and punchy climbs.

Now time for a bit of a relaxing weekend then into some tours next week, Should be all good.

Ciao

KH

Trophee Capi Securite a St Louis and Prix de Selencourt

This Saturday i had a big Cat 1 Crit in france right on the boarder of Germany. It had a strong german team in it that tried to control the race for the sprint and the primes.

The race we where told very fast 50 kmph not possible to move up. Turns out it was fairly stop start because of all the primes on offer. I started to mix it up in the breaks and tried going off the front after the primes when every one sits up. I got in all the breaks and won a prime, as a result when caught with only 10 or so laps remaining i could only manage to recover and roll in with the group. Probably not the best tactics for the race, but you never know if a break is going to stick in a crit. i think i finished 30th or something. loving the crits at the moment though.

Sundays race.

I awoke to the sound of rain and very stormy weather. Not the best when the race is another tight 1.9km circuit. Not much to say about this race other than i managed to get in the break with 4 of us in. And we stayed away. i attacked with 3 laps to go and the other 3 did respond. So managed to get my first win. Pretty pleased to have finally got a win.

Not much else to report. Only got won race next week a nocturne crit on friday night starting at 9pm. So Sam Mathew and Myself where looking out for some other racing in Switzerland but its probably going to be to far away.

Cheers

Some racing.

Did a race on Sunday, and it was a small flat course with nothing to split it up. It was really hard to get away. And when you did get away people would chase you back and sit on or roll soft.

There was a break that got free and it had Sam in it so he had it under control and took the win. tried to have a dig in the sprint but ended up in the grass cause the road was so small and crap.

Had an even smaller race on monday Prix de St Geosmes. Got in the break but was not feeling that good so started to pull weak turns and sit in which sparked attacks and attacks. but the bunch was told to chase and lucky for me my team mate is a good sprinter cause he fought off three guys from one team to win. Good shit Alex.

Thats all for now.

Nocternal Crit Vesoul

Race started last night at 9pm. Started off feeling crappy as had a chest infection and managed to survey the race for 40 laps before heading into the mix in the last 10. did a bit of chasing, but to be honest felt like dying out there. But good that Alex (team mate won the bunch kick) look forward to some more night crits to come.

Next race tomorrow and monday.

Kieran

Tour de Jura

So tour de Jura was the weekend just gone. To sum up the tour. Hilly and cold weather, so not ideal. Our team still got on with the job and rode pretty well.

Stage 1 (fri)

Prologue .8km Hill climb

Finished in 36th 14secs down on leader and last years U23 mtb silver medalist Alexis Vellimouz (very handy climber)

Stage 2 (sat)

55km flat.

Not much to report here except. One little cross wind section near the end of the stage that split the bunch a bit but luckily we managed to get munch time. All i can say is that the Frenchmen out there dont know how to hold a wheel very well in a cross wind its unbelievable tbh.

Stage 3

75km

Break went before the main climb of the day and the yellow and a hand full of others bridged on the climb. Sam was the only one to make the front group. the rest of the team in second bunch.

i was happy with how the my climbing went on the main climb of the day to hold on to the front of the bunch.

Stage 4.

130km.

The final stage with heaps of hills. very very hArd. was just hoping to stay with the high rollers as long as possible because i new the last 50km where going to be extreme. i managed to stay in main group until the second to last climb where i lost contact. i was catching groups on the flat and descents but got a puncture up final climb and had to get wheel change, then a crazy motor pace downhill and then onto the motorway at 90km. PRETTY insane spinning going on. So that was it really pretty pleased with the tour considering the amount of climbing in there ended up 42nd was hoping for a bit better but there are more races to come. Really enjoyed the change in scene from one day races as tours are always a lot more intense and exciting. Cant wait for the up coming tour in June where the hills are smaller and there is a 18km ITT.

check out>http://www.tourdujura.com/ for a look. (photos and what not)

cheers for reading.

Kieran

Route du Comte Petite a St Antoine

The race was 8 laps of a fast course with one 3km climb. then up a finishing climb of 3km.

The whole race was wet and cold. A lot of attacking but nothing getting any decent gap as the course was very fast.

The final lap came around and a small break was away with a 30sec gap. Clement (team mate)

was up in the break. As the peloton hit the finishing climb we saw him getting dropped so i got on the front of the bunch and wound it up to catch the rest of the break. I had Matt and Sam on my wheel and just after we went through the 500m to go sign Sam yelled for Matt to go and they caught the last couple of guys to get 1st and 3rd. I managed to recover to get 9th.

So pretty pleased at the way the race played out.

cheers

Kieran

Prix des Belles Fontaine a Gourgeon.

hello

So have been a bit sick. last week and into this week so didn't end up racing last weekends races.

Bit gutted cause one was a cat 1 and looked really grueling!!

Any ways todays race was just one of those races.

The race was a 8km or so lap with a few small hills but really rough roads.

I got a puncture half way through the first lap and changed it myself and got back onto the pelo

3rd lap got a front puncture this time changed it myself again because the wheel wagon didnt know how.

then while i was in behind the van my gears started jumping around like crazy. so i finished the lap got a new rear wheel and it still kept jumping. So turns out the chain had broken and was only just holding on. So that was it.

Just want to say good ride to Sam 2nd and JB 3rd. ( i hope there is no more politics in the team because everyone knows how to read and ride a race)

Cheers

K/ rex

Prix de Ruffey/Seille

Sundays race was a Cat 2 race in the Jura series. (7x 12km laps)

The Race started fast with heaps of attacking and nothing getting away on such a fast course.

The laps ticked by and for some reason i decided to attack across to 2 other guys and 1 guy got on my wheel and the bunch decided not to chase this break. So we managed to get away and the time gap was out at about 50 sec.

The other riders in the break where pretty weak and where not at all committed to rolling. So i attacked up the main climb and then they would cover me and abuse me for attacking.

So then all of us in the break started pulling weak turns and trying to figure each other out seeing as they thought it was going to come down to the break away winning. Turns out whilst all those shinanagins in the break where going on a group off around 9 riders slipped of the front of the bunch and hunted our break down. This group had a team mate in it (Alex) who is the teams best sprinter. With the k's ticking down i went and found him and said that i would give him a lead out. Just on the out skirts of town a split in the break accrued and we where at the back i guy in front jumped across the gap and sat up i sensed a stop in momentum in the break so i whacked it off the front with Alex on the wheel, but unfortunately the others got on and it was to far out to keep that pace on. It was one of those things that happens in split seconded decisions and sometimes works. I stayed on the front and kept a decent lead out speed but the others kicked early and this didnt suit Alex but he still dug deep for 3rd. I rolled 9th. So i good weekend.

Kh

Prix du Cyclophile Morgien a Reverolle (Suisse)

So after a busy few days of site seeing and riding to watch the Tour of Romandie ive finally got a chance to right a quick report.

The first race 120km Amateur swiss race. 4 x 30km laps. rolling terrain.

The race started with a big bunch into a fairly strong head wind with not many attacks and a slowish pace but i knew i had to wait for the first few laps before getting in a break would be worth while.

After the finish of lap 2 i attacked after the feed zone and some muppet came with me. We lasted around 15km before we where caught. But as we got caught the bunch slowed up and i went again this time taking a stronger looking rider with me. We rode hard for the rest of the lap to get the bell with about a 1 minutes lead. By this stage i was starting to get signs of cramp. With around 20km to go 2 riders came across to us. So i sat on for a to make sure i would make it over the main climb. After the main climb one rider went clear on a small climb and my original break away partner dropped. So it was down to me and another rider to chase down a 20 sec gap. We where both hurting and could feel the bunch starting to reel us in. So we just lapped it right to the finish with the bunch just 3seconds behind. I managed to roll the other guy for 2nd.

Pretty stoked that the break stayed away but need to sort out cramp problems!!!!

KH

Prix de Ville d'Ornans

So just got back from my second race and after a week of solid training i knew that this would be a better race for me. But i was told on the way to the race that this race will be to hilly for me and that i should work for the team as long as i can.

So the race was two loops of 60k's. After a 5km neutral the pace went on and a break away group formed. So after a few more attacks of riders trying to get across i chased for pretty much most of the first lap and coming into the first lap caught the break. but in chasing down the break only 20 or so riders made the front split, so it was game on heading into the second lap. Just after the second lap a few people started attacking and Sam followed a move and it got out to a good gap so we all just covered from then on.

I was feeling comfortable in the front group but heading into a long climb a morteau team mate attacks when i had drifted to the back and the pace went on up the longest climb of the day and i slipped back into about the third main group to the finish.

I'm happy with the race but would have liked to know that it wasn't really that hilly. Any way next week is fairly flat so should be a good one!!!

Cheers

VCC Morteau 2010

So i made it to the cold little place they call France last week. I had 3 days then straight into my first race a 3.2 km lap with 1 small hill and 30 laps. i ended up in the first main break of the day with 4 guys including sam lindsay (kiwi team mate), my legs had nothing so by the mid way point in the race when the front group formed to about 20 riders. i was ready to drop. and next lap a few riders roll off the front of the peleton and some guy in the middle of the bunch attacks and hits a pot hole and crashes hard.

This crash causes the six out front to slip away and the second group on the road never caught.

I ended up pulling out with 10 laps to go. The legs just didnt have the endurance.

Had a solid week of training this week so hope to firing and ready for next big hilly race.

Kieran

Mexico all fun and games.

just one photo because wireless is to slug speed here.

Mexico

Mexico! yes thats right.

life on the ranch.

I am still out in the middle of who knows where swinging the pick and scrapping the rack around. but its less than a month now until my 2010 season kicks off. Although it has been hard to train here after working long days combined with low motivation. i feel that the training that i have been doing here will be a good base to start what will be a very long season for me.

ill put some photos up to show you all what its like out here.

p.s

Hurry up April 2nd....