Grand Prix de Nogent-sur-Oise (1.2)

This was my first major race of the european season and I was really excited to finally back racing, after what has seemed like forever just training in the cold icy conditions.

The race itself was 165.7km starting at 12.30...The first 100km or so were pretty uneventful apart from the torrential icy cold rain. There were a few big splits in the X-wind sections but I was riding well & in good position and found myself in the front in all the major splits. I was riding within myself. Not knowing how I would pull up not having raced in a month.

My game plan was to wait until the last 40km, because I knew it would start to get hard with the x-wind and distance factor coming into play.

I was playing all my cards right until suddenly the heavens decided to opened up more than usual. With 30km still left on the table. It was basically a full on thunder storm with lightning and hail, just nuts !

Thats when a group of 8 had just slipped off the front, I didn't panic knowing that there was still fire power felt in the pelo, but with the hail and everything considered the chase never came, I started to go into survival mode, and nearing the last 2nd to last Gpm climb I lost sensation in my hands....

Then riding up through slushy snow some spectator on the side of the road is yelling stuff like caution on the decent, very dangerous. Guys are still racing full gas, along the plateau of the climb then into the decent even more sketchy....

I kept trucking with this insane fuzzing vision, but lost contact with the remains of the pelo with 25km to go and rode with 1 other dude the rest of the way. I had tunnel vision and couldn't really think properly. (possible mild hypothermia !!)

Went back to the hotel was allowed the first shower and slowly pulled myself together.

Defiantly the coldest I've ever been..but stoked to finish (ended up 35th)

I will live to fight another day and build form for:
  Triptyque des Monts et Chateaux (uci 2.2 (29-30-31 March))

Cheers
K.H

First impressions: from a chilly start to Spring

Last time I put pen to paper I was typing away from Hong Kong. Now I have started to find my feet and acclimatise to the conditions, Im ready to fill you all in on whats been going on. 

So I arrived on the 28th of Feb, in Paris CdG....

It was 1 degree and really a big shock to the System. 

It took me a few days just to adapt then start to think about riding, It turned out that my second day of riding I decided to go and race a local Kermis. I was on my housemate's (Tom David, NZer) seasoned cervelo, it has had a hard life to say the least. I wasn't to motivated for this race but thought it would be a good idea to open the legs up by rollin in the bunch.....

I got in the early break after the first lap and bounced and shuddered my way around for 80 odd K's with 5 others. We got caught in the end but 1 guy stayed clear with 3 new guys bridging over to him. 

Thats really all the race news for the moment. But the exciting news is that I just finished building my team bike for this year.. Which is a Pinarello Paris, with Campgnolo grupo, It was a bit frustrating not having her sorted out directly upon arrival but it was worth the wait. 

Im really looking forward to testing my legs on the 17th at GP Nogent (uci 1.2) in northern France. 

Hopefully I will have the new bike dialed in by then. 

Living situation is really awesome, Tom and Myself live with an awesome host family about 3km out of a town called Hoeselt. Its a nice rural setting with heaps of apples, pears and cherries to be found in the summer months.  

Hoeselt: What would a small Belgium village be without 2 Kebab joints, 2 Bakeries, 2 or 3 Pubs. a Nacht Winkel and a few cobbles. 

Thats about all for the moment, wish me luck for snow week coming up! 

K.H