Kieran Hambrook

Circuit des Plages Vendéennes

2012-02-13T01:46:00.000-08:00

I am up in the Vendee region racing in 5 out of 7 one day races. I am in a little village called, Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie it is a nice seaside town. I am not getting a chance to look around.

A. Because I have done 3 races in 4 days

B. Its to cold to go outside unless you have to race!

So far the racing has been hard, with flat windy courses and a lot of starters its hard to stay at the front and avoid splits.

The first race I was going with attacks and found myself in a good move, and then just as this move got caught another group rolled off and no one in the bunch chased. I got to the front and tryed to get across but the gap was already to big to get across with 2 of us against 20 in the front group.

138km (Av. 44)

This was a windy day with a lot of exposed roads and groups getting off the front. I made a few splits but in the end once on the closing circuits the peloton came together for a sprint. I was slowed by a crash in the last 3k and just got back to the group and could only roll in at the back of the group.

3rd Race.

Was probably the windiest so far and my legs didnt come along for the ride. I wasnt ready to fight for the front 20 and so a bunch split off the back 50k in and that was me..

Im taking these races as good training and trying not to get sick with this weather.

Espoir Cycliste St Etienne Loire (*the club)

2012-02-02T03:09:00.000-08:00

Negative 9

I have arrived in France after my 24hr plus journey, as you can see from the title it is very cold, snow ice and grey clouds (pic: is looking out from the apartment with the temperature sitting at negative 9).
What more could you want when you come from 25 deg of sunny little Nelson.

So far I have meet the Management and a few of the riders that live in my apartment area.

On the 8th the team is off for a series of 1 day races(which are flat and Windy) in the Vendee region which will also incorporate a training camp! They tell me that the weather is a we bit better up on the coast!

http://www.cocpv.org/ for race info

+ NZ Cycle Classic its all a blur to be honest. All I remember was wind, gutter time, and bunch kicks. With rain and nasty climbs as well.
Some times in the X winds it was a bit of a % game as to whether you were at the front to make splits etc (but not good when your handle bars come loose and your at the back of the convoy)

But a huge thanks has to go the Tim Stephens (and his team, Jeremy & Odin) for putting together our composite team and organising a great 5days in the Sunny Manawatu,

Cheers

Kieran

(Team bikes CKT running Campgnolo)

Tour de Vineyards

2011-12-31T23:36:00.000-08:00

2012 has just rolled round so i thought I would start off with a quick report on Tour de Vineyards.

Apart from the weather I really enjoyed getting stuck into some hard full on racing for my 5th TdV.

Prologue > I went in hoping for a good ride but knew that with not much intensity or time in the TT saddle that I wouldn't be that amazing. So i was fairly pleased with 16th @ around 1min

Stage 1

I am always amped for this stage, after having results in the years gone. I managed to follow a few moves and make a few moves early on. But eventually a group of 4 slipped clear. I knew that it could be dangerous so i went on the attack and split a chase group off.

We made contact after a pretty brutal chase, thus making it a lead group of 9.

I was not sure wether to back my sprint because there were a few decent sprinters in the group. So on the last lap when Robin Reid hit out on the climb I followed with Paddy Bevin to make it 3. I had average positioning in the final run in and ended up 2nd well beaten in the sprint.

Stage 2

No really action for the big Queen Stage, a decent break went of 9 and the the Peloton didn't do anything until the gap was way to big. So the break had a 4min buffer heading into the Bottom of Takaka Hill!!

I just took it easy to save for stage3 (down 11mins)

Stage 3

Wet, really wet.

The race started with a hiss and a roar, with everyone having a dig off the front. And it was getting really annoying going with a lot of attacks and nothing staying away.

Eventually the bunch got tired and i slipped into a move to get across to the small lead group.

Once the 2 lead groups came together everyone got negative and were looking to save a bit of energy. And basically Paddy and Yates rolled off and know one could respond. I was happy to roll with the rest of the chase to try and get them back, but everyone knew that they wern't going to be caught.

So i rolled in with the chase group 40sec down on the lead 2.

Stage 4

Finally it seemed as though the rain was clearing. So it was going to make for a fast kind of kermesse circuit around the streets of Richmond. 28 Laps!! (@2.2km)

I was hoping to get in more breaks and have a crack at the stage, but I was feeling average. I got in a few good moves but hit the wall near the end and couldn't really keep following the attacks.

'A Pure Black trio got away nearing the end and were nailing just off the front when tour leader Paddy Bevin showed his form and jumped across with in half a lap and no one from the bunch could follow that attack'

I was happy with finishing in the group and happy to get some good hard racing heading into, Nationals (Jan 8th) and NZ Cycle Classic (25th-29th).

2011-11-07T23:38:00.001-08:00

2011-11-07T23:36:00.001-08:00

Tour of Southland 2011

2011-11-07T23:32:00.000-08:00

Just got round to doing a quick update on 'Southland with Team Kia'

So got down there Saturday and meet all the guys and also Robin, Kay and Bobby and all others involved . We started off with a team Barbie to loosen the atmosphere and mix and mingle.

Heading into Prologue day, everyone was extremely nervous but also super pumped up to get the ball rolling in the right direction.

We ended up 8th down 25sec. but we weren't to gutted as we knew it was early stages.

The rest of the tour flew by until the double day where myself and Alex Meenhorst slipped into the late move, this was only setup by George and Joe already up the road.
We set about gaining a solid lead because we knew it could stick. but once the gap started going out we had to be careful not to work with Chris Macic as he was virtual GC.

In the end we came down to the finish as a bunch of 5, I hit out with 50m to the roundabout, i got a small gap and then increased thru the corner but was caught out as the road inclined slightly, but Alex had 3rd wheel and timed his sprint to perfection to take an awesome win! (the first ever for Kia Motors)

The other crucial day was Friday, where powernet took there chances and drove the pace from the get go, myself and George and Alex were all caught on the wrong side of the split and chased but could never get back into contact. So that was tour over for GC hopes.

On the final day, we woke to hail wind and some kind of snowiness. As we drove out to Winton with the heater and music on full we were thinking and hoping the was no ITT, and sure enough it was cancelled.

After sitting around watching movies in the Winton St Johns, we all amped up for the 75km final stage.
I was very keen not to get caught out so drilled it up front from the gun. This turned out to be the best bet as I was in the right spot as splits were going all around.
I felt comfy the whole way back into town and I had Alex to lead me out, unfortunately we didn't rail the last corner and lost speed and positioning so got up for 5th.

To sum everything up, Amazing tour and awesome people involved.

Huge thanks to all my team mates, Robin and Kay, Bobby Murrell and Kia

'The Crash'

2011-08-07T02:08:00.000-07:00

So as you probably know by now I had a pretty decent confrontation with a motor vehicle at high speed. It all happened pretty quickly with it only being with in 300m from the finish. I was basically leading a small group through a township (getting ready to sprint) when there was a car so I passed it thinking that the marshalls or whatever where dealing with it. Just as I started to pass down the left hand side it turned straight across on me. That was it, collarbone written off season pretty well over.

Just as a quick note, what the hell where the organisers and police at the event even doing having a car on the course, especially inside the last Km.

After that I went to the hospital in the near by city Gap. They mucked around for all of 4hours doing not much. When I finally got the X rays they said it was just a small fracture. So a painful 3 hour car trip home. After 3 days of a sore back and pain across the back of my shoulders, I went in for more X ray and check up kind of thing at the local hospital in Aubenas. After more waiting they came back to say that it was dislocated as well as fractured so they would operate tonight!

So after the operation it was pretty painful and they had me on the strongest drugs they had, morphine. I wasn't liking that to much and had a couple of vomit sessions.

So that's about it really so im now sporting 2 big titanium rods in my shoulder pretty cool aye?

Just trying to work through insurance claims, Flights etc and also trying to lock down a new team for next year. But with missing a months worth of FFC points has defiantly put me on the back foot.

Finally I would just like to thank Andre, Olivier (club president and DS) for all the help and running around that they've done. Also my team mates and everyone else back home for all the support.

Cheers

Kieran

Ambert Nocturne *Crit

2011-07-26T10:01:00.000-07:00

So for this race on a Monday night it was just Esko, Karlo and I (plus a British guy called Ki). I stepped it up and decided to drive there. It was pretty dodgy cause I haven't driven the team car that much and am not use to the clutch, to make matters worse it was raining hard and we had to go on the mountain roads!

Any way. We arrived to the race with no hick ups. got our dossards(numbers) and tested the course..... It was still raining a bit, but it was warm (so all g). The course was fairly technical with a climb a couple of quick turns then a straight decent with a slow single file left hand turn to the finish. If you got the hole shot out of the last corner it was pretty hard for any one to come round you.

So I was taking all the primes just by getting the jump into the corner. The race had a lot of attacking and I made sure I placed my self up front for most of the race, just to cover the breaks. Eventual though the race came back together with around 10 laps to go. Ki was feeling decent and was throwing some spice around, but the bunch ended up swamping all the attacks. In the end I had OK postion around the last left hander and managed to grab 4th. Plus 6 primes at 30 euro each so not a bad night.

Got a race on Sat, Elite National so should be interesting...

Ciao for now.

Alpes

2011-07-23T09:09:00.000-07:00

So I've been a bit busy lately with training and racing. I will try and think back to a week or so ago, I had an Elite National called Charvieu chavagneux it was a super fast flat course, which i knew would suit me if I played my cards right.

There was a really strong line up for the race, the pace started high seeing it was bastille day and never let up.

The good break went within a couple of laps. but lucky for me not all the teams were represented up front. So it got dragged back eventually. As that was going on I made my way to the front and a split went off the front and that was it.... full noise to the end and I had a dig with 2km to go but got bought back then rolled 8th in the sprint.

After this was a race on Sunday... I recovered really well and went on the attack straight away. I was loving the wet conditions and dropping everyone through the corners. Once the good break went I bridged across and it looked to be solid until we were caught with less than 1k to go, I stayed well positioned to take 7th.

After this I have been in the Alpes (near Braincon) training and relaxing and also getting in a bit of Tour action. I also had a Nocturne crit in Albertville, but was really lacking energy and power for some reason (maybe the altitude training im not sure). So I decided to pull the pin only 50mins in.

So that is all really, just watched the TT at Le Tour was pretty exciting!

GP les Avenieres

2011-07-04T06:21:00.000-07:00

So we only had 1 race this weekend.........

It was a 1,2,3 Categorised with a few of the big teams there, I was pretty chilled out about the race this week because I had forgotten what a race was like!

At the same time my HR was pretty excited because I nailed a couple of strong coffees at breakfast (and i never drink it normally)

The race itself started in some decent heat and just stayed hot the whole time. I was first to attack and got away but never got a gap. Then Ki went over the top and opened a decent gap (shit yeah Noel). after this I just scoped out breaks. I got in a few breaks and just kept pushing it ahead so never had to bridge gaps and go into the red to much in that heat.

I ended up 8th with the initial break never coming back, but a few people cracked from the front break.

Thats all at the moment only 1 race this weekend coming so stay tuned

Did someone say Crit Season!

2011-06-27T11:55:00.000-07:00

Yup, its been a while to wait, but the nocturne Crits have started again.

Had my first 1 on,

Wednesday last week down south in Martigues really nice atmosphere and a super nice course.

Race started at 8.30pm

Not a huge field but heaps of Martigues riders so I knew it was going to be difficult to control all of them. I started out riding super hard and aggressive to try and split a group off the front but kept getting bought back by Martigues, after my adrenalin had worn down a bit I moved to mid bunch and sure enough the good move went away with 11 guys, so I tried my hand at a solo bridge but they were moving.

Ended up getting a nice little lead out from my team mate and got 2nd in bunch kick for 13th. Also nabed 2 primes!

Sundays Crit

Was another 1 down south in the region of Montpellier, we drove down on Saturday evening to stay in Olivier's (DS) parents holiday house. Early morning start still. Was another scorching hot day, so lucky it was a short race only just over 1 hour.

Not heaps to say, apart from it was a really dodgy course and guys were washing out and snapping bikes and hitting building etc.

I placed myself at the front avoided crashes and then me and a few others got away, I was struggling with the heat a bit, but thought I could get up for the win. But with 10 laps to go after doing a full 1km lap turn, I got jumped and didnt have the gas to get back up to him. I suffered around the last 9 laps or so to take 2nd.

Also after the race the FFC(national federation) wanted to do some anti doping.

Normally just a urine sample but today was my lucky day, Blood samples! So after a bit of waiting around (as per usual) I went into some dodge little kitchen to get the blood taken and then sent off.

Thats all

Just 1 race next weekend and nothing through the week which is a tad frustrating when everyone else is ripping into it, but thats life.

Whats been Occurring?

2011-06-22T06:17:00.000-07:00

Classique Jean-Patrick Dubuisson> 11th/12th June

After just getting back from Belg I was so tired, I was really just wanting to have a easy weekend of sleeping and taking it easy. But I'd already committed to this Tour.

As you've probably figured by now there isn't going to much to say in here.

So a quick run down....Stage 1 Tried to make splits but just wasnt happening for me, a few groups got away so then the Peloton shut down.

St. 2

TT with 2km hill at start, went ok got 30th 1min down lost most my time over the 10km on the hill though.

St.3

100km Rr

Hard 20km lap x5

A break went then got caught, I was gripping to the bunch.

Tour of Aurillac, 18th/19th

A week of trying to rest and get some decent legs. Then it was off for 4 hours of driving to Aurillac, we basically got straight out of the car on the bikes and the legs weren't in a good mood.

So the first day I was seriously hurting and on the GPM's I kept dropping off a bit, but luckily I have become good at descending rapidly. ended up losing around 3mins to stage winner.

sTAge 2

TTT 19km

What can I say, we dropped our Jnr rider straight away, and the had me and the other Kieran and another. for the rest. We over shot the first turn losing a fair wack of time. And get this some how we got 3rd only 26sec down......Gutting

Stage 3

Everyone had been saying how hard and mountainous this stage was gonna be so I was a little scared. Right from the get go it was all on. I had a few diggs to get in the EB but everyone was glued to my wheel.

Survived the first part off the race then got off the front to get over the GPMs and possible splits would be occuring behind.....ended up blowing on the final gpm and being past 1km from the top and not being able to hook any wheels. Me and the yellow jersey lapped out hard to get back on. But they were gone.

Then with 4km I look back, ohh and my team mate is chasing me down again. cheers mate

Thats about it for now

A taste of Belgium

2011-06-10T03:12:00.000-07:00

So I was heading up north for a Coupe de France, but my team pulled the pin (not having enough riders).

So I managed to rearrange my tickets, and a few euros later I was away. I had a few delays but luckily Alex was still waiting when I got to Deinze. It was cool to be in Belg and see how different it was to France. Had my first Kermesse on the next day, so was a little tired from travel etc. But was keen to rip into it.

The race started super fast and never let up. Like all kermesses, any who I got in the break that had around 20 guys. I did to much work and was really suffering in the last 2 laps to make the splits. but ended up 12th, not bad for my first Kermesse.

After that it was more kermesses and a few training rides. and a few epic nights!

All in all it was pretty cool, and to enter races is only 3 euro, and you can always make money in the races so im not complaining.

Got a Tour this weekend that I know has a TT, but dont know much else. Thats about it

Tour de Beaujolais

2011-05-23T12:20:00.000-07:00

This weekend 5 of the team were heading for a quick trip north to the wine region of Beaujolais.

From all the talk from previous years it is a really good tour, with everything organised really well.

This year was no different,

Stage 1

I got stuck in early on. Went to early and attacks came flying every where. I managed to scramble through groups on narrow hard roads until I made the front selection.

From there the next gpm saw a few guys go clear. and with all the strong teams accounted for the time gap shot out.

Attacks came as the group lost its biorhythm and then the finish circuit ones and twos going off the front I covered as much as i could. But was out numbered and eventually hit the wall and lost a bit of time to the other chase guys.

Sundays Stages

Put the skin suit on for the flat 60km stage.

Was fast to start off with, but then I felt the heat cooling off a bit so launch on the narrow roads. I managed to split a group off.

Went real hard the whole stage but did way to much and rolled 5th. Climbed the ladder on GC as well

Stage3

Cracked on the second to last gpm and they didnt bring the convoy through so i was screwed. rode around trying to find the way with one other guy. ended up going the wrong way a couple more times and doing 121km for 103.6km stage. Dont know what thats all about.

Pleased to get a hard Tour in the legs though.

Big June coming up including Belgie trip so stay tuned.

Prix de Pont-de-Vaux

2011-05-16T02:56:00.000-07:00

So I'm sitting downstairs at the Bar, its Monday morning and its time to think about yesterdays race.

Race departed at 3pm, was really dark clouds and you could feel the air pressure, as it was about to bucket down. From the start no neutral which was strange because there normally always is. I clipped in nice and quick and followed the first attacks from the home teams boys (bourge en bresse). A good little group managed to get away (maybe 10 or so) everyone was willing to roll through which was good for a change.

As the rain came down things got loose and a lot of the riders didn't know how to handle their bikes particularly well. I was applying pressure through the narrow (technical) roads in the hope of splitting a smaller group off the front.

As the race ticked over, another group on the road caught our group and this meant the group was fairly big and not going to be overly helpful in setting the tempo,

2 guys got up the road then another bridged, I knew that it would be a good move to be in with conditions like the were, I attacked once but got covered by the group, I waited a bit then after the technical section when it was strung out, I went to try bridge the gap that had grown quit a bit. After half a lap (4km or so) I had made contact with the front 3.

It took awhile for me to recovery from the bridge, but soon we all got stuck in.

1 guy got dropped and 1 strong man managed to bridge.

THE Bell lap: So coming into the final lap everyone getting twitchy, taking quick laps on the front. I got attacked whilst on the front and I left it up to the other 2 too respond. they did but did't quite have the legs to pull in this one guy. Then 3 of us started attacking each other to make contact with the front guy which was just letting him get away.

Coming into the finish looking for 2nd. I was in 2nd wheel and wanted 3rd wheel cause the strong sprinter Lionel Genthon was on my wheel. I let the wheel go in front of me to force him in front of me, he didn't respond straight away and the guy in first wheel randomly turned around saw he had a gap and bolted, Lionel was waiting for me to respond but I wasn't going to cause I wanted his wheel. But in the end I left it to late and rolled 4th

A little gutting but banked some points I hope!

that's about all for now, stay tuned

Kieran

DN2 Coupe de France, 2 and 3

2011-05-08T06:36:00.000-07:00

Just a quick update to all those people out there reading this ramble.

Just got home at 1.30am, fresh from another hard windy day down in the south of France. (fun driving on the motorways!)

The race was really windy and had 1 main climb of around 1km length then 2km false flat and cross wind to the finish line in a village with a massive castle was pretty sweet.

Didn't get the best sleep at the F1 hotel in Toulouse with all the hookers making heaps of noise next door. So was a little sleepy, race was OK on the 5 big laps but the climb and drag to the finish was draining me. The 4th to last time up i got pinged off after the climb and game over. Another Dnf

I have been told from room mate Ki, that i was riding in the wind and being an idiot and if i had conserved more and ate more I would have been fine, so will defiantly keep that in mind for next races.

Also really disappointing at the moment with some of the team mates not committing 100 percent in the races. It really sucks for use riders that, just want to get racing and pull off results..........

The other Coupe de France up in Bourg didn't work out for me. As i put in way to much intensity through the week and had no PUNCH in the legs on race day.

Thats about it from me folks, enjoy this beautiful weather were have aye.

Ciao

La Boucle du Pays de Tronçais, with a mountains race

2011-04-26T08:28:00.000-07:00

bonjour tout le monde

I had a race on Saturday. Was a 4 hour drive in a cramped car to get there again. Had a few strong teams. but the course was apparently not to hard, for the first 50km or so then hills

To cut a long story short, I was riding my usual style at the moment and attacking all the time and following. It finally paid off for me as I rolled off after a GPM and took a little group away. Then rolled through again and only 1 guy on my wheel. So we worked together and stayed away for 80km or more, the race ended up being 140km. My break away partner was Herbet the Latvian who I already knew as he was Georges team mate last year and I heard how strong he was. He was taking longer pulls and was defiantly stronger than me. Coming into the final finishing climb he thought I wasn't going to put up a fight but I hit out from the bottom as he hesitated. I got a slight jump on him but he eventually got on my wheel, I kept the power down full but he came off my back wheel and just pulled away a little. I was absolutely wrecked after that ride. Pretty happy with second though.

Monday had another race being Easter long weekend and all.

Was a special little race of 55km long. Just a climbing thing.

Had 3 main climbs, 1st from the gun 6km then a 4km half way through and finished on a 12km climb or something.

I was going pretty good, just rode within myself on the first climb. As to not burn the legs to much.

After I got back to the main group a break had gone. I took up the chase for our team. But i made a crucial mistake of going to hard we turned on to the second climb and i was already in the box from my chase so got spat out the back. Me and team mate Esko put in a good decent and then onto the flat chopping off each 30sec and bought back the front group pretty easy in the end.

As me and Esko got to the front group we both went straight over the top of them and made them all chase. We kept hitting them until we got a little group clear with our team climber in there, our job down. Only the 12km climb to go, was really pissed off at this climb as there was know signs on how far to go and that kind of thing. but managed to get to the finish without dying, so all good.

Thats about it, also will try and get more photos and stuff going if I can find them

Ciao

Triptyque de la Vallée de l'Ance

2011-04-18T02:11:00.000-07:00

So this weekend just gone I had a 3 stage tour.

I knew it would be a gruelling tour looking at the profile before hand and the quality of the teams present.

Stage 1

5 laps with a hilly windy circuit with GPM points and sprint primes to make it even faster, this stage was much the same as the previous weekends stage 1, heaps of attacking from all the strong teams and coming back together. So a lot of energy could be wasted doing to much in breaks and trying to ride across gaps etc.

I knew after last weekend that i needed to ride a bit smarter when it came to breakaways and doing to much early on. I was still riding up front and following moves but didn't burn all the matches so to speak.

In the last few laps i was scared of the pace going super fast on the main climb and me getting dropped. So i followed moves before the climb to get a buffer. Nothing really eventuated from that.

The second to last time up the GPM climb, there was still a 8 man group clear with 50sec or so, then from what was left of the peloton a couple of the strong men attacked, i knew straight away this was going to be game over once they got across. So i followed in the end i tailed off towards the top and 2 guys managed to go across then win the Stage and the tour.

I finished in the main group @ 1.06min, couldn't get a clear sprint and rolled 22nd

Sunday

Stage 2 (9.30am) Eeekk!

Only 65km long but with nasty climbs, I got in the early break but nothing happened as the main group had the foot on the gas. Second time up the GPM climb I was tasting it, but hung in. Again really insane finishing km's and couldnt get through the bunch to get amongst the sprint.

Stage 3

Was pretty much controlled by the Yellow jerseys team and 2nd on GC's team, I had a couple of digs at getting up the rode but both teams were on me.

Eventually a couple of guys were allowed to escape, but was pretty much all bunch time at finish.

So that is about it really, pleased that the form is on the up.

Not exactly sure what's coming up. Dn2 coupe de France start of May so should be good.

Tour: Haut Var

2011-04-11T02:16:00.000-07:00

So the team had a tour this weekend in the south.

We drove 2 hours or more cramped in the car in the extreme heat.

From what we had heard the stages weren't going to be too hilly. Which was going to be a welcome change for me.

First stage was 117km

Started fast and was splintering from the get go with riders not wanting to hit the wind.

I chased down a dangerous break of 15 and then went on the attack myself.

As people scrambled to get in the break riders where soft pedalling looking for team mates etc.

Eventually the group worked ok together, but there were still riders playing around. And heaps of attacks. I seemed to be covering all the attacks and the making splits to find that other teams werent willing to pull through.

To cut a long story short, I faded with 15km to go and couldn't bridge again.

Ended up 13th in the stage @1min

Stage 2

After so good zzzz's (recovery and all that)

Had a solid french breakfast.

Was keen to have another good hit out.

Conditions for the race were super windy and 32 deg heat, beating down on us, so i knew at once it was going to be tough.

First lap was fairly quiet, i threw in a couple of testers on the Yellow jersey and his team, had them on the ropes to get me back, but then no one from my team would attack over the top.

After the first sprint prime of the day fellow kiwi Alex Ray put in a really well timed attack.

I was right there on his wheel and 2 others. 1 from the yellow jerseys team, so Alex drifted him back to the peloton. I went hard to get a solid time gap, the guy that was with me was pretty annoying tbh and wasn't contributing much at all(but then got shitty when i attacked him)

To cut along story short, got out to a 2min 10sec gap, over the group and would have taken all 3 jerseys if the other guy had pulled a bit more, but in the end we were caught with 15km to go.

Finished up in the Sprint Jersey so pretty stoked with that but looking back should have taken more. Looking forward to taking some form into the next Tour and other races coming up.

Transversale des As de l'Ain

2011-04-04T10:14:00.000-07:00

Haven't done an update on the racing in a while. The race on the weekend was said to be flat. We got to the race and saw the race profile and saw some pretty nasty hills.

Any way no point going on about that. The raced started pretty fast and windy. I positioned my self up front to look for breaks and stay out of crashes and all the breaking etc.

I was very active in the first 80km as i wanted to test the legs. But that was the killing of me as when the first 10km climb hit my legs had already done a lot of hard riding.

I held on nearly to the top of the first KOM(gpm). Rode the rest in a small group of 10 then pulled the pin with 25km to go totally smashed.

I feel like the racing is slowly bringing the form up though, which is good as got 2 tours coming up this month.

Cheers

Kieran

DN2 round 1

2011-03-21T02:11:00.000-07:00

Drove there,

The team was told we couldnt race as we only had 3 french riders and needed 4.

we protested it, we lost. Drove straight home 15 hours total driving for nothing.

Thanks FFC

thats about it.

Kieran

Tour de l'Ardèche, Day 2

2011-03-14T01:06:00.000-07:00

TT 6km

So cold, rode to the start, got a puncture on my front zipp on the way there. Warmed up quickly beside a local supermarket, then took off, was extremely painfully with the 3km hill after the fast flat. Was 1min down on the Chambery guy who won so wasnt to disappointed.

Was going to be hard stage with all the hills, but didnt help when i thought i had a puncture, changed it. Was then onto small roads with a hard chase. nearly got back on. Then the bunch hit the next 2km climb. stayed in the convey and was hoping to pick my way back through the groups. It was just too split up to get back to the front after that climb.

So rode in the cold with a group of 15 to the finish. Pretty depressing day in the wet and cold when stuff like that happens.

So that was the weekend, pleased with the form so far and am looking forward to better weather next weekend.

C u

Tour de l'Ardèche, Day 1

2011-03-12T10:20:00.000-08:00

115km

Rain, wind, cold, about sums up the day. There was a few strong DN1 teams with full line ups that were just smacking it the whole race. Dangerous conditions in the wet but got through in the front bunch. Only 4 up the road at 10sec so will be interesting tomorrow with the 6km hilly prologue and the hilly stage.

Thats about it for now

2011 UC Aubenas

2011-03-07T08:14:00.000-08:00

Just reporting in from my new French team for 2011. im based in the south of france in the Rhone Alpes region.

Really amazing set up here with great accommodation (at a hotel holiday resort)

Great weather and region for training. And really cool flat mates and team mates.

And a really good hard racing calender so will be a good test

GP serra de Liergues

First race 2 days after i arrived, I was really looking forward to it. But then i got tired and sick.

But i managed to finish even though i was freezing cold and i the box pretty hard by the end.

hopefully can shake the cold and back into it next weekend with my regions tour. Also was good to catch up with old team mates Sam, Clemont, Alex.

cheers

Kieran

Off season wrap

2011-03-07T07:57:00.000-08:00

Just got back to France and am back in the thick of it. So thought its time to give a wrap from last year and the Off season happenings.

Was really pleased to get back to NZ last year after 9 months away from home. Was really ready for a rest.

But the break meant work. I was working for NZ trail solutions again but this time in Nelson which was really good. Was hard work swinging, but had fun riding the amazing trails that are going on there. So big shout out to my crew up there>Ginge, Dom, Adrain, Beddy, Tom, Kylie, Nick, Ropes, pete, Pat, Wyn, Dobri.

Also in amongst my work was some racing but my form wasnt really the best for any of these hence the results.

Finished working Mid Feb have had 2 and a half weeks of base training. Which was much needed. Also big shout out to the training buddys doing the Kms with me, TA, Joel, and GB.

Finally was really good just to catch up with all family and friends especially cool to see Uncle and Aunty, Simon and Lil who haven't seen in a while.

Thats about it really

Italian racing!!14° Giro della Provincia di Biella

2010-09-27T04:11:00.000-07:00

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

2010-09-23T05:20:00.000-07:00

Link to the crib in morteau funny stuff,

check it out.

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

the end is near

2010-09-21T05:50:00.000-07:00

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

2010-08-23T11:05:00.000-07:00

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!!

2010-08-17T06:20:00.000-07:00

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

2010-08-09T13:24:00.000-07:00

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,

Update

2010-08-02T01:31:00.000-07:00

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.

2010-07-14T13:43:00.000-07:00

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.

2010-07-12T06:12:00.000-07:00

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

2010-07-06T02:05:00.000-07:00

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

June 25 and 27

2010-06-28T00:41:00.000-07:00

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

2010-06-22T00:23:00.000-07:00

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!!

Prix De Valempoulieres

2010-06-13T11:27:00.000-07:00

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

2010-06-05T03:16:00.000-07:00

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

Trophee Capi Securite a St Louis and Prix de Selencourt

2010-05-31T00:42:00.000-07:00

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.

2010-05-26T08:04:00.000-07:00

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

2010-05-22T11:52:00.000-07:00

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

2010-05-17T13:42:00.000-07:00

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

2010-05-10T03:32:00.000-07:00

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

2010-05-08T13:46:00.000-07:00

Prix des Belles Fontaine a Gourgeon.

2010-05-08T13:34:00.000-07:00

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

2010-04-27T14:24:00.000-07:00

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.

Prix du Cyclophile Morgien a Reverolle (Suisse)

2010-04-27T13:49:00.000-07:00

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!!!!

Prix de Ville d'Ornans

2010-04-18T10:22:00.000-07:00

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

2010-04-16T04:41:00.000-07:00

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.

2010-03-08T18:08:00.000-08:00

just one photo because wireless is to slug speed here.

Mexico

2010-03-08T17:58:00.000-08:00

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....

National Club Championships

2009-10-29T01:54:00.000-07:00

National club champs took place last week and it turned out to be some very good racing with a lot of local Nelson riders doing very well.

My race was on Friday at Midday and strait away attacks went down and i managed ride across to another group of riders that had a couple of strong guys in there. We still had 1min 30 to the 3 leaders on the road so we knuckled down and got on with the chase we had been reducing the gap when we heard from the side of the road t sit up and wait foe 3 more guys to come across and help with the work load. Once the catch was made on the front guys it was back to square one and a few guys thought it was time to have a rest. (which wasn't really that pleasing when they ended up getting in the medals!!) but thats their decision. A few of the break away dropped off over the next few laps until it was left to 6 riders in the lead group and when the attacks started to go on the last lap all the other laps started to hit me and i had no venom in the legs on the final climb. so ended up 5th.

2009-10-05T16:22:00.000-07:00

Just got back from the Yunca junior tour of southland. i am pleased to be back because the riding conditions in southland are less than ideal. Any way i got 6th overall in the u19 and was felling really good the whole tour with the wind, rain, hail and some snow maybe.

The tour panned out like this.

Day 1 was just a prologue where i got 10th which i was pleased with because i haven't been doing any thing like that. next day was to stages both around 80 km long i broke away in stage 1 to get some time back but got caught with probably only 15km to go so was pretty gutted.

next stage more bad weather hit and i was survival mode with a few attacks nothing stuck because conditions where so bad. so i rolled in with bunch time.

Day 3

was the crit early in the morning and i sat in the bunch and rested up and then with a couple of minutes to go rode off the front and took the stage.

in the afternoon was another 80km stage and i attacked soon after the start and got a good gap then a couple of riders came across and just after the first hill climb Michael Vink and Tom Hubbard came across from the peleton and this was when i thought we where away and this would move me up on GC but some how the bunch caught us after some dodgey bunch motor pacing and things like that!! but i don't know the full story so can't real say much.

So all in all a good warm up to the real thing in november!

i would like to quickly thank Village Cycles for sorting out my bike and Chris Nichlson for all the advice and Hugh Macmillian for all the help down south cheers.

2009 World Mountain bike champs wrap

2009-09-08T01:37:00.000-07:00

After a driving back from christchurch today i have had a chance to reflect on this years worlds.

Canberra Lead Up.

We took the van down from sydney on the long boring drive down to canberra. We got to the Canberra motor village to meet up with some of the team that had already been in camp a while.

The next day we went out to the track and it was raining hard and very cold i was frezzing and had 4 or 5 layers on. i rode a couple of laps and struggled up the climb with all the rocks and A-lines being difficult to do the first time you try them. i got to the top of the climb to the dreaded hammer head and saw several people come down hard on the rocks bellow. i had already decided not to ride the hammer head that day because it was raining but did it on my second lap with no real troubles at all.

After a few more days of training i had the course sorted and all my lines fixed in my head.

Day 1 racing was the u19 woman and u23 woman. i chose to stay away from the track and just go for an hour on tracks and roads around the camp.

U19 race

Got up had an apple and then my usual breakfast and then took my gear to the van with plenty of time to spare we got to the track and chilled out the i did a good 50min warm up on the rollers. and headed up to the start line. the race start wasn't that fast but the rode was wide and crashes started happening once we got around the first corner i got tangled up in two crashes and ended up being along way back into the first single track from then on it was fast pushing all the way to the hammer head and down the hammer head. there where a few more crashes in front of me to slow me down but apart from that i had no other troubles. the rest of the race i struggled on the climbs and couldn't get going as well as i had been earlier in the year. i ended up 60th 1 lap down and felt that if i had a better start i might have gone better but apart from that no crashes so not to bad.

Day 3 and day 4 and all the rest

After my race i could see how the big boys roll!! first up on Friday was the u23 race with race favourite Burry Sandler clearing out from the rest and showing why he has been getting top 10's in the world cups this year. best of the kiwis was Carl Jones who rode out of a poor start to work through the field for a good result.

Saturday was the Elite XC with racing being very close and the Mens race coming down to a sprint finish between olympic gold medalist Julian Absalon and last years u23 gold medalist Nino Shurcter. with the younger Nino have to much speed in the last kilometer of racing.

Sunday was the the biggest day for the Downhill side of the event with the juniors in the morning with team mate Brook Macdonald taking the Gold medal and a well earned Rainbow jersey. And the Elite men also doing well with Justin Leov in 8th place.

Finally i would like to thank all the support crew in Australia for all the effort that went into organising the whole thing. And i would also like to thank my sponsor that have help me along the way- village cycles, ibis cycles.

photos to come

2009-08-26T18:07:00.000-07:00

Joel's scewers.

Cheers

2009-08-26T18:05:00.000-07:00

the new ibis tranny

2009-08-24T17:44:00.000-07:00

the bike i used in switzerland!!

2009-08-24T17:10:00.000-07:00

South Island Secondary School MTB champs 08

2009-08-24T17:00:00.000-07:00

2009-08-24T16:56:00.000-07:00

2009-08-24T16:50:00.000-07:00

Just a quick update on the S and g race on August 22nd. felt flat from the weeks training but still wanted to have a good ride. Dave went up the road and a let him sit up there knowing that he would blow up and i started getting worried when they got out of sight and we where picking up the pace. but it turns out that Dave and Thomas Ashley went the wrong way. So they rejoin the peleton from from behind and by this stage i was starting to fell crap and sat on the back just wanting to get to the finish. So ended up rolling in with the bunch.

And well down to Thomas Hodge for a well timed break near the end to sneak the win.

Worlds 09

2009-08-24T16:46:00.001-07:00

Just got my new Ibis Tranny

It is very light and stiff, so hopefully goes good in canberra next week!!

SISS champs CHCH

2008-07-09T23:39:00.000-07:00

it snowed!!!!!!!
the sat
we awoke to cold over cast conditions and a bitterly cold wind.
then once the u19 waited until there itt was up it had started sleting then snowing.
i managed 8th with being blown off the track twice.

Sunday was cold but conditions wernt as bad.
i finished 4th after missing the crusual move.

2008-06-30T21:04:00.000-07:00

on friday the waimea team and i. Are heading down to the SI secondary schools road cycling champs in Chrictchurch. At the Ruapuna race way. This event should be good with a number of riders showing good form last year at this event so will be looking to do the same this year.

2008-06-30T20:28:00.000-07:00

Just got back from the mountain bike and trails world champs in val de sole, Italy
had a great time but unfortunatly bent my cchain and rear deraluir in the hectic start.
So im really dissapointed with that but that a side had an awsome time and learnt heaps for next year.