After the highs of the Tour De France comes August’s procession of minor races and exhibition criteriums. It’s like a mid-season break before the Vuelta, Worlds and Lombardy.
So that made it the perfect excuse for a holiday. Two weeks in Italy, didn’t even throw my leg over a bike but did work hard on the gelateria. Call it “the Contador method” of building up your fitness.
Didn’t see many Italian cyclists until we were getting a taxi at 8am and saw loads out for a morning ride before the heat got up. So that’s when they go out then, not in the 35 degree heat of mid-afternoon.
Came back about 3kg heavier – claimed as excess baggage/water weight – which promptly disappeared after last night’s race. Bradley Wiggins eat your heart out.
Didn’t have the legs for the sprint but didn’t get dropped either and even had the energy to make a couple of decent digs, which came to naught due to the blasted headwind down the back straight again.
I’ve got loads of stuff to get through in my RSS reader including a quite emotional interview with Bradley Wiggins in the Guardian: Exhausted Bradley Wiggins now knows he can win the Tour de France which was flagged up by Tour De Ville.
And I’ve already signed up for my first Cyclocross race of the year which looks to be a bit different from the usual: The Rollapaluza Halloween Cyclo Cross
31.10.09, 17.00 – 22.00
Herne Hill Stadium, Burbage Road, London, SE24 9HE.
- £1000 cash prize list!
- Course to run through bar tent
- Youth events
- Apple Bobbing
- Mulled Cider
- Cheap beer
- Fancy dress with prizes
- BBQ, hot drinks and waffles!
- Separate event for Novice / Single speed mtb / fixed wheel riders.
- Free “have a go” Rollapaluza roller-racing.
- Full Moon guaranteed
Can’t wait to see how riding through a beer tent pans out.
