Interview from Brian Canty and Sticky Bottle. Thanks lads!! Former UCD CC rider, Anthony Walsh has put his bad luck of 2012 behind him in signing a new one-year deal with the American team Astellas Oncology. Initially the team was a small outfit, but with a significant cash injection and some of the top riders from the States and Canada coming on board, plans are at an advanced stage to have the team ride some of the biggest races on the US calendar next year. Walsh, a 29-year-old barrister from Clontarf, Dublin, is part of those plans having impressed in several races in Canada. “The races we’ll be doing are all pretty much Rás level races, most of them are UCI races too,” he told stickybottle. “They’ll have the big US teams going to most of them, the likes of Philip Deignan’s Unitedhealthcare team, Jelly Belly, Kenda and those boys.” He said the new deal had followed recent periods of competing in Canada. “I raced there a couple of times last season because my girlfriend’s Canadian. I had a bad crash racing in France with the Apoge Super U team. I broke my scapula, collar bone and a couple of ribs and coming back from that I was training hard, I had good form. I wanted to ride the Rás but it was just too soon.” “I came out here (Canada) instead and I won a big enough race called the Ontario Cup in Niagara. That kind of put me on the map and then I had a second crash and broke my scaphoid (bone in the wrist) out at the Stephen Roche crit just before the nationals.” “So I came back out here again and got another good result (5th) in Windsor in a big race there called Tour de Vi Italia. After that I got talking to a guy and he was asking me what my plans were for next season. He said there was meant to be a team with a big budget coming along and would I be interested. I said we’d stay in contact because I wasn’t sure what I was doing at the time so it stemmed from there.” Though he subsequently had offers from teams in the UK as well as the option of going back to France; with his girlfriend from Toronto and some of his family living there he was sold on the idea of relocating across the Atlantic. “I had a couple of stressful weeks trying to decide would I take that route of going to the UK. I got a feeling from speaking to the manager here though. It’s the same with anything, you get a feeling within a couple of minutes if they want you or not and this team made me feel really comfortable. They’re even hiring a buddy of mine to be soigneur to help me fit in.” “But don’t get me wrong, France was brilliant, I really loved it out there and I couldn’t recommend the team highly enough for any Irish lads. They really treated us like family. After the first time I crashed in February, the guys in the team had me staying in their houses with their families and wouldn’t even hear of me going back to the apartment on my own.” “They really pulled out all the stops for me and it was a tough decision not to go back because they’ve a super star line-up and have signed some great riders; some of the best riders from around the area.” “But the language is a big issue over there. My French got better from being there but I think you’d need three or four years. I was doing French classes over there and I was trying to learn as much as I could but it’s very difficult to get the intricacies.” “What you’d learn in the classroom and how the lads talk is very, very different. So without another English speaker for next year, it would have been very difficult and that was a factor in my decision to come to Canada.” He will live in Canada in 2013 and will travel to the US for races. His new team is based in Chicago. For the next number of months Walsh will alternate between Spain and Ireland where he’s hopeful of a big winter of training before the team convenes early next year for some training blocks in Carolina and Florida. One thing Walsh did stipulate with his new contract was that he would be released to ride the An Post Rás in May; that’s assuming the team don’t get an invite and he rides with them. It’s a race that has always held a special appeal for him. “I was gutted to have missed out this year but it just came too soon after my crash”, he said. “But I’ll be targeting GC in that next year. I did a good ride there before, 23rd overall in 2011. And maybe I can target the top 10 if I’m really on form.”

Update

I am still suffering with my broken hand so it still isn't too easy to type. This past weekend saw a return to racing for me, albeit in a cast. I am at home in Ireland recovering so I took part in the Ballinrobe 2 day stage race. I managed a stage win, bringing the win total to four so far this season and wound up second on GC. I've one more race in Ireland coming up this weekend before heading off to Canada for a couple of races to wrap up August. September is a busy enough month for me - back racing in France. Calender hasn't been confirmed yet for October but I'll likely continue racing into October since it has been such an injury hit season.

Mondello Park Win

The following post is courtesy of www.stickybottle.com

Former UCD CC rider Anthony Walsh has shown he is back to form after suffering a serious crash riding with his French team earlier in the year, coming home alone to take the win at Mondello Park in Co Kildare last night, Tuesday. Walsh took that victory, the latest of the Bike Worx Series on the Mondello track, just ahead of Brian Ahern (DTC Orwell Wheelers) and Kenneth Conlon (Naas CC) after the 77-strong starting field splintered during some fast racing in near perfect conditions. Following a better than expected season in 2011, Walsh decided to put his career as a barrister on hold to give at least one season over to full time racing in France. The 28-year-old was hoping to improve on his 23rd GC result in the An Post Ras of 2011 and push towards a top ten this time around. However, having made the move to his new Apoge Super U team based in the small medieval town of Pons, near Cognac he crashed during his first stage race of the year and suffered a broken scapula, collarbone and two ribs. He has since made a full recovery, and during a block of racing in Canada he won a big event there last month. That coupled with his win last night indicate his form has not deserted him and he should now be set up for a productive latter half of the season.

Ontario Cup Win

The following post is courtesy of www.realdealracing.com

Irish Anthony Walsh was a guest rider for our squad this past weekend and man was he a welcome guest. Just to finish the elite mens race at Niagara is something to proud of. The big win is our first of the year but there are many more to come for our 1-2 squad. Anthony is here for another week so we will get to enjoy this incredible rider as a team mate for one more race until he is back in August. Next weekend look for Anthony and the rest of the boys at the Dandelion GP!!

It's been a while

I haven't been too great at updating the blog in a while. I do, however have a good reason. A broken hand has been making typing difficult. A new blog is on the way......

It's all part of the game

I'm training hard, hitting the numbers and making sacrifices. The sacrifices are worth it because I’m making gains. My form is as good as it’s ever been, I have over-come the language barrier and settled in with my new team in France very well. It’s the opening stage race of the season (Bassor de Basque) and the season ahead is filled with possibilities. Targets which seemed implausible are beginning to seem realistic and distance dreams and aspirations are coming into focus. A winter of hard training and clean living is paying off.



The course today is hilly. Everyone knows the importance of good position into the major climb of the day. The race can be won or lost at this point. Many scenarios play in my head as we approach the climb but I never consider the twist of fate which awaits. I am nestled into my team-mates wheel as we jostle for position when my senses are overloaded with the unmistakable sounds and smells of an impending crash. I reach for the brakes but it’s too late. Boom! Head over heels I go. My landing is inauspicious – upside down and on my back. Instinct tells me to get back up and get into the race. I try to move but something is different this time.



It’s hard to know what to feel when you crash. You hear so many well wishing clichés – its part of the game, it happens, bones will heal, etc. Initially there is an out poring of sympathy from family, friends and well wishers. The first few weeks after the crash were very painful. I had limited mobility, poor morale and an unspecified period of convalescence.


Broken Scapula, Collar Bone and a two Ribs.


Once the initial pain subsided and the prognosis was clearer what was harder to deal with than the legacy of injuries was the thought of re-building fitness that took months to build, only for it to be destroyed in an instant. But as the cliché goes – ‘re-build we must’.

The recovery period, thus far, has been extremely tedious. My first sessions back were with one arm in a sling, in an adapted upright position, indoors and less than thirty minutes in duration. Each day I’ve progressed and I hope to resume full road training in the next couple of weeks.

The enforced layoff has meant I need to re-evaluate my goals for the season. The Ras was a major target for me before but now I will either skip it completely or ride it as preparation for races later in the season. The French season runs for longer than the domestic one so I have plenty of time to re-build fitness and make my 2012 season one to remember – for the right reasons.

The French Experience - Part Deux

A friend sent me a text message saying ‘living the dream’. It rattled me a little. I was having a bad day. As yet the English speaking members of the team haven’t arrived. I have some sort of virus. I am staying alone in a pretty basic apartment. Training spins at home are full of good natured banter with great friends – here those relationships are still being built. The honeymoon phase has definitely worn off. The days are long when your only task is a training session and they are even longer if it happens to be a rest day or heaven forbid you’re sick. France is a lonely place when you’re sick and craving nothing more than some home comforts.



In one of my quite moments (I have quite a few over here) I began to think about why riders find it difficult to base themselves abroad.

You’re living on an absolute shoe string budget. It’s not a massively glamorous life. You make do with the living subsidy providing by the club and have little or no spare cash for luxuries such as coffee stops.



The language barrier is immense. Although I am doing my best to pick up the language as fast as I can - it’s difficult. Obviously the early stages are hardest. With a reduced ability to communicate forming friendships and bonds is especially difficult.

Also beyond the obvious day to day communication and conversational issues, what is also missed is positive re-enforcement. I began cycling with my friends. During these days training goals were simply – to beat your buddy to the top of the local hill. Training was being rewarded with constant validation from your peers. The language barrier removes that daily validation and I think its one of the obstacles that makes being based abroad so difficult for Irish riders.

Also it never helps you settle when you have a lunatic French neighbour who likes to pump music out in the middle of the night. What’s the French for ‘I’m going to break your legs if you play music after 1am again’?

I am sitting here compiling this list and all of a sudden. Ding dong. Ring on the door bell. Bonjour Anthony. Les nouvelles velo sont arrives. A new bike and some new kit – just the thing I needed to cheer me up from my sickness induced despondent state. Maybe like the text said I am living the dream, lets hope I don’t wake to a French reality. Things will get easier, in one sense, this weekend when racing begins. I’m looking forward to it.



Bassor Basque – bring it on!!

http://www.directvelo.com/ is a decent French site for checking up on the French racing calendar, results etc.

The French Experience - Part Une

I am beginning to settle into life in France. I am based in a small town called Pons. Pons is a picturesque medieval town which is best known for its proximity to Congac. In my short time here I have found the locals to be extremely welcoming. The town embodies values common in rural communities around Ireland. The community are fanatical about cycling, it’s their GAA. All local businesses are represented on the team (Apoge Super U) jersey and there exists a passion for the sport evident from the number of volunteers working within the club.

Although I only arrived a week ago, I am settling into a routine which is slowly being instilled by management. We rise early, disappearing into the French country side. My daily ride differs from what I have become accustomed too – cars horns have been replaced by cries of ‘allez’ and suburbia has been exchanged for an expanding vista. Those not familiar with racing abroad wonder about the language barrier but on the bike no such barrier exits. The universal language of cycling transcends such barriers. We have been learning the language since we began cycling and it is etched indelibly into our psyche. Visual prompts replace words and we have honed the ability to interpret the posture of team mates, to analyse the way their bodies move and adjust our responses accordingly.

I have logged over eight thousand kilometres in my base period which began in late September. The winter break left an initial lethargy which took a couple of weeks to dissipate. The recipe this winter was simple - high volume and relatively low intensity. Now, only two weeks away from my season opener, Essor Basque, the focus of my sessions has changed. Since arriving in France I have begun to add some intensity into my sessions. My body is shocked as the steady four hour ride it has become accustomed to is interspersed with periods of up to twenty minutes riding at threshold. Training is beginning to replicate the demands of racing with increasing specificity as the season draws closer.

I am not sure what my French experience will hold but I know when I roll up to the start line that I have prepared well. I have continually been disciplined, abstained and foregone – all in the name of cycling performance. I know this journey will have many highs and lows but first impressions are all positive. Let the racing begin!

Media

I have been a big fan of SportsTagId since the company began trading and I hope they have a successful expansion in 2012.

Check out their website. Thanks for the shout-out boys!

http://www.sportstagid.com/2011/11/18/sportstagids-1st-intl-cyclist-lands-professional-contract/

Sticky Bottle

A good article from the lads at Sticky Bottle

http://www.stickybottle.com/latest-news/ucds-anthony-walsh-ready-for-tilt-at-french-scene-doesnt-see-age-as-a-barrier/

Lenister team

I have had two outings with the Lenister (regional) representative squad in recent weeks. The first was a week of Kermesse racing in Belgium and second was a one day premier calender event, the Richmond GP, in the UK.

Ciaran has kindly written a report for the club website on Belgium so that saves me some typing. What follows are an example of his incoherent ramblings that I am forced to listen to at stage races around the country all season.




Three UCD riders made a week long trip to Belgium last week to try their hand at their Kermesse racing. Ciaran O Conluain was, as always, riding for UCD whilst Colm Cassidy and Anthony Walsh were honoured to be riding for both their college and their provence, Leinster.In the races they faced some of Belgiums top teams including riders for Omega-Pharma and Topsport. They also raced against many Irish riders based over there and the An Post boys Bennett and Lavery. Friend of UCD Eoghan “Galloper” also joined in the action and all the riders were cheered on by people who would cover the entire course at times such was the populartity of the racing there.

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The races were all approx 120km in length with laps varying from 5-9km. This meant you would get very used to the circuit and if one part of it didnt suit then it was always going to be a difficult day. One of the courses had 5 cobbled sections while another had a 140m ascending on each of the 11 laps (same as Howth each lap!). The main differences from Irish racing was the speed coming in and out of corners which showed that technique is a vital skill here. Also the lineouts out of the corners and the very narrow roads used meant it was often impossible to move up through the bunch and if you got caught in a bad spot then it was going to be a short day in the saddle. The weather was also very mixed with rain in almost every race.


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Richmond Premier Calender




I was part of the Lenister squad for the Richmond GP last weekend. The Richmond was the last race of premier calender season and would decide this years overall victor. The premier calender races are always a bit special. They have a great atmosphere about them. The Eurosport cameras and cycling media hang about the start looking to get some snaps of home town heros. This time around Russ Downing from Team Sky seemed to be getting a disproportionate amount of press.

The weekend didn't get off to get greatest of starts for me. I turned up at Dublin Port fashionably late. It turns out fashionably late isn't the best idea when you are using transport on a strict timetable. I scurried from one ferry terminal to the other in the hope of a solution to my missed boat. I managed to get a sailing with a different operator thirty minutes later but arrived in Hollyhead before the rest of the squad as I got the faster boat. One nil Walsh! I bumped into some of the Cycling Ireland staff who were headed to Denmark for the World Para-Cycling champs on the boat. They took the piss out of me something fierce for missing the early boat.

A long drive down to the race hotel. I couldn't wait to just crash out on my bed. You have to be kidding me - sharing a double bed. The glamour of cycling. We (me and James Davenport) made the best of a bad situation and had a decent nights sleep. I was the big spoon, in case you were wondering.

The race itself was very hilly. Probably the most undulating course I have ridden this season but it was nonetheless a top class, well designed race. Narrow roads, plenty of corners and climb after climb were the salient features of the parcours. The famed 'Butter Tub' climb came early in the race. It was about 5km long with an average gradient of ten per cent and it sucked as much as you'd imagine.

I missed a vital split with about thirty kilometers to go when a twenty five man group slipped off the front - never to be seen again. The race winner was Andy Tennat from Rapha Condor.

I sprinted up the final cobbled climb to the finish as part of a much depleted main bunch and exhaled a sigh of relief. It had been a long testing day and an even longer season. It's time to put the feet up for a few weeks and re-charge the batteries. It's been one hell of a season. From Kilmallock to Milwaukee and back!

Ballinrobe 2 day

Ballinrobe was the venue for my second stage race on consecutive weekends. We had a slightly depleted squad with a couple of late withdrawals but it turned out to be a great weekend.

We dominated the race claiming thirteen prizes from a five man squad. The highlight was the overall win which was taken by Colm Cassidy. The win was made that extra bit special as Irish Olympian, David O'Loughlin placed second on GC. I placed third overall, getting 6th on stage one and 5th on stage two along the way.



It was an solid performance from the team and the support staff which traveled with the squad. This is the last stage race of the season but with a couple of the younger lads showing impressively this weekend next season looks bright.



My next racing will be in Belgium from the 10th - 19th of August.




Overall
1st Colm Cassidy UCD 4Hrs 26'20"
2nd David O'Loughlin Cunga CC @06"
3rd Anthony Walsh UCD @19"
4th David Brennan Castlebar CC @24"




Photos from irishcycling.com

Superweek Victory

Spirits were high going into the Friday evening’s Brookfield Criterium. We took a lot of heart from the previous nights’ race. Although it was tough, now had a belief we were capable to getting a result. The atmosphere was on the night was special. I normally laugh at the over zealous, ill-guided American patriotism but tonight was different. As the local singer inspired the on-looking crowd by bellowing out her best rendition of the star spangled banner I couldn’t but notice the goose bumps on my arms. It was an atmosphere I hadn’t experienced at a bike race and I loved it. As the national anthem echoed in the background I had a moment to take cognisance of the surrounding and I now knew why Superweek was special. It wasn’t just the racing, it was the entire package: the celebrity announcer (Italian villain from cult classic ‘Breaking Away’), the hoarding, the crowds, Miss Milwaukee as starter and yes, the American zeal.

The race itself was a super technical seven corner, one kilometre circuit. The plan was similar to the previous day with Ed on the offensive early. This time it paid off – Ed found himself in a strong move which worked well together. With Ed away life became easy for the rest of us. We jumped with any move that looked dangerous in an attempt to get a free ride across to the break. About midway through the race I followed some wheels that looked dangerous and found myself in a chase group of about ten riders. With a man up the road no one expected, or got, any contribution to the workload from me. Meanwhile Ed’s group had lapped the main field. Sean, the team director, informed me of the situation and asked me to sit up and go back to help secure the win (very pro-tour).

The chase group was the only immediate concern. The plan was simple. Use me and Kevin to contain the chase group and keep Pete fresh to lead Ed out for the sprint. Time seemed to stand still as we made an uncomfortable tempo lap after lap. We were all expecting an attack from one of Ed’s fellow breakaway companions but they seemed content to leave it to be decided in the sprint. That suited us just perfect. Chemstar p/b United Healthcare also had a man in the break and contributed to the pace making. Kevin and myself lasted until just inside the final lap when the Chemstar p/b United Healthcare came over the top of our lead out train with their own. Pete never panicked. He bumped his way onto the back of their train and sat in until the last corner. Then he went for home with Ed in his wheel. He hit the front of the race with 250 meters to go and pulled to the side. Ed put his head down and opened up, nothing but clear road ahead. I was rolling in a few hundred meters back and I heard the announcer screaming, Ed Veal from Jet Fuel. Yes!! We won a Superweek race.



Ed was almost overcome with emotion as the team embraced to the backdrop of Queens’s iconic soundtrack, We are the Champions. We posed for photos with spectators and soaked up the atmosphere. It was a race I am not likely to forget for a long time -an incredible feeling.

The following evening was, ‘The Downer’, the biggest race on the Superweek calendar. The organisers’ anticipated a crowd of 30,000. In all honesty I don’t think the crowd was that big but it was substantial and made all the more impressive when you consider the crowd lined a one kilometre circuit. The race is held on Saturday night and it has a real Saturday night feel about it – spectators are in party mood, drinking and generally being loud. The Downer had all the atmosphere from the previous night, plus some more. It was a unique experience for me and although we all had tired legs from seven races in eight day, you could find that little extra in the legs when the cheers went up. The race itself was non memorable, we attacked and gave it everything we had but ultimately we came up short. A late breakaway contested the win.

As we took the chequered flag to conclude the race, spectators handed us beers. We rode a few laps to sample the crowd and toasted a great weeks racing.



Photos from www.pedalmag.com
results on www.internationalcycling.com

Milwaukee Superweek

Long drive on the cards to kick off the week. Scorching heat. One car with air conditioning. One car without air conditioning. Damn, I drew the short straw. It’s going to be rough getting out of the car and racing after a seven hour drive. We stop a couple of times en route to Chicago and my legs are like lead. The guys are all keen to race that evening despite the long drive - only a natural disaster will stop us doing the first race. Oh yes!!....A natural disaster, a storm hit Chicago. Roads are closed, power cables are down. I can rest easy and begin Superweek with fresh legs tomorrow.

The usual Superweek race format was a 100km criterium. The first two races were unremarkable. We raced aggressive but were unlucky to miss the major moves in the races and ended up scrapping for minor placing outside the top ten. The tactics seemed right so we vowed to persevere.

Thursday night South Shore Classic rolled around. I was starting to get the hang of these crits. I wasn’t getting gapped out of the corners. I am not saying I was comfortable through the corners but I was surviving. The corners are where the selection is often made so I was happy to be surviving through them. There was also a notable increase in standard at Superweek compared to the preparation Midweek crits I rode back in Toronto or even the Detroit and Windsor races the previous weekend. In the races the previous weekend we were the controlling force, dictating when breaks would be brought back and which breaks would survive. This was a different story. We were more at the mercy of the peleton but we still had a few cards to play. We just needed to be smarter about playing them.



The plan was for Ed to be active early, attempting to get into breakaways in the first half of the race. The rest of the team were going to play the waiting game and gamble on later moves. Mid way through the race we lost Kevin Hazzard with a back injury. As per our plan Ed was aggressive early but unsuccessful. A break of eight riders was away from about the half way point. They seemed to be working well together and considering the make up of the break it looked as though they would be the ones contesting the race win. With three laps remaining Pete lined the bunch out for me to try and take a flier across to the break. To be honest I don’t think I would have made it on my own. At the moment I attacked another rider, Michael Chauner from Team Cykelcity , also went on the attack. We rode full gas and caught the break just as they started the last lap.

I have played the moment we caught the break over and over in my head. It was the key moment and I shit my pants. I should have taken a run at them without hesitating but I choose to sit in, just for a moment. That moment’s hesitation was enough to cost me the race. As I drew breath my fellow escapees started their sprint. I had poor positioning out of the last corner and not much left in the legs for a sprint. SHIT! 6th place.

And the winner…….the lad Chauner from Team Cykelcity. He took the flier as we caught them and barely held of the pursuers. In retrospect it was a decent result in a tough race against a good field but at the time it didn’t feel like it.

O-Cup Windsor

After coming so close the day before in Detroit the team were very motivated for the win in Windsor. Being back on Canadian soil meant the lads knew the competition. We talked about who the strong riders were and where possible threats would come from.

The first thing that struck me about the race was the heat. It was like racing in an oven. I am not sure of the exact temperature but it was well into the high thirties. It was so hard to get a breath and this was only going to get worse as the race hotted up.

Early in the race we were super active, firing men up the road in every move. It was only a matter of time before one of the moves stuck. The elastic snapped and Kevin Hazzard was set free with three other guys. We patrolled the front of the bunch to ensure no counterattack could make it across to them.

The break worked well together and lapped the field with still about thirty minutes of racing remaining. From here the pain would begin - it was time to start making that uncomfortable tempo. Pete and me went about making the pace while Ed was kept fresh to look after Kev in the finale. A chase group had gone clear but it was decided not to chase at one hundred percent but instead to make sure they didn't catch the back of the main bunch. We had Dave up in the chase group messing things up and it all panned out well.

Me and Pete shared turns until one lap remaining. I opened up through the start finish line to string out the bunch and gave it full gas for about 400 meters. Pete hit it hard as soon as I pulled off, bringing Ed and Kev into the second from last straight. Out of the last corner Ed went for it with Kev in his wheel, with meters remaining Kev stuck his head out in the wind and accelerated to claim victory.

I felt like I had won the race as I heard the announcer proclaim the winner. It was a magical feeling a truly great team effort.

Elite 1 Men – 65km
1. Kevin Hazzard (Jet Fuel Coffee/ La Bicicletta)
2. Anton Varabei (Cycle Solutions/Angry Johnny’S)
3. Brandon Spencer (Kallisto/Wheels Of Bloor)
4. Chris Balestrini (Garneau-Club Chaussures)
5. Jeffery Schiller (Garneau-Club Chaussures)
6. Dave Byer (Jet Fuel Coffee/ La Bicicletta)


Photos from cyclingphotos.ca

Detroit City Criterium

I touched down in Toronto a few weeks ago. The plan had been to hook up with the Jet Fuel/La Bicicletta squad to race the tour de Toona but for one reason or another the team decided to withdraw at the last minute. Instead of a stage race I was left with the prospect of racing criteriums everyday for eight days.




There were so many unknowns starting out the week. I haven't raced a lot of crits in the past and the thought of racing around in circles for two plus hours was less than motivating. Also this was my first real block of racing in North America so I wasn't sure what standard to expect.



We traveled down to Detroit - which I had been warned was rough and rundown. It turned out to be nice city and an ideal location for a bike race. We raced in the heart of the downtown area and although the crowds weren't huge at this one, a unique buzz was in the air. The races are really packaged over here. Every race is a presentation with an announcer, rider call ups and hoarding.




The squad for the day consisted of Pete Morse, Kevin Hazzard, Ed veal and Dave Byer. Sean Kelly was the teams director. This is a team of people I'd get to know very well over the next week. All bar Dave Byer traveled to Milwaukee with us. I love these blocks of races/stage races, the banter is always on a different level to one day races.

Boom...and the race was off. From the very first corner I had difficulty with the speed these guys were hitting the corners at. A majority of the races over in North America/Canada take the form of criteriums and this was really reflected in their cornering style. Fast into the corner, late off the power, lay the bike down at a crazy angle and early on the power through the exit. I was losing easily three bike lengths through some corners and fighting to catch the wheel before the next corner came. The first half of the race really followed the same format for me, brutal in the corners and playing catch up in the straights. Despite my poor cornering my legs were good. I just needed to sort out how to go around corners and I would have a great week.

Late in the race Dave got into a good move that looked as though it would stay clear.The problem for us was Dave found himself in a three man break away with two riders from the Mazur Team. We knew if we let this break go to the finish they would play a one two on Dave and take the win. With about five or six laps remaining me and Kevin starting riding a heavy tempo on the front to bring the move back. Although it felt counter intuitive to be chasing our own man, we were riding for a win. We rode hard, lining out the bunch until the last lap and got the break within touching distance. From here Pete was going to bring Ed to the last corner (about 300 meters from the finish) where Ed would open up his sprint. The plan was working well until Pete and Ed got separated briefly just before the last corner. The wind Ed hit took away from his sprint and he was beaten by a wheel length. Second place!

It wasn't a bad start to the week and one thing I knew going into the rest of the week was that the boys had some fire power and used it not for individual good but for the collective good of the team.

Results Pro 1 Men
1. Jeff Schiller (Garneau) 17:45.1
2. Ed Veal (Jetfuel Coffee/Labicicletta) 0.18
3. Jason Valenti (Nine2Five Pro.com) 0.43



Photos from www.cyclingphots.ca

Paddy Flanagan

Just back from a super weekends racing at the Paddy Flanagan. Team mate and all round top dawg Colm Cassidy took the overall honours over the three stage event.

The race went pretty much as we would have hoped - it must be the first time we have got something tactically spot on. I was up the road in the early break on stage one with team mates sitting on getting a free ride in the chase group behind. The chase group eventually caught the break making a strong twenty man front group with all the GC contenders. Casso attacked getting third on the stage and a few precious seconds on the chasers.

A good TT put Casso into yellow for the afternoon crit around Newbridge town center. As expected the crit was fast and furious. There was three right hand turns in the course, this was a slight concern as neither me nor casso can go around right hand bends. With only a three second lead in the overall it was never going to be an easy afternoon but we managed to keep it all together and hold onto the jersey. The team was super strong with Ciaran, Fiachra and a few friends putting in a solid shift to hold onto the jersey.




Great result for Casso and UCD!

World Cup in Segovia

I rode my first tandem World Cup races last week. It was a enjoyable but very different experience to road racing. Everything on the tandem seems to happen in slow motion, you can see where you want to move in the bunch but it doesn't pan out the way you imagine it. I am not entirely sure of the reason, the bike is a lot less responsive than a standard solo bike - slower to accelerate, slower to corner and cumbersome to maneuver.

I rode a 21km TT and a 108km Road Race finishing pretty much middle of the road in the races. The result was roughly as expected for a debut off the back of a difficult Ras.

A very enjoyable week for the squad was capped off by a Gold Medal performance by the girls tandem (Fran Meehan and Catherine Walsh) and a double Gold for World Champion Mark Rohan.

It's back to road racing on the solo bike for me but the week in Segovia was a welcome change of pace.

The Ras

Well the Ras updates didn't go to plan.
It was always going to be a struggle. I was so shattered after every stage that the last thing I wanted to do was start typing shit and pretending I wasn't shattered.

The Ras was a struggle but I was racing. Some lads go to the Ras just to survive - I was one of those last year. There is nothing shameful about surviving the Ras, it is something that should be celebrated. Other lads who are capable of racing but for one reason or another, choose not to race and simply follow wheels all week - these are the lads I don't understand. I enjoy the aggressive side of racing, there is no fun for me in following wheels all week without sticking your nose in the wind.

It was an eventful week. Sometimes I attacked, sometimes I followed and other times I held on for dear life. I was in small breakaways at the front of the race, sprinting for the win on stages and out the back in the cars. I was sunburnt and soaked - the week had it all.

I'm not going to drone through eight days in a narrative.
The highlight,race wise, was finishing up 23rd on GC and Second County rider. The non race related highlight was the absolute madness which was the team dinner in Blarney. I nearly wet myself laughing and my throat hasn't been the same since.

The lowlight (if that's even a word) was loosing teammate Colm Cassidy, when he was forced to abandon after a crash on stage four.

I am off to Spain on Tuesday for a World Cup on the Tandem but it shouldn't be too hectic with only a road race and time trial to compete in over the course of a week. The Ras took a fair bit out of me so I am going to re-charge the batteries and shift the engine back to neutral for a couple of weeks and build again for the nationals.

Updates on the Ras

I will do my best to keep the site updated over the next eight days.

Stage 1 is tomorrow morning, starting at 12 o clock in Dunboyne and finishing in Portumna.

It's time I got to bed.

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]