Des Hanlon Memorial

The first of the Irish spring classics took place in Carlow yesterday. The main race drawing of field of over one hundred and twenty riders. Weather conditions were ideal for the 150km race.

The race followed a format typical of most Irish races - aggressive from the off. A breakaway of about ten riders was established within the first twenty kilometers. I found myself in a chasing group with Timmy Barry (Edge Sports) and Thomas Martin (Eurocycles). Our collaborative efforts ensured we reached the leading breakaway before the beginning of the second lap.

The breakaway group was too big and it was only a matter of time before this poorly functioning group splintered into a more cohesive unit.



On the second ascent of the short steep hill, after turning left off the main road, the group split into a front group of five. The group consisted of: Greg Swinand (Usher), Sean Lacey (Edge Sports) Peter Hawkins (Deecock, Belgium), Mark Dowling (Deetek) and Myself.

The group worked well together, sharing the pace making and establishing a winning lead over the chase group.In the closing kilometers the group took turns attacking each other any time the road went up. Swinand seemed to be hurting the most but to his credit fought back on through the cars on numerous occasions.

The five leaders sprinted it out from the five hundred meter mark, Greg Swinand was the fastest by some distance and secured a superb win. I didn't have much gas left in the tank for the sprint and placed 5th.






All in all it was a good days racing and my form is progressing so I'm happy. The next big target is not until Easter weekend but plenty more minor races between now and then.





Photos from Liam Ruth

In the past week I raced the Newbridge GP and St. Patricks Day race in Batterstown.
Both races were run on a handicap basis and on each occasion the initial advantage given to the A2 bunch was to prove decisive.



For years, as I came through the ranks, I was the beneficiary of the handicap system but now as an A1 I'm not really enjoying racing these events. There is almost a race within a race - first the A1 group must race to catch the bunch(s) ahead before the real racing can begin. There is something very artificial about the whole experience.

This weekend is the first 'classic' of the Irish road season - the Des Hanlon Memorial. The race is one hundred and fifty tough kilometers run over an undulating circuit in Co. Carlow so it should be the first real test of the season. Training has been going well so I am looking forward to it.

The Coffee Stop that never was.

On Monday morning I was surprised at how fresh my legs felt after the first weekend of racing - Monday is normally my only full day off the bike. Mondays freshness soon dissipated as my training week progressed.

Friday is normally a relatively easy day on the bike in the recovery zone, I was particularly looking forward to this recovery spin after a mentally draining session yesterday. Yesterdays high wind and beating rain made the normally mundane tempo session (90mins 300 watts) a less than enjoyable experience.

The dream of a sipping coffee in my shorts and jersey was this morning crushed by the persistent rain. The spin instead turned into two hours of dripping wet misery.

Racing this weekend is the Newbridge GP, looking forward to it.

Here's to hoping for a drier weekend.

A New Season

Mick Lally Memorial - 90km




Summerhill was the venue for the first outing of the 2011 season. In the week leading up to the race I wasn't entirely sure that I would take part in the race, I had just recovered from a sinus infection and felt that the demands of racing might be too much for my recovering body. As the race day approached a sense of giddy excitement got the better of sensible restraint and I kitted up for race number one.



The race was fast and furious from the off. An early break containing Mike Redden and Tighernach Murphy, both of South Dublin Cycling Club remained clear for most of the race. I was working hard in chase group behind which eventually made the catch with about 10km to go. Attack, counter-attack, attack again, the group dynamic changed often in the closing kilometers. The decisive move of the day came with about five kilometers remaining - Tim O Regan (Dectek) attacked and soloed to a superb victory. I had no legs for the uphill sprint and rolled home in 11th or 12th position.



Navan GP - 120km

A top class field lined up for the first big Sunday race of the season.
The lack of race conditioning ensured yesterdays efforts resulted in some residual fatigue for me in the opening kilometers. Albeit with heavy legs, I was active in the opening but conspired to miss the major move of the day which went clear about 20km's in.



Despite efforts a coherent chase group never established. The lack of ambition in the chase was frustrating at times but it was good to get the first 100+ kilometer race under my belt.

The race winner came from the break - Conor Murphy of Eurocycles.




Images property of irishcycling.com

Majorca

Last week I was lucky enough to escape the poor Irish weather and head off to Majorca with the national squad for a week in the sun. The weather wasn't scorching - with daily average around 15 degrees Celsius but it certainly made for more enjoyable training.




My training has been going since the beginning of winter. I have built a solid base upon which I can now start to add some intensity. The racing season is only a matter of weeks away but my major goals for the season are still some months away so it's important to not get carried away in the early weeks of the racing season.



In Majorca, the training was at an intensity level which my body wasn't really accustomed too. A typical day would involve a two hour track session as a pilot on the tandem in the morning followed by a two or three hour road session in the afternoon on the road.



I will keep the site updated as I build up towards to the competitive racing season.

Turbo time

Since the dark evenings are upon us I thought I would link to some movies to help pass those lonely hours on the trainer.

Chasing Lance