Archive for June, 2011
Hi there,
Well once again I have the pleasure of writing about Pure Black Racing’s success. Today we pulled off something that doesn’t happen to often at this level of cycling, a 1, 2 from a big break away. My team mate Scott Lyttle took the line honors in Stage 1 of The Tour de Beauce and I rolled in just on his wheel for second. Can’t get much better than that.
The team in general was coming off a high from the Philadelphia Classic last week, the boys stepped up their game and took on some of the best in the world, though my day ended a little lower. Lining out the peloton on the last lap over Lemon Hill things were looking good for the finish as only 20 odd riders remained from the 200 starters. For me it wasn’t to be, after riding an almost perfect 259km of 260 hardly seeing a breathe of wind I was brought down in a big crash with 900m to go, along with my team mate Mike Northey. James Williamson however managed to avoid the carnage and finished an impressive 6th.
Initially I struggled with the disappointment, but the last couple of years have taught me how to deal with these situations a lot better. I processed the situation, found the positives that I could and moved on, and what better way than a mini break that I had already planned with my fiancee to New York. It was a first for both of us, and most of the time it was a great way to take my mind off things except when I tried to sit of lie down as I had done a fairly good job of skinning my bum and hips hitting the tarmac at 60kph.
So Tour de Beauce now becomes another challenge for Pure Black Racing, already a success but still a race to win. If there is one thing we do have in our favor that is our TEAM. You may have already noticed, and if not you will now this team is all about the team. We attack at any opportunity, but we have each others back all the time. It is amazing what a good atmosphere and a little self belief can do.
Will report again soon, thanks for reading.
Tim
As the light fades on Philadelphia we climb into bed with nerves already brewing. Tomorrow is one of the biggest days of the US season an you sure can feel it.
The team has had a good week building up to tomorrow, with the Base Camp Criterium on Thursday before heading down country to Philadelphia yesterday.
The has also been some sensational kiwi style cooking going on, as we have often struggled to find the right nutrients at restraunts. So the barby has been cranking, as the boys enjoys some comforts of home.
Well time for shut eye with an early start tomorrow. Look forward to writing about the results soon.
Cheers
Guddy
A good feeling....
Tour of Somerville 2011 Podium
Hi,
Just a quick update from here in Denville, New Jersey. It has been a full on few days after leaving Boulder’s cool dry air and now riding in the heat and humidity of the east coast.
Though the journey has already been made worth while, when yesterday I got to raise my hand in the air as I crossed the finish line first in the Tour of Somerville Criterium.
It was a great feeling as two days earlier in the Hills of Somerset Road Race I rolled in third as another team had numbers in the final break and I was unable to control them. This did however give me some confidence that the last months training in Boulder had done some good, and my form was on the rise.
So two days later my Pure Black Racing team mates and I knew what we had to do, and as a team we couldn’t have done it any better. We had numbers in all the breakaways, and especially when it counted. With 4 guys in the break of 18, we rode to our strengths and that is attack!. While Shem Rodgers and Scott Lyttle kept the pace high and the peloton off our heels, James Williamson and I covered other potential threats and planned our attack.
After a series of attacks I managed to break free just over a kilometer from the finish, with enough gap to take my first win on US soil. It was made even more special as my fiancee Sarah had made the trip across the country to see it too.
We have another Criterium on Thursday before the weeks big goal on Sunday the Liberty Classic in Philadelphia.
I will be back again soon with a preview to that.
Thank you all for your continued support it has been amazing, after what has seemed at times a very long arduous road to get to this win. I am sure it won’t be the last.
Cheers
Tim