As we awoke to a fairly standard grey foggy day in Belgium where the temperature was no more than about 4 degrees, it brings back all the feelings and emotions of Belgian racing.

I felt a lot better going into the race than last week at Route d’Adelie where I was still recovering from my efforts in Spain.  Monday I had a great 6h ride in the mountains behind Monaco, just really enjoying riding my bike.  With at least 5-6 cols, there’s no need for efforts as the roads and the time in the saddle does it for you.

So after a couple days easy riding to freshen up the body I felt ready to attack the race, and have a real good blow before Sunday.

190km with 3 finishing circuits of 15km it was going to be a tough race even though the field was not such a high quality.  As so often happens with a lot of smaller teams in the race, the attacks started and never stopped.  There was basically no real breakaway just attack after attack.  We hit the finishing circuit which included a 200m cobbled wall and a couple other little pinches and the peloton started to diminish quickly.  Attacks kept going but in the end we lined up for a bunch sprint, I did my best get our boys into position but in the end it was a Slovenian rider who took the sprint.  We managed fourth with Anthony Geslin, but really it we should have won after a strong showing during the race.

Next up Paris Roubaix reconnaissance…

Cheers  Tim

Well the world of cycling will continue it’s on-going battle against the few who still choose to push the boundaries with illegal products and methods, we here at FDJ are trying something a little different to recover quicker from races and especially after crashes.

Cryotherapy.  A technique invented in Japan but then taken to the world by a couple of Polish scientists. Basically involves getting into a freezing cold chamber at -120 degrees with barely anything on, and trying to stimulate your blood cells and other endorphins.

I tried this last week between races, I wasn’t as effected by the cold as I had expected.  Though you do feel very liberated.  It also helps people suffering from insomnia and in the repair of injured muscles and scar tissue.

I will post some photos as soon as possible.

For now I must get on my flight to Belgium, tomorrow Pino Cerami, and Sunday Paris Roubaix…

Back soon

Tim

http://www.yle.fi/media/asxgene.php?file=tvurheilu/Py%C3%B6r%C3%A4ily_-_Jussi_Veikkanen.wmv

08/04 – Grand Prix Pino Cerami. Belgium

11/04 – Paris – Roubaix. France

15/04 – GP Denain. France

17/04 – Tour du Finistere. France

18/04 – Tro Bro Leon. France

5-9/05 – 4 Jours de Dunkerque. France

14-16/05 – Tour de Picardie

2-6/06 – Tour du Luxembourg.  Luxemberg

17-20/06 – Route du Sud.  France

Hey team,

It’s Tuesday morning and I’m having my first chammy-free day in over two weeks, and damm does it feel good.

Last week was a really enjoyable, satisfying, painful, rewarding, tiring but overall a big confidence boost for my return to the peloton. There were some hugely testing days, and a lot of time spent in the 53/11 as you so often do when you when you line up in a Pro Tour race.

My race revolved around the team’s objectives with two guys placing well on GC, there was time spent in the wind as pelo got lined out and a fair bit of liquid being transported from the car up to the boys. It’s funny but I do actually enjoy this stuff, especially when your team mates appreciate it. I do see it as becoming part of my role in the team, and now the directors are really starting to understand what a big part it is playing in the success of our team, as it has so often been overlooked in French teams in the past. If I can continue to focus on the prologues and races more suited to my abilities then that suits me just fine.

Now I have just a couple of days to regroup before my next race, Route de Adelie. My new battle now begins though as I have shown the team a fresh set of legs, they think I am ready to race like I am in full form. This can be a real headache for many riders as they make their way back from injury and teams are stretched for riders with three race programs on during one week. I will let you know how I go with this and up date you on the race program when it is confirmed.

I am now about to leave to test a new recovery technique which I will report on later, when I have can give an honest a opinion.

Thanks for reading and all your comments, I feel we are in for a good year and I am so stoked to have you all on board to experience it with me.

From the breakfast table in Roquebrune,

Yours Guddy

Hi everyone,

Just letting you all know how Tim has been getting on at the Tour of Catalonia. He has been staying in hotels in the middle of the Catalonia region and hasn’t had much internet access…

He’s been doing really well during the race, the last couple of days have been spent helping out the other guys in the team, suffering over the hills and riding in the wind. He has 3 more stages to go and is feeling really good. He will write again once he’s home!

Thanks for reading,

Sarah

Hola de España,

Well it’s been a couple of weeks since I last wrote to you all, I have been hard at work on my bike in the hills that surround my new home down on the coast of the Mediterranean.

It’s been a while since I have really looked forward to and enjoyed heading out the door for a 5h ride.  But these past weeks I have thrived on the new scenery, training mates, and most of all just riding my bike pain free for that long.  I haven’t done anything too intense or structured sticking to the good old standard 3days training 1 day recovery or easy.  It was really all my body needed and I believe it will do me well now as I start my first race period.

Last week I started and finished my first race in Europe since the World Champs last September.  There was no real objective but to just get a 5h race in the legs and stay out of trouble.  That proved a quite difficult with 4 big crashes in the last 10km but I made it home unscathed.

Now the next task, Volta a Catalunya.  After discussing my program with the directors we agreed I was fit enough to start a week long tour, and all going well the usually calm, controlled race will help me get back into the rhythm of racing.  There are no major mountains in this year’s race but there are some difficult stages, I will be taking it day by day and will hopefully be at the finish on the Catalunya race course on Sunday.

As most of you well know the season is already in full swing, with Paris Nice and Tirreno Adriatico the first major showing of the tour riders, and Milan San Remo last Saturday giving the sprinters their first chance at major glory for the season.  What does this mean for me?  Well it’s all about keeping my own goals in mind, as others are hitting top form with the classics on the horizon, I must focus on the things within my control and continue my daily routines to achieve my best form come May, June.  Sometimes easier said than done, as the hype of the big races can takeover but I believe I now have the experience and confidence to do what is right for me.

I will do my best to keep you posted this week and update you on any new news from the pelo.

Thanks for reading

Tim

Here are a couple of pics from my last weeks.

Returning along the coast after a few hours in the mountains with Tom Boonen, Thor Hushovd and Mark Renshaw for company

A wee treat a the local brew shop in Ventimiglia, can't beat great coffee on a recovery ride

Hi all,

It’s been a pretty full gas couple of weeks since arriving in France.  We arrived to our new apartment in Roquebrune Cap Martin all set up and ready to go, which was a real comfort and peace of mind instead of bunking down on friend’s couches for the first couple of weeks.  We made the move down to the coast near Monaco at the end of last year, but it was short lived when I realised I had a broken elbow and it was on the plane home.

The team called the day I arrived first to say hi, and second to explain they needed me for the race in the weekend as another rider was injured, leaving the team only five riders for GP Laiguelia and needed 6 to start.  So as our new home away home was only an hour away and on route to the race I was asked to pin a number on.

So this meant full medical testing the next day to apply for my french racing licence, I was half asleep by the time I got on the SRM bike for the Vo2 max test but never the less proved myself fit to race.

Friday we awoke to see from our balcony the Mediterranean sea raging in anger as the waves crashed onto road, and in true french style caused a massive traffic jam for no reason.  So while I was more tempted to go find a surfboard and get amongst it, I duly packed my suitcase and waited for the Director to pick me.  The next morning the storm had passed and we were greeted with a clear crisp day, though it would not be a long one for me.  The race hit the first climb at a furious pace and I was cautious not to push myself too hard too early, and was told by the director to turn round and go rest.  So I took his advise as it’s not often they say that to you.

Anyway training camp was to follow the next week and I knew that was where I would start my real build up for the season.  The team gathered over the following days as some riders were still racing the Tour du Haut Var, which was won in great style by Christophe LeMevel continuing the team’s great early season run and starting the camp off on a high.

Training camp for me was time to get my bikes and other equipment sorted for the year, and time to speak with the coach about my training and race program for the next couple of months.  The camp was based in Draguingan, which is the base of the French Military.  We did some good rides up into hills where snow still lined the roads after the very cold winter that has passed through here.

Though camp wasn’t long I was eager to get back home and get settled into our new home by the sea.  I have over two weeks until my first real race and then more time after that to continue trying to get my body back into race shape.  There is a really good group of guys around here so I am looking forward to some long rides in the hills over the coming weeks.

Today we replaced the car battery which was a bit of fun in the pouring rain, and tomorrow its time to get the scooter up and running too.  Then we’ll be down to Italy for some cheap supermarket shopping, always making time for a coffee stop as you don’t really get it better anywhere else.

Thanks to you all for your comments great to hear from you.

Cheers

Tim

Checking the heart and lungs

Testing begins

The view from our balcony on a stormy day

The usual calm Med sea, looking back to our bay

Hello and welcome back…

It was hot day on the 3rd of May 2008, deep in the Swiss Alps I was about to start the 5th stage of the Tour de Romandie.  A brutal 130km stage with 4 mountain passes lay ahead, though my day would soon become even harder as my left leg filled with pins and needles on the second climb of the day.  I couldn’t feel my foot and my hamstring felt like it was tearing every pedal stoke.  That day I could have never imagined that 18months later I would still be dealing with problem.

Now today I write to you two days before departing for my base in southern France with a new motivation, knowledge and belief I can race to my full potential.  It has been a road of many ups and downs (mainly downs) but with the support of my wonderful girlfriend, family, friends and support team the end is much brighter.

I would especially like to thank, Duncan Reid, and Brendan O’neil for heading my support team over the past months here in NZ.  Their knowledge and the time they have all spent with me  has been invaluable.  Also too Criss Strange, Dan Smart, Lisa Hansen, Shaun Stuart-Jones, Seah Martin, Matt Brick, Sarah Ulmer,  Brendan Cameron, and Mark Holland thank you all for your emails, text messages, late night phone calls and rehab sessions.

A couple of weeks ago I had a crack at my first race in 4 months.  I wasn’t quite on top of things at that point but the Takapuna Criterium was a perfect place for me to test where I was at, and help out a good mate Scott Guyton riding on his Kiwivelo team.  It was a great feeling to race in front of friends and family again along with the rest of the big crowd on the night, and to finish leading out my good mate Pete Latham for the victory was a nice personal victory for me.

I will leave it there as my suitcase needs some attention, but will be sure to drop you all a line once settled in Europe, and ready to report on a great year of racing in the pro peloton.

Look forward to hearing from you guys too.

Cheers

Tim