Belgium part 2

So after having some time to have a look around Oudenaarde I think I can say I really like this place. Everything here seems to be awesome from the old buildings to the scenery when you're out riding.

The Ghent velodrome

Since my last update I've be able to get quite a few track sessions on the Ghent velodrome and even one session on the new indoor velodrome at Roubaix France. My times in my efforts have been progressing well and the speed is coming fast, over the last couple of sessions especially I've been achieving pb's in the effort types which is really encouraging 2 weeks out from worlds.

The rest of my training has been pretty standard outside of the track work, with some gym sessions and a couple of small road rides just to keep the legs ticking over. Defiantly a highlight since my last update was when the sprint boys and myself when for a road ride and ended up coming back into town along a bike path next to one of the many canals here. The views that you got were quite cool seeing the barges going up and down the canal and also the back drop of the scenery.

Monument at the gate of the
old Roubaix velodrome

The highlight of the trip thus far though has to be getting to not only go to France but to see the old outdoor Roubaix velodrome that hosts the finish of one of the biggest classics races every year Paris-Roubaix and it being on my birthday to made it extra special.

The old Roubaix Velodrome

On one of the rest days, the team went down to the Flanders cycling museum. We got to see the history of another of the big classics races that is raced just before Paris-Roubaix, that being the tour of Flanders a race that goes up the famous Koppenberg climb that I talked about in my previous update. After the short video we were able to walk around  and look at pieces of memorabilia that they had on display as well as other things such as route maps and a wall that was filled up with every winner of the race.

One of the old team cars used in the Tour of Flanders

As for what I'm up to for the next wee while, I'll be continuing on with the hard work at the track and in the rest of my training. I'll let you all know how that's going next week!

Belgium

Oudenaarde my home for the next 3 weeks

After 30 odd hours of travelling I arrived in my home for the next few weeks Oudenaarde Belgium. I passed the time on the flights, mostly by sleeping but also the every few hourly stretching session at the back of the plane kept my sanity. My first impressions of the place were just simply in ore of all the old buildings and the scenery.

The first few days training wise have been very easy and just really to get the body use to training again after the long travel time. It was certainly an eye opener to ride on the right hand side of the road instead of the left, but I eventually got the hang of it. Defiantly the highlight so far of the trip was being able to ride up the famous cobbled climb Koppenberg which about 2 km down the road from where I'm staying. The climb is one of the main climbs in the tour of Flanders, one of the biggest one day races in the world. It gets up to 25% gradient at some points which is massive to ride a bike up. Below is a video that I found online of climbing up Koppenberg

One of the many rooms in the seeming endless bike shop

The town itself of Oudenaarde is quite a cool little town, the town square has a very old cathedral at one end and a towering castle like building at the other end, there are lots of little cafe type shops dotted all around the town and the occasional bike shop too which are good to have a look through when you have a spare few minutes, although one bike shop that I went into was a labyrinth of different rooms all interconnecting with each other that seemed endless

First ride in Belgium

The first day on the track is tomorrow and I can't wait to ride on the famous Gent velodrome which hosts one of the biggest 6 day races in the year. I'll let you all know how it goes!

Europe bound!!!

Not long now till I fly off to Belgium to start my final preparation for this year world champs. I can’t wait to get on the plane and know that all of the hard work over the last few months is just weeks away from hopefully paying off.

Awesome shot of me starting out of the gate

My training recently has been going well with me reaching pb’s in speeds during roller sprints and in powers during efforts on the track. Some of my track sessions have been hampered due to the weather being freezing cold and raining which pushed me indoors for those sessions making them become days on the erg which tended to result in me not in not the best shape afterwards.

Powering into a start

 Along with my track and erg sessions I’ve been hitting Les Mills in town for some big gym sessions, these have mostly consisted of heavy lifting. My weights in these heavy lifts have been improving steadily recently and I’m buzzing about that as I’m feeling stronger than ever which hopefully will transfer itself over onto the bike come race day!

Aside from the aspect of going over to Europe to train and race at the world champs I’m especially looking forward to getting see and experience some new countries that are so richly entrenched in the history of cycling and to just have fun with the boys

While I’m away ill hope to keep everyone updated on here, so check back regularly to see what I’ve been up to

Another amazing shot thanks to Hannah

Also huge thanks to Hannah Bayard for doing a bit of a photo shoot for me out at the track last week, check her out at http://www.hannahbayardphotography.com/