December 09
Well its been a crazy year, so many highs so many lows
I like to think it finished on a high with participating
in my first real international pro races, tour of Ireland
and Tour of Britain which for me was an amazing experience
and to be honest it gave me a taste of something I want
much more of the first of the two Tour of Ireland was
to say the least huge with the participation of some
guy from Texas called Lance (I don't know what all the
fuss was about to be honest!) . The final day of racing
was rounded off with an epic finish wit two laps of
the infamous St Patrick's hill in Cork city in horrendous
conditions; I finished a respectable 35th overall.
Then after a few weeks rest I started was back on the
start line for The Tour of Britain. This was for me
the best racing experience of 2009; 8 days of pure top
class professional racing and I was in the thick of
it, I finished a respectable 64th overall and the highlights
included making a break that included some of the biggest
names in cycling (but unfortunately it didn't stick!)
and a lead out for our wise old fast man Rob Hayles
around the grand finale stage around some of the most
famous monuments in London! Not only was this the end
of tour of Britain and my season but it was pretty much
the end of Halfords, the team will cease to exist next
year which for pretty much everyone involved was a bit
of a disappointment, but as many wise old men and women
have said 'all good things must come to an end'. 2009
was a good year not only because of the success I enjoyed
but the company in which I enjoyed the success, the
team had a buzz about it not only are the lads from
this year team mates but I'd class them all as friends,
and in this day and age that is a very rare thing, but
that's enough jibber jabber 2009 was good for many different
reasons but I feel on a personal note 2010 will be even
better!
Once Tour of Britain was finished my season was pretty
much finished so, I took a well earned break which saw
me only touch my bike for the odd café ride and I lived
like a 'normal' twenty year old for a few weeks. After
a few good nights out to vent the frustrations that
a long cycling season can bring, I was ready to get
back on it or at least start riding my bike in a structured
fashion again (well at least I started to think about
starting to ride my bike in a structured fashion again).
So this is the end of 2009 and what's on the cards for
2010? Well I've signed for the Belgian registered Sean
Kelly/ AN Post Cycling team which will mean I'll be
living and racing in Belgium for the season and should
(all things going to plan) quench my new found thirst
for international races!
So all in all 2009 has been a great year and as I write
this sitting on a plane to Alicante (with my 2XU compression
Socks on!) for my first training camp with my new team
I'd like to thank Mike and Reiko and the whole team
at 2XU for looking after me this year and I look forward
to working with them in the coming year!
July 2009
Well it's been a crazy month or so! There's been many
highs and a few lows but hey like so many bike riders
know 'that's bike racing!!!'
Let me take you back to the tour series, we went into
the last round with a non existent lead, at the second
to last round the team had a bit of a night to forget
in my absence due to being rested for the big finale!
It was a rainy night in Chester and unfortunalty the
team made the wrong decision on tyre pressure and in
the wet which cost us our healthy lead, but at least
it made a thrilling end to the series! The final was
set going into the final round there were 3 teams including
ourselves within a point of each other, the 10 round
series would be decided on who won the last round in
the Grand finale a giant 'hot dog' course with two long
straight topped off with a 180 degree dead turn at either
end of the course in South End (or Saarf End if your
southern!). Before the start the atmosphere was electric
you could smell the hunger and tension within the field,
this was it - all or nothing, and the question was which
was it to be for us? Well it started well we went out
and controlled the race well I took my turn following
the moves making sure nothing went without a Halfords
Bikehut rider present. In the Closing stages Rob Hayels
and Ian 'Wilko' Wilkinson got themselves into a nice
move this was perfect for us because we had put two
of our fastest men into the breakaway and that left
me in the peleton to make sure Ed Clancy (the fastest
man on our team even if he tries to tell us different!)
was perfectly placed for the finish. So I did my best
coming round for the last lap I hit the front, Ed in
my wheels I did as much as I could for him driving hard
into the first corner then accelerated hard down the
straight then I was spent it was down to Ed to look
after himself he managed 3rd in the bunch kick, which
with the fact Rob won and Wilko was 4th gave us the
win on the night and the overall victory in the first
Tour Series! It was a good night all round and the end
to a thrilling series.
Then came the national champs I knew this was going
to be tough going after juggling doing at least two
crits a week for the last month and not finding much
time for the longer endurance rides, I knew I would
struggle around the hilly road of Abergavenny. The race
started well I got into a move which was fairly star
studded, it was quite surreal, there I was smashing
it through and off with Wiggins, Hunt and Hammond, but
less of that they were competitors on the day not people
I looked up too! The break was neutralised just before
the main climb of the day the Tumble. Ever since I was
a junior I have had a love hate relationship with this
hill (it loves to make me suffer and in return I hate
it!) As soon as we hit it I knew my legs were going
to buckle but I managed to pace myself and got myself
into a decent group with Wilko and a few of the Rapha
lads. Once over the top I was pretty downtrodden, thought
we'd never get back to anywhere near the front of the
race but once off the decent, we drove as hard as we
could and once on the finishing circuit we picked up
a group of about seven, this meant we were lying tenth
on the road which to my utter shock meant the day hadn’t
been a total waste. In the end after a bit of jumping
about Wilko and tenant got into a small move off the
front of our group and I took up the rear and took the
kick for 15th which wasn't a totally shameful performance
considering where I was at the halfway point of the
race!
After a few good performances I was given the call from
the GB squad for the European Championships in Rosslare,
Belgium. It was a good lead up to it I knew my fitness
was good but unfortunalty I went into the race with one
too many things on my mind and being young and angry as
I sometimes am, I started making stupid efforts far too
early on which later on with less than a lap to go on
the finishing circuit I paid for dearly I was like a Digestive
biscuit that had been dipped one too many times and I
fell to pieces.
Then I took a well earned week off after a disastrous
Crit in Brighouse, where once again the rain was my undoing,
I crashed twice and was forced to retire before the halfway
point. I was oddly disappointed as neither of my crashes
left me with any wounds at all which proves just how wet
and slippery it was!
After a week off from bike racing and a couple of well
earned social sessions I was raring to go again with a
new found energy and motivation! Believe it or not my
first race back... was yes you guessed it another crit,
this time in the Lancashire town of Colne. I felt like
ten men forcing the pace all night and was rewarded for
my aggressiveness with a very respectable 4th place when
you look at who was in front of me!
Then came the National Criterium Championship in Beverly
on a wet Friday night in Beverly and the east Yorkshire
Classic, which where run in tandem by the same organisers
so it was to be a long weekend in Yorkshire.
Just before the crit started there was a massive downpour,
which prompted a quick wheel change which paid off greatly
and we were all going like the proverbial clappers, after
the first 30mins the course started to dry out, but bad
luck struck and I had a front wheel puncture after a quick
trip to the pits and a swift wheel change I was back into
the peleton. I quickly settled back into my rhythm and
put in a well timed attack and found myself off the front
for three laps solo until I was closed down by one of
the rival teams. After a few more forays off the front,
we committed to our ever reliable sprinter Rob Hayles.
Rob Partridge did a massive turn taking us round pretty
much a whole lap and then coming through for the bell,
one lap to go I drove hard over the cobbled finishing
straight round the top bend and a fair way down the back
straight then I pulled over completely spent to Andy Tennant
who took Rob as far as he could, unfortunately Rob was
dive bombed into the last corner and two lads got the
jump on him so he settled for fourth, but we put on a
good show and we showed that as a unit there aren’t many
teams who can challenge us!
Then Came the East Yorkshire Classic, it was a weird race
to say the least, a break went early on and we never saw
it again, once again bad luck struck on a drag out of
Beverly and I had another puncture, luckily my team mate
Ed Clancy was close at hand and selflessly gave his wheel
too me and even gave me a swift wheel change including
a push! I was soon back into the safety of the bunch but
after following moves and creating moves all day my efforts
came to nothing, the break stayed clear and we were all
left scratching our heads, I ended up 20th on the day,
which edged me a little closer to taking the U23 national
Series, which I am currently sitting second behind my
team-mate Andy Tennant (but just between you and me I
plan to switch places with him before the series is finished!)
Until next time! Take it easy Mark
PS It was my birthday somewhere in amongst all the madness
so now I'm the grand old age of 20!
June 2009
The last few days have bought a lot of success for
both me and the team and in between travelling up, down
here there and everywhere I've been making sure I've been
well compressed with my new 2XU
Elite Compression Tights making sure my legs feel
light and fluffy when I've arrived at a race!
Well I'll start with last Thursday when we won our third
Tour series crit in a row which moved us to within one
point of taking the lead overall in the series! It was
pretty much my local race with a one hour crit up and
down the main high street in Southport. It was the Halfords
show really we were all over it like a rash piling on
the pressure on the leaders Candi TV! My team mate and
Olympic champion Ed Clancy won it from a 3 man break and
we finished it off with the team win which is what this
whole new Tour series is about taking the emphasis off
individual win and putting it on the best 3 placed riders
from each team! (You can catch al the action from the
remaining rounds on ITV4 at 7 O'clock on Wednesdays and
Fridays)
Then on Friday night we headed east for the Northern Rock
Cyclone, which consisted of a one hour criterium on Friday
night around Leazes park in the heart of Newcastle, then
a Cycle sprotif ride around the Beaumont Trophy course
which was the blu riban even t of the three days a 180km
race, which took in the infamous Ryals climb a soul destroying
three times!
The crit went well it was a tight and twisty circuit with
a nasty little climb and a fast decent, Wilko won the
crit form a 8 man break with another of my team mates,
David Fletcher taking 7th and I took the bunch gallop
for 10th. We had a little bit of bad luck when my other
team mate Ian Bibby was taken out by a spectator crossing
the course he injured his shoulder but luckily there is
no lasting damage! The on the Saturday we had an easy
ride two and a half hour ride having a look at the course
and saying hello to some of the 2000 leisure cyclist taking
part in the sportif ride. Then afterwards it was a quick
change and then a quick drive into town for some lunch
in a nice Italian and a few sneaky cookies from Sainsburys!
(But don't tell my team manager about them!!!!)
 Then
came the Sunday morning it was a beautiful day the sun
was shining and the temperature was just about rite for
a bike race. We rolled out of the quiet town of Stamford,
which was bought to life by the bike race at 11.30. The
racing was soon under way with 2 laps of a rolling 11
mile circuit, coming to the second of which a break formed
including myself, Wilko, Reigning Premier Calendar leader
Russ Downing and former world and reigning Olympic champion
Bradley Wiggins. Wiggins was on fire doing double turn
and pulling the break along. Once we'd started our 3 circuits
of the larger course which took in the Ryals it was clear
there were only four of us who could stand Wiggins' pace,
second time over the climb the group was slimmed to five,
Wilko, Wiggins, Downing, David Clarke and myself. I was
feeling good Wiggins was piling the pressure on but I
thought he was going to make his final move last time
up the climb but to my complete shock he launched his
race winning move about three miles from the climb, at
first everyone was a bit shocked and confused until Wilko
attacked and got across to him, which left me to mark
Clarke and Downing. Unfortunalty Wiggins' relentless pressure
proved too much for Wilko he was distanced over the top
of the climb and he was soon swept up by the two chasers
and me. Then we went about trying to soften up the opposition,
with me and wilko taking turn to piece to attack, nothing
stuck, and we were inside the last 2km I was nervous but
I knew I had good legs for a decent kick at the finish
we hit 250 to go and I went with everything I had, I thought
I had it but Downing was too fast a the finish he past
me taking second place and I held on for third. This was
my best result to date and to be honest I was a little
disappointed but if you look at who beat me its nothing
to be ashamed of!
Now its more Tour Series TV crits for the next two weeks
and the finished off next weekend with the British national
road race championships in Abergavenny, which is one of
my main goals for the season. So I'm hoping I can continue
my good run of results!
Long time no speak its been another crazy month and to
be honest I don't feel like I've had a moment to myself
since I got back from the amateur Tour of Ireland, the
FBD insurance RAS, and 8 day stage taking in a stages
in and around various counties around Ireland.
Going into the race I knew with the condition I had I'd
be in with a good shout to take the best young rider jersey,
the first few stages didn't go quite as well as I'd hoped,
I lost three minutes to a Norwegian lad who got into a
break on the second stage that was won by my team mate
Ian Wilkinson which was a bit of a consolation prize.
Things weren't looking great over the next two days try
as I might I couldn't make up any time on my Norwegian
rival! Until the forth stage, this was the 'Queen stage'
(this is a term used by bike racers to describe the hardest
or the pivotal stage within a stage race) a gruelling
190km stage from Castle bar to Co.Kerry, taking in the
infamous Connor pass. The stage started well I got myself
into a move and because my team mate was in the race lead
tactics dictated that I just marked the break and just
sat tight while my breakaway companions drove hard! Although
things were going swimmingly for me upfront, the rest
of the Halfords team were coming under attack from all
angles, unfortunately Ian lost the race lead but as when
he took the jersey and I thought I'd lost hope of taking
mine, I took the lead in the U23 classification which
is the white jersey competition! I only had a slender
5 second lead over the former leader form Norway.
The following day I didn't let him out of my sight then
when the stage turned onto some tight and twisty roads,
he took a tumble and unfortunately dislocated his shoulder
forcing him out of the race, which gave me a 30 second
cushion over my nearest rival.
The next few days went past pretty much problem free!
The final stage was going to be the final obstacle between
me and my goal of securing my white jersey! All was going
well, the last stage finished with two laps of a 15km
circuit with a short sharp climb. Coming through for a
lap to go a small break went away and the 2nd place rider
in the white jersey went on the attack I had to react,
I put my head down and attacked hard marking him, then
we got working there was a group of five of us and with
5km to go we had a 40 second gap over the chasing peleton!
With 2km to go we started attacking each other and unfortunately
the gap was coming down rapidly and before we knew it
1km to go had come and we were once again swallowed up
by the peleton! I'd kept my lead and became the best young
rider in the race finishing 14th overall after 8 days
and over 1250km of hard racing in horrendous weather and
taking the White Jersey.
13 May 2009
Well hello again! It's been a few weeks since my last
entry but as usual it's been none stop! I've had a busy
few weeks with the Rutland Circle Classic 2 weeks ago
then the Chas messenger Memorial last weekend and then
the Lincoln GP the weekend just gone, three very big races
on the domestic race calendar some of which went better
than others for me and some of which went very well!
 The
Rutland started well. This race is well known for its
bone shaking off road sections it was a 160km jaunt zigzagging
around the country lanes and through fields in and around
the towns of Melton Mowbray and Rutland. The race was
flat out from the beginning, this is the UK's only UCI
ranked race on the calendar, which attracts teams from
all around the world. Lots of moves were going in the
first 30km but nothing stuck until about 50km to go when
a Rapha rider attacked and so I quickly responded jumping
onto his wheel, I looked back and it was looking good
we had a small gap and so the two of us pushed on, soon
we were joined by about 8 other lads from various other
teams, this was to be the break of the day so the 10 of
us began to forge a gap which never really rose about
a minute and a half over the chasing pack. The break worked
well up until about 60km to go and then the attacks started
coming thick and fast I tried my luck a few times but
my efforts were in vain, we were striking together until,
an Irish rider put a dig in and we thought like all the
other attacks it would be soon nullified, but it started
to stick and two other lads jumped across to it, I was
now stuck in the second group on the road but we were
still working well until 30m to go when we were caught
by the reminiscence of the peleton. My team mate and pre
race favourite Ian Wilkinson came across to us still with
3 lads up the road, I put in a good turn leading up to
the final ascent of the Somerberg, a farmers track over
a hill which was pretty much a dirt track through a field.
Wilko made his move here and I began to pay for my efforts
in the break, I lost contact but was still within touching
distance of joining Wilko and his Danish companion, to
make the bridge to the front group there's a picture showing
just how tantalisingly close I was to getting across to
it over the top but when we got back onto the main road
running into the finish my legs left me completely and
I was swept up by the chasing bunch. Wilko went on to
join the leading three from the original break with a
Danish lad, and then he and the Dane dropped the other
three, Wilko won the day and I rolled in 22nd after some
major cramp in the run in to the finish, it was a great
day out and a good ride today but I know there's more
to come!
 Then
in the week in-between the Rutland and the Chas Messenger
I had a easy-ish week which was not very productive to
be honest, it came to race day and felt ok, but we got
going and I made the front split of about 40 feeling good
following moves making a few attacks, with 60km to go
I got myself into a move with every major team represented
we soon had a leave of about a minute then bang! The man
with the hammer hit my legs as soon as we hit the main
climb on the circuit, I couldn't breathe my legs were
on fire and I was going backwards. In the space of about
3km I went from the front of the bike race to the back
of the bike race and with 30km to go I was out of the
race, I was truly baffled by my lack of strength today
but I guess that's bike racing! Hopefully a good week
this week and then the Lincoln GP on the weekend may bring
some sort of reward?
 So
after my poor week last week I decided to have a big week
this week in preparation for the FBD Insurance RAS in
Ireland starting on the 17th of May. So I had my usual
rest day on Monday just generally chilling and getting
a few odd jobs done around the house then on Tuesday I
hit it hard. The weather was a bit rubbish with light
rain and seriously overcast skies, but I got out for three
hour with three hill efforts up a short sharp nasty climb
called Sheley Brow, it's a real burner, and by that I
mean once your over the top, your lungs burn your legs
burn and pretty much everything burns! Then that evening
I did a turbo session with some intervals at pace. Wednesday
was to be a long ride, it was another rubbish day weather
wise I managed to get 5-hours in around the lanes and
to my delight the weather brightened up by the last hour.
Then that evening I rode a local criterium in Litherland,
it was a handicap and I started off at the back of the
race with 3 other lads, I did a lap just rotating with
them and then I decided it was time to go on my own so
I put my head down soon dropping my three companions,
picking up momentum I began to catch groups and then drop
them accordingly until I was joined by one of the lads
who I'd started with, then we settled into a nice rhythm
working well until I tried my luck with 3 laps to go,
I couldn't break my rival so I decided to commit to the
sprint, I lead into the last bend and then hit it with
everything I could, I opened up a two bike length gap
and drove all the way to the line for my second win of
the year. Then Thursday I did a 3-hour ride with Pete
Williams around the local hills around Ashurst and Parbold.
Which finished off a good three day block and to be honest
I felt pretty wrecked so Friday was an easy ride to the
café just a general recovery day to get ready for Sunday.
Saturday came and I travelled up to the race hotel in
Lincoln city centre with my team mate Rob Partridge. Then
we got ready and headed out on the bikes to have a look
around the course and most importantly the climb of Michaelgate,
which is what makes the Lincoln so famous, it has a gradient
of 1 in 6 and is cobbled all the way up and in the race
we do it eleven times!!! So we went up the climb for the
first time on the ride and it dawned on me just how hard
tomorrow was going to be, the course resembled more of
a Belgian kermesse course rather than a conventional British
road race. So after a few laps of the course and about
two hours of riding we returned to the hotel to relax
and prepare for the morning.
The morning came I woke up feeling pretty good but my
legs felt a little groggy from a heavy week, but after
a cup of coffee and a good breakfast I was well awake
and ready to race! We set off after a half hour delay
due to parked cars on the course, the pace was fast and
furious from the outset with the first three laps being
a bit of a dog fight, with everyone jockeying for the
front positions for the entry to the Michaelgate climb!
Then three laps in seven of us slipped away on the drag
though the town over the top of the climb! It was flat
stick then for the next two laps or so but on the up side
I didn't have to fight for positions for on the climb
every lap. Next time up the climb we were joined by another
three lads so the break swelled to eleven riders in total.
The laps soon passed by and before I knew it, it was three
laps to go! So all hell broke loose with attacks coming
left right and centre. I tried my hand coming round for
a lap to go on a slight drag but it was short lived, I
was quickly chased down by a hungry pack not wanting anything
to go. Then we hit the climb the penultimate time the
break exploded Russell Downing putting in a massive attack
which took Wilko, Chris Newton and himself clear of the
rest of us. Then because I had a man in the break I was
left to police what was left of the break, my team manager
was in my ear on the radio telling me to sit tight and
just follow the moves. So I did nothing was going until
we hit the last time up the climb I started it in a good
position, I was flat out with Malcolm Elliot just ahead
of me try as I may to get round him he was too strong
and before I knew it we'd crossed the line with the massive
crowds roaring around us. I finished 6th and was the first
under 23 rider, so I was ecstatic to be honest, the Lincoln
is on of the UK's most prestigious bike races and one
of the hardest!
Now it's going to be another few good days training before
I start to ease off and freshen up before my trip to Ireland!
Until next time!!! Hopefully I will have had some of the
luck of the Irish to tell you about!!!!
21 April 2009
Well hello there its been a good last few weeks! As I
sit here on the couch after a good days training reminiscing
over my last few days I'm happy to say I'm finding a bit
of form! I'll start with last weekend with the second
round of the premiere calendar, The Girvan 3 Day up in
Bonny Scotland.
The Girvan is well know for its tough, rough and open
roads of Scotland. It has 4 stages over 3 days, A road
stage on the Saturday morning and then a crit in the evening
followed by a roll Road stage on the Sunday finished with
the 'Queen Stage' on the Monday with 3 major climbs, the
last of which is the infamous Nickerballau.
The first stage was a challenging 62mile rolly stage starting
and finishing in Girvan, I was following a few moves early
on but nothing came to fruition, on the run in back to
Girvan a move of 7 clipped off with one of my team mates
in so all that was left for me to do was stay up the front
of the peleton and make sure that nothing else clipped
off the front. I rolled in the bunch happy with the days
work. Once we were finished it was a short dive back to
our accommodation before we came back for the Criterium
in the evening. On arrival back at our digs attempted
to get out the van and to my extreme discomfort and extreme
amusement of my colleagues both my hamstrings cramped
rendering me helpless squealing like a pig, until I managed
to communicate, in broken English to our mechanic that
I needed someone to stretch my hamstrings out or I may
pass out with the pain!!! Like I said everyone apart from
me found my pain very amusing!!!!!
The Criterium followed that evening was a 16.5 mile blow
out around Victory Park in Girvan town. I started well
making the decisive move of about 20 riders, and then
I started picking up points in the Sprints classification,
which after 2nd and 3rd respectively in the hot spot sprints
moving myself up to 2nd overall in the sprints competition.
Unfortunately with two laps to go I was caught up behind
a crash on the top of the circuit which meant I had a
major chase on to make my way back to the front group
which I just about managed to do finishing just on the
back of the lead group keeping my GC hopes alive.
Sundays stage bought another undulating road stage of
76miles from Girvan to the little village of Newton Stuart.
The stage started well when I took the first hot spot
sprint after 4 miles of the stage moving me within 3 points
of the Green Jersey. There was only one major climb today
which came late in the day at about 15miles to go. When
we got over the top no one really wanted to take control
of the race which left it a free for all with attacks
coming left right and centre, nothing was going as I said
there was no one controlling the peleton so nothing was
allowed to go. On the run in it was a bunch gallop won
by Russ Downing and once again I kept my GC hopes alive
finishing in the safety of the peleton.
Then it was the queen stage 3, three category one climbs
over 72 miles starting and finishing in Girvan. The race
went from the gun going up the first climb after just
3 miles. I was feeling pretty good today still with my
eye on the Green Jersey, I needed just 4 points to win
the classification. My team mate and King of the mountains
leader Ian Bibby got away with a Pinerello rider on the
first climb which once again took the pressure off me
so we just sat tight and let the other team chase, it
all came back together on the second climb of the day,
Hadyard hill I had a go on the climb getting away for
a short while with a Rapha rider but we were quickly neutralised
by the other teams. Over the top I made it into the front
split of about 12 riders, we coasted down the decent and
once again the lead group swelled. Then the last major
climb of the day was pretty much a launch pad for the
race winning move, there was a roaring head wind up the
climb, it made it hard for any move to stick, over the
top of the climb there was a feed zone, with a quick breather
and taking a bottle and a gel, we turned back on ourselves
slowly dragging upward with a the wind now coming from
the right the Rapha team put everyone in the gutter driving
hard I was sitting about 12th wheel pretty much on the
rivet but glued to the wheel in front until the wheel
I was glued to let the gap go. So I was left to try and
close the 10 metre gap to the leaders with no shelter
hard as I tried the gap steadily grew until I popped like
a balloon! I was going backward at an alarming rate of
knots! The I composed myself and settled into a rhythm
holding the group up ahead of me at abut 20 seconds, I
knew the drag couldn't go on for much longer so I just
sat on the rivet going as hard as I could slowly inching
back the gap until over the top of the drag I really started
motoring making contact with the 2nd group on the road
in no time. A break of 9 riders had gone up road with
two of my team mates in and I was left to ride the coat
tails of the race leader at the start of the day's team
in to the finish where I got 2nd in the main bunch sprint
which I was quietly pleased with but also quite disappointed
that I didn't take enough points to take the green jersey
so I settled for 2nd. I also finished 2nd in the Under
23 classification, 14th in the overall classification
and we won the team prize so all in all it was a very
productive weekend.
Then after going over how Girvan went I decided on a few
little things I needed to tweak with my fitness over the
week just gone, getting a good solid week in which I finished
off with a local Elite race with a strong field around
Elswick in Lancashire. It was an 80 mile flat race with
8 and a half laps of a 9 mile circuit. I got into the
early move which looked good for staying away all day
but after two laps the race came back together when a
counter of about 12 riders went away. I was still recovering
so I took a breather then decided I had to go across the
gap so I put my head down bridging the front group in
about half a lap, which where now chasing thee riders
who had clipped off the front. The gap to the leaders
was staying the same for about a lap this was now two
laps to go, and my team mate and National Road Race Champion
Rob Hayles put in a massive turn, bringing the break to
within ten seconds. Quickly I put in an attack tacking
one other ride with me, we quickly made the junction,
coming through a lap to go the five of us were working
well, with about 5 miles to go a few of the lads started
jumping about, and so I stuck on in it looked good for
a while I was away then one rider bridged and so I decided
to commit to the sprint, soon there was four of us at
the front and I decided to lead the sprint out, hitting
out for the chequered flag at 500 meters to go with everything
I had...I won by two bike lengths! Tom Barras took second,
Kit Gilham third and then Matt Stephens picked up the
4th place.
That was my first road race win in nearly 2 years so I
was quite happy to say the least, and I know I'm going
well at the moment and my confidence is growing for this
weekends Rutland CicliceClassic, which is the UK's answer
to Paris- Roubaix it's a 160km jaunt around the road,
fields and dirt roads around Rutland , it's the only UCI
ranked one day race in the UK (So its pretty big!!!).
So roll on the Rutland!
Until next week take it easy (but not too easy!!!)
2 April 2009
Well we've just touched down in Mallorca for the Cinturon
Tour and it looks like we've bought the weather with us,
its about 6 degrees and raining, at least I won't get
home sick because of the weather!
Just arrived at the hotel it's clean with a comfy bed
and good food a cyclists dream! Just off out for a recce
of the TT course which is a 7km out and back course along
the seafront. Just done a steady hour and a half to spin
the legs the TT course looks good it'll be wind though
with nowhere to hide!
Day #1 Prologue. Prologue went ok got a bit frustrated
before my ride because the turbo trainer I was warming
up on decided to spontaneously combust while I was in
the middle of my warm up which threw my focus a bit but
as I'm not the greatest tester in the world I doubt it
took much away from my average performance of 45th 50
seconds back on the leader. Then a nice gentle spin home
to loosen the legs up before tomorrows mountainous 170km
road stage from Porto Pollenca to Tollos bar!
Day #2. Today's stage was a 170 km loop through the hills
around the island with 3 climbs coming in quick succession
after about 60km first a 2nd cat then a 3rd cat then another
2nd cat these all went relatively smoothly with the yellow
jersey team riding a good tempo on the climbs making them
hard but manageable. We knew the race would be decided
on the final climb of the day, the Coll de sa Batalla
this was a typical European climb about 20km in length
it had an average gradient of about 8 percent with the
infamous switch back turns.
I started well holding my position toward the front of
the peleton giving myself a bit of 'sliding room' then
when the attacks started coming my legs faded a bit I
lost contact with the front group over the top of the
climb but, once over the top we could see the tail end
of the leaders so once we hit the decent it was flat out
to make the junction, I was with one of my team mates
Wilko who's quite a good descender we were going well
eating into the deficit of the leaders but it was wet
on the decent and I went in too fast into a left hander
that tightened on the exit, I lost the front wheel and
ended up on the deck, I was up quickly and checked my
bike and got rolling again fortunately this was the end
of my hopes for today and the rest of the race I came
in on the second group on the road a minute down on the
front group of about 25-30 riders. I was disappointed
but tomorrow is another day and every day's another chance!
30 March 2009
Well it's been a busy month! Non stop racing every weekend
settling nicely into the British racing season! This weekend
gone I rode the first premiere calendar of the season
which is the blue riband national series of events in
the UK, The Tour of the Reservoir. This was a 145km jaunt
around the rolling lanes of North East England. As you
can probably guess from the name the race does laps around
a reservoir with the finish on top of the Damn wall. The
team rode well today putting 3 men into the final move,
Andy Tennant, Rob Partridge and myself. Then in the final
laps Andy got away with another lad who punctured leaving
Andy out on his own for the last 7km and me and rob left
to sit and wait for the sprint finish for 2nd.
I got into a promising looking move with about 5km to
go which looked like it could bridge to Andy but it ran
out of steam and the reminiscence of the break caught
us and the last 4km to the finish was just a lead out
for the finish, Andy won on his own by about 15 seconds,
then I jumped too early in the finish cramping up badly
with about 200m to go and coming in 9th but another good
day out for the team with 1st and 3rd with Andy and Rob
respectively.
Next weekend we're off to Mallorca for the four day Cintouron
Mallorca stage race so roll on sun, sea and bike racing!
04 March 2009
Well its March time and the bike racing season springs
into action and for me, the first race was the Clayton
Velo Spring Classic, a 54 mile road race with 14 laps
of a rolling circuit in the Lancashire lanes, the race
is well known for its appalling weather and this year
was no exception!
The race is run as a handicap with 4th cats setting off
first shortly followed by the 3rd cats then the 2nd cats
and then 7 minutes or so later the 1st cats and elite
riders, which happened to be the group I was in. I went
into the race with no major goal I just wanted a good
solid work out really blowing the cobwebs off after a
winter of steady miles, and that was exactly what it was.
My team mates and I set off wanting to catch the front
of the race expecting a little help form the rest of our
group which never materialised and so, we just put our
heads down and got on with the job in hand and to our
delight the group had soon slimmed to me and my 3 team
mates (Rob Hayles [reigning national road race champ],
Ian Wilkinson and Rob Partridge). The one after the other
we slowly reeled in each group until with 6 laps to go
we managed to catch and shed the groups that set off minutes
before us, apart form one fourth cat who was reluctant
to let us go until with about 4 laps to go he hit the
wall and the four of us just carried on riding to the
finish were Wilko led the sprint out then Rob P kicked
and I didn't really have the legs then Rob Hayles came
over the top like a steam train taking the win from Rob
P, then me and then Wilko. So overall it was a very successful
outing for a new team and considering it was the first
time we had really rode together I thought we worked quite
well!!!
So roll on the first big race of the season, The Eddie
Soens memorial, at Aintree race course, this is a 50mile
flat race around the motor racing track at Aintree with
a very prestigious history in Merseyside. Lets hope next
weekend can be as fruitfull as the last!!!!
26 February 2009
Hi and welcome to my blog! My name is Mark McNally and
I'm from a little town in Liverpool called Crosby. I'm
19 and I ride for the Halfords BikeHut professional men's
team and I'm sponsored by 2XU (THEY MAKE THE BEST CYCLING
KIT AND COMPRESSION CLOTHING MONEY CAN BUY!) I compete
in mainly road events but have been know to have a dabble
on the track!
Now I'll run you through the roller coaster that was the
last 12 months. 2008 was a mixed year for me there were
a few ups and a few downs but all in all I saw it as a
successful year! Last year I was part of British Cycling
Academy Programme, meaning that I spent 4 months living
in apartment accommodation with my other team mates and
taking part in what was known as 'boot camp' - getting
up at 6am some mornings to train and what with Italian
lessons, track league, nutrition workshops, track session
and road races, not getting back to the flats until well
after 5pm and sometimes as late as 11pm! After surviving
boot camp it was then time for us all to go out to Italy
- my home for the next 6 months!
Life out in Italy was really good - the life style out
there being so much more relaxed than the hum drum and
hectic life back home! And then there was the weather!
And the coffee!
Well, back to my racing...I rode UCI ranked international
races week in and week out for the best part of 6 months,
mostly playing a team role, just being a work horse, collecting
bottles chasing breaks, generally just learning to be
a good domestique. I had no major results on the road
but was part of the winning team in the Tour of Alsace
Team Time Trial. However, I was just trying to find my
feet in the hard and cut throat style of racing out there,
and didn't worry too much just trying to learn as much
as possible.
Then in September I was again part of a successful team,
lifting the European Team pursuit title on the track.
Following that, I came back to the UK for the national
track champs which were moderately successful with a silver
medal in the points race then that night I flew out to
Italy for my last race of the season which little known
to me was also my last race on the Academy. I rode the
race didn't do anything then once I had finished I was
pulled into the team car for a 'quick chat' and just like
that I was told I no longer had a place on the team. As
you can imagine this was a crushing disappointment to
me, so I spent pretty much the whole of the end of September
and all of October soul searching (with a little bit of
modelling for 2XU thrown in for good measure!)
Soul searching and modelling over I was left scrambling
to find myself a team for 2009 which with a few positive
nibbles from a few team in Belgium was pretty unsuccessful
due to the fact most team were full by this time of year!
But just as I was ready to give up I was approached by
Halfords BikeHut, and after having a look at all of my
options this seemed the best decision and since then everything's
been going quite smoothly! (Touch wood) I just got back
from a training camp in Majorca with the other lads which
started well with a nice shiny new Boardman bike, with
about 5 good days training under my belt, my right knee
started playing up, so the rest of the camp was spent
doing easy rides and plenty of rest. When I got home I
was told my pelvis was out of line and after a bit of
treatment from an osteopath I was back and fighting fit!
I'd just like to say a special thanks to Reiko & Mike
at Triathlon Consultants for keeping me well insulated
with 2XU kit throughout the cold winter months and Terry
Dolan, at Italian Solutions for sorting me out with a
winter steed to keep me pedalling through the last few
months! |
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About Mark McNally
> 2008 U23 European Team pursuit Champion (pruzcow,
Poland)
> 2008 Tour Alsasce Team Time trail 1st (Alsasce,
France)
> 2008 National Points Race Championships Silver
Medal (Manchester)
> 2007 Junior European Team Pursuit Champion
(Cottbus, Germany)
> 2007 Keizer Der Juniores Overall 5th (Koksijde,
Belgium)
Goals for 2009: Selection for European U23 Road
Race Championships (Belgium), Stage win in Tour
of Ireland or Tour of Britain. And Brtish National
Road Race Championships (Abergavenny, Wales) |
"2XU make the best cycling kit
and compression clothing money can buy"
Mark McNally |
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