Champion of The Vaucluse - who me???

Yes you're as surprised as me. After 5 weeks doing hardly any km and any top end training, suffering from various ailments including tummy bugs and bad colds, today I won the Senior B (U 40's) Championship of the Department of The Vaucluse.

I woke up knowing the méteo was going to be crap and it was. Pouring with rain and blustery, I didn't even want to go after the lst two DNF's. Anyway the least I could do was turn up and help Bruno for a few laps before I climbed off. (Not trying to be negative here!!)

Here's how it panned out. 45 starters in the Senior B category (U 40's), 7 laps of a 13km loop. Each lap has a twisty descent from the start, 4km flat, 3km false flat up into a headwind, 5km flat with crosswind then 2km drag at about 3% up to the finish.

José, a good Cat 1 who won at Montsegur two weeks ago, was as usual very pro active and to my delight a counter attack by me after an attack by José on the second lap dragged 5 away. Then we worked hard together hoping the elastic will snap somewhere behind you. It did!! 5 of us away, in the rain, windy, we had to stay away. Flat out for 2 laps - merde!! 3 more joined us dragged up by an elite rider called Deshamps. At least the bunch was dead and buried somewhere behind. And then there were 8 arguing like mad! with 2 laps left no one wanted to graft so I put a dig in off the front and gained 100m straight away, then 200m then 300m. At the foot of the 2km drag I buried my self - 4 minutes of complete agony. I had decided that this was all or nothing. I was going to win or come 8th. The top of the climb was flat, past the finish, the bell, 13km to go. I'm a good descender so threw caution to the wind and went down the other side far too fast for the slippery conditions. Out of the bend at the bottom of the hill I was on the drops but standing up, 53-12, 60kmh, tailwind.

At the end of the 4km flat I chanced a look behind. They were gone but it was to early to smile. Up the 3km false flat, don't panic - pace yourself. 5km flat, no one behind me. At the bottom of the climb I looked over my shoulder and smiled. 53-21 turning nicely, legs good, 200m to go. Now I'm not smiling I'm laughing - delighted. Crossed the line, arms in the air with a 1m 30s lead. Shocked and amazed. Clubmate Patrick tells me I'm the first ever Brit to win the departmental Champs!!!!

Time for a rest??

1st round of the Tropheé de Provence yesterday with the Cezanne Ste. Victoire down near Aix en Provence. 158km, 2500m of ascent on the same roads as my best result ever in Pourrieres only 6 weeks ago.

So, preparations going well, feeling good after a steady week (I did a sub 1h30m on Mont Ventoux this week) I ate well Saturday night, woke to a magnificent sunrise over Mont Ste. Victoire, good brecky Sunday morning, rode down to the start at the Stade George Carcasonne in Aix - everything perfect.
I had a good dossard number too - number 22 - on the front row. Many familiar faces, mainly from the front bunch in the Monts du Vaucles 3 weeks ago.
So off we went, a nice steady 9km out of Aix then the first easy climb up to St Antonin in the shadow of the Ste Victore.
After 500m I was out the back like a Champagne cork. Over the top I managed to get in with the a second bunch which had formed. We chased back on then up through the village of Pourrieres. Then on the Puits du Rians I'm out the back again. Chased back on then approaching the Grand Sambuc - out again. I Jumped on the back of the 3rd peleton and even that was too fast so I rode steadily back to Aix with my tail between my legs. What a horrible day to spend in such beautiful scenic counrtyside!!
Back to the drawing board with 2 weeks steady riding. Less than a month from La Ventoux Beaumes de Venise.

What a difference a week makes!

So after the Monts du Vaucluse sportive at Villars, one week with a dodgy tummy, then another week with only 5 hours on the bike it was time for the next road race.
7 laps of an 11km circuit, vallonée, which means undulating, 25 2nd Cats lumped together with about 30 1st Cats.
As usual things went hard from the gun. I knew that to be in with a shout you'd need to be up the road with some 1st Cats so I buried myself for 3 laps trying to get in every break going. Then on the 5 lap at the top of a short climb, trying to get across to a group only about 15s up the road, I blew dramatically.
The next lap was hell, almost dropped on the false flat up to the village of Collonzelle, then I was sick which sprayed over the guy on my wheel, then I climbed off.
Not all was lost though, a great second place for Bruno and a first win in the 1st cats for my mate José from VC Isle sur La Sorgue.