2008 so far

1st place ..Fuertebike MX, Fuerteventura
1st place ..MTB Open Marathon, Gran Canaria
6th place..World Cup MTB Marathon , Türkiye

The year has gone very well so far. I have had a great 'winter' in Tenerife with Cristi.
Obviously my form will be better than alot of riders who have gone through a cold winter but normally I get slower when I return to UK for the summer. Trainıng for me ın UK summer never seems to work so this year I hope to stay fast by staying Tenerife.

Cristi and I make a good team. She has taken up cycling in last few months but has always known how great it can be. She uses her bıke like me; to get to work and to go places. I do not think we will use the tow rope ever again; we used it goıng on our first tour around Tenerife but now she can cope with anything. She is the proud owner of a custom made saddle.....made by me of course.

6th place in World Cup Marathon, Türkiye

Monday...The day after the race.

Would have liked 5th place as I dropped back one place during the last quarter of race. A funny race really. Not used to riding along with Alban Lakata (pictured behind me). He was smooth and was working his way up to first place, but did not quite manage the win.

Lakata, myself and the German national champion worked our way towards Martinez, Dietsch, Sahm & Platt. At the second feed zone there were seven of us at the head of the race. The group was just soft pedaling for a mile or so because there was a big hill just around the corner where breaks would form. Before the hill I went passed UCI Chief commissaire Colin Clewes, at the front of the group, thinking this is rather strange! He looked just as surprised as me.

On the big climb Martinez & Dietsch drifted off the front and eventually Lakata made his move to catch them and took Sahm and Platt with him.

I could not quite match their speed but still had them in sight.

As I neared the last feed zone I was really relying on my last bottle but it and the feeder were no where to be seen! I was suffering and eventually stopped to pick up some random bottle at the side of the road. Paez came by me strong and I limped home with serious cramp for 6th place.

I was hoping to wear my sponsors clothing (Davıd Jonathan Property Consultants Ltd, Cheshire) for this race but as I am National Marathon Champion I had to wear B.C. clothing, otherwise I would have had to re-mortgage the house I do not have to pay the UCI fine!

Many thanks to my sponsor David Jonathan Property Consultants Ltd.

The Kona was brilliant....thanks again to John Hollier of Paligap UK.

Ergon grips are so good that I did not need gloves for this race...I had left them at the last İnternet cafe two days before! Thanks to James Towlson of Ergon UK.

Kenda Small Block 8's again performed really well...my favourite tyre.

Thanks to my Mum for sending me my map of Türkiye so Cristi and I could have a good tour of the Turkish Med. coast-line during the week after the race.

A win for me....8th March, Gran Canaria Open Marathon

Just finished the race 2 hours ago.

A great course which took 3 hours 39 minutes to win. Second place went to Alejandro Diaz de la Peña of Spain.

Many the thanks to David Jonathan Property Consultants Ltd; without their support nothing would be possible this year.

Also many thanks to:-

Cristi, can not wait to get back to see you.
Bemekis....David and the team at THE bike shop in La Laguna, Tenerife
Kona UK, thanks John..... the Kula Supreme is flawless
Ergon, GP1 grips....I could not use normal grips now
Kenda, Tyres...UST Small block eights today...wonderful
Purple Extreme.....chain oil that goes the distance.

Muchas Gracias a Rubén Mayor por el foto tambien.

Results for race at:- http://nyx.at/canary/_uploads/_elements/1730_file1.pdf

A win for me in Fuertebike Marathon, Fuerteventura

My first race of 2008 was in..... Fuerteventura on the 23rd of February.

Over 200 racers started and the windy weather was the norm for the island.

With the lack of Spanish Pros in the race this year it became and easy win but I never knew I had such large gap between me a second place until finishing the race.

It is such a great race; very fast but not too technical. Worth doing if you are on the island for early season training. The race starts and finishes in Corralejo on the north coast of the island.

For the results click:-

http://www.ciclismocanario.es/resultados/2008/Fuertebike/Elite%20Fuertebike.pdf

The race is very well organised and includes a post massage, food and raffle.

Many thanks to Cristi, David Jonathan Property Consultants, Ergon Grips, Kona bikes U.K. and all the cyclists in the Canary Islands especially Bemekis team, La Laguna.

Next up is a race on Gran Canaria on the 8th of March, and then it is on to the first World Cup Marathon in Turkey on the 16th March.