Let the good time Roll

So the last two weeks have been awesome if you exclude the pretty shit weather that we have had to put up with.  In the last two weeks I've had a one day tour as well as a big French Junior Tour.  Last week was Le Prix du Saugeais a local one day tour. First of was a 10 km uphill time trial which didn't go that great and ended up in 3rd place. That afternoon was a very difficult hilly 90 km road race where I tried to take the time I needed for the win but ended up coming 2nd across the line and a close 10 or so second off the overall win! A good result but not the win I was looking for! 

Along the Road Race 

Finishes 2nd 

After another good week of training and some good rest it was time for Challenge de L'Est Junior Tour. This was a target of mine as it is a big Junior race in France. Our team joined together with another team called CC Etupes which was awesome as they were a cool bunch of guys who we got along with straight away.  After a long drive in the morning the stage started at 3. The stage was 120 km long with a couple of small climbs to mix it up. The weather was just like Auckland with it being super hot one minute then freezing cold and raining the next. The stage started off pretty slow with Chad and Arnaud from our team getting in the early break away that quickly got a gap that stretched out to about 3 minutes at one point. After 20 or so km I set about bridging to the break which I did with 2 others. This ended up being the winning break for the stage and I think everyone knew it so everybody decided to cruise and just tempo it at a comfortable pace with no big attacks or anything. Chad got most of the mountain points up the climb. The pace never got super hard until the last lap up the climb when the break split. Arnaud and I made the split and finished 9 seconds behind a solo winner. I finished the stage 3rd which adds to my list of podiums with not many wins which was starting to get frustrating to say the lest but i was happy as 9 seconds was a small enough gap to pull back.

Breakaway Stage One

 After a good feed and massage that night it was time to hit the sack for a big day chasing the yellow jersey. Day 2 started off with a 15 km Team Time Trial and a 92 km road stage in the afternoon. The weather was super windy with huge cross winds and heaps of head wind. The team trial did not go so great loosing 50 odd seconds to the winning team which put me 4th on overall going into the final stage nearly a minute off the top 3 riders. To say the least I was super disappointing with the time trial as a lot of waiting and slowing down went on throughout the ride. All the boys put there all into it though so that's all I can ask for.

Driving the Team Home

 I decided not to let my anger and disappointment from the time trial get into my head and rather put it to good use in the final stage. The final stage seemed like it was going to be a good one with the wind picking up some more and rain starting to settle in. The race started off with the usual early break away going but thing break contained a rider who was coming 2nd overall. The break was sitting at a gap of 3 minutes for about 50 km with the bunch being pussies in the wind. I disparately wanted to just smack the crap out of the bunch in the cross winds but i thought better of that idea and just waited patiently in the bunch for the right time to have a dabble at going for the win. 20 km to go up the major climb of the race i put everything into an attack with only one rider coming with me with yellow unable to follow. I did the majority of the work catching the break as the rider who was with me had a team mate in the break that was coming 2nd over all. We caught the break 8 km later on the major climb again where I kept the pace high with only 4 of us making it together over the top. Over the top was 2nd overall and his team mate and another rider who was a team mate of the current leader. I could tell the rider who was coming 2nd was rooted so I kept drifting him off then sprinting back to the others. On the 2nd to last time up the big climb I attacked once more and dropped him and his team mate who stayed with him and over the top had about a 30 second gap with 8 km more remaining. I had a rider sit on my wheel all the way to the finish until he knew his team mate had lost the leaders jersey and decided to work if i let him have the win which i agreed to as i was pushing as hard as i could in the head wind (going 25 km h it was pretty bloody strong). I rolled over for 2nd in the stage and was waiting to see the other riders roll in with fingers crossed it was enough! I ended up putting 2 minutes into the next rider across the line and 4 or so minutes into the bunch! This meant i had secured the overall victory!!! 

 I was super stocked with how the last stage played out. By the end of the tour our team had secured 1st and 3rd overall as well as the climber’s jersey thanks to Chad’s efforts in the first stage. Big thanks to the team for an awesome weekend and all working well together!! This finished my latest 2 weeks of racing with 5 stage podiums and a 2nd and a 1st overall! Good two weeks!! This is my biggest win in France to date!

Winning and coming close

So a few weeks have gone by and the same old stuff is going on, training hard, racing every weekend and having a dabble in the kitchen trying to think of some new storms to cook up to keep it interesting. 

After a my last update the weather has seemed to improve a shit load over here and have been riding with no leg warmers or arm warmers which is great to get the summer glow back that I've been missing for the last few months. 

After a hard week of training after my first European win it was time for another Junior race in France which was about 100 km from memory and was pretty bloody hilly. We rode the course before hand and it was pretty hard, but maybe that was the 30+ degree day! So on with the race and it started of pretty slow so i just followed some moves and ended up in an early break which eventually got caught but luckily i have learnt my lesson from previous races and didn't blow my tit in the first few minutes of the race so i had some energy which i then had to use chasing like crazy to a break that had a minute on the bunch and was increasing fast. after about 20-30 km of chasing i finally caught the break which was eventually going to end up staying away for the race. I was pretty rooted from bridging to the break and after a few late digs to try and sneak the solo win it ended up being a bunch sprint or break sprint if that's how its meant to me worded and i rolled in for 4th.

After another week of training and the usual happenings of living in a small French town such as trying to suss  out the bargains at the supermarket and my weekly investigation of weather it’s cheaper to by fruit and veges and the supermarket or fruit and vegetable shop which i'm still undecided on so my next blog update will surely be exciting with maybe a result in this. On a cycling side it was another stunner of a week for training which consisted of a couple 120 km plus days, which was nice. On the Sunday we had our clubs host race which was a big goal for the club to win. It was a race where the senior team was also racing so I was looking forward to mixing it up with them. It was a hard course with no flat just up or down. This was good and bad for me. The good being the down, the bad being the up. Any who i made it in the break that ended up sticking for the race again so was a hard race which i wasn't feeling to flash in, I was told by the team director to work for the older boys who we had in the break so with 3 laps to go I went solo up a hill and stayed away for a lap and a bit which meant our team didn't have to work, I went as hard as i could until I got caught and then dropped but then got back on the break and in the sprint ended up 8th I think and first Junior so got a cup which was a good prize for a hard day in the office. 

This week of training i was actually quite excited about as the Tour Of Romandie was passing by which meant a ride to watch the race was in order. After an hour and a little but of hills we made it to where the race was going past so settled in there waiting patiently. As we saw the race coming up the hill we realized it wasn't actually such a good spot as Chad sat in stinging needles and i almost dropped my card down a drain a few times we ran across a paddock cycling shoes and all to get a good spot. As the race came up team Sky were on the front and Chris Sutton yells out "F****** Kiwis" pretty much made my trip out worth it as-well as seeing kiwi George Bennett racing.

Weekend just passed I had my first tour with the team which i was really looking forward too! Even the change in weather from sunny days to pissing rain couldn't stop my motivation. First stage was a road race of 110 km with a load of hills through out the course. A break went that ended up getting away and long story short i wasn't in it and bunch wasn't interested in chasing so i went on a mission to try and catch it and in the end came 16 seconds short and finished the stage in 8th or so. The accommodation for the race was awesome with food cooked for us which was a nice change from my cooking. Next day was a 10 km time trial which we had to use road bikes for but I chucked a disc on and deep front wheel which was grouse. I ended up winning the time trial by 12 seconds over the next junior. I found out I won while having a shower which I had to cut short to get to the podium which explains my seeexy hair style.  I was going into the last stage coming 2nd by 4 seconds with a steep (20%) last 2 km so the plan was keep it together and I would go give it a nudge or two in the finish. Things didn't go to plan and a break stayed away and had some high overall contenders in it so I ended up coming 5th over all. Close but no cigar I think they say?

Trying to Catch the breakaway first stage

Climb in the time trial

Shower Hair, Not a good look 

Going through one of the many towns which is so cool!!

Just a few things i thought i should add before rapping this novel up:

1. Don't leave writing a blog 3 weeks late it takes a while as I think you might be able to tell as detail is pretty low and by the end of writing this I got quite bored.

2. I kissed by first podium girl which I was so nervous about but think i got it now, watch out.

3. Give us a message on Face book if you watch Short-land Street and we can talk about how much I hate Roimata.

4. Next update will be detailed so don't worry

Thanks,

Scott

First Win!!

So after a week off from riding last week with the Flu that just wouldn't go away i finally got on the bike on Sunday and did some fairly decent training.  The weather is still really cold and unpredictable here so still probably not training enough but with the help of my coach Gordon McCauley I can keep and build a little form without being out in the cold for too long!

After a week off missing a big Junior Tour i really wanted to do well in i was pretty guttered which meant i was super motivated to do well this weekend in another important junior race called "Prix Des Vins Henry Valloton".

The race started really early at 8 15 am and was about a 3 hour drive away, which meant for an early 4 00 am wake up!! Fair to say was a bit of a shock to the system but after a few coffees i was bouncing off the walls! Chad and i brought a nespresso machine so its even i nice coffee!

Team Before the start, super cold!

We were told the course was hard with steep climbs of cobbles and gravel and it was super windy so i thought this would be a course that suited me perfect. The race started off pretty slow which i thought was weird until i looked up the road and saw a 4 km climb, by the time we hit the climb it was then full gas.

I was in the select group over the top and after about 10 km of block headwind we went through a town and ended up riding through a narrow road through a vineyard and up a steep climb that was either cobbles or gravel (climb hit a max of about 20%!!) So naturally in the first two laps i went full gas up it thinking i was Fabian Cancellara!! After this it was following some sketchy down hills going 70+km/h on roads barely wider than a single bed, almost stacked it a few times with some close calls with the back wheel skipping out but luckily kept it up. Then was back on a wide straight road with some more headwind and cross winds.

We did this loop 3 times with a total of 100 km of racing with a lazy 2000m of climbing chucked in. After the 3rd time up the big climb a group of about 8 were left out front with myself included. I then just lapped it out and followed through the vineyard and wasn't in any difficulty up the rest of the climbs. With 7 km remaining which was all flat with a dirty cross/head wind i attacked the group with a guy on my wheel, we eventually got a 30 second gap, about 1 km remaining he dropped and i rolled in for the win! Was real happy a relieved to get my first European win under the belt and especially coming down the straight posting is an amazing feeling that i hope is not to far away again!

Got to say a big thanks to coach GMC and our team director for giving me race tactic advice as its a lot different racing here than back home! For once saved my self instead of going nuts the whole race and blowing my tit by the finish!

Back to training this week for another Junior race this weekend which i'm super pumped for!

Big thanks to CRAFT Sportswear with their awesome winter kit which is keeping me super warm in racing and training. Get onto the undershirts they are by far the best i have ever ridden!


Cheers
Scotty

Bit of bad luck

So as it happens in cycling you always have your ups and downs and recently its been a bit about the downs.
Last week i had a race which was quite a big race in Switzerland which was a race i wanted to win! The race was up by a ski field which in winter inst ideal as it must of been about 1 degree or so when we arrived!  The course was 5 laps of a 15 km circuit with a 3 km climb up to the finish, a course that i think suited me perfect. It was all going good following the early attacks with ease and climbing great until i punctured 30 km into the race and as i got my wheel change the break that stayed away went. When i got back to the bunch i tried to bridge but just wasn't going to happen. Ended up winning the bunch kick but still pretty guttered but punctures happen to all of us at some point so point getting pissed off.

As it happens i got sick after the race and so far this week have been in bed sick with the FLU. I thought it was something that would come and go quickly but its just stuck with me and hasn't buggered off. I've been real tired and haven't done any training so i had to give the race this weekend a miss. I'm pretty guttered as it was a race i targeted when i first arrived in France as it was our first tour and one that kiwi Sean Hambrook won last year. I know this was the best option to pull out of racing as my body is saying NO, even though it seems hard now.

Anyway i cant wait to get better and start hitting the roads again get some good training in, lets just hope the snow, rain and freezing cold goes away soon too!!

Scott

Long Overdue Yarn

So a few weeks have gone by now without an update so here it goes!

Last weekend I had my first taste of the top level of French Junior racing with a Federal Junior race called “Trophee Louison bobet.” We left the Friday before the race at 1 pm an were on our way to Bretagne which is 9 hours away!  After a long nap I woke up to find we are stopping for dinner at a place I think is called FLUNCH which is like a buffet which is great as the team pays and I can eat as much as I want, WIN! A few hours later we arrived at our motel.

Accommodation ( I got the Double) 

On the Saturday we went for an easy spin in the morning which was great as there was no snow around which was is a nice changed from where I live where it has been snowing for the last few weeks (yes the novelty of snow has more than wore off). After that it was a quick lunch then off to have a look the the course and watch some of the elite riders race. It an awesome experience watching top level French racing especially with a fellow Kiwi and former Morteau rider Sean Hambrook getting a top 10 result!

Sunday was race day which started off with a small breakfast by the Hotel which basically consists of crap coffee, breed and some muesli.  The Race was 135 km of rolling hills with 200 starters. The race started with a crazy natural section! Just imagine 200 teenage boys full of energy wanting to get to the front of the race behind a lead car on a one lane road, it is CRAZY! Anyway on with the race and after about 40 km there were only 2 people left from our team in the front bunch which still consisted of about 150 riders a small group rolled off the front. I thought this looked dangerous so I bridged across solo (about 30 second gaps) and once I made it we quickly stretched out to a 1 minute lead which eventually hit 2 minutes 30. The break had about 12 people and once we hit a 2 minute 30 lead they all seemed to slow down so naturally I hit it and ended up solo with 30 km to go. No one came across so I just went for it but was caught 8 km to go and didn't have any energy for the sprint and rolled in 11^th. In hindsight I shouldn't have gone so early and have learnt that racing here is WAY more tactical than back home! None the less was an awesome race and learnt heaps!

Riding solo was a stupid move

In some serious hurt at the finish

After the race it was straight into the car for a long 9 hour journey home. What made the trip even longer was that it was a storm so we had to drive slowly and I had to piss the whole trip which seemed to make time go 10000 times slower. Eventually we got home at 3 am where it pretty much hit the sack straight away.

The next weekend I had a double weekend of racing with a small one in Switzerland on Saturday and a Category 1 race which I was invited to do with the senior club team on Sunday. The week leading up to these racing was uneventful just training and praying that the snow will stop and spring will come! Saturday’s race was very boring as I was told by the team director “do not attack early” which sucked as the early break of course stayed away and won the race with none of our team in the move, GREAT. I just cruised in the bunch doing what I was told and finished mid bunch in the sprint.

   

The next day was a big day and a race I knew I had to do well in to show the club what I can do. The race was a few hours away near Germany called “Tour Du Canton Wittenheim”  It had a field of 160 odd riders with a cool course with 19 laps of a 6.8 km circuit, well it was cool until the third lap then it was just seeing the same roads and streets another 16 times. The weather was really bad with freezing rain pouring down and a high of about 4 degrees! Any way after following all the early moves trying to get into the breakaway nothing worked until a small group of riders got away about 70 km into the race.  By this point I couldn't feel my hands or feet and had to check where my fingers were on my bars to check they were in the right position and they were numb and I couldn't feel a thing! Riders were pulling out with mild hypothermia all race but I was determined to finish. With 8 laps to go I was just counting down the laps hoping I don’t get sick and that I will still be able to brake going into corners by the time the last lap starts. Anyway 3 riders ended up sprinting for the top places up the road and I rolled in 18^th and first Junior (U19) after attempting to lead my team mate Daniel Ellison out. This was by far the coldest race I have done in my life! But thanks to CRAFT clothing for the awsome gloves my hands didn't turn out like Daniels  Daniels hands were blue afterwards which was pretty weird. 

Freeezing Race 

 Was hard to brake with no feeling in my hands!

Back at home now getting heaps of sleep and x box in while it’s snowing outside and defiantly over using the indoor training which at the moment I hate more than anything. The other night we came up with a good idea with the steep as stairs the house has, RACE up them. 

what we do when we are snowed in and bored STAIR RUNNING CHAMPS

It’s very boring here throughout the week so if you want to chat or ask a few questions feel free over Facebook or email me scottambrose021@gmail.com and ill be sure to message you back a.s.a.p.

Next race is a junior one in Switzerland I think that I will post about a lot earlier than these!

Cheers

Scotty

First Race and an upate

Just a little update on what’s been happening here..

So I’ve been pretty slack at the blog as It’s pretty full on here! NOT. Each day consists on riding, eating, playing Xbox and sleeping. So life’s pretty chilled at the moment. After my crash got stuck back into training as I had my first race of the season on the Sunday. I would like to say a HUGE thanks to CRAFT CLOTHING for supplying me with all my winter kit which is keeping me warm on the cold days! (gets to -3 some days!) It’s fair to say that I felt pretty crap all week but none the less was still pumped for my first European race!

During the week leading up to the race a few boys were sick so Chad and I decided to get out of the house for a day and travel to Besancon. Was a pretty cool day to get out and explore a big town (well bigger than Morteau).

The Race on the Sunday was called Criterium du Printemps (Credit Mutuel) and had about 120 starter. The course was real cool with 8 laps of an 11k circuit. Each lap had a 1.5km climb to the finish line with rolling hills throughout. It was real windy as well. I started the race in usual fashion and went blocks as soon as the nutural flag was down and eventually got clear of the bunch and was out fron solo for the first 3 laps until a group of about 20 came across. The group wasn't going very fast but eventually it was brought down to about 10. I didn't have any team mates in the group which sucked as one of the teams still had 6 or so riders in the group. Eventually I got away with a rider from the team who didn't have to do any work all day as his team was working for him. I was pretty smashed by this point with about 20k to go we had a 2min gap. I kept hitting him throughout but he was too strong so I rolled over for 2^nd. Was pretty happy considering my less than ideal week leading up to the race.

Last night we had a meeting with the sponsors and it went really good except none of us understood what anyone was saying. They played this 10min long video of something that looked like a documentary you watch in primary school about cows and water. Anyway it ended up being a successful night as Chad and I become mates with some guy who gave us a good kg of bread, heaps of cheese and a big pie that he stole from the kitchen I think!!

This weekend we have a Federal Junior Race on the other side of France ( 9 HOUR DRIVE). I’m tolled is very important and prestigious with 180 or so riders starting. Really looking forward to racing with the best France has to offer!

Also i think its about 5 degrees warmer than what it is here!! WOOP

Scott

Minor Setback CRASH

So all was going good yesterday. Finally getting settled into the french life style, training and form was on the up until on a team training ride i hit the deck pretty hard. We were told to sprint into the town which was all going good until the guy in front of me took himself out some how and i went over the top of him going about 50 km/h. My right hip took all of the impact with my front wheel breaking every spoke and the hub come separate.

After the crash was when it all got exciting! Ambulances were called and people rushing around. Was a mission and a half trying to explain to the ambulance staff that it was only my hip that was sore (in France there are 4 staff to an ambulance so its pretty hectic inside!). Off to hospital it was where a lot of waiting around was done while the doctors and nurses talked away which i had no idea what was about. I got a few x-rays done and was told that all is good and will just need 4-7 days off the bike until the swelling goes down.

After all this i was pretty guttered as i was building a little form to a "Federale Junior" Race on the 10th March which is a major race to get noticed in by bigger teams. Hopefully my hip heals faster than expected and i can still post a good result in this race!

Anyways now I'm just recovering at home playing on and x-box Chad an I brought today for a few days until i can knock out some k's next week.

Oh and the only bright side bout going to French hospitals is that the nurses are banging which makes the experience a lot more enjoyable.

Bored! Even got a sweet gown

In the Emergency area

Who i ran over