Benchy Style

So thought my training was coming along nicely in my prep for Southland until I rolled up to my first race back in NZ, Tuesday Night Worlds. The race was pretty brutal with some epic crosswind that’s pretty rare in Nelson. The race splintered to pieces and I ended up getting myself dropped by the big boys…sweet.

Anyway, rocked up to the final round of the Benchmark series yesterday. Was fizzing to test to the legs out and ride along-side the L & M Group boys. The race was definitely a lot cruisier than Belg, it was a pearler of a day and I was feeling like a beast. Unfortunately I couldn’t quite find my way into the break even though I had the legs to. So coming into the finish there were still 3 boys up the road and with a hairy final corner I couldn’t quite hit the front so ended up about 15^th.

Above: The lunge for the line. Congrats to Rob Reid for winning the overall series title. (Notice me mincing in the left hand gutter).

Canny also hooked us up with the sick new Champion System team kit with our new Giro Aeon helmets. Check the photo:

And speaking of new, since I've been back I've been hitting up the new Avantiplus store on Queen St Richmond. It looks pretty tight and the boys in there are alright I guess. So get in there and check it out. Respect

Euro Farewell

Found this little passage I whipped up a few weeks ago but never got round to posting. Might not make sense cos I was jetlagged as a mofo when I wrote it.

So I’m currently sitting in Los Angeles Airport contemplating whether these standby flights are really worth it. I’ve just done a 10+ hour flight from Heathrow to here but the flights are looking pretty full so I could end up spending the night in LAX. And to make things worse, they rolled my Speculoos…WTF!

The Belgie Send-off

Above: One of my las races in Belg

But apart from that little hiccup my overseas experience has finished off on a pretty good note. I finished up the Belgie season in mid-September  before trading in the Belg flatlands for the Alps of Switzerland. Switzerland was an awesome way to tie up the season. It was a holiday where I managed to sneak in a few decent rides in the mountains on the next-door neighbours old cannondale. I actually ended up wikipediaing Switzerland’s highest mountain passes and seeing how many I could tick off the list in the local area of Zurich. Have to say the scenery was epic and the amount of climbs around the place was unreal.

I also spent a fair bit of time with my Swiss cousins and auntie doing a few different things around the place. We went hiking, on a high ropes course, on the rodelbahn (similar to a rollercoaster down a mountain side where you control the speed) and hit up the Lindt Chocolate Factory down the road…such a dangerous place.

After Switzerland I spent a couple of days at young Reg’s place in England. That went pretty quick but I did manage to do a days labour roofing with Reg and the Old Fossil and knocked out a ride on the mounty through the English woods.

And now here I am. Sitting in LA hoping there’s a spare seat.

But anyway, there’s a few people I want to thank for the season. Big thanks to Kris Lozie and the beautiful Krista Lozie who took us in as their own sons in Belg. Also team director Gilbert  for all his help.  To my Auntie Joe for not just putting me up but treating me like royalty in Switzerland and Reg’s old man and mum for putting me up in England. And finally to the boys in the flat for a sweet season all round with some good times.

As for next year I’m planning on once again riding for Tomacc Cycling Team who are showing some interest in going Continental but I guess we’ll see. Either way I will be heading over to Belg in late February for a longer season of around 8 months.

As for now, my next big race will be the Tour of Southland with a few club races and a sneaky Benchmark round to get the peppiness back in the legs.