Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Tour de Loire-Pilat. Second victory of 2007 for Adam Illingworth
Last weekend I recorded my second victory of the season in the Tour de Loire Pilat. The race was held in the Pilat Mountains that surround St Etienne and open to all riders under 26 years of age. The hilly nature of the race, which consisted of two road stages, one individual timetrial and a team timetrial, appealed to my team and me for a long time.
The opening team time trial was on a short 8km circuit but included a steep 15% climb in the middle. My team rode ok to finish 6th on this stage. The next days 130km stage included 4 climbs in the beginning and then a 15km finishing circuit. Early in the stage the race split into many groups, which made holding a good position vital. When we arrived on the finishing circuit there was a breakaway of four including a team mate of mine Wilfred Exertier. Wilfred kept his cool in the closing kilometres to win the stage by 36seconds. I finished the stage 3minutes down in 16th place.
The next day involved two stages. A 5km timetrial in the morning and a 105km road stage in the afternoon. The time trial was very hilly and it meant that all the riders rode on standard equipment with nobody wishing to use extra aerodynamic time trial gear. I was pleased with my time trial however was disappointed to come 4th, 9seconds down on the winner, Kalle Kritt from Estonia. My team-mate will rode a respectful time and finished 22nd and still held on to his lead in the overall classification. A few hours later we were all lining up again for the final stage of the race a 105km slog over the Col de la Gachet, montée de Chavanol, Col de la Croix de Chaubouret, Col de l'Oeillon, Col de la Croix Montvieux eventually finishing in the town of St Paul en Jarez. Attacks started as soon as the flag went down and soon a group of 35 riders had formed by the time we reached the summit of the Col de la Gachet. 40km later and the race was far more split up by the time we reached the summit of the Col de Chaubouret with one rider ahead two minutes in front of my group which contained three riders. At this point with only 30km to go until the finish I was in a good position to win the race’s overall classification. I worked to keep my group ahead as well as tried to catch back time to the lone rider ahead. In the end I didn’t quite manage to win the stage but my 3rd place was enough to win the general classification.
The win is my first stage race victory in France and my second win of the season.
With just over a month of racing left on the calendar I am very motivated to try and bag a 3rd win for the year. Here is my end of season race schedule.
1 September- Paris Chalette
2 September- Paris Chauny
8-9 September-Tour de Pays du Gex
14-16 September-Tour de Gevaudan
23 September- Grand Prix Faucigny
# posted by Adam I @ Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Wednesday, August 01, 2007
Knelpunten Overwinning !
Knelpunten Overwinning !
I can’t believe it’s august already. Well July was another busy month, 12 races, one more than last month.
46 races so far this year ! Thats 736 pinns ive stuck on this year ! I think thats an achievement in itself!
I’m sat here trying to remember what i`ve been up too this month. Not much to be honest, just the usual bike racing, training in the rain and lying in bed watching TV! Life’s great hey!
The first day out was the Ronde Van Beveren on the 2nd July, a pretty bog standard Belgian race, one big loop and 5 finish circuits of 12ks. I had a bit of trouble at the start with a puncture and missed the break of 12 that went pretty early. However my team mate saved us and was in the break and managed a respectable 3rd place! I finished a couple of groups back in a dull 32nd place.
Next on the programme was a trek back to good old blighty for the National Crit Series race in Rochdale. I thought it would be good to get back to race at least once this year, just so you all don’t forget I exist. The race didn’t really go to plan, I had to make a last minute wheel change at the start and was then at the back of the grid at the start. Anyone that thinks racing in the UK is easy id wrong! My god it took me 20 mins before I saw the front. The break was already gone with Newton and Downing at about 40 seconds. I had a bit of a breather and tried my luck on the climb, I got them to under 10 seconds but the 2nd time alone on that savage hill finished me off and my hopes of a win were quickly over. I trailed in 7th place in the bunch sprint. A bit disappointing but was good to be home and good too see a few faces!
After that I had a few days easy in the UK before travelling back for my next race at Geel.
The Grote Prijs Stad Geel was a massive race for the team. It’s a top competition, which is something like the Premier Calendar back home. We have one of our guys (Kevin Van Den Echout) in 2nd spot and are looking to take the lead going onto the last few races in the series. I was unsure how I would go after travelling and a bit of a rest. It would either be very good or very bad. It turned out to be a good day for me; I got myself and Kevin in the front split in the first crosswind section and was in a good position to get him a result and move closer to the lead in the Top Comp. We hit the last hurdle of the day a 3km section of cobbles and I committed to Kevin 100% rode over the cobbles full gas with him on my wheel, split the race down to 20. Luckily for us the leader of the series missed the split and had to settle for a minor placing. Kevin finished 10th and moved to within a few points of the lead with 2 races to go. The pressure will be on in the next race!
The next race arrived just 4 days later on the 15th July at Willebroek TopComp. Again the plan was full gas for Kevin today. I slept a bit funny last night and had a really bad stiff neck, I could just about get on my bike. But after a bit of bone cracking and pain killers from the soigner I was on my bike with the job of covering the early moves. To cut a long story short I did my job, was in the first group of 8 that stayed away for 50 or so k`s. The peleton behind split and 30 guys came across to us including Kevin and 2 other team mates. I was feeling pretty rough by this point after a few hard k`s out front and decided to pull out the stops for the team rather than a bunch finish. Kevin finished 2nd and was now just 1 point away from the lead with 1 race to go!
4 days later I was on the start line again at Ninove Pro Kermess. Id started this race a bit tired so didn’t expect much at all. With names like Wilfred Cretskins and Jimmy Casper on the start list I wasn’t too hopeful of a cracker of a day. As you have probably already guessed I was on the back foot before Id even started and ended up climbing off after 100ks.
Next on the cards was an amateur race at Hulshout, which is just down the road from my house and the race actually came past my front door. I rode this race last year and had a fairly good idea of what would happen. I decided on doing nothing what so ever for the first 100ks and getting stuck in just before the finish circuits where the race usually begins. It felt weird today, sitting in the peleton doing nothing at all. It was quite enjoyable actually! After 100ks it was time to come out of “Cavendish” mode and stick my nose in the wind. Everything worked out more than perfect, I moved to the front just as the race long break was caught and a group of 18 went clear on the finish circuits with me in it. However I cramped in the finish and cocked up the sprint finishing 7th. So it wasn’t all that perfect after all!
Next was the Ronde Van Vlaamse Brabent a 5 day tour in the Flemish Brabent region of Belgium. I was feeling pretty good in training this week and was up for a good battle this week. We fielded our best team this week so we had to go good!
Stage one started pretty good, I got myself in the break from the start with 2 team mates in there too. On the first day we picked up no less than 5th on the stage, the GPM Jersey and the Points jersey was on my Back! Oh yeah the team prize too!
I was pretty keen to take my jersey all the way to the finish and myself and the team rode well on stage 2 too keep both jerseys and I managed 10th on the stage.
Day 3 was a 12km TT. I was kitted up and determined to keep my GC position and pull out a good ride. The course wasn’t the best for me, just an out and back with 1 turn but I managed 10th place just 20 secs off the leader and moved myself into 7th in the “Klassement General” The other guys rode strong too with 5th 10th and 14th on that stage we took the team leaders yellow numbers back with a good advantage of 1 min 20.
The legs were staring to feel it after 3 days but I was still feeling strong and went on the attack again, I got myself into a group of 18 and took some more intermediate sprints too all but sew up my jersey for tomorrow. After a few k`s we had an advantage of 1 min 30 and with myself the “virtual leader” with 2 team mates in the break things were looking bright for me. With 10 k`s to go I was feeling good and gearing up for an all out attack to the finish when disaster struck. I was told I had to lead out Tom (my team mate) for the penultimate GPM with 7ks to go. I decided this was going to be my launch pad for my attack. I rode 90% on the climb and eased over the top for Tom to take the points. However Tom was feeling it a bit more than I realised. He must have been a bit spaced out after the effort and rode right into the back of me, nearly wiped me out and put him self in the corn field picking corn out of his helmet! That went down well on TV that night I can tell you! Ha Ha! Anyway my poor Flemish skills confused me in the next few K`s. I thought I had to wait for tom and couldn’t attack; the fore the peleton caught us and the day out was all but wasted!
It could have been worse; we still had two jerseys, 7th on GC and the team’s classement.
The last day arrived and my legs were pretty much good done for. There were 2 people who could take my jersey today but they would have had to win all the points of the day so when a group of 8 slipped away after 50ks a smile was on my face as the jersey was mine, all I had to do was finish. I quickly realised it wasn’t just me that was feeling under the weather. There were a few grimaces on faces and a few gaps appearing so I thought I could maybe try something in the finish as I was only 40 secs down on the leader. I waited and waited until the last climb and hit them with everything I had. I wasn’t feeling great but thought id give it a crack, I pulled away on my own and got to 30 seconds! I thought this could be it, the biggest win of my career, but it wasn’t to be! The leading teams got the acts together and caught me with 2 k to go. After that I was done for and finished mid peleton!
I had to try hey!
After an easy day I headed out to a Criterium just on the border of Holland. The legs were good but unfortunately I wasn’t in “the click” and had to watch 4 guys ride away. I tried a few times to get across to them but the guys in the peleton didn’t seem to want me to bridge across to there team mates and chased me every time (maybe the 75 Euro prime ever other lap was to blame) I gave up on attacking after a while and sprinted in with a brief cuddle with the barriers I finished 7th!
So with a boot full of dead flowers and a room full of trophies and jerseys and can safely say i`ve had a pretty good month! Things are on the up again, the legs are good and my arms are itching to get up again!
I can’t believe it’s august already. Well July was another busy month, 12 races, one more than last month.
46 races so far this year ! Thats 736 pinns ive stuck on this year ! I think thats an achievement in itself!
I’m sat here trying to remember what i`ve been up too this month. Not much to be honest, just the usual bike racing, training in the rain and lying in bed watching TV! Life’s great hey!
The first day out was the Ronde Van Beveren on the 2nd July, a pretty bog standard Belgian race, one big loop and 5 finish circuits of 12ks. I had a bit of trouble at the start with a puncture and missed the break of 12 that went pretty early. However my team mate saved us and was in the break and managed a respectable 3rd place! I finished a couple of groups back in a dull 32nd place.
Next on the programme was a trek back to good old blighty for the National Crit Series race in Rochdale. I thought it would be good to get back to race at least once this year, just so you all don’t forget I exist. The race didn’t really go to plan, I had to make a last minute wheel change at the start and was then at the back of the grid at the start. Anyone that thinks racing in the UK is easy id wrong! My god it took me 20 mins before I saw the front. The break was already gone with Newton and Downing at about 40 seconds. I had a bit of a breather and tried my luck on the climb, I got them to under 10 seconds but the 2nd time alone on that savage hill finished me off and my hopes of a win were quickly over. I trailed in 7th place in the bunch sprint. A bit disappointing but was good to be home and good too see a few faces!
After that I had a few days easy in the UK before travelling back for my next race at Geel.
The Grote Prijs Stad Geel was a massive race for the team. It’s a top competition, which is something like the Premier Calendar back home. We have one of our guys (Kevin Van Den Echout) in 2nd spot and are looking to take the lead going onto the last few races in the series. I was unsure how I would go after travelling and a bit of a rest. It would either be very good or very bad. It turned out to be a good day for me; I got myself and Kevin in the front split in the first crosswind section and was in a good position to get him a result and move closer to the lead in the Top Comp. We hit the last hurdle of the day a 3km section of cobbles and I committed to Kevin 100% rode over the cobbles full gas with him on my wheel, split the race down to 20. Luckily for us the leader of the series missed the split and had to settle for a minor placing. Kevin finished 10th and moved to within a few points of the lead with 2 races to go. The pressure will be on in the next race!
The next race arrived just 4 days later on the 15th July at Willebroek TopComp. Again the plan was full gas for Kevin today. I slept a bit funny last night and had a really bad stiff neck, I could just about get on my bike. But after a bit of bone cracking and pain killers from the soigner I was on my bike with the job of covering the early moves. To cut a long story short I did my job, was in the first group of 8 that stayed away for 50 or so k`s. The peleton behind split and 30 guys came across to us including Kevin and 2 other team mates. I was feeling pretty rough by this point after a few hard k`s out front and decided to pull out the stops for the team rather than a bunch finish. Kevin finished 2nd and was now just 1 point away from the lead with 1 race to go!
4 days later I was on the start line again at Ninove Pro Kermess. Id started this race a bit tired so didn’t expect much at all. With names like Wilfred Cretskins and Jimmy Casper on the start list I wasn’t too hopeful of a cracker of a day. As you have probably already guessed I was on the back foot before Id even started and ended up climbing off after 100ks.
Next on the cards was an amateur race at Hulshout, which is just down the road from my house and the race actually came past my front door. I rode this race last year and had a fairly good idea of what would happen. I decided on doing nothing what so ever for the first 100ks and getting stuck in just before the finish circuits where the race usually begins. It felt weird today, sitting in the peleton doing nothing at all. It was quite enjoyable actually! After 100ks it was time to come out of “Cavendish” mode and stick my nose in the wind. Everything worked out more than perfect, I moved to the front just as the race long break was caught and a group of 18 went clear on the finish circuits with me in it. However I cramped in the finish and cocked up the sprint finishing 7th. So it wasn’t all that perfect after all!
Next was the Ronde Van Vlaamse Brabent a 5 day tour in the Flemish Brabent region of Belgium. I was feeling pretty good in training this week and was up for a good battle this week. We fielded our best team this week so we had to go good!
Stage one started pretty good, I got myself in the break from the start with 2 team mates in there too. On the first day we picked up no less than 5th on the stage, the GPM Jersey and the Points jersey was on my Back! Oh yeah the team prize too!
I was pretty keen to take my jersey all the way to the finish and myself and the team rode well on stage 2 too keep both jerseys and I managed 10th on the stage.
Day 3 was a 12km TT. I was kitted up and determined to keep my GC position and pull out a good ride. The course wasn’t the best for me, just an out and back with 1 turn but I managed 10th place just 20 secs off the leader and moved myself into 7th in the “Klassement General” The other guys rode strong too with 5th 10th and 14th on that stage we took the team leaders yellow numbers back with a good advantage of 1 min 20.
The legs were staring to feel it after 3 days but I was still feeling strong and went on the attack again, I got myself into a group of 18 and took some more intermediate sprints too all but sew up my jersey for tomorrow. After a few k`s we had an advantage of 1 min 30 and with myself the “virtual leader” with 2 team mates in the break things were looking bright for me. With 10 k`s to go I was feeling good and gearing up for an all out attack to the finish when disaster struck. I was told I had to lead out Tom (my team mate) for the penultimate GPM with 7ks to go. I decided this was going to be my launch pad for my attack. I rode 90% on the climb and eased over the top for Tom to take the points. However Tom was feeling it a bit more than I realised. He must have been a bit spaced out after the effort and rode right into the back of me, nearly wiped me out and put him self in the corn field picking corn out of his helmet! That went down well on TV that night I can tell you! Ha Ha! Anyway my poor Flemish skills confused me in the next few K`s. I thought I had to wait for tom and couldn’t attack; the fore the peleton caught us and the day out was all but wasted!
It could have been worse; we still had two jerseys, 7th on GC and the team’s classement.
The last day arrived and my legs were pretty much good done for. There were 2 people who could take my jersey today but they would have had to win all the points of the day so when a group of 8 slipped away after 50ks a smile was on my face as the jersey was mine, all I had to do was finish. I quickly realised it wasn’t just me that was feeling under the weather. There were a few grimaces on faces and a few gaps appearing so I thought I could maybe try something in the finish as I was only 40 secs down on the leader. I waited and waited until the last climb and hit them with everything I had. I wasn’t feeling great but thought id give it a crack, I pulled away on my own and got to 30 seconds! I thought this could be it, the biggest win of my career, but it wasn’t to be! The leading teams got the acts together and caught me with 2 k to go. After that I was done for and finished mid peleton!
I had to try hey!
After an easy day I headed out to a Criterium just on the border of Holland. The legs were good but unfortunately I wasn’t in “the click” and had to watch 4 guys ride away. I tried a few times to get across to them but the guys in the peleton didn’t seem to want me to bridge across to there team mates and chased me every time (maybe the 75 Euro prime ever other lap was to blame) I gave up on attacking after a while and sprinted in with a brief cuddle with the barriers I finished 7th!
So with a boot full of dead flowers and a room full of trophies and jerseys and can safely say i`ve had a pretty good month! Things are on the up again, the legs are good and my arms are itching to get up again!
# posted by matt8195 @ Wednesday, August 01, 2007
