CycoActive - Professional Endurance Cycle Coaching
  • CycoActive Coaching
  • Your Coach
  • Pricing
  • Mallorca Guiding
  • Contact Me
  • Going Solo Blog
  • Backroads Blog
  • MarathonMTB
  • Mallorca - Sian & Mark

Sudety MTB Challenge - Stage 5

4/8/2014

0 Comments

 
The sixth and final day was upon us and, despite tiring limbs and general fatigue, I was quite looking forward to this stage. Most riders were expecting a difficult day, with three major climbs looming and with the prediction of tough and technical singletrack across the border in the Czech Republic, but I remained optimistic that I could finish the race with a good performance and maintain my place of fifteenth in the General Classification for M2. Having conceded some time to most of my closest rivals in the last stage and with the next two riders under two minutes behind, I would need to live up to my own pre-race expectations.

As we were now accustomed to in this race, the first climb was long, but, for once, not technical, and was followed by a fast descent allowing enough time to recover for the next, slightly longer hill. Part of this descent involved a steep drop down a long mud slide – not for the faint-hearted but incredibly satisfying when the bike slid, rather than rolled, to safety into the distant abyss. As is the norm in these races, I soon recognised some of the riders around me, those who are my physiological equal. Indeed, it is possible to judge how well you are going on any given day by ascertaining which of these riders are ahead or behind you.

I caught Mike Blewitt and Imogen Smith at the Mechanical Aid Point and we rode together for a few kilometres. Rain started to fall, and bearing in mind my poor performance the previous day when I became wet and cold, I toyed with the idea of pulling on a light rain jacket. Mike and Imogen had already decided to do this but as I prepared to pull the jacket out, the rain stopped and the sun appeared briefly, but enough to convince me to discard the idea. When American Elite female, Megan Chinburg , moved past Imogen, I followed her wheel up the next short climb whereas Mike and Imogen failed to respond. We worked together for a while but on the next long descent I left Megan behind to seek out other riders further up the course. We were now riding across the border in the Czech Republic, but the dreaded mud and accompanying angst failed to materialise. The singletrack was incredibly enjoyable and flowed rather than frustrated. There was one section, however, which involved wading through knee deep mud and slime but this was for only a relatively short time and the trails returned to their benign ways.

Eventually, we crossed back into Poland, and for the first time in this race, we were riding on sealed roads. I had caught Peter Selkrig and Garry James at the bottom of the descent and I cheekily rode in their slipstream. Assured of second place in their category, they were riding in a relaxed manner and appeared to be enjoying their day out. We were now on the final climb of the event and this proved slightly more technical than the previous ascents. A lot of walkers were in this area and they appeared bemused as to why so many bikers were struggling with body and machine up these steep and rocky mountains.

The course spat me out onto a main road and I found myself in a convoy of cars, jumping Tour de France style, from behind one to the next. I was cautious not to miss the turn off back into the single track, having gone off course just two days earlier. The final descent proved less technical than I had imagined, and I finished the race as strongly as possible. I crossed the finish line, extremely satisfied with my performance, which was a vast improvement on the day before. I finished in a time of 4.46.50, 15th in M2 and 62nd overall. I maintained my overall position of 15th in the M2 category and finished the whole race in a time of 22 hours 44 minutes.

The Sudety MTB Challenge is a fantastic race, which incorporates numerous technical trails in stunningly beautiful surroundings. I would wholeheartedly recommend this race to experienced riders, looking for a true mountain bike experience. No doubt it is a tough race and it lives up to its motto of ‘no bullshit, no compromise’. The climbing can seem endless, be it on and sometimes off the bike, the steep technical descents must be ridden with one hundred percent commitment and the fast descents without fear. Thirty-four countries and five continents are represented, with a strong Euro presence and a high calibre of rider, but the atmosphere is exceptionally friendly and Race Organiser, Grzegorz Golonko,has managed to develop an event incorporating well managed accommodation, ample refreshment, well organised mechanical and medical support, friendly drivers and a great team of masseuses and highly professional photographers. Personally, I can’t think of a good reason for not returning to the Sudety MTB Challenge in 2015.
Results

Post Race Comments:

Andreas Ueberrhein (Germany M1) - Next year, I'm going to return to the Sudety and I'm going to lose 10kg (So we will check to see he has dropped from 96 kg to 86 kg in one year's time).

Phil Welch (Australia M2) - A brilliant introduction to stage racing in Europe. I will definitely be back next year!

0 Comments

Sudety MTB Challenge - Stage 4

2/8/2014

2 Comments

 
I awoke to the sound of rain and this continued for the duration of Stage 4. Although this was the shortest stage, at only 46 km, it was to prove the hardest 46 km I’ve probably ever ridden. The general profile showed the route would rise to over 1000 km above sea level and would involve almost constant climbing.

The first hill rose to 600 metres and was not technical and, as a result, was ridden relatively quickly. We then turned into the singletrack and almost immediately dived down a steep mud chute, meaning braking involved sliding all the way. The problem was it just continued to go down and so it was a great relief to feel it level out and for bike and rider to remain in one piece.  Shortly after, I was caught by Mike Blewitt and Imogen Smith, the Australian mixed pair, and we were able to swap turns along a rare, flatter section. I was amazed at how effectively they worked together almost symbiotically and with a thorough understanding of the other person’s needs. Soon after I hit the front, they dropped back and I didn’t see them until much later in the stage.

The trail continued to rise and the rain fell harder. At the half way checkpoint, I was progressing reasonably well, but perhaps the ever increasing leg fatigue or the four previous days of extreme exertion were about to catch up with me. It may have even been due to the fact I hadn’t slept too well the previous night, or it may have been the cold, wet conditions causing me difficulty. Indeed, I perform much better in extreme heat than in cooler conditions. Whatever it was, I began to struggle up the endless rocky and muddy climbs. Normally, I am progressing through the field late in a race but today I was slipping back. I continued to struggle and became colder and colder.

I hoped the endless climbing would warm me up but it didn’t. I had a spray jacket but I decided, perhaps incorrectly, not to put it on. I pushed my bike up a long, steep hill and kept slipping on the wet rocks and roots. It was tough going for me but some of the Europeans were far more adept at walking up these steep ascents and caught and passed me. I tried to follow their footsteps but without success. Perhaps I need to train in this particular aspect of our sport!

We later hit a shallow, rock-strewn river and climbed up it for a few kilometres. It proved fairly technical and required a great deal of concentration. I continued to slip back through the field. It was here that Mike and Imogen caught me and so I tried to squeeze any remaining strength from my tiring body. After riding together for a number of kilometres, Mike hit a pedal on a rock and I was able to approach the final insanely steep descent alone. My hands were sore but I managed to control my bike through the large, rain-soaked rocks that littered the single track descent and reached the bottom, which also happened to be the finish line. Andreas from Germany followed me over the line, disappointed he had missed beating me by just one position.

I was exhausted and cold and quickly washed my bike and showered (unfortunately in slow running, cold water). Soon after dressing the blood began to return to my extremities and I was able to reflect on a disappointing day in terms of my performance. I finished in a time of 3.35.16, with an average speed, albeit a slow stage, of just 12.3 km/h. I was 19th in M2 and 71st overall and I remain 15th in M2 in the General Classification. 

Tomorrow is a massive day. I, therefore, started my recovery as early as possible by immediately eating and drinking and treating myself to another leg massage. The fifth and final stage will cover over 79 km and three challenging climbs and a network of extremely technical trails await.

2 Comments

Sudety MTB Challenge - Stage 3

2/8/2014

0 Comments

 
Stage racing is all about recovery. It is essential to eat immediately after the race, in order to make the most out of the body’s ability to effectively absorb carbohydrates post-exercise. Rehydration is critical, as is replacing electrolytes such as sodium and magnesium. Taking care of the muscles by reducing soreness, flushing the lymph system and assisting blood circulation to remove waste products is also important and massage is one method of achieving this goal. With a reasonably early finish yesterday, I decided to receive a massage from the masseuses at the Sudety Event Centre. I had two people (a guy and a girl) work on my legs and I can truly testify that they take no prisoners. I regularly receive massage but this was not what I was used to. I jumped, flinched and squirmed as the girl asked me to relax again and again. Relax! Impossible! And I thought the race was ‘brutal’. The girl told me she preferred the word ‘professional’ but I still thought ‘brutal’ was far more apt. Regardless of my discomfort, the results were impressive and my legs felt considerably looser, leaving me confident in the knowledge I had done as much as I could to prepare for the next day’s stage.

We were greeted with warm temperatures, ideal for racing. The first few stages had centred around the small town of Stronie Slaskie, but today we were due to leave our Polish base camp and travel through the Sudety mountains to the village of Bardo, sixty-nine km away and incorporating over 2100 metres of climbing. The start of the race meant travelling through the streets of the town and the Peloton ebbed and flowed as it made its journey past traffic islands and roundabouts. Soon we hit the first hill and 600 metres of solid climbing lay ahead to warm the legs up and clear the lungs.

We hit the highest point of the race after ten kilometres and the road book showed the next sixty would be generally down. What it didn’t show was the amount of technical singletrack and the steep, rocky descents which lay ahead. A high degree of concentration was required to negotiate the heavily rooted and rocky singletrack. One rider had pushed his way to the front of our small group, provoking no small amount of angst from some other riders. As he struggled to ride smoothly, riders would squeeze past him until I eventually arrived behind him, he hit a large root and was catapulted over the handlebars. I never saw him again.

We wound our way through stunningly, lush forest and I began to worry about losing my way. That’s not to say the course is not well marked out – there are frequent signs, tape and painted arrows on the ground clearly showing the route. Having someone ahead helps a rider to concentrate on flowing through the corners and riding smoothly. It was therefore a blessing to catch Peter Selkrig and Garry James and spend a few moments following their lines. Ironically, four of us travelled a kilometre down a trail into a small clearing but we realised there were no arrows. Up the hill we rode before cutting through the trees to rejoin the race.

At times, we would emerge from the lush forest, the clearing offering up stunning views of the Sudety Mountains, a reminder of how beautiful the location is where we are riding. At other times, we plunged back into the forest and descended insanely steep single trails. These descents could continue for up to 300 metres and my fingers and hands were left burning from the constant pressure applied to the brakes. Needless to say, it is imperative to concentrate fully at these times and the day certainly claimed a few victims. I passed a French rider, who was holding his arm limply and when I asked him if he was alright he shrugged. At the final checkpoint, I informed the officials and was impressed to see how quickly they reacted in order to prepare medical care.

Most of the second half of this stage was ridden alone and so there was to be no sheltering behind other riders, leaving me to expend a lot more energy than is ideal to reach the finish. This stage definitely shook up the overall standings with big time gaps appearing between riders that were previously only a few minutes apart. Perhaps the Sudety MTB Challenge is starting to bite considerable lumps out of its participant’s spirit. I finished the day 13th (M2) and 58th overall in a time of 4.52.45. I remain in 15th place in the M2 General Classification but with Zbig now 6 minutes ahead after riding strongly all day while many of the other M2 riders losing large amounts of time. Tomorrow’s stage is shorter, at 44 km but extremely technical and essentially involving climbing all day!

0 Comments

Sudety MTB Challenge - Stage 2

29/7/2014

0 Comments

 
Once again, the build up to this stage was far from ideal. After replacing the rear tyre and being supplied with Stan’s goo from event winner from five years ago, Pawel Wiendlocha from Poland, the tubeless valve continued to leak. Eventually, I took the valve cap from my spare wheel and the tyre appeared to seal. The following morning, as I was adjusting the pressure in the front tyre, the valve broke in half. To solve this problem, I utilised the spare wheel again, by salvaging the core from the valve. I arrived at the starting gate, uncertain I would survive the day intact. I took a second tube as an extra precaution.

A slightly longer stage of 67.5 km with just over 2100 metres of climbing lay ahead. If I could survive the day without any mechanicals, I was certain I could register a decent performance. The early climbs were not technical but still split the large field early. My Polish rival, Zbig, was up ahead and I made it my aim to beat him and endeavoured to close the 8 minute lead he had over me from the first two stages. The temperature was in the low 20’s, with a threat of a later thunderstorm. However, conditions were to remain perfect throughout the day.

I have now become accustomed to the nature of racing here. Work hard to crest the mountains, then recover on the warp speed descents before doing it all again. Climb…Descend…Repeat. This might sound like I’m doing the race a disservice but it is actually a great way to race and the varying terrain provides plenty of variety, not to mention some stunning views from the highest peaks.

Unlike yesterday, where I had punctured early, today allowed me to work with riders of similar ability, and we were able to share the work on the climbs and flatter sections (not that this race has too many flat sections – it’s either up or down. My group swallowed up Zbig and on the longest climb of the day he dropped back. He informed me afterwards that he always had me in his sights but a puncture put paid to his attempts to stay with me.

One feature of this race is the mud and slippery thick tree roots and half way through this stage I found myself struggling with this technical form of riding. I was not alone however, and as the trail began to rise, even the most gifted riders were reduced to walking.

On the last climb, a group of about six riders reformed containing the impressive Swiss female elite rider, Andrea Kuster. As we descended some steep singletrack the pace increased on one section and I felt my bike slip from under me. I someone regained control and heard Andrea squeel from behind. She had done the exact same thing but we had both managed to stay upright and had probably avoided a serious crash. We crested the top of the climb together and began yet another insanely fast descent. I have to express my amazement at the skills of some of these female riders as I saw her disappear into the distance, chasing podium glory.

I finished in a time of 3.59.50 (14th in category and 64th overall), beating my Polish rival, Zbig by ten and a half minutes and moving to 15th (Masters) in the General Classification after the first three stages. I cannot speak more highly about this race. It is well organized, and the race trails offer incredible variety and challenge. I am looking forward to the final three stages and I hope to continue to ride strongly.

 

0 Comments

Sudety MTB Challenge - Prologue

29/7/2014

0 Comments

 


Pre-Race Problems

On arrival at Prague Airport on Friday morning, my bike appeared and it was immediately apparent that the rear brake handle had been broken in transit. Further investigation revealed a new brake unit was required. Fortunately, the following day, I ran into my old German mate, Andreas Ueberrhein, and he informed his German crew who organized for a new Magura brake to be transported from Germany, almost 10 hours away. That evening, I rode over to their hotel and Andreas helped replace the brake unit. Without him, my race would have been over before it started. Needless to say, that would have meant my journey to Poland was for nothing – wasting not only money and time, but the opportunity to enjoy my first ever European mountain bike stage race.

I returned to my hotel relieved, and looking forward to the following day’s prologue. Along with fellow Australian’s Peter Selkrig and Garry James (riding in a Master’s 100 team), we planned to ride the Prologue in the morning to determine what we had in store for us in the afternoon. We climbed for around five kilometres, arrived at a town but there were no signs for the start. We took a few photos and returned to the hotel only to be informed by our Polish host that we were a mere 100 metres from the start line.

As we made the return journey up the hill my Garmin 510 decided to act very strangely, turning on and off, while not responding to screen activation. At the end of the ride it powered off completely and was hot to the touch. I now had no computer. I rode into town and there was a loud bang as I rode over a broken bottle. No puncture but the tyre appeared to have a number of small gashes, which were not too deep and would be okay for the race. At the hotel, I looked for over an hour but failed to locate my multi tool. Frustrated, I wrote a short Facebook message and Mike Blewitt (riding in a mixed team with Imogen Smith) came to my rescue by offering a Magellan Cyclo 105 and a multi tool. Too late for the Prologue but enabling me to use them in the next five stages.

The Prologue

I rode the gentle climb to the start line, relieved to be close to actually beginning the event. The sun was hot and I arrived dripping in sweat (this is quite normal, as anybody who has sat next to me on an indoor bike would testify. I met another of my Crocodile Trophy buddies, Polish M2 rider (and rival) Zbigniew Mossoczy. Zbig is sure to be a great companion once I am in the Event Centre Village as well as useful when it comes to translating the baffling language of Polish into English. Why does Polish have so many ‘z’, ‘w’, ‘y’ and ‘c’ letters in every word and god knows how you are supposed to pronounce it? Forty million Poles are welcome to it.

I was called up to the start line for the short 15 km Time Trial. Riders were set off at 30 second intervals and so I aimed to target as many riders as I could up the six kilometre initial climb. Perhaps I was being a little optimistic. My only other two competitive time trials have been pretty poor, in terms of results, and this was only short, so I would have no opportunity to utilise my strength of endurance. At least it involved a fair amount of climbing and a technical descent, two areas that would count in my favour.

I settled into my climbing rhythm, but was then passed by two professional-looking riders three quarters of the way up. I realised then that the standard here was pretty high. At the top, I was overtaken by a third rider but managed to pick up my tempo, following him along the undulations across the plateau, before finally being dropped at the final technical pinch section.

I had overtaken two riders on the climb, and now, as we hit the steep, technical descent, which was even more difficult following a heavy thunderstorm, I started to pass several more, some walking, others struggling to ride efficiently through the rocky and heavily-rooted descent. The track opened up, and with only a few pinch climbs, the remainder of the course pointed down. I managed to hit some nail-biting speeds, which were easy to maintain due to the wide corners. Not being the best descender, I even surprised myself that I was carrying so much speed into the corners. I continued to overtake riders, and at no point on the descent was I overtaken.

I finished in a respectable time of 48.22 placing me 20th in M2, out of 61 riders and 91st overall. Zig finished in 12th with a time of 44.40, my German friend Andreas (M1) finished two minutes ahead of me and Australian’s Mike Blewitt and Imogen Smith finished on the third step of the podium in the Mixed Pairs Category.

Quite clearly, a difficult week lies ahead, with a very good standard of mountain biking being set from Day One.               
0 Comments

Sudety MTB Challenge 2014

26/7/2014

1 Comment

 

Preview

I am now just a day away from competing in my first ever European Stage Race. The tenth edition of the Sudety begins in Southern Poland, and crosses over the Sudety mountains into the Czech Republic. The race is nearly 400 km in length and involves 12,000 metres of climbing. Stages are difficult but the views are fantastic with riders from all over the world competing for personal glory.
Picture
Prologue (Sunday July 28th) - The event kicks off with a short, uphill time trial of around 16 km and 516 m of climbing. The prologue begins in the town of Sienna, close to the lower lift station at Black Mountain. The initial phase is a long, steep climb towards the Pass of Vipers Glade. Along the way, the route traverses the slopes a few times where there are wonderful mountain views Difficulty 3/6
Stage 1 - 70.7 km 2615 m Difficulty 4/6 - Tour of Stronie Slaskie



Stage 2 - 74.5 km 2247 m Difficulty 3/6 - A loop of the Stronie Slaskie hills

Picture
Picture
Picture
Stage 3 - 68 km 2172 m Difficulty 5/6

The tracks of the next part of the race will cross three mountain ranges. They will touch the northern part of The Śnieżnik Range and the peaks of The Bialskie Mountains at a height of 1062 (The Sucha Pass) and 922 meters above sea level (The Dział Pass). The wide metalled and cobbled tracks, characteristic for this region, will demand the right technique and increased vigilance on the downhills. Crossing the mountain glades, will reveal wonderful views. Providing that the weather is clear, it will be possible to see the wide panorama of The Sudety Mountains.
Undoubtedly, the most exceptional place will be The Borówkowa Mountain (900 m above sea level), requiring a very difficult and exciting descent down a narrow forest track surrounded by large stretches of blueberry bushes.
Picture
Picture
Stage 4 - 44 km 1603 m Difficulty 5/6

Very demanding stage, with the unique track requiring concentration for its whole length. Technically difficult fragments will not forgive mistakes and  lack of ability to fully control the bike. The trails will show no mercy to careless bikers. The Sowie Mountains are only 40 km long, but it’s just this short part which will come back to you in your nightmares. Characteristic points are the historic aqueduct, the biggest in this region of Europe, a fortified Prussian fortress with views from what also happens to be the highest point of the stage.

Stage 5 - 79.1 km 2267 m Difficulty 4/6

The sixth day of The Sudety MTB Challenge contains the finish line in the health-resort Kudowa Zdrój and is the last chance to relish real mountain biking. The stage begins with a long uphill climb in the Suche Mountains to the ruins of a 13th century castle, which, at the same time, is the highest castle in Poland.  After crossing the non-existing border with The Czech Republic riders will be able to recover before entering The National Park, which will bleed remaining energy reserves dry. The finish of the six-day-long competition in The Stołowe Mountains guarantees additional emotions, which will remain in the memory for a long time.
Whatever happens, the next week is sure to be spectacular and, for me, it will provide the perfect springboard to a European adventure that will later involve time with my wonderful wife in the beautiful city of Prague and a chance to catch up with friends and family in sun-drenched England.
1 Comment
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture

    Author


    ​Level 3 Road & Time Trial Cycle Coach with British Cycling (BC) & the Association of British Cyclists (ABBC)

    National Master Wattbike Instructor


    Cycle Strength & Conditioning Coach 

    ​Cycle Trip Leader

    Sports Scientist (Honours degree in PE & Sports Science - Loughborough University)

    Postgraduate Teaching degree in PE & History (Loughborough University)


    Silver Medalist in WEMBO's World MTB 24 hour 40-44 solo at Finale Ligure, Italy, 2012 

    Silver Medalist at the Australian National MTB 24 hour 40-44 solo, 2012 & 2013

    I have completed several of the World's biggest stage races, including the Crocodile Trophy in Australia, the Mongolia Bike Challenge, the Sudety in Poland and the Andalucia Bike Race

    Categories

    All
    12 Hour Races
    Andalucia Bike Race
    Asthma
    Coaching
    Commuting
    Crocodile Trophy
    Cycle Tourism
    Diet & Exercise
    Dragon Devil
    Indoor Cycling
    LEJOG
    Majorca 312
    Mallorca
    Marathon Races / 100 Km
    Menorca
    Mongolia Bike Challenge
    Most Popular
    Obesity
    Passion & Goals
    Philosophy Of Life
    Port To Port
    Principles Of Training
    Prudential 100
    Ramo Pro Cycling
    Rocky Trail
    Ronde Picarde
    Sportives
    Stage Racing
    STM Chocolate Foot
    Strava
    Sudety
    Sufferfest
    Teaching
    Team Races
    Tour Of Wessex
    Training Rides
    Travel
    Ventoux
    Watt Bike / Power Training
    WEMBO / 24 Hour Races
    WSMTB



    Significant Results

    Stage Races
    • Crocodile Trophy 2013, Australia - 5th
    • Port 2 Port 2014, Australia - 4th
    • Sudety MTB Challenge 2014, Poland / Czech Republic - 15th
    • Mongolia Bike Challenge 2014 - 6th

    24 Hours
    • WEMBO World 24 hour Solo, Italy, 2012 - 2nd
    • Australian National 24 hour Solo, 2013 - 2nd
    • Australian National 24 hour Solo, 2012 - 2nd
    • Scott 24 hour Solo, 2012 - 1st
    • Sydney 24 hour, 2011    - 1st

    7 hour Enduro Series
    • Rocky Trail 7 hour Series, 2013 - 1st
    • Chocolate Foot STM 7 hour Series, 2013 - 3rd
    • Chocolate Foot STM 7 hour Series, 2012 - 3rd
    • Chocolate Foot STM 7 hour Series, 2011 - 1st

    12 hour Enduros
    • Sydney 12 hr, 2014 - 1st
    • Sydney 12 hr, 2013 - 1st
    • Sydney 12 hr, 2012 - 1st

    6+6 hour Enduros
    • National 6+6, 2014 - 1st
    • Sydney 6+6, 2013 -    1st
    • Sydney 6+6, 2010 -    1st

    Archives

    November 2024
    August 2021
    September 2020
    August 2020
    April 2019
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    January 2018
    October 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    May 2017
    January 2017
    November 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    November 2015
    September 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    January 2013
    November 2012

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.