Training and Tour De Tweed Coast

Hi Guys,

Training has been coming along nicely. I ramped up the kilometres and intervals last week adding in a few more runs also. I have been testing some compression gear out and this has helped the leg recovery. The Bill Ebeling Handicap was on the weekend at Blackhill and I completed a good long hill session in the morning followed by a good hard ride out to the course. The race was feeling comfortable until I was 'done in' by the Beer Bottle Gremlin along with another cyclist in the same group. Race over in the handicap. I was not alone and saw about 7 others repairing flats also in the first two laps. Team Newrad placed Brad McDonald in 3rd for another podium.

This weekend (June 5th-8th) I am racing the Tour De Tweed Coast with Team Newrad Gateshead. Involved is a ITT, two hill stages, and a criterium. The tour leader at each stage is given a jersey, there is also a jersey for KOM, and individual stage win prizes. Should be a blast. I will go hard in the ITT and try to get a win but unfortunately cannot take the TT bike as we will be using the same roadie for the whole tour. Will just have to give it a bit more to go for the win. It should be a tough stage race with the stages encompassing many hill climbs. They state there is enough flat-rolling hills for the race to not be decided by hill climbers, so we will just have to see how things pan out. This is my first stage/tour race purely for cycling. I am looking forward to the challenge of backing up each day (and racing twice on the Saturday). We have a good team going and will be aiming for some podiums. I think it will be great to see how the team tactics play a part in determining the winners. I will try to update daily during the tour and give some idea of the terrain and challenges faced.

Train safe, race hard,
Bevan.