We arrived to our accomodation in Films Switzerland (20mins up the mountain from CHUR) late Tuesday evening. Katie fell asleep on arrival I woke her for the best tasting dinner yet and we ate dinner in bed and then Katie was out like a light again she was pretty cut up still with the road rash on the arms and legs and bangs to the head it was best she tried to catch up on her sleep while I went training in a thundershower and located some essential places in the town a dentist just incase and a doctor also just incase.
Wednesday we were eager to check out the racer bike cup track in Chur so we piled into the car and drove down, Katie couldn’t ride for $H!T, one handed and 1km an hour didn’t really cut it she tried to keep up for awhile but soon threw in the towel and decided to leave riding the track to when she could hold on so another easy day for her. Sam and I checked out the track with the U23 auzy boys it took awhile to find it but a local set us in the right direction.
The track at first we thought was a bit roady but as it was ridden roots and rocks were exposed and with some fast off camber sections it made for a bit of fun. The track had a good climb, two fast decents, false flat and a road section so something for everyone.
Race day turned on a stunner over 30degrees and not much wind, as always ladies first - in the 12pm race and then the men to follow.
Katie
Raced day came around pretty quickly, but I had managed to heal up well for race day but it was a pretty painful week more painful in the fact I could not train and was getting really frustrated playing the waiting game by Thursday I could do some speed training but was still unable to comfortably ride single track so I left my track prep until Saturday which was ok as the track was easy to learn.
The start was fine and I was again able to move up the field but this was short lived as after a pinch which we had to run I couldn’t find a rhythm or speed and the other girls road around me like I was standing still. I am not sure but I think I was at the back or very close to last for the first two laps with nothing in the tank the legs were as flat as ever, Carl was great I think he instantly had figured the legs were underdone for the race in that I had not been able to the proper training he instructed me to down a whole peak fuel two coffee shots in one go I follow these instructions so loaded up on peak fuel I started to pick up. By the last lap I was on 14th ‘s wheel and I went past giving it every bit of what my flat legs had they had enough and I went past (maybe it was carls yelling the whole way up the hill as he warmed up) then toward the top I found my self on 13th place wheel I was excited and thought I was finally coming back. But at the bottom of a shoot I got a bit off line and then cramped (a side effect of a little more caffeine than I am used to and a hot day) the cramp caused me to ride out of the decent sitting on my back tire all very exciting and happy to be still upright I went to ride off still holding my position BUTTT my chain was off (due to my crazy ride down the hill) I finally got it free and back on but fell back to 15th.
So how would I describe that race, hard!!! I gave it everything but had nothing so spent the day hurting at the back of the field. I hope this has woken the legs back up and with a race in France this weekend I will be putting them up to the challenge.
Carl
I had a prick of a day, it started off good. I started well I moved up from 30ish up inside the top 15 in the 1st few minutes then the real hill started and the groups started rolling around me I couldn’t do much but watch them go by. By the 2nd lap I felt like I was along way back but on the 3rd I started my come back on the climb I moved around a few groups again and started descending really fast but got wide and hit a sharp stump I had been looking at all week, saying don’t hit that. Good one. I hit that, but for the 1st time in a few years I had a tube in. (We had new tires on that would take a lot of effort to seal and take days to get right and no air compressor so we had no choice but to run tubes). So that went flat in a flash, pretty pist I had to take it easy on the carbon rims so did a bit of walking and watching people go by then on the tarmac did a bit of riding properly would have been faster to run but could be arsed running a few km’s. got to the tech zone changed it and boosted again. That was short lived going from mid pack to really close to the back was hard but I stuck to it and gave every think for a few laps then Nino past me so I was kinda glad I had 1 less lap to do at this race… I kept the hammer down and a few laps latter the 3rd place bunch came past me I held on for a km maybe but the constant pace on the hill I soon blew and just lapping. By 2 laps to go I was really in the Cooked/Overheating/Hurting/Over it stage and really struggled to stay upright on the bike on the last decent I just about had one of the helicopter me of this hill side moments but just saved it to the surprise of the people standing there. I don’t know how but I think I was 39th out of 67 starters 22 of them DNF ed I think Nino lapped all but the top 20 which I think and was hoping to had been in. I haven’t seen results so don’t quote me on anything.
Tubeless is where its at…..
CHUR
Carl and Katie
We have been missing the internet, eager to find out how the Waiariki slalom paddlers and Tyler in the English armature (golf) went this weekend.
Carl and Katie - NZXC Racing
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Sunday, June 19, 2011
What a week
A root canal, some longer harder training rides, a small local race with a nasty crash and the circus.
This week we have been with Pascal Schmutz a swiss mountain bike racer and his family mother Beatrice and father Dieter getting so well looked after we do not know how to begin to thank them for their generosity.
The root canal - Katie
So we better start with the nasty root canal first, yep I was right the pain I was in the Engelberg race was the sign of my poor tooth on its last legs. On Thursday I woke up and had no pain I thought how great is this I may not need to go to the dentist at all… but then after strong advice to get to the dentist anyway I went. When I went to the dentist and said it was the most pain ever for 5 days and now is better he laughed and said good you want need an injection. Turns out he was right the nerve was dead dead dead and it was YUCK! So part1 the drilling and xray and removal of the nerve is over part 2 is on Tuesday. The tooth is really wobbly as drilling into a tooth which is mostly fake anyhow from an injury to it in 2009 is not that great I have mastered cutting fruit up and eating slowly without using my front teeth. So I think I have the dental side under control.
The circus
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| Pascal and us outside the circus |
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| Swiss National Circus |
Beatrice and Dieter shmultz invited us to come along to the Swiss national circus it was a great night and having not been to the circus in years we all enjoyed it. After the Circus we went to the roof top beach here in Basel it is on top of a carpark and has been converted into a beach bar, with sand, a pool and a relaxed and nice atmosphere, from the roof we also got to enjoy the lunar eclipse, so a great night all round.
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| City beach |
The great swiss food
During our stay we have been fornuate to have had some very swiss meals cooked for them and they have all be so YUM! “Raclett” and “Cholermus” are two of the meals we really liked.
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| Raclett |
The training rides
In Basel there are various single tracks and we have had a sample of these with a few 2hr + rides with Pascal. It is great to be shown the tracks and has been mint for our training.
The Race
Today we started in reverse the men were off first with 6 laps and then the women at 3pm with only 3 laps. The track was some little climbs with some fast slippery downs and quite a bit of fast roads.
Carl’s Race
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After a big week leading into this race I was feeling a wee bit tired but it was “gut“. The race was back to the hour and a half racing it is ment to be but at the same time it was a less serious race. There was however quite a few fast riders were there to try get the 400CHF that was up for grabs and the money went back a long way. We had to start 2mins behind the U19 riders and there were also good riders in there (top 10 at the last world cup) and we were all going for the same podium so it was a hard ask for us. I played a bit of a tactical race because I was getting sat on and euro sprinted into every single track, its pisses me off slightly so I started attacking the hill and trying to stay away. On the last lap I was flying again and the guy I was with attacked me on the hill I held his wheel and attacked the “scheisse” out of him over the top and got a slight lead and into a steeper running part of the track I really ran with everything I had getting a bigger enough lead to finish up in 7th with 2 U19 in front, Pascal was back in front of me this week in 6th so 2nite I get dinner happy with the little bit of CHF I picked up so I can feed myself for a week.
Carl
Katie’s Race … Katies’s Crash
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| The ice cream makes her happy |
It was not a big race and so there was no pressure all I had to insure was that I got in a hard session to toughen me up for the race the following weekend and try collect some money for the dental bills.
Off the line I was a snail (after being slack in the warm up department and watching carls race instead) but I picked up on the first clmib slotting into 4th on the first decent and quickly pulled away from 5th and gained on 3rd place. I managed to catch 3rd place and but she was a racer that’s for sure and played some interesting tactics, sitting on, darting in front into the single track and then sitting back up and calling me through to sit on me again like the last climb except when she called me through I decided I had enough and knew I was stronger and instead of rolling through and letting her sit on I sprinted she did not like this and started sprinting with the next single track fast approaching and then swung across into me to get into the single track before me and we both went down in a high speed crash on tarseal and gravel. 15minutes into the race, mine was over. I was patched up with some nasty deep injuries on the joints which although deep enough for stitches they recommend I try butterfly stitches instead as the arm and knee need to move.
I hope to heal quickly, and have a final appointment with the dentist on Tuesday so will aim to be on the bike again Tuesday until then sitting is good. Even though crashing is not the most positive experience I am still loving every bit of the racing over here (maybe because I only raced for 15minutes??) but regardless bring on more racing!!!
Katie
We have 2 more days in Basel and then it is off to Chur for our final swiss racer bike cup! Will keep you posted.
Katie and Carl
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Racer bike cup - Engelberg, Switzerland
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| The view from our window - well when it isnt raining |
Katie’s Race 3rd U23
Today was much better! Ok still not perfect but this is why I am here, to learn and gain the experience to race at a top level by the time worlds rolls round. Form is there, well the best form I have had in my life and to think this is only the start with mainly just endurance training under our belts and the last week of racing. The race start was terrible, my gears skipped and I nursed them back on only to find myself dead last hanging on the back! Not at all enjoyable :(. I had to wait to the climb to redeem this awful start and tried my hardest to snag onto the back of a group just making it on to one Samara Sheppard fellow NZer was charging on the front of. I locked into the single track and was pretty loose and getting more trouble from my gears. Costing me heaps of places. The next 6 laps I worked my way through getting a person every now which was great but still was getting more enjoyable times from the gears. On the final pinch on the last lap I had the joy of this again and was passed by another U23 rider and try as I might I couldn’t get back past before the finish and finished 11th, and 3rd U23 1 spot out of the money. So as I said not perfect but getting there!
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| womens U23 podium 2 kiwis up there :) |
After my race the Bergamont Swiss team manager came to congratulate me proceeding to say if we need any help to come and see them, if I hadn’t needed to dart off to the feed zone for Sam and Carl I would have had my bike straight there to get the love it is needing but will have plenty of time this week to sort it and it is just great to know that they will be there to help us out!
It’s not only the racing which is great here the whole atmosphere is and we can focus everything into training and getting in some great sessions. Only problem is currently I am having problems with my favourite tooth, the one from 2009 Worlds it is not pleasant my guess is its infected a bit but maybe the infection has spread to the gum which is causing incredible pain in my mouth. I have been trying to escape it from the past 2 days and turns out only now after the race Carl decided to mention he had bonjela! Yus a bit of relief! Hope it can get better on its own as well do not feel like a trip to the dentist!!! Also with all this time on my hands I managed to do a pretty good assignment and finish one of my level 7 papers A+ :) I could handle more of this action! Train study and race...
Katie
Carls Race - 11th elite men
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| Carl rolling to the start at call up |
Best start ever, into the 1st climb was going good inside the top 10 then some chump saw me going around him and swerved and took me out, I didn’t go down but ran a few meters with my back wheel well over my head thinking I was about to eat it. Once I got going again I had lost my good start and I was going all animal trying to get back around everyone, passing a good 20 riders by 100 meters from the top then had a good 5 go back around me into the 1st down as I had blown my ass already.
A few laps of recovery and really taking it easy on my front 1.8 mud tire that I smoked into a rock and didn’t really like the feel of how much air was left in it... turned out the track had dried out lots and I was just slogging a mud tire around with me but it was still go in some spots.
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| Only snap I managed in the race on his last lap - nearly home to 11th |
Every lap up the hill (it was a 136 vert meter climb maybe a Km long) I was making a lot of ground on a group of 7 riders soon as I got on the back they attacked and it split again 3 going off the front with Ozy Paul Van Da Plog pushing that group along nicely, Coming onto the last lap I was boosting and I was in 14th but I wasn’t done just yet hitting the climb in the big ring with Pascal Shmitz ( A swiss guy that was in Nelson this year, and we are staying with him the week) I don’t remember if I sat down the hole way up, catching and passing 1 rider at a time... I couldn’t even see any on the other guys so I was kinda settling for 13th but chewing on my stem with my boost on, I past a few more guys. Finishing up in 11th place, picking up some coin and some UCI Points. Supper stoked with that, kind of a few dumb ass decisions along the way but shit happens when you are racing
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| This is carl with his prize money - note to every one Carl thinks female bikers do not know how to wear there bike clothing properly and points out any female with and arm warmer down, helmet on a lean short leg flick up (thats me!) and anything but here is proof that CARL JONES has a lil curl out the front of his helmet not so tidy now!!! :) |
:) Carl
the link below takes you to the results in English :)
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| the boys relaxing after the race |
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Racer bike cup - Granichen, Switzerland
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| Check out this race pack there is enough goodness in here to feed me for a week |
The days forecast for thunderstorms turned out to be a baking hot day, and we cooked in all 29 degrees of it. Katies race kicked off first and she was feeling good, recovered and had scoped the track in her warm up coming back ready to go. She was not ranked very well on the start but went unbelievably well I was half way up the first hill when I saw her swing out passing a number of riders to slot in behind 2009 world champion who went on to win the race. I thought we were in for a big day however things went very wrong from here and turn into the one of the worst performances I have seen from Katie, I knew she would be disappointed it was well below her capabilities. In training I think I may have knocked her confidence a bit she was capable of all the technical sections but on the jumps was coming down short on her rear wheel, and risking puncture or a smashed rim, I recommended she take it easier into these and manual through them. This caused her to loose a lot time and confidence in her ability I later saw that nearly every female rider even the top placing ones were coming down short and some got away luck while others punctured or getting hurt as I had said. This week we will be going over these skills big TIME both of us want there not only to be the confidence but the skill so she can clear the gaps with no risk at all which she is easily able to do. On the whole Katie could climb well and her start was good, she told me "rode like shit today... but I can climb" :) so we are working on it.
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| Taped out 1st climb |
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| Hurt box other side of feed zone |
we didn't really get picks as we were both in feed zones.
Cheers
Carl + words of Katie's
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Zurich/ Granichen
We have moved on from Germany, where we were staying with the Karle and Annemarie Dieterle for those of you who know Joe Dieterle from Whakatane and now based in Tauranga this was his parents they lived in a small town called Wolfach 45mins from the Offenburg world cup track. The training there was unreal some days we would go up the mountains in to the black forest and climb to peaks near 800meters and other days we were riding flat cycle ways out of town, or just go do laps of the best rated world cup course out. We stayed for free and hardly spent anything on food all week, they just cooked and feed us none stop it was great. better still Karle didn't speak a word of English and Annemarie only a few words but we got by fine. We can not thank them enough for there help last week it was unreal.
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| Annemarie and Karle |
It only gets better, now we have moved to Joe's sister Katrin and her partner Clemens house for a few days in Zurich they have a very tidy town house flat its very cool. they have gone to Karle and Annemarie's for a few days in Germany while we are hard at our training.
We have been driving out to Granichen each day where the racer bike cup is been held this weekend the track is a really short yet very cool track, properly one of the cooler race tracks we haven't been able to do 1 small climb and decent but we did the lap today in around 8minutes and 1 of the organizers said the laps take 11-12 minutes and we are doing 8-9 laps... this is what European racing sounds like, hard and fast, well it will be with the likes of Burry Stander and Florian Vogel, the Fluckiger brothers and many more big names rolling out for it.
We are busy trying to sort out where we are going to base for the next few week as we are heading into the most expensive parts of Switzerland up in the mountains.
Carl
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