We have been a bit slack on the updates so thought we would recap 2013 from September onward and catch everyone up before the exciting 2014 race season kicks into gear.
China Guyang Invitational Race
China was unreal, we were treated like royalty. The moment we stepped into the airport we had little helpers to look after us, 5 star hotel, police escorts, the works. We were packed into a bus and driven to our hotel, our bus driver was crazy, horns going all the time, changing lanes non stop, and the country side was different. They are rebuilding a town to fit 4 million people in it, building sky scraper apartment buildings everywhere the eye can see, and rumour has it in 3 or so years everyone in the old town has to move to this new allocated city. We arrived early evening built our bikes and settled in for the night. Our schedule was full on, parades, opening ceremonies, and two races short track and the XCO. We both race reasonably well considering the lack of prep and 30+ temperature, Katie managed to get in the top 10 and the money in the short track event 11th in the XCO and Carl finished close to the money in 12th in the short track and 13th in the XCO. The fields had a range but the top end of the field was hot in both races with the women's having Olympic champion Julie Bresset and the men's field a number of top 10 pro men. Being in the same hotel and on the same schedule provided for time to learn off these talented and experienced riders so an incredible experience for us.
 |
| NZ team |
 |
| Police escorts |
 |
| Carl - Racing |
NZ winter
 |
| Home Gym |
 |
| Post Whaka |
 |
| hurting to the line 100km |
 |
| Huka Elite Women's podium |
2014 summer: The new race season begins...
Early December we were able to release some exciting news with NZXC Racing team signing a 2year deal with a new major sponsor Giant Bikes NZ.We are absolutely wrapped with the sponsorship and will be riding 3 awesome new rigs throughout the year with our XTC0 race bike, XTC2 training bike, and our flash roadie's Katie is on the Envie and Carl the Propel. We are extremely grateful for this opportunity and look forward to getting out there on our new Giants.
 |
| NZXC Racing 2014 |
Tour De Vineyards
First up on the race calendar for 2014 was Vineyards after Christmas with our families we headed up to Nelson from Christchurch and checked in at our accommodation for the week, Ash Houghs pad we arrived to a mean pasta meal and we were well set up for the week.Katies Tour
Vineyards was aimed at ripping my legs off however coming down unwell (a bug I must have picked up over Christmas with the rest of the family getting smashed as well) made for a tough decision on day 4 of the tour where it was in my best interest to stop racing and recover up. It was nevertheless great to get amongst the road riding, which is very competitive and completely different from mtbing with many tactics being played out. Day 4 was the Takaka hill stage the one I had most looked forward to throughout the tour, so I will most definitely be entering the tour again next year.
Carl's Tour
The time trail started bad, both of us had our worst TT result ever but we soon forgot about that after playing with our set ups that night.
Day 2 was a 128km stage it was raining and was quite a tough stage, I slipped off the front into the break away to stay out of danger, I stared going for KOM and sprint points, I had two 2nds but this soon was turned on its head as I slid out on a hairpin corner on the 4th lap of 8, I got back in the break but soon after I got a flat tire and finished the race in the bunch.
Day 3 was another 128km I went in the break again but had problems getting the food from my pockets as my shoulder from my crash was giving me grief I kinda just kept putting off the eating saying I would be right next thing I no I couldn't see much and couldn't lap any more and going off the back of the break. I sat up and forced the food in then the peloton caught up, as they did the pace was hot and i went through the peloton like a rocket. George Bennett saw what was going on a gave me a hand full of food which kicked in I however only stayed in this bunch until the hill that I had been claiming KOM points on 50km earlier, then I had a slow ride home alone 25km with me and another chap.
Day 4 was the Takaka hill finish this stage I wanted to go well on, I sat in the bunch all day and the pace was very low, the break away got their lead out to a 7 minute gap, in the last 10km before the hill we all started getting a little ancy as we hadn't taken much time back with some strong climbers away, so I started lapping with the pro and GC contenders we went into the bottom of the hill hot, Sam Phipps lead me into the hill 1st of the peloton but a little to hot after a few minutes the top boys come past me, I settled in and went up the hill in a 6 man group solid finishing 20th. should have saved some of my matches but a good work out any way.
Stage 5 was the cyco hills street crit its only 54km but the hardest 54km of your life. When the pace is on you are in a huge line hitting down hill right angle corners at 50kmph, on the 1st lap I was forced into hitting a road cone somehow I stayed up but had a buckled wheel and heaps of break rub, I lasted 42km of the 54km and was one of the last to drop from the remaining bunch of 15-20 riders.
Probably the worst finishing tour for GC but my best tour by far, I got everything I wanted out of the tour training wise, great start to the season.
 |
| Boosting up Takaka |
BIG THANKS
Well that just about sums up the end of the year and sets the scene for what is ahead, thanks to everyone who supports us, Evan McRae our Coach, Sam Thompson our manager and conditioner, Waiariki for ongoing support, and our Rotorua Family Mountain Bike Rotorua and Multi-Day Adventures especially the Mutu brothers who are pretty cool :-)
 |
| New Giants!! YEEEHAAA |
Also a massive thanks to Trek and the Team at Cycle Sport NZ for the past few years without all the support we would not be where we are today.
With the summer racing coming at us fast check out where we will be on our schedule page and we will keep the posts rolling... like our Facebook pages for all the little updates in between!!
Carl and Katie for personal updates
NZXC Racing for team updates
https://www.facebook.com/Nzxcracing?fref=ts
 |
| The ultimate goal 2014!! We are on the long list now for the hard part!! |
No comments:
Post a Comment