So I hired in a website/internet specialist, Henig, to handle the website and server stuff. I also brought in Christie, who had worked at a number of sports charities and had plenty of experience. The three of us should be able to run things for a while, and perhaps just get an intern when needed.

HigherRoads.org was really starting to take off now. Three permanent staff and we just added a big name pro to our list. Frankly I couldn’t believe the hook worked as we landed Wilco Kelderman to our selection of pro’s. He’d been banned not too long before me in 2014 and since then had tried to return but couldn’t find a team. For him, like me, this would hopefully provide a way back. That made me, Johan, Magnus and Wilco as pro’s, and then Kurt-Alse Arvesen as ex-pro/staff following him leaving Sky at the end of 2015.

Focus turned from starting towards the “test� event in Malmo. I would go down, with Christie, for the company and then Magnus would come along as pro, along with myself. It was going to be an interesting weekend all-round.

The weekend came up fast as almost all my time was spent either riding or running the charity. We hit our, admittedly modest, Kickstarter goal as well and immediately set up another one to keep some form of cash flow. Christie and I travelled down on Friday and were just in time to watch the criterium races that evening.

The longer Road Races were held at Sturup Raceway about 20minutes outside of Malmo on Saturday. We were given a room at the track to use all day and we were out early setting it up with tables, chairs, posters and leaflets and then plastering the site with posters for HighRoads.org. Christie and I would be around all day while Magnus would drop by for the afternoon. We hoped he’d attract most rides along.

Throughout the day various cyclists, fans, team staff, agents and officials came by to chat with us. Everyone seemed really positive about the project and we took down at least 20 names for a mailing list. When Magnus arrived everything just exploded!

He was a TDF stage winner and a Paris-Roubaix winner, and pretty much Sweden’s best ever cyclist. Naturally everyone wanted autographs and photos with him anyway so we quickly gave him a HighRoads t-shirt and jumper so we didn’t miss out on any publicity chances.

When it came around to talk time the room was absolutely packed out and people spilling into the hallways and balcony area. Christie started by explaining HighRoads and what we did. She passed over to me, and I then expanded on that explanation before passing over to Magnus.

He talked about his career and experiences of doping in the pro peloton. He gave more time talking about his seasons with Liquigas and their reputation and links with Ferrari and others. He also talked about Slipstream, now Garmin, and Vaughters idea to combat doping. It was great stuff and you could see the young minds drinking it in.

The weekend concluded with various meetings and talks on Sunday, the boring side of it all where things have to be done. Everyone considered the “test� event a success and we agreed to a deal covering the 2017 season. We would run talks and events at all major Junior and U23 events across the country, including MTB and Cross, and travel with the Junior and U23 National teams to any of their events, concluding with the Worlds in September.

It was a great endorsement from the SCF and a real commitment to their anti-doping program. They hadn’t had a positive rider in years and I could see why. Magnus loved it all and pledged a portion of his Coffee Shop profits to the charity. Kurt-Alse pledged a part of his various business profits as well. Johan would wear various HighRoads gear around races while Wilco would start working on setting up a Dutch branch.

Suddenly this little idea I had created one night over dinner had suddenly become this multi-national charity system backed by some big names and organizations. It was incredible and I am more determined than ever to make it work. Now down to a solid winter of work and training.

Just off the one event we had 30 cyclists signed up to our mailing lists. Obviously official interaction didn’t go much beyond that unless they come to us directly for some support, but it’s a good number to throw around and a vindication that this was a good idea.

Each day did become pretty routine, but in a good way. I’d kick it off with a 2 hour rider straddling the dawn and covering about 50-75km depending on wind and route. Then I’d do various other exercises for an hour or two before heading to the office around 10 o’clock. Most of the time it was hanging around because there was actually very little that needing doing on a day-to-day basis.

We designed up a selection of merchandise, t-shirts, hoodies, wrist bands, lanyards and mugs. Orders for those went out and we set up an online shop. Sales were solid and pulled in a few hundred pounds every couple of weeks, which of course was funnelled straight back into the project. And then there was Wilco over in Holland.

@sutty - Tony?

Thanks to the Kickstarters we could afford to hire a couple of guys down there to get things running. Wilco provided the talk and events side and was my main contact, while we had Lars, Seb and Sabrina working the more normal side. They were based out of a small office in Amsterdam.

Unlike us up here there was no cooperative work with the KNWU yet, so they were planning on setting up independent events all over the place across the normal season. The intention was to put these in the same places as races where possible, but it wasn’t key. They were also exploring the idea of popping into Belgium at times as well.

I took a couple of business trips down to Amsterdam to help them out and have some meetings with various race organizations. It was great stuff and of course we went out into Amsterdam for some fun, how could I pass it up! I was still a bit anxious about drinking so it was a fairly calm night with no major stories.

Snow is still a highlight of year for me. Yes grew up in Stockholm where it snowed every year, then in Bristol where it snowed most years, then Stoke where it snowed most years, then Chicago where it snowed but I still love it. It’s a cliché to call it magical but when it is undisturbed in the pine forests there is something special in the air.

Each morning ride brings something new in the winter wonderland. Whether that’s new birds or deer or just a nice snowman it lifts the morning and I know it’s going to be a good day. It’s a risk to say it but for the first time in over a year I don’t have any depression inside me, I might have kicked it. Well at least for now, and I’m gonna enjoy it while it lasts.

Not much to say for HighRoads. We aren’t going to any of the winter races this time around and the Dutch side is now pretty much self-sufficient with their next year planned out. The downside to this all is that Christmas is looming on the horizon, and I will be spending it alone… Again…

Those big holidays make you look back at the past, and Christmas/New Year always makes me think back over the year just gone. I can’t help but do it again now. Again it’s been on hell of a year that has taken me through all the highs and lows and deposited me somewhere different.

This year more than any other has defined me I think. And I can owe it all to the people in my life, especially Hannah, Johan and Kristian. She saved my life and they gave me a true focus, and I don’t think I can every properly repay any of them, but I hope I get the chance to try. Of course I think about my parents. My Dad was my support and my coach for so long I will always miss him the most.

Not that I won’t miss Mum, I do and will for such a long time. But Dad was that bit more for me. I havn’t spent much time with either of them over the last few years, in fact the last Christmas we did together properly was 2011 just before I began my cycling career. We hadn’t holidayed together since Autumn 2010. I just wish I’d spent more time with them whilst I had a chance.