Thats right its my grand return... Well not grand, i'm not that big a start, nor is it a guaranteed return... Tell you what i'll start again...
Hello.
Tomorrow is the UK National Road Race Championship. My exams over i want to get back to racing. Node4 will be fielding a full 8 man squad, and i am arguing for my space in it. Hopefully i'll get it.
Aside from that, my true return will be on the 1st July for the Beaumont Trophy, the penultimate race of the Premier Calendar. The team is carrying good form at the moment.
This showed towards the end of the Tour Series. Pete's win in Stoke was so deserved. He created the final breakaway move, and has been in so many attacks. Rico was awesome in Woking. He forced a move with 25km to go, of 6, which was caught in the final 500m. Lavery also rode well to 6th. Also on the subject of form, Marcin is in Poland, and logged 8th in the TT. A great result for him.
Its nice to see people still enjoying my blogs and adventures, and those of the teams. Hopefully it will get even better with my return.
July is just around the corner and that means transfer season, and announcements. I said earlier i had a good offer for next season, and on 1st July it will be announced. It is a UK Continental team, but i will wait to say which one. On this subject, Node4 have contracted 2 young British Stagieres from August. You'll find out more about them at the time.
Now the Tour of Britain is still a long way away but i have news on that front aswell... Its been a busy time... We will not be riding in our usual kits. 'Visit UK' the Tourism company has asked if we could wear a slightly different kit for the race. We accepted. It will be revealed nearer the time.
Moving on... Exams... Grr... They are done, and i hope they went well. Dont want to dwell on them too much.
Lucy and I are still going strong. She's been on a break for some Exams as well so we've been spending a lot of time together. It's still weird to think we are dating... And of course the rest of the squad wont let it go either... Especially Marcin. I told you he is out to cause trouble, well he wont stop... One day i'll tell you the stories (when i finish with a shrink probably).
Long blog today, but a lot to catch up on. That should be it.
As always very open to questions and comments.
Will blog after the NC if i ride, if not, then after Beaumont.
I did play the stage, but the AI pissed me off so much that for the last 70km is just x8 and watched...
Williams, Clarke and I all tried to form, and get into, the BOTD. But for about 100km Sky pulled them all back.
Eventually Cronshaw and Clarke got into a 9 man break, which included; Holmes(RAL), Dowining(RCS), Cummings(BMC), Lloyd(IGS), Fenn(OPQ) and Wilkinson + Partridge(EDR).
Lloyd and Holmes attacked with 75km to go, and no-one chased. So Clarke attacked to get across, and all the other followed. As soon as all 8 (Cronshaw was dropped) were back together everyone attacked and dropped Clarke. This was the point i x8. Clarke was reeled in, with Cronshaw with 30km to go.
That break went on to take the win, and most of the top10... WHICH I BLOODY CAUSED!!!
1
Stephen Cummings
BMC Racing Team
4h49'26
2
Matthew Holmes
Team Raleigh - GAC
+ 1'10
3
Andrew Fenn
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step Cycling Team
+ 2'15
4
Geraint Thomas
Sky Procycling
+ 3'15
5
David Millar
Garmin - Sharp
+ 3'34
6
Dean Downing
Rapha Condor - Sharp
+ 3'50
7
Ian Wilkinson
Endura Racing
s.t.
8
Daniel Lloyd
Team IG - Sigma Sport
s.t.
9
Robert Partridge
Endura Racing
s.t.
10
Ben Swift
Sky Procycling
+ 10'56
50
Matt Cronshaw
Node 4 - Giordana Racing Team
s.t.
59
Karl Hammarling
Node 4 - Giordana Racing Team
s.t.
Comment; Never really a race we were going to do well in. Nice to be back though.
Quick Announcement;
I am going to take a break from Karl for a bit. Still want to do it in general, but fancy a break and something a bit different, and short
But dont worry, this wont die out, i've put too much effort into it for that to happen
Wont be any news on the new thing for a bit, got essays and stages to make first.
But i will run a quick poll as to what to do next, so please vote when you see it (in about 5 mins)
Team: Clarke, Williams, Lavery, Cronshaw, Hammarling, Moss, Bialoblocki, Frend
Its the same route as the nationals, so it doesnt suit us. Just try and get into the break.
The stage began with a few attacks, but NSP was on top of all of them. I was quite happy sitting in the peloton, letting others try and get away. Cronshaw and Moss tried to get away in these early stages.
After 25km the break managed to form. Salgueiro(LAR), Dassonville(AUB), Schlechter(LET), Driscoll(JSH) and Lavery got clear.
They built a 7'00 advantage before NSP, Optum and Endura started to pull them back.
The break was caught with 15km to go.
With 9.5 to go Jungles(LET) attacked and got clear.
He stayed clear as we entered the final Km, but his lead was disappearing meter by meter...
Jungles takes second, as Frapporti(IDE) piped him on the line, with Obst(NSP) third. Williams came in 23rd. I was in the main group in 29th.
Comment: Lavery had a good day getting into the break. The finish was too hard and fast for us to feature, as expected. Its nice to be riding properly again, especially with the confidence a 2013 ride brings
"Remember tonight... For it is the Beginning of Always"
I can start with transfer news! More specifically my transfer news!!
As you know i only started this season with a one-year contract at Node4, and my big goal was to secure a ride for 2013. My 5th in Doon Hame, my style and solid support have attracted the attentions of a few teams. UK Youth made a solid offer to join them, but i said no. IG Sigma Sport also offered, but i said no. Leopard Trek Continental also got involved, but i said no.
My 2013 team is....
....
....
.... Node4 - ???
I have another 1 year contract, now at £2,000.
The ??? is because Giordana are leaving the team, and management is yet to secure a replacement sponsor. It looks like Rexona are the most likely to sign up. (thats Sure to you british people)
Other transfer news. Sampson, Frend and Rogers have all resigned for at least another year. We have also signed 2 u23 talents.
Jack Donaldson, 20, GBR. 1st La Cote Picardie, 5th ZLM Tour, 1st Stage1+2+4 Ronde Isard, 3rd Stage3 Ronde Isard, 1st GC Ronde Isard.
Tom Johnston, 20, GBR, 4th LBL Espoirs, 2nd Stage2 Tour de Berlin, 5th Stage5 Tour de Berlin, 3rd GC Tour de Berlin, 2nd Stage1 Ronde Isard, 3rd Stage3+4 Ronde Isard, 2nd GC Ronde Isard.
Two fantastic signings we hope to develop into winners.
Other news. The Beaumont Trophy was a nice race, tough and testing. Getting home in the front group is a great result and shows i am getting better at hills.
My next race is the Velo29 Stockton GP, a flat race, where i'll be working for Cronshaw. The team really wants a win here, and will be going all out to get Matt over the line first.
Ermm, what else... Lucy is great, training is going well. After the Velo29 its a long break of almost 2 months before our next race. Our next big race is the Tour of Britain in September.
I think thats all i've got. Next blog will be in August with a quick update on training.
Until then, good bye.
Team: Cronshaw, Williams, Lavery, Rogers, Bialoblicki, Hammarling, Sampson, Davis
Simple plan, try and get Cronshaw involved in the sprint, but it will be tough.
The break toady was 4 riders, Vitorino(PRT), Chaddock(XRG), Sancho(LAR) and De Jongh(JBC). They built a 5'00 advantage
It was Endura and Chipotle were the ones to chase.
With 44km to go Pederson(CWO) tried to defeat the peloton, but never got further than 30".
The break was caught with 20km to go.
The finish was very very fast. The small circuit round town was pan flat. I set up to try and keep our guys in the fight. I pulled off with 6k to go and allowed Marcin by. But the pace was too high. We were out of contention.
Comment: Fast day... That finish was intense, but great! My handling skills are really good now. Matt put in a good sprint, but he started too far back to feature... This caps off a poor Premier Calendar for Node4.
Transfer Update:
Simon Lang, 22, SWI. 1st Stage1+2+3+4 Giro delle Regioni, 2nd Stage5 Giro delle Regioni, 2nd GC Giro Delle Regioni, 2nd Stage1+3+4 Tour Berlin, 1st Stage2+5 Tour Berlin, 1st GC Tour Berlin
Another great signing.
![imgur.com/KlJUqDx.jpg[/img[img]]https://imgur.com/yUygrQ.jpg](https://imgur.com/KlJUqDx.jpg[/img[img]]https://imgur.com/yUygrQ.jpg)
