So today I am racing my first hill race. It is called the Arthur’s Seat Challenge and spans 115km going over the Arthurs Seat Climb 3 times. I am a full team from the QAS here to help me out. The stage looks like this:

Rohan Dennis and I attacked early on. We need the break to survive.



Finally a group of 11 were leading. I was amongst this group.



With 14km to go I attacked. A downhill and 1 more Arthurs Seat climb to go.



With 500m to go the break passed me again.



Tanner takes the win.....just ahead of Bernaudeau and Stannard takes 3rd.



So my 2nd race was good too. The QAS said it was good enough but I HAD to get a podium in the next race for me to be accepted into their sports program. It isn’t going to be easy. Next up....Cobbles. Wish me luck!!!

So after the stage the manager of the QAS team came up to me. He explained that it wasn’t my fault for losing the race. He is right you know. I tried everything I could to keep the break in front and then the 2 big attacks near the end. I was really going for it. The manager said he is proud of my performance and so were all the other QAS riders. It feels great to have so much support and to have people actually working for me. I never thought I would make it this far in cycling. I have to get a podium in the next race to get closer to my dream. That is my goal. I must say I’m not looking forward to it. A cobbles race, I hate cobbles but I guess I’ll see how we go. Now I’m serious, WISH ME LUCK!!

So today I am racing my first cobbles race. It is called Le Samyn and spans almost 200km. I am a full team from the QAS here to help me out.

Alone on the first cobbles section



It’s one of the big named riders that take the win today. Visconti the Italian champion blows away the crowd. He wins ahead of Scheirlinckz and Hunt.

1	Giovanni Visconti	Farnese Vini - Neri Sottoli	5h08'53
2	Staf Scheirlinckx	Veranda's Willems - Accent	s.t.
3	Jeremy Hunt	Sky Pro Cycling	s.t.
4	Bert De Waele	Landbouwkrediet	s.t.
5	Davy Commeyne	Landbouwkrediet	s.t.
6	Yohan Offredo	FDJ	s.t.
7	Kurt-Asle Arvesen	Sky Pro Cycling	s.t.
8	Nico Eeckhout	An Post - Sean Kelly	s.t.
9	Stijn Neirynck	Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator	s.t.
10	Wim De Vocht	Veranda's Willems - Accent	s.t.

So I really didn’t do well today. I guess I have to wait to see if I have been accepted into the QAS. I’ll let you know what happens.

So after my 3 grading races this is what it looked like.



Damn, so that’s how it is going to happen. I guess I’m going to have to keep training and racing and try and get a contract next season. Who knows, I might get into the NRS next season. Well we will have to wait and see.