Obelix in Wales

Sim Green dons the Pez Cycling (AKA Obelix) kit and hits the roads of hilly Wales. Probably not the best world cycling destination, Wales has plenty of quiet roads, stunning views and fantastic colours to offer cyclists.

Land of the wet yet beautiful
I started racing bikes as a Junior in the UK. The UK is where I first turned a crank in anger as a young mountain-biker. Having raced in Europe the US and the UK, I still maintain, believe it or not, that the UK has the best Mountain Biking I’ve ever come across… or maybe Santa Rosa… Anyway, there’s GREAT MTBing in the UK, no doubt about it! However, I have avoided the “land of the wet and miserable” as I call it, like the plague over the last 7 or so years. I have memories of training in the UK in August in tights and thick winter jackets. So when I recently found out I was going to be spending 10 days in Wales at the end of August, I wasn’t exactly jumping out of my skinsuit to go.

Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday rain…
Despite my “glass half empty” attitude, it wasn’t long before I was forced to turn the glass upside-down and take on a “glass half full” view of things. On my first day in Wales, I put on my leg warmers, my long sleeved jersey and my winter hat and headed out the door to ride on the wrong side of the road with a slight grimace aimed at the low lying clouds. Within 40mins of riding however, I was forced to smile. I struggled up a stupidly steep narrow British country lane to find myself in front of a stunning Welsh Vista. As the clouds clung to the hills in the distance, a lonely Red British phone box overlooked an otherwise deserted pond. What the phone box was doing out in the middle of nowhere I still haven’t quite figured out. But needless to say, that from this moment on, despite the chilly weather, I was keen to discover what else Wales had to offer to cyclists.

Roads
Although the UK is hugely overpopulated, vast expanses of the countryside are still untouched and left to lye in stunning natural beauty, only to be disturbed by the odd sheep munching away at the emerald green grass, of the sound of a freewheel zipping past. A portion of my 10 day visit took me up to the coastline of North Wales and around the area of Snowdonia. Although British roads are heavily used, there is a plethora of quiet side roads at your disposal. And even when you are forced to ride on the busier roads, the British, in their typically hesitant and gentlemanly mannered ways, are courteous and respectful of bike riders (who wouldn’t be after the recent performance of the Brits in Beijing?)

Mountains or Hills?
Although the UK doesn’t have any proper mountains, there are plenty of short, very steep hills to kick you when you are down. A sign post during an afternoon ride announcing 25% seems to be engrained in my mind. Coastlines often offer stunning views, and Wales is no exception. There is plenty upon which to feast your sun-starved eyes as you meander along rolling country lanes. Winding my way through the slightly busier roads of Snowdonia, I couldn’t help but think of what a great place it would be to hold a big international stage race. Lots of nice long climbs, great views, and the whole lot steeped in the history and local flavor of quaint old mining villages.

When to go?
The UK might not be the first place you think of when planning a cycling holiday, but it’s well worth a visit. When is the best time of year to go? Well, it’s up to you, you can either go in winter, when it’s wet and cold, or in the summer, when it’s… wet and cold. You must go prepared. It WILL rain, and it WILL be a little chilly, but take a few worm riding clothes and soak up the… atmosphere. Even as I returned to my sun-melted 35 degree roads of southern France, I must admit, my trip to Wales was well worth it, and I wouldn’t hesitate to go again. Maybe see you there next time.

Wales

Friday 15th: Grand Prix Castelsagrat

I was in the right move, in the break all day, I formed the 13 man break, but was lacking punch when the going got tough. I could hold on and follow fine, but the intermediate sprints and attacks are where I felt my lack of form.


In the end I watched 4 riders ride away with 10k to go and couldn't jump with them... then I tried but couldn't jump on the last hill coming up to the finish.

What's going on back there? Have I done any damage yet?

In the end I was 8th and very dissapointed. Actually that's pretty good for someone who hasn't raced in over a month and a half... but it was frustrating not having any kick at all.... it'll come back with a bit of racing and training

Col de Latrape - Cirque de Cagateille Pyrenees Race.

A Race in the pyrenees taking us up the Col de Latrape and onto the Cirque de Cagateille where the finish line sat atop this little known Pyrenean mountain.

I wasn't feeling great going into this race, but seeing as I won it last year, I kept a little hope in the back of my mind that I might be able to pull something off. Sadly that wasn't to be the case. I decided the guy to watch was probably the guy emblazoned in Credit Agricole National Champion colors, and a guy in a decidedly Aussie looking jersey from Marseille who was second to me last year, and won the overall Pyrenean Hill Climb series (I wasn't able to do the last round as I was at the Tour of Cameroon).

Sadly things didn't go quite as planned and no one really wanted to work. We watched a group of 3 ride up the road and they held it all the way to the line.

Work damn you!!!

As soon as we hit the final climb on our way to the mountain top finish, I could feel I didn't have my climbing legs of last season. The Credit Agricole guy attacked, looked behind him for a second, which is when I countered him. In the end I finish 5th, feeling like crap. I was pretty disappointed overall. Although 5th really isn't bad after about a month and a half without racing, I think it was the way I felt on the climbs that disappointed me. Oh well, there you go.

I then spend a few days in the Pyrenees riding but never felt very good. I just hope I find some form again soon!
Maybe all that slow Bikestyle riding during the Tour wasn't the best way to spend July. ;-)

Shep-A-Horror competition winner announced!

Much MUCH later that advertised, the Shep Face-a-Horror competition is closed. It has taken us a very long time to decide on he winner due to the amount of bribes received. A bidding war ensued and we can now finally announce the winner. The winner is:
Later entrant but always a crowd favorite: CHRIS HAYES.

It was very close between 3 times New Zealand National Time Trial Champion Evan Pilkinton and "I beat Tyler Hamilton in a Stage Race/Used to race and training with Armstrong/Chann McRae ain't got nothing next to me yo" Chris "BAMF" Hayes. But sadly, Hayes has a better job and could bribe us a lot more than youngster Evan Pilkington.

Well there you have it. A Pez-Cyclingnews hat will be coming your Chris... in fact it will most likely be hand delivered to your front door in the coming months!