Training Camp, Spain

Training camp number one, done and dusted. Successful? I certainly think so. 

The conditions back home in England and my base for the season Holland, were not great for training. Unless, however, you were training for the winter Olympics, something I certainly was not doing, and never plan to. The idea of a warm weather training camp is exactly that, warm weather, sun. But, trying to plan to beat the bad weather in your native country is pretty impossible to do. You book and hope. But, for the first time, my escape the bad weather camp was very well planned. My plane took off, all be it in freezing conditions and on the same day the snow started to fall! Perfect, for me, but not for those stuck! 

Waking up to the sun, riding in the sun, it just instantly makes a difference. Morale is higher, motivation also. The best bit, picking what clothes to wear is so much easier! Theres also less of it, so getting dressed takes half the time! Another massive positive, the sun generally means no rain. With no rain means no cleaning of the bike. Training bikes of professional cyclists, I dread to think what some look like. I know what mine looked liked at times over the winter...... Let’s just say it would have been better to clean it straight away, saves you so much time! 

I’m not going to pull the wool over your eyes and say we had perfect weather all the time however. It seemed, rest days, turned into rain days. Although that meant rest days were not so much fun, but when is a rest day fun, it meant what ever fell from the sky during that day could no longer fall the next. For me, that was great. But, the rain one morning, to use a common saying I seem to say a lot was, not normal or niet normal! Within seconds our balcony was flooded. It was like someone was standing by the window with a shower hose. Lucky for us it didn’t last the whole day, otherwise swimming could have been my new sport. 

My base for 11 days would be Costa Mijas. 40km from Malaga and 20km for Marbella. A nice base right on the sea and within throwing distance of lots, and I mean lots, of mountains and climbs. I worked out pretty quickly on day one, the only way was up, well actually down also, but never flat. Unless, however, you decided to ride along the main road, which we got told on day three, was one of the most dangerous in Europe. Thanks, for the encouraging information! 

My plan was mapped out and as ever I intended to do every hour written, and if possible more. There’s something about riding in Spain that makes riding your bike easier. The roads seem to run smoothly under the tires, rather than bouncing all over the show, avoiding every pot hole and crack in the road. Sometimes, I think, living in Spain on a year long basis would be a good idea. Year round good weather, amazing training routes. Well, it’s a good idea, would just have to find a safer option of riding a flat rote! 

My training went well. I enjoyed every second that I was there. But, I am not going to lie. I was ready to come home when it was time for my flight back. I like normality. A training camp is the exact opposite. I like getting away but I also enjoy coming back again. I think, the other thing was, I was satisfied with the work I had put in on the bike. My training was a mix of long rides and higher intensity. Training with my boyfriend, Marco, was brilliant. It pushes me for the whole ride and doing intervals with him is like being in a race. Something, which for this time of year is great to be doing. Considering the first race is about a month away!  

So, I’ve been back for a few days and I’ve been taking it pretty easy. A couple of rest days, well, each day I’ve ridden for an hour to keep the legs ticking over and active recovery is also good for you. The internet was pretty rubbish there so now I’ve also caught up on all the emails and messages I seemed to have accumulated. I’m ready to get back to the grind. A cyclist is a strange species. You look forward to some rest, a few off days, as soon as you get them your biting at the bit to get going again. 

Next on the agenda. Team presentation is on the 6th February. So a day packed full of sponsors and all the usual stuff that happens on team presentation day. From there its off to Germany, well only for a flight to Majorca and then 10 days of training together as one unit. The training plan looks good and I’m excited to train with the girls. From there the team will be selected for the first race of the European season, Het Nieuwsblad. So, it’s all go go. But, thats just how I like it, otherwise life is pretty boring! 

New Kit! New Colours!

January is always the time of year when teams start to release new team kits for the year ahead! Boels Dolmans, well we are no different. With a name change, Boels and Dolmans switching, also comes a colour change. Orange and black, new colours, cool colours, feeling a little bit Spanish! The positive thing about such loud colours however, is we should never have a problem spotting each other in the peloton. That's the theory, I suppose, then I saw my sister's new team kit and they also went for the orange and black theme.....

It's not just the kit thats new. We also have a lot of new riders on our team, as well as new managers and sport directors. I suppose, in a way, it's a fresh start for the team. Onwards and upwards, bigger and better. I for one am very excited about what the year ahead brings. As well as new bodies we also have new bikes! Isaac will be our bike sponsor for the coming year. I was lucky enough to ride one of the bikes towards the back end of the year. Wow! It's a great bike and now I am very excited to collect my new 2013 model! It's everything you want in a bike and much more.

More good news from the team is we will be having an English version of the website! Cue all English speakers jumping around the room!! With three English riders now on the team I think it's a nice touch. Although there is something called "Google Translate" now days, but it's just not the same. So, that means, I hope, all the Brits back home will get behind the team and we of course will do our bit to make the season a good one!


With all the change I can hear you thinking, "What actually stayed the same on the team?" Well, what stayed the same, good question! Four riders stayed. Myself, Martine Bras, Nina Kessler and Pauliena Rooijakkers. On the website we got called the core, the loyal ones, suppose I can live with that! Our mechanic and bus driver also stayed. When I say they kind of make the team, I wouldn't be lying. You need to escape the atmosphere of a race, just talk to someone about something other than cycling or trust someone to talk to without it going any further, these would be the people to talk to. Oh, yeh, they also do their job pretty damn well! Our sponsors also stayed, all be it changing who the title sponsor was. They didn't just stay however, they committed to four years in women's cycling, and that my friends is pretty damn cool!

So, what's next? Spain is what's next and for a change I've planned it right with the cold snap looking like it's about to hit! I be in Spain for 12 days. Sun, sea, sun bathing........ Maybe not but it's a nice thought! After Spain, it's our team presentation and then team training camp in Majorca. After that the season starts. Hard to think where all the time has gone. Every year you start the winter break and think, "oh, four or so months until the new season," before you have time to think again your already standing on the start line for the first race!    

The Start.......

Start of a new year, new beginnings, new opportunities........ 2013 I’m coming to get you! New year’s resolutions, I have never made one, until this year! Now, I looked back on the amount of blogs I wrote last year, and to be honest it was pretty poor! I mean, it’s not like it’s hard or anything, to sit behind the laptop, scribble a few words down, then hey presto, bob’s your uncle! So, my promise to you is at least one blog a month. Could be two, maybe three, but I’m not going to bore you with endless wittering on. There’s nothing worse than reading a blow by blow account of a race, or a hard training session. Oh no, never fear, only the good and classic stories will make my entries, so I hope my team mates are up to the job in hand, because I never do anything stupid........!

So, first things first, Happy New Year to every single one of you. I’m sitting here writing this and thinking about all them poor people who hate the number 13. How are they going to survive a whole 365 days? I reckon they have been dreading this year for a long time and secretly hoped the world did end on the 22nd December! Could take the cycling approach to things however, and everything time you have to write the date turn the 13 up the wrong way! But enough of that........

2013 for me, same team, slight name change! Dolmans Boels Cycling Team has become Boels Dolmans Cycling Team. Now for those of you out there who are wondering why, it’s quite simple really, Boels are putting in more money so they are becoming our main title sponsor. It’s exciting, as well as being our title sponsor for this year they have committed for four years until the Rio Olympics, great news for women’s cycling. But, as well as sponsoring our team, they sponsor a number of races in Holland, all women. They are committed to making women’s cycling bigger and better. The more companies that follow not just Boels but Dolmans also, because they are great sponsors, women’s cycling can only go in the right direction. 

This year, I’m not going to lie, I want to do what I did in the year of 2010. Win races, help my team mates win races, but also have a bloody good time doing it. The winters been great for me, I’ve trained, not just ridden my bike, aimlessly, and yes there is a difference between riding and training! I’ve worked hard, physically I’m better, mentally I’ve never been stronger. 

2013 is the year I turn things back round completely, to show you don’t lose talent, to prove I am still that rider that did indeed beat the greatest female, wait, greatest ever bike rider of all time Marianne Vos. 

With the support of my cycling team Boels Dolmans, CTT providing me with a scholarship, Sponser providing me with everything to do with my nutritional needs, Cycle Fit making sure my bike position is 100%, as well as providing me with shoes and inner shoes, Auriel Forrester of SRM UK providing me with an SRM, my family as they are the biggest influence on me and of course my boyfriend Marco, who’s support and constant pushing in training, not only means the world to me but always keeps a smile on my face!

2013 is going to be good, but not because of luck, because I have worked hard and now I’m ready to make my own luck, I’m ready to make it happen.