2014 The Beginning

Well 2014 is looking like its going to be some year with two major changes to last year.

1. I am now a sponsored rider and will be riding for Donnybrook Landscape Co/Scott Cycling for 2014 with my team mate Sean Feeney. I will be riding a Scott Genius 720 and Sean a Scott Scale 720.

Thanks also to our co-sponsors to Expert Cycles, Honey stinger and Ethos Engineering.
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2. I am now writing a blog and will be updating this after every race.

Last weekend was the first round of the Biking Blitz run by Biking.ie.  It was held in Ballinastoe Wood which is a local track for me and I was really looking forward to getting back into the racing season especially since I have now also moved to the inbetweener wheels on the Scott Genius.  While a 150mm travel full suspension bike might not seem the best choice for a XC race, at just under 13kg and with the Scott twinloc remote lockout this bike was a lot more suited than most for the course.  

I was racing the U16 race and then afterwards I raced the Junior category,    There was a good turnout for the U16 race which was two short laps, each of which I completed in just under 10 minutes.  I won the U16 race and felt nicely warmed up and in good shape for the Junior race.  

I had a short break before the start of the Super-pro/Junior race.  I got a good start but would have preferred to have been closer to the front to prevent that slow congested run through the first bit of single track.  When I got onto the second fire road section I pushed hard to catch up to my team mate Sean.  We worked together for the rest of the climbs until 100 meters after the end of the long swoopey decent I had to stop as my rear wheel was flat and would not seal, I think I got a slow puncture on the descent so it was off with the wheel and fit a tube to get me home, race effectively over. When Sean missed my presence at his heels he came back in a pure act of good sportsmanship to assist.  

I still finished the race in just under an hour and even with the puncture the race gave me a good indication of where I am at in terms of fitness, the Cyclocross has kept me fit and I felt good.  A big thanks to Sean Feeney for stopping to help me.  It was disappointing to puncture but its only the beginning of the season and I hope its my first and last one during a race.  Before the puncture we estimated we were circulating in the top 10 and were loving it.  I made it back to the finish happy with my performance and loving the bike. Onwards and upwards, 'till next time.

Thanks to Action pictures Ireland, Keith Wallace and Adrian Van der Lee for the great shots and already looking forward to the next round in Ballyhoura.