A day at the office...

Seeing as there were no races this weekend, i decided to get out and do a bit of easy riding practising technical stuff. Theres not much to report apart from i can now bunny hop a race-size hurdle! Hopefully i will be able to bring it into race situation and not stack it!

Heres a short video of my weekend's riding...

A WIN!

On Sunday, i went to Mistley to race in the final round of the EADT Eastern Cyclo Cross League. I don't normally enjoy this course but where it had been changed a bit, i really enjoyed it. It was a bit wet which i liked as it needed skill to stay upright (something that i didn't do) and showed who was going well.

From the beginning i was in the lead and going into the wooded section i had about 5 bike lengths on second place which very soon turned into a 3 minute lead. About two minutes into the first lap however, i crashed which worried me as i thought i would have lost my lead. When i got up and jumped on though, i looked back and nobody was in sight which i was genuinely surprised about.

I did what i set out to do in the race which was ride fast and smooth, and i did it and was able to comfortably enjoy my win.

We have no pictures but Mark Carrol (MECcycling) videoed very professionally the race and interviewed me after. Please take a look at the link as it is a really well edited piece.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_Rt9Wc4zZs

I have two races left this year. One is a Superpresteige in Middelkerke, Belgium and another is the Eastern end of season team race in Danbury, about 20 minutes ride from my house so i am looking to go well in each of these races.

Thanks to everyone who has made this season so enjoyable and worthwhile, and wish me luck for next year as a second year U16! I promise you a victory filled season!

Ciao.

Last round of the national trophy.

 RIP LEWIS BALYCKYI.

16th of January was the final round of the National trophy and a race i wanted to do well in. Unfortunately, i was bed ridden the week leading to it so i could kiss my chances of a decent ride goodbye. I loved the course, and it suited me brilliantly. It was fast and flowing and i loved it, which is maybe why i rode so well technically on it.

I was gridded on the second row behind national champion Harry Franklin so i knew i would have had a good start if i had the legs. I spent most of the race on my own, trying to chase down a few places. This race was different to my other ones as i usually have a average start and an amazing second half to the race, but here i just went at one speed, picking people off to finish 18th i think, and 20th overall in the National trophy series.

I have a few races left this year, one in Belgium for the Noordecross in Middelkerke. Hopefully I'll get to the end of the season problem-free and can having an amazing 2011-2012 season!

Ciao.

National champs and Eastern Rnd 12.

2nd January 2011: New year new legs? That's what seemed to apply today...

We arrived with about an hour and a half until my race at the Cat A event in Ipswich held by Elmy Cycles. I took off on the course which i have always loved for a warm up lap and i could just feel that something was different, just that sort of feeling you get when your on the finishing straight coming in for a win....

After a flying two laps i started warming up with national Champ hopeful- Joe Fry. The whistle went and we were at the start. The griding was wrong by far. There were riders on the front row, before me in fact who have never even podiumed so far this season, but as my dad says "Make the best of a bad job". From the start i was in third place and the race soon split with Harry Franklin in the lead, Josh Parkin following, and then me, my long time rival and friend Alan Trolove, and Welsh rider Dylan Kerfoot-Robson. My aim was to be honest- beat Alan.

I was clinging on to Alan and Dylan for most of the race until i crashed heavily on a descent and had to retrieve my bike from a nice spiky bush, but i got back on and chased until i was about 5 metres away from the two riders wheels. Alan tried to ride a tricky corner on a descent, on which he crashed and made himself and Dylan have to run up the slope, which is where i caught them.

Alan, Dylan and i managed to catch second place rider Josh Parkin after a badly timed puncture ended his hopes of a second place finish. We kept pushing until two laps to go when right at the start of the lap, Dylan had a mechanical and had to run to the pits which left me and Alan together.

Me and Alan stayed away for the rest of the race and i was on the front for the whole last lap, trying to limit our losses to the leader Harry Franklin. After giving it my all trying to keep Alan under pressure, it came to a sprint where i stupidly left a perfect line open for grabs. Alan got me in the sprint which is no surprise as he is a powerful rider on the track. I managed third in a cat A race which got me plenty of points ahead of the national champs next week.

Ciao.

8th January 2010: National Championships

Today, the National Champs? Wouldn't have thought so if you'd have seen me rolling around before the start. Chatting and not doing what i was supposed to be doing really.

We arrived around two hours before my race at the venue in Derby and i set out for a lap. The course was good, the conditions were bad (For me anyway). The course consisted of a lot of off-camber slogs and tricky switchback corners and steep, short climbs. If it was dry, this would be perfect for me but as it was muddy, the course was a real test of power which is what i lacked.

I was gridded on second row which should have set me up for a good start but due to my lack of warming up i just went backwards as soon as the gun went and i was in about 35th place entering the first corner. Then, i settled into a pace with Dylan Kerfoot-Robson and a couple of others and then started trying to pick myself up a few places.

By halfway through the race i was in 22nd position, which soon went down to 20th coming into the last lap. I was fading and Dylan got away to the group just ahead. Coming into the final section of the last lap, Rory Townsend crashed about 25m on so even though it sounds petty- It was a place i could gain. I caught onto his wheel once he had remounted and won the sprint for 19th against him.

Out of all of the first years i was 9th i think, which to me still isn't good enough. I know I'm a lot smaller than some of the others riders but next season i aim to come back with a top 5!

All in all i ended the day happy with my good friends Joe Fry & Hugo Robinson riding to the win in the U14 and Junior categories. Hugo will be off to St. Wendel later this year as part of the Junior Great Britain team for the World Champs.

Ciao.

Some of the video footage from Belgium

Here is the best clip from Belgium by my dad...

THE ONE YOU ALL WANT TO SEE: CRASH IN THE SAND!

Belgium- Third time lucky?

So, not even a week after Xmas and i was off to Belgium to race again (Thurs 30th Dec)-This time in the Sylvester Cyclocross in Bredene, where i did a race earlier in the season. The course suited me to the ground, it was fast and flowing, with switchbacks and a nice long sand section that would test your handling skills. This wasn't just your average Vlaamse Cup race, this was not affiliated to any leagues but it is a very prestigious race with top class riders like Sven Nys, Niels Albert and world champion Zdenek Stybar, not to mention the tens of other semi pro riders.

On Wednesday, i went for an easy ride to loosen my legs which turned out to be quite fun sliding around the mud and crashing down the slopes...

We arrived on Thursday morning in the car park around an hour before my race after getting the ferry to Calais. I set off and did a couple of laps with my bike cam which i will upload later. I loved the course and felt confident i could do well. I started warming up with about 20 Min's to go, riding up and down the road, stretching and keeping warm.

At the start whilst getting gridded, me and Hannah Payton (Stourbridge) got a big mention over the loudspeaker with the commentator saying something along the lines of: "Here we have two British riding in the nieuwelingen- Sean Dunlea and Hannah Payton, this event attracts many forgein riders". Anyway, i was gridded 3rd from last as i have in every other Belgian race so i knew the procedure.

As the signal went to start (They don't use guns or whistles) i basically took my time to find a clear passage, and sods law, the only clear passage that i could make my way up, a rider snapped his chain and almost took me and a few others out. I went into the first corner in about 25th place, and i knew i had to make up places if it was going to be a worth while trip so out of every corner i accelerated and every bend i kept pedalling. I made my way up to 11th, picking riders off as the race went on, and always getting a big cheer from the locals down the Start/Finish straight motivated me to do better.

With a couple of laps to go and 10th place nowhere in sight, i focused on staying in 11th as i was starting to fade. I could see 12th & 13th catching me so i just needed to stay ahead. On the last lap, i started to panic and crashed which cost me time. These Belgians do not let up at all which makes them so good, they'll be fighting not to be last. As the last 3 corners before the finishing straight came up, so did the stretch of sand. I entered it...

"That's it Sean, stay on that line. No, come on keep on it. Crap! lost it, dismount..."

I lost control on the final sand section which i had ridden for the two laps previous and went to dismount. As i dismounted i stacked it into the barriers and gave myself a pretty dead arm. With 12th and 13th place riding past me i had to chase. 11th place was long gone by now and just before the final corner i caught 12th and the sprint was on. I managed to get 12th in the sprint which i am proud of as i was riding against people who are a year or so older than me.

Round the final corner...

I went to check the results to make sure i was 12th, which i was and collected my 7 Euro prize money. I'd normally get 7 pounds for second in an eastern league which shows you hows serious and well supported it is out there.

We wandered around to course for the seniors race which was won by Czech World champion Zdenek Stybar in a sprint against Nys. I went and waited by Stybar's motor home after to try and get a picture with him as i couldn't at Koksijde. we were talking to his mechanic who was a very nice man indeed. As we saw Styby return, i quickly asked for a photo with him and got exactly that! Out of all pro riders- Road or Cross, Styby has to be the nicest one out of the lot! He was standing outside in his kit for about half an hour getting photos with his fans before returning inside to get showered.

Thanks for reading, have a happy and healthy new year!