Race report - Schaffen, my first win in Europe!

6 years ago Mark Cavendish got a "text-book lead out from his teammates", to win the same Kermesse, his first win in Europe. The quote came from his book "Boy Racer" which some of the boys in the house are reading now. I had a big day on the training program so headed out for an hour by myself before coming back to the house to pick up Cam and then we rode to the race together. The other guys in the house were sick, so it was up to Cam and I.

Turned up to the race with a nice 50k in the legs before lining up for 110km Kermesse, and finally the sun had come out, was close to 30degrees! 17 laps of a 6.5km circuit, with quite a few corners, a long uphill drag, a kilometer or so through a forest before heading into a S-Bend (90degree right hand, up a short 100m rise, then another 90degree left hand before 200m to the finish line). It was an Under23 race, with around 90-100 starters.

As usual the attacks went from the gun, and as usual, Cam and I were near the front, getting amongst it, but nothing significant managed to get away early on. It was a very fast course and I had a feeling that it was either going to be a bunch sprint, or a large group would get away, and as expected, about half way through the race there was a split in the bunch, and 18 riders rolled off the front. Up the long drag I decided to pull one hard lap up and over the hill to make sure the pace was on in our group, and surely enough we slowly put time into the bunch and disappeared out of site. We both seemed to ride ourselves into the race, and feel better as the race went on. Cam and I were both in the front group, and a few other teams had 2-3 riders as well, with one team having 4 riders, I thought they would be the ones to watch when it came down to the last few laps....

It was a hot day, so was important to keep up the food and drinks, I think both Cam and I went through 4 bottles in 2.5hours! Coming down to the last few laps, I told Cam to be aware and aggressive, as the "winning moves" would start to be made in the last 2-3 laps. It was far less aggressive than I anticipated, had it been an open race, I think our group would have been split to pieces with the weaker riders being dropped. It got down to the last lap and no one had really attacked, it was time for us to really be on our game.

The team with 4 riders had a few attacks, but both Cam and I were near the front jumping on anyones wheel that was attacking. With around 2km to go it was still together, we rolled on the front just to keep the pace decent, as the forest road was quite narrow so we weren't going to miss anything from now till the finish... With 1km to go I rolled to the front, and it felt like a track sprint, with 18 guys! I lead out right up until the last 2 corners, the S-Bend, when a Russian rider jumped inside me, I got straight on his wheel, 2nd going into the last 2 corners with 200m to go to the line, I knew I at least was on the podium...

I hit the last 2 corners HOT!It was fast, and luckily got a slightly better line than the Russian rider out of the last corner which meant I had a bit more pace than he did. He hit the last corner all wrong and his back wheel skipped out 3 times, eeeeekkk! I thought "f**k, this is me down!!" but he managed to stay up right and I somehow swooped out of the last corner and went around straight around him on his right hand side between him and the barrier, and put my head down and went for the line. I jumped past him pretty easy but still had 100m to go to the line, I kicked again then had a little look around, and I was sweeet.... Sat up, took my hands off the bars, and threw my hands in the air! My first win in Belgium, you beauty.... But I wasn't the only one to salute, Cam threw his hands in the air as I crossed the line, he was 3rd, and just about as excited as I was! YOU BEAUTY!! My first win, and Cam's first podium, we were fizzing. 180km in the legs after I rode home, first win, pretty solid day on the bike I'd say!

What a good feeling!

Average was 44.7km for 110km, it was fast! All and all we couldn't have asked for a much better race really. Was good to feel like I helped Cam during the race, a few little words is all it took to make things easier for both of us, in the last few laps we were both ready to be aggressive, and it worked a treat! He is as strong as an ox, and will be up for a win soon the way he rides races, always at the front, and always aggressive!

Interview after the race, was gonna be on Belgium TV!

Russian 2nd, me 1st, Cam 3rd

6 years ago it was Cav, this year it was my turn.

My fake flowers are now in front of Cav's at our house in Blauberg!

I'll leave them and the trophy here, so this is all you'll see of them sorry Mum...

This week will be pretty full on, we are at the track in Ghent on Wednesday and Thursday, then the following Monday, with our last Kermesse race in between these sessions, this coming Saturday. After the track we pack up and head down to Aix-en-Provence for a 4-day road tour, before heading to Bordeaux, France, where the real hard work and team atmosphere for the Commonwealth Games will begin!

Myron

Race report - Tielt-Winge

On Sunday me and the boys raced the Tielt-Winge Kermesse. It was one of the wettest races I have ever done. We left with plenty of time to spare after learning from our mistake at Hoeleden of almost missing the start of the race because we got lost, even with a Garmin and iPhone! Still without a car we are riding to and sometimes back from most of our races, which is good.We found sign on in the typical Kermesse setup of a pub, got our race numbers, no

trouble there. As we walked out of the pub, 30minutes until the race started it started spitting. Another rainy race day, what a surprise...

Sitting on the start line in the rain wasn't a very good warm up, but once the race got under way I slowly warmed up. A little group attacked straight away, only to take a wrong turn about 1km in, most of the guys in the bunch thought it was pretty funny and had a good old laugh. 15laps of a 7.8km course made it roughly 117km. Cam and I sat on or near the front for the first 40km or so, to try and get in the right break, but it didn't look like it was going to happen.

Me on the front up the hill, Cam on my wheel.

The rain didn't stop the whole race, which made the corners on the course pretty dodgy... Chuck in a few man holes, some cobbles or pave, and welcome to Belgium!

Late in the race a group of 9 slipped off the front without me even noticing, and then another group of 7 with 3 riders from Beveren2000 (the top Amateur team in Belgium) jumped away. All 4 of us were in the bunch, so I decided to sit on the front and try and pull the break back. Typical Belgy's just didn't hold my wheel then let me roll off the front, I sat in between the bunch and about 10seconds behind the break but I couldn't quite get to them... With 2 laps to go I was brought back to the bunch, then helped Jason ride off the front of the bunch and he stayed away for a lap and a half to finish in front of the bunch, but behind the two breaks, for 16th place. Cam got amongst the bunch sprint and got 22nd.

In between the racing, my training has been going good. My programme now is a big step up in km's and number of specific efforts I have to do, but it seems to be paying off... My data from my SRM (power cranks) seems to be good, and better than I have ever done before. So lets hope it keeps getting better!

Next week we have two training days on the track in Ghent, then another one the following Monday. Following the track block, we head down to France for a 4-day tour, and a strong team so we will be looking for a good result there. Once the 4 day tour in Provence is over, we drive to Bordeaux to start the track preparation for the Commonwealth Games, with the whole squad!

Some photo's below of the racing in Europe over the last few weeks, rain, rain, rain.....

Crit in Holland

Holland

Holland

Hoeleden Kermesse

After Tielt-Winge, we didn't pack any spare clothes! We

had to collect prize money and return numbers dressed

like this....

Myron

Article on RoadCycling.co.nz about me.

Sarah Christian from RoadCycling.co.nz wrote up a great article about me.

Check it out - Myron Simpson ready for the Games opportunity

Next stop - Commonwealth Games, India!

First of all the big news of late is that yesterday I was officially named in the 2010 Commonwealth Games team in Delhi, India, early October. It has been a bit unexpected to be honest, with injuries to other riders in the squad my chances for the team slowly got better. I had a pretty big track season, picking up some good results and was very consistent which I think was a major contributor to my selection for the Games. But all and all, I have worked hard over the last 12 months, and already have gone to the next level in my training! I am going to make the most of this opportunity, as for me it is huge.

The plan is to stay in Belgium until end of August, where we will be doing a bit of a camp in Gent at the end of August, and then onto a 4 day road tour in the Provence region in France. After the tour the whole team will head to Bordeaux for 2-3 weeks before finally heading to Delhi.

Already the naming of the team has been a huge motivation to my training, which showed today when I picked up my first podium in Europe this year, coming in solo for 2nd place, about 4-5seconds behind the winner, and the same time gap to the chasing bunch. It was a fast kermesse, 15laps of a 7.3km circuit - 110km. The bunch wasn't letting anything get away. In the last lap I moved up the bunch, got in a little move with 3 other riders with about 4km to go, rolled for a bit then they looked at each other so I attacked them and no one chased, I had my gap. I was chasing down one solo Davo rider, and I was getting closer and closer as I got closer to the finish. With about 500m there was a very technical round about, followed by a 90degree right hand corner, and it was raining so I couldn't take any risks to try and make the 5seconds or so he had on me. I rolled in just behind him, and just ahead of the bunch for my first podium in Europe this summer, things are on the up... Next step is to go one better!

For me now my focus is on India, there are some very experienced riders in the team, so will be a good chance to once again learn off them.

I would like to say a quick thanks to the people who have helped me out this year and in the past to make this possible. Mum and the family, Don and Linda Malcolm, Peter Alexander, BikeNZ, Greg Halliday and the team at Mainstream, Del and AvantiPlus Waipuna, Mark Little and the guys at Colorado Traders, Brett Lornie, all the SKC past and present cyclists and families, Chris Whitley, and I am sure there are many more! You all know who you are, so thanks very much.

Time to really knuckle down.