Aigle - Switzerland

Hi all, got a bit of time to spare while on training camp so thought I'd write a bit of an update! We have now been in Aigle for 8 days, and they have been full on from day one.

Aigle is the home of the UCI, International Cycling Union. They are the governing body that basically run cycling anywhere in the world. We are staying at Mon Sejour, they call it a hotel but I wouldn't go as far as saying that... There are a number of athletes that come from all over the world and are looking afterby the UCI. They train and race here, so I'd call it more of a sports hostel. We stay in small rooms with bunk beds, communal showers and bathrooms, but at the end of the day it has everything we need, and I'm not complaining! Breakfast is early, 6.45-8am. On the road training by 9am.

Our accommodation - Mon Sejour

We're on the 2nd level

View from front door on a nice afternoon

Aigle is surrounded by mountains, so we've been making the most of them. One of the climbs starts in Aigle, climbs up to Bois de Luan, is around 15km long at an average gradient of 9%, takes around an hour to climb. Perfect way to start a long ride... Every direction you look from our front door you can virtually climb a different hill. There is a 200m track at the UCI center which we have also been using once a week, along with some gym sessions a few times a week.

We've been training pretty hard, and doing not a lot else than training and recovering. Still getting my uni work done which is good. Another 9 days in Switzerland then back to Belgium for a bit of racing before heading to France to race Mi-Aout Bretagne, a 4 day tour on the West side of France.

Enjoying training and not having to worry about racing for once. But will be ready once we have to race again in France...

Cheers

A bit of R & R - Italia

Well after Tryptique, The Ras and Thuringen Rundfhart it was fair to say my body was ready for a bit of time to rest and recover... After Thuringen I had 8 days off the back, then jumped on a plane and flew to Fiorenzuola, Italy for the 6-Day Madison in Fiorenzuola. Coming off a break I have been doing a bit of learning, trying to get through the 6-days of racing with doing as little as possible, and its been good.

I haven't had any great results, but it's all about learning more about myself and madison racing. The most talked about event of the 6-days is the 100km Madison, which was on Thursday (night 4). 254 laps of a 397m track, unlike other track race's, all riders were allowed to grab bottles off someone in the middle of the track, and most took a gel or 2 during the race to keep energy levels up. It's fair to say I was probably equally mentally tired as I was physically at the end of that race! I am riding with an Italian rider, Piergiacomo Marcolina, who was called in to race late, the same day the 6-day started!

During madison

I've been happy with the week so far, always good to make some new mates and see a lot of the same faces from last year here. Following the 6-day, I'll have a few days to let the body recover again, and then off to Switzerland for a 3 and a half week training camp, back with the team again.

Ciao