A Good Start to the New Year!

After a fairly disruptive year in 2010 I am keen to make 2011 better! I went away to Spain over Christmas for 2 weeks of training in the sun and I’m really glad I made this decision as the day I flew there was a load more snow in the UK and long training rides on the road would have been impossible! This training block set me up well for Team Pursuit training in the New Year. I felt fit and raring to go!

Jo in Team Pursuit World Cup - by Paul Sloper

The focus of my training is on the World Championships which are at the end of March in Holland. Before this, however, we had the final round of the World Cup at home in Manchester on 18th February! Every winter there are a series of 4 World Cups around the World. These act as qualification events for the World Championships but are also prestigious events in themselves. This winter these events also carried Olympic qualification points, making them even more important!

Hanka Kupfernagel to link with Horizon Fitness RT

Five time World Champion Hanka Kupfernagel is to link with Horizon Fitness RT for the 2011 road season in a partnership that will see her ride professional races with the team.  Hanka will use these events in her build up to her major target; the World Time Trial Championships.  There is also the chance that Hanka will race in the UK in some key events.

Having been the World TT Champion in 2007, Hanka is looking for a return to the top of the discipline as she builds towards London 2012.  Over the course of the cyclo-cross season, Hanka has had several meetings with Horizon Fitness RT team to discuss the possibilities and how best to link over the summer of 2011.

At home with Helen and Ian – Cross Night, March 3

On March the 3rd Look Mum No Hands in Central London hosts an evening with UK’s two topped International ranked cyclo-cross riders. Helen Wyman and Ian Field will be there to answer questions, talk about life in Belgium and about their bikes and equipment.

One of the key reasons for the evening is to raise money for World Bicycle Relief. Some auction items are now available for bids (Including a Kona Jake the Snake frame and Challenge Tubulars) and other items will be up for winning in a raffle on the night.

Raffle prizes include items from Prendas, a seminar with CNP Professional for 6 people, Rouleur Photo books, and a signed jersey. Also a Ridley catalogue signed by all their riders including Zdenek Stybar and Bart Wellens.

BID NOW! BID NOW! BID NOW! BID NOW! BID NOW! BID NOW!

Kona Frame – http://tinyurl.com/6gzjbl9

Challenge Tubulars – http://tinyurl.com/6g4ohzf & http://tinyurl.com/6atxxnx

So what is life like for our intrepid cross riders? Lots of washing, beer, flowers and the BBC? Of course if you want to find out what it’s like to race on the Belgian and World Cup scene then simply attend on March 3 and ask. Oh, and do enquire about tyre pressures.

Charity Auction begins

On March the 3rd there will be the evening of cyclo cross at Look Mum No Hands in Central London with the UK’s two topped International ranked cyclo-cross riders.

Look Mum No Hands is at 49 Old Street, London EC1V 9HX

With free entrance to all, the evening will offer cross fans the chance to talk to the two Belgian based riders and ask questions about racing, living in Belgium, about their preparation and their cross insights.

One of the key reasons for the evening is to raise money for World Bicycle Relief. Some auction items are now available for bids (Including a Kona Jake the Snake frame and Challenge Tubulars). Other items including a Nutrition seminar from CNP Professional and items from Prendas will be raffled on the night.

Video of Team Pursuit Gold

Here’s a link to coverage of the Team Pursuit gold medal ride which included Sarah and Jo from Horizon Fitness.

Team pursuit gold at Manchester World Cup

It’s the morning after the night before and reflecting back on how I was feeling yesterday morning as opposed to how I feel today is quite surreal. Going into the World Cup I was riding with two legends of the event, Horizon Fitness team mate Joanna Rowsell and a rider I know well from racing together on the road and track, Wendy Houvenaghel. I wanted to make sure I lived up to their previous experiences in the event and could put the short time we’d spent training together into a solid team performance.

As with other events on the track in the GB team, the squad of women vying for places in the team pursuit is a large and very strong squad with a lot of depth, as our team mates riding in 100% ME demonstrated yesterday. Like the men’s team pursuit squad have done, our women’s team have been training in every combination possible over the past four months and there has never been very long to get comfortable or familiar with one person’s wheel, we have to ride all wheels and be flexible in any line up.

DS Blog: The Annual Dilemma of Selecting Riders

Over at Podium Cafe you can read the latest of the blogs from the team DS in which he focuses on the dilemma of selecting Riders.

Go check it out