Well we've finally got round to updating the website and blog for 2011, I know a little late in the year but things have been very busy.  I'm managing the National development squad for 2011 while Conor's been working hard on getting bikes sorted for 2011.  I'll be riding the new Specialized Epic Carbon Expert courtesy of McConveys Cycles in Belfast, while Conor has been working hard to upgrade his 2010 Epic Expert to the new 2 x 10 groupset. 

The year got off with a great start with me winning the 2010 - 2011 National Cyclocross Championships in January, a great boost of confidence and a good idea of starting fitness levels for the new season, great to build upon.

Last weekend I took part in the Ciclisport GP Road race, taking on the A4 men on a 4 lap 64km course that saw some pretty lumpy sections.  The pace was a little slow at times so I was always eager to keep things moving taking plenty of turns on the front - these road guys can be soo lazy, keeping their little legs safe until the final sprint!  The aim was to stick with the bunch which I did with ease, just missing out on the sprint finish.

This weekend was a real test of how things have been going training wise.  The first round of the Irish National NPS series at Bellurgan Park, Dundalk.  I had arrange to meet the development squad to do some pre-race practice laps the day before and soon discovered it was gonna be a tough technical race, with a leg sucking gravel singletrack climb and loads of singletrack descending - infact about 95% of the course - with two major features, a scary step into a drop off and a gap jump into a berm.  We spent practically all day at the course and by the end I had managed to nail the gap jump but my lack of recent off road riding and lack of confidence on my new steed just couldn't being me to drop over the ledge - so chicken run it was (not good!)

Race day arrived and I discovered it was just me and Mel Spath lining up for the race.  Mel's a really good strong rider with loads of international riding under her belt so it would again be a good test.  We were lined up in the new category system with the Senior 2 men (all 40 odd!).  The start was manic with a mass sprint around a field.  I got caught up in the crash just over the start/finish line and watched Mel disappear off into the distance. It was then a battle to get into the first section of singletrack where everything stopped and a queue formed, oh for feck sake I thought there goes my race!  The rest of the race was largely spent stuck behind slower riders (on the climbs) who would then descend like mad on the descents, so I never got any passing opportunities and the boys were reluctant to let anyone by - except Robin Seymour of course.  The course was riding very differently from the previous day, with the night's rain leaving everything very greasy.  I ended up washing out and crashing about half a dozen times during the course of the race and between this and getting stuck behind other riders I was VERY frustrated for the whole 1.5 hours we were out there.   I could see Mel every time we came through the Start/Finish "Arena" but I could never actually make that much time on here once I got back into the singletrack.   In the end it was a second place finish for me on the day, overall a little under a minute behind Mel who wasnt without her own problems on the day, having very little front brake.  A good result nonetheless. 

Conor raced in the Senior 3 race, 3 laps of the course, he found it very hard but really enjoyed the technical nature of the course and considering he does no training didnt do too badly either!  So not a bad day out for Team Summit!!

So next weekend its back on the road bike - is this a good idea considering my atrocious technical abilities at the moment I ask myself - before heading to England and the second round of the British MTB series at Dalby Forest.