Season memories – Chapter III

Coming back to Finland and having practically only road miles in my legs and starting the serious study on my dissertation, I simply couldn't prioritize the track champs at all. Admittedly, I had not been in time trial position for ages either. So I did what I could, and rode. Anyway, the weekend was highlighted with a solid team pursuit performance with the guys. Sincere, but late, thanks to Hiski, Janne and Juhana. Well good team! We did a good ride and won the event.

TP start.

Then it was just a matter of slotting in some training whenever I was not studying. In the mean time, I managed a weekend off everything normal at Levi. There I was with my road bike and friends from my skiing times. One seriously good weekend! We rode a bit of hills on the first day and then chunked in a solid 140+km ride from Levi, to Pallas, to Ylläs and back. After that, it was all back to studying – with some exceptions as in races.

Thursday next week, I did the lengthiest effort so far covering 260km and averaging 35kph. It perhaps wasn't the optimal prep for the 10k time trial and road race in Lieto on the weekend, but there a purpose for it, I promise. In Lieto, I enjoyed a solid time with a sub par performance, which I expected after Thursdays effort. However, a solid time was a reason for happiness as it signalled, that the aerotesting and position tweaks were working and effective.

Warm-up close-up.

On Sunday, I took a sort Devil may care attitude for the race as the course was flat and a sprint finish was expected in the cards. That was because of my sincere lack of sprinting ability just as well. The flat course was challenged on the day by wind though. I jumped to the first break with one other rider. We ever got to 70s at max and were eventually brought back at early stages. I sat on the back and tried to get some energy in. On the feed zone, at the mid point, a large breakaway went and I thoght the race was over. For my surprise (I'd guess not only my), the break never went far and was brought back 20k from the finish. Moments earlier I had decided to give a full go if and once the break is back. It worked and I was away, but struggling, with one guy. We managed to stay away, my companion was signigicantly stronger and I was second - and still struggling. During the race I had problems with nutrient ingestion (read: I tried, but couldn't eat) and hence, the struggle. Such a good weekend overall.

Starting in Lieto.

There was once race left then. A 20k time trial in Säkylä on such a beautiful course right next to lake scenery. I was going well and in control. I had a plan in working. Simple, but effective: Negative splits. In essence, I was spreading my effort by starting smoothly and planning to dig deep after turn. The heavy rain came at 3km in to the race and I punctured (or rather my tub exploded) at 9,8 or so in quite a speed and staying up and control wasn't quite there for a moment. Again, in retrospect, I figured, that I should have skipped any race held in Säkylä. Once my race was ended due a thunderstorm, once I just had the most awful day and now a puncture. Never going there again, just kidding! The season started with a puncture and ended with one – loop closed.

Settling to race pace in Säkylä.

End of Chapter III and the competitive season 2014.

Season memories – Chapter II

There we go then and again. It was mid June, when we loaded my trustworthy red devil, which is also known Citroen Berlingo. To clarify my overstatement; it's red at least, if not devil – but arguably the best vehicle for easy bike gear transportation in my opinion. The destination was I southwest Poland in Lower-Silesia. The race, that I really was aiming my top form for was the university world championships held in Jelenia Gora in July. The reason behind going there so early was very much two folded: at the same time it was a summer holiday for my parents. And for me, it served as a solid preparation, which was evidently necessary considering the course.

Cobbles in Krivoklat!

The plan was to get familiar with the course that was used for the time trial and road race. It was basically a 14km lap with an uphill over 5,5km, respective downhill and slight transition. To get any results out, it was beneficial to learn the course with all the hairpins and bends. So that was one factor, another factor was to get some racing in there before and perhaps after, which was I also managed. Before the WUC 2014 actually took place I rode three events in Czech Republic. From which, I managed a fourth, tenth (second in combiresults) and then in Chrudim, I got my first road race win to my surprise. I was strong in each event powerwise and the events were superb with cobbles, hills and all. See some photos!

Slatinany-Monaco.

Last bit of reflection before start.

The WUC time trial was the main event for me. From the start I felt that no matter what, it won't be too bad. Totally different from Mustio. Total of 23 (or so) kilos and the hill in the middle. I rode it well up and pretty felt terrible when I started the descent. My climb was at par, but I'm tempted to think my descending was better despite the rain that showed up. I did my best descent by far and at times found my both wheels drifting a bit. I got the feeling that I used to get at times when I still raced on skis. The feeling, that comes from taking a bend faster than you think you could take and afterwards you realize that ”whoa, that was pretty fast!”. The flat part at the end was very much a fight, but I'd guess it was the very same for everyone.

Ready, set, go...

I finished 11^th with a solid ride and at that time I hadn't found out that the level of competition was pretty decent. In front of me, I had eight professionals from various levels. A detail to get a grasp: the winner rides for OPQS and couple weeks later won a stage in a breakaway and took the leaders jersey for days in Poland. Happy enough, I was. I wasn't in medal pace, but my pacing worked well (so say the splits also) and my ride was on par.

The road race next day was a good for me in terms of my performance level. I managed a solid power throughout the race, but it wasn't enough. I made a mistake in the first ascent, or maybe not a mistake as such, but anyway. I tried to get an early breakaway before the first climb, but it never realized. Thus, I was a bit on the red zone going to the climb and when the strong guys kick in and get rid of some of the crop – it is not good. The mistake; being on 'the red' made me control my pace for sake of not blowing up and it got me eventually dropped. Retrospectively, the smart (yet riskier approach) would have been to hang on and get to the red properly. And then, if I could have hung on, could have managed to the top, could have recovered on the descent and the race could have been far different. Coulda, shoulda, woulda – don't we all love to be smart afterwards. I didn't and I couldn't and that as far as it goes. The race was made interesting by the weather. It was similar as during the training – see the photo.

Bit of rain just makes things more interesting.

The rest of the trip consisted from one start in Kalas Cup (the main thing in Czech Republic), which was hard enough. I didn't get a result, but nontheless, it was good experience. Then couple days of holiday in Szczecin (yes, that is correct spelling, at least almost) during which I managed to get over my fear and persistence of not drive karts. That is another story worth telling, but not in this context.

Kalas Cup in Nove Mesto - Not the freshest one for me.

Then, I made a decision to ride in Malmö, Sweden, which was (in retrospect again!) not a productive one. I simply couldn't breathe, and took early DNF's in both of the races as consequence to rather severe asthma symptoms. I don't think there is a good description for what I sounded like, but yet I managed to tell everyone that everything is fine and under control. It certainly did not sound like that.

Now the trip was over and we travelled back to Finland. The wholeness of it was brilliant. Good races, met bunch of new people and special greetings to Lubomir, if you happen to read this one. Also met Simon, a long time friend, greetings just as well. Mainly good results and lots of miles climbed.

End of Chapter II.

Season memories – Chapter I

At the moment of writing this up, I am sitting at 10k of altitude, on the seat of row 19 on my way Arlanda and quick run through the airport for another flight back to Helsinki. As some of my friends already know, I'm just trying to grasp the moment, as only this morning I handed in the hard copy of my Master's thesis. The piece of work that has eventually taken over of pretty much going on.

So that is has been the purpose since the last blog really. And now it is time to get to new challenges – in terms of riding and professional development. It all looks good and motivating at this point. Before going to detail on those things (which are still to be confirmed, admittedly), I thought that I'll go through a bit of racing over the spring and summer, which I regrettably have to split into two or even three bits of babble as I realize my lazyness and at times, conscious decision not to write anything. Any way here we go....

So, the last races for my period in UK were the BUCS track, which I honestly were a series of comical incident more or less. Although, it is only pretty recently that I've been able really see it that way. I admit being pretty frustrated with all that, hence no photos. In short, three start and three unlucky incident that could and should have been avoided. The most irritating was that I had no control over any of those.

Moments before misery.

Then I came to Finland, and was desperate to score some good results and did an awful time trial in Mustio, which also happened to be the longest in Finland. So be my guest and, double the misery. Then I carried on to a stage race, which was even more hideous from my part. Catastrophic prologue, technical mishap and a missed split during next days stage. Not the easiest of spring, and it goes without saying that I really was not really happy at that point. However, as far as it went, I decided to well, rest for a day and train more with a minute change to the regime. A minute, maybe not quite. I just left the intense stuff for a while and did some steady rides, which made miracles – at least sort of.

Bianchi Cup / Kuusijärvi

During a stage at Hikiä.

The main classic of Finnish summer is Porvoon ajot. A lengthy race on an undulating course. Nevertheless, it was a kind of turning point to my season. I felt strong and rode actively all race long and despite not getting a result, I was all too happy to bounce back only with 23^rd place. Most importantly, though, I gained a fair bit of confidence back four weeks before the main event of my summer. It was a trip, which really, really deserves its own chapter.

End of Chapter I.