Nearing the season end.

Despite several efforts to find a good target for the autumn, there was none that I could justify rationally. I mean to say, that there would be loads of stuff I'd liked to have targeted. But then comes the second thought and the voice of wisdom (aka. my mum), and you soon come to the conclusions. Frankly and surprisingly for this season, I've actually managed to be the voice of wisdom myself just as well.

”Hey, that's interesting and should be good autumn project”

”Yeah bud, that really is good, but...”

”It is, but...”

”But... what?”

”There are certain things just to consider before pursuing it, and now that I think of it – it may not make sense in wider perspective. Ok, so I'll just concentrate on the Finnish races on the hand and then head for next season.”

Once you've gone through this time after time in your own small (or large) head, you soon realize that there couple good races left and then it just is over to the coming season (which is miles away). The thing is, though, that since I missed most of the season form wise, I've only during last couple of weeks found some form and I feel it is a shame for the season to close. Things could be different.

Anyway, once I arrived home from Poland and had a weekend of testing – not racing. It was to race again. The plan was to travel to Oulu for 2-up time trial nationals and ride at Laihia the day before. To add to the bad luck, my pair fell ill and I only rode in Laihia. A great shame, but such things happen.

Laihia was very good for me, despite I felt relatively crap before. Yet again, it wasn't about how you feel, but how you perform. The course was a great and wind added a challenge. In my view, I went well to the plan, but perhaps the plan was slightly cautious again. I won the 20km time trial with a time of 25:51, which was very satisfying. Winning is always winning. Analysing the race file also added to the satisfaction and it is very good to forwards from that.

Next weekend there is another time trial in the schedule and Tour de Helsinki, which is part of National Road Series this year. I'm looking forward to have some good races on the weekend. To end this up, I figured that I'd add five of my favourite photos from the trip to the continent in random order that have a story behind (or kind of).

Solo attempt.

Bielsko Biala. A small town, with great bike shops. Yet we managed
to get completely lost there.

Finding my form. And rarely have I ridden such great TT course.

Losing the form, outright and absolute bonk. And rarely have I ridden
such a great road course.

Confusing, eh?
Lastly, I think the machine was pretty cool.
Even cooler was the purpose of using this; local gentlemen
came to have a beer and watch the race.

Photos 3 & 4 are courtesy of Jan Bubenik (http://ciklista.rajce.idnes.cz)

No better place than home.

So the trip ended, and so ended the roller coaster. Imagine a roller coaster that takes you to heights, takes a severe free fall to get up to speed and then, derails in the first loop – and does so in a spectacular manner. So was the ending to my trip.

We competed in UCI Europe Tour races in severe heat in southernmost Poland. In fact, official recommendation by some instances was to avoid physical exertion due to excessive heat. Of course, the racing was on. My problem wasn't the heat, it may have exaggerated my underlying problems, but definitely played no major factor. I was happy how I coped with it. Yet again I came to face my personal issues with criterium type of racing and harvesting season. The races were over before they really started from my part.

I have to state that I was about survive the initial surge in the first race, when it comes to the above mentioned challenges. I overcame the blocked breathing and found some ease in the back of the peloton, and then came the derailment. A guy in front of me slipped in a right hander and blocked my riding line. I was forced to crash since hopping on pavement and making a sharp right was not within possibilities. So, I hopped on pavement and quickly chose the best option to crash on. The options were a milestone, electric wire post, fence or bush. I opted for the bush and escaped with a scratch or two. However, one of them was bleeding and I was taken to ambulance, which was one of the most interesting rides I've ever experienced. I got my wounds checked and then was left at the finish line, where I finally found my bike as well. Lucky escape.

The second race was plain and simply over due to – yeah, you know it, and it is not worth describing. Frustrated and disappointed we drove home through the Baltic states. A day of feeling jet lagged was in the plan, but then it was back to basics.

Since, then I've tested and experimented with things cycling wise and there may soon be some good news on the professional front as well. More on that later though.

The rollercoaster continues

After two weekends of racing, it was again time to recover for two days and thus, refresh and replenish. It went fairly ok except that I never really felt refreshed and replenished. Nonetheless, I had good time visiting the terrain of WUC 2014 again and as a matter of fact, after the mountains I've done in across the border that hill felt... say reasonable. Then it was time for another high end session to prepare for the weekend of racing. It was good, and hard – maybe too hard I thought initially. However, retrospectively I don't think that was the case.

So on saturday morning we drove to Chudoslavice for Force Cup (Czech equal for the Finnish Skoda cup). A long race with one sharp climb in the beginning of the lap, which was supposed to be completed 15 times. My race was over within minutes of the start, but I managed to hang on for couple of laps in total. In fact, some people may know the feeling when you see the course, take a bit of warm and unconsciously (or consciously) understand that DNS would perhaps be the best of options. It is just ridiculous. But this should be no surprise, I hate criteriums – because I suck in them - and the race was ridden like one. 

For that there is a valid reason, which I can explain at some point - and most likely will do so. However, I'm not gonna promise that it is understandable, because despite having studied it myself – I'm relatively uncertain of my own understanding. In essence, I'm allergic to combine harvesters (Finnish: leikkuupuimuri), even if it was a John Deere. That is to say, that when the harvesting is on going – I'm again stuck with my asthma.

So, there I was standing in middle of the Czech conti and top end amateur teams waiting for the gun go off on conditions that suited me like... In Finnish I'd say: ”sopi kuin jalka paskaan., which means, in short, that even starting was questionable. There we went up the hill, and my ventilation got stuck within minutes of the start and that was it. It was one of those races, where you hope that a break will form and peloton will slow. I was so glad to see the big break going almost from the start, but it was too big and the riding continued like in crits – full gas or coasting. Surely not my piece cake and a sod DNF as a result. Also they ride these races here in a way, that likely leads to such fashion of racing.

The uncertainty took place and I was a bit moody on the way back. Amongst all the loathing I did discover something that could provide helpful. This race actually confirmed my suspicion of the harvesting seasons, which is dull. However, the feeling of hardness to breath during warm up seems symptomatic, which is good info. Anyway, we decided that I would start the next day again despite the apparent problems. And so we go to racing again.

The course was easier and field smaller, but still there was some good racing going on. On the first of six laps, I found myself in a lone break, which was taken down quite quickly. Then there were other lone breaks. Eventually, the race was decided in a finishing break of three guys (myself included) – the break was formed in manner that I don't agree with at all. It was rather embarrassing. Struggling with my lung function, my breakaway companion left on a hill and then it was a lone time trial to the finish. I was second, on the podium, and happy. Despite the hindrance, I managed myself well and rode a good race.

The events have been great. The atmosphere is enjoyable. The organization is superb in general. Racing is tough. And then a word of event sponsoring and prizes. They are handled generously and the prizes have varied. I'v had one trophy, t-shirt, pens, cheque for bike shop, cash, coffee cup, Birell non-alcoholic beer (which my mum took), Svijany special beer (which my dad took), a cake (which will be shared once team arrives here) and a shower handle – yes surely and certainly!

Then again, it has been about recovering for the UCI races in southern Poland. The temperature is on the rise, and it is not gonna be easy by any means. Hotness in combination with harvesting season puts on a question mark and all I can do is to give my all and try to be wise.

Czech rollercoaster.

I am writing this blog from Poland, from our accomodation in a village called Swieradow Zdroj (Yeah, I can't pronounce it) about my racing experiences in Czech after the U6 in Sweden. If you are confused, I reached my target. I like to begin with something at least mildly confusing. The reason for being in Poland, in addition to the fact that I like Poland, is simple - it is actually black and white, and it is called washing machine. That's why. Though, during my training rides I'm most likely to visit the Czech. Either way, I sleep in Poland, but have raced in the Czech Republic.

Now having clarified that, take another cup of coffee and read on.

Before going to the actual content, the racing here. I'd like to thank the organising parties of the races. Their heartful helpfulness and kindness. has made my racing actually possible since I don't really speak Czech. Ok, admittedly I know a word here and another there. For example, snidania is breakfast, indyka is turkey, and Pepsi Max is well, it is what it is. Having said that, that was basically all the polish I can speak and my Czech language is worse. So, I might have to even apologise to organisers a bit. There I've been, a Finnish fella stupidly standing with the license and some cash wanting to race. The rest has been up to the organisers to sort.

So, after U6 in Tidaholm I drove down to Wisla, Poland with my family. Wisla may ring a bell to some sports fanatics and it should. There is a Finnish coaching connection in there. There is a winter sport in, which you load speed, time your jump and have a majestic flight to make the perfect landing – ski jumping. There was a guy from Wisla, who was pretty darn good at the sport. His name was Adam Malysz – a legend of the sport. His legacy is apparent in Wisla, countless hills and juniors training.

And now the racing bit. First up were the Czech open national champs for amateurs in time trial in Dobratice. The course was an undulating and twisty one – a really enjoyable and challenging one. Despite the ever increasing temperature, +37 at the time of the rice, I had a real solid ride. Not a blast, but very good. As we all love explanations, here comes mine: my Argon is in Finland – hence, I was second. Honestly, I don't think it was all the difference on such course. One guy was just better on the day. Then we drove back to Wisla.

Second up was the open nats on road in Moravka. I ran out of adjectives whilst I tried to describe the route. It was simply amazing. Three lengthy laps with a small climb of couple kilometres and a certain bump to climb to finish. Well, not exactly a bump, more a mountain. The mountain goes by the name of Lysa Hora, the highest in Moravia actually. I rode a strongly, until I came to a complete stop. The climb to finish line was a total of 23km and the last 8km averaged around 9%. I believe, since I can't remember, that my stoppage was something like four or three before the line. I had the most epic of bonks for a while, I just slowed to a walking pace and crawled the remainings. It was an experience as such, but an educated guess (aka. My very own) suggested that it was due to dehydration and hungerflat. It is also highly within possibilities that heat exhaustion played its part very well. The temperature rose to above +40 on the hill. It was a case of snap, crackle and pop from my body. It just stopped and suddenly I was ridiculously slow. I'd laughed at myself, but wasn't able to. I don't really know what I could have done differently though and it took the best of three days to recover.

Next weekend, a week ago, I raced in a hilly (or maybe even mountainous) local race in Jablonec nad Nisou. A total of 92km included more than 2km of climbing over 12 climbs. The parcours was an absolute beauty. And after all, it was one hell of a race at the end. Rapid start, some high quick downhills, tough climbing, broken 53 chain ring, struggling on high cadence, a winning break, and lost it all in the sprint to the line and finished second and had the second podium of the season. I rode a strong race all aspects considered, but in the end it wasn't quite enough. Though, I have to say – it could have been.

Either way, that's it for this part. There is a part two coming up in a day or two, to duplicate the entertainment value. Also I'd guess that quite a lot of people may already have a hunch of what the next part is about. I dunno yet, though this promise is easy to keep since I have already done the typing. And having seen the amount of photos, I can already promise photo update (or perhaps updates) as well. Stay tuned.