Sunday July 18 - 1 day to go

Phil Drops Out, as Wayne & Dan Start Pedalling !

Just hours to go before departure and Phil sends an email
dropping out because he has not received a new passport.

Same happened last year and the exact same explanation.

Oh well I've been let down many times before and for sure
it wont be the last time - just got to get on and do our best.

Took out an insurance policy this week with a triple chain ring.

Didn't manage to get a new bike but made lots of adjustments.

Arm injury has healed so hopefully should be in fairly good shape
come Tuesday morning when its Alpe d'Huez revisited once more.
Rightly or wrongly my plans are to really have a go at it this time.
If I cant break 2 hours this year I will be totally gutted after all
the effort I have put in and I know I'm in better shape this time.

Col Du Galibier Wednesday and Mont Vontoux Thursday will have
to be at a more leisurely pace as I venture into the unknown.

Hope to be back with you next weekend - and in one piece !

Thanks to everyone who has pledged sponsorship for charity
and many thanks to all the well wishers from all over the world.

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Monday July 12 - 1 week to go

Learning Curve

Just a mere 7 days to the big adventure and tension mounts.

Tour completes its first week although it really starts Saturday
when the sorting commences at the Pyrenees mountain stages.
Last week perhaps you thought me disrespectful to the sprinters.
Well Chippo and Petacchi are home with feet up looking beautiful
and this pathetic spectacle taints the 3 week race in my opinion.
Respect to Eric Zabel and the others who stick it out to the end
as surely the event it totally about finishing whether first or last.
To even finish is a remarkable achievement, to pack in needlessly
just because you are unlikely to win a stage is totally pathetic !

A mystery arm injury apart which is annoying rather than disastrous, its been another good week training mixing hill climbing and weights.

Tonight I did the 14% Morley hill climb 6 times taking 40 minutes.
Particularly notice the difference between riding on a smooth surface and bumping up rough terrain which disrupts the rhythm of climbing and whilst it was nothing like as bad as the French cobblestones we have seen on the tour this week, it is a factor to look a out for.

Terrain talk brings me nice to the good news Brian gave me yesterday that he has just come back from Alpe d'Huez and it has been resurfaced specifically to try and help me break the 2 hour barrier next Tuesday 20th.

Back to this evenings training and the 6th and last climb of the session I decided to gear up from 35 inch gear to approximately a 40 inch gear. This was a big mistake as the lungs soon began to say no thanks early and I immediately reverted to sitting and turning 35 as always planned. This was a very useful learning curve and confirmed my long term plans to think Tyler Hamilton and sit still and spin the wheels - not to stand on the pedals at all unless just for a brief change or in an emergency.

Dan confirmed yesterday that he has decided to take his mountain bike as opposed to his road bike because of the gearing which is 42 X 25. This I think is a totally sensible decision despite extra weight to propel. Whilst 42 x 25 bike gearing may be fine for the likes of superman Phil for those mere mortals it is a recipe for disaster should we encounter some of the weather we have seen on the tour and as I found last week.

I desperately need to fit a triple as 39 x 30 is OK in nice conditions
but common sense tells me to get insurance of an inner 30 chain ring.

More climbing the Derbyshire hills tomorrow and its a gradual wind down.

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Wednesday July 7

TV Interview for Central News

I have just finished filming a TV interview for Central News.
The interview was broadcasted on Central News on 7th July 2004

Click the play button to see the interview
requires a broadband connection.

Click here for more photos from the interview.

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Monday July 5 - 2 weeks to go

Blown Away

Well here we go again the 101st Tour gets under way.
Please don't fall asleep watching bike racing on the flat.
Sprinters can go home soon before they are humiliated
on the mountain climbs and let the real men take over.

Saddened to hear the nonsense surrounding David Millar
as yet another cycling fool turns out to be a drug cheat
and to think I gave him my support last year on bend 6.
Is anyone clean they say ? well lets just hope some are.

I put in a good week of mixed training with one mishap.
Monday was five times up Morley hill which I guess 13%
Tuesday was up in Wirksworth with the 14% Bullsbridge
Wednesday weights in gym and Thursday mountain bike.
Friday jumped on the horse in a competition and then on
Saturday I felt the urge to tackle Winnets Pass once more.

First part of the climb - easy peasy on 39 x 30 to the bend
and then after the turn the wind hit me with such force
it felt like it was blowing about 70 mph straight at me.
About 200 yards from the top I had to stop - out of breath.
Couple of minutes later I remounted and was immediately
blown over with feet still fixed in those wretched SPD clips.

Fortunately I suffered only a bump on right the fore arm.
Damn ! that mother of all slopes has done me yet again.
I will conquer this beast one day - but sadly not today.
Sunday did another hour and 20 minutes with good hills.

Many thanks to Raleigh my local bicycle manufacturer
for stepping in and sponsoring some parts and accessories.

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Monday June 28 - 3 weeks to go

Rain, Rain and More Rain

Last weeks training plans went out the window
as forecasters got it wrong it seemed everyday
Tuesday Thursday and Saturday my training days
the heavens opened and water water everywhere.

No to be deterred it was back to the gym air bike
and put in good work on all three training sessions.

Good to hear that Dan and Phil are both training well.

Tonight at last I did manage to get out on the road
for a 75 minute session including 5 times up Morley hill.
This is not a crippler but as steep as any Alpe d'Huez
straight and it felt like a useful workout for all parts.

On the 5 mile ride back to Ilkeston it put my foot down.
About 30 mph (flying by my standards) to get back
and watch the end of the Tim Henman tennis match.
Although the roads looked nice and straight it was
just like riding a bucking bronco bouncing everywhere.
Whilst I love this part of Derbyshire it must be the old
mining subsidence plus the gas pipe repairs that make
the road some what of an assault course on a bicycle.

Rather than alternating with weights as I usually do
tomorrow I'm going up to Wirksworth for another ride
to see how the old body stands up to 2 days consecutive.

This Saturday weather permitting I may re visit my lungs
they are no doubt still on the roadside near the top of
Winnetts Pass the highest peak in the East Midlands
and the crippler of all cripplers for cycling in this area.

Finally, many thanks to Kev & Sam Roberts for donating
the prizes for the raffle held at The Royal Regency, Ilkeston
on Friday night. We raised £60 for Cancer Research UK.

Thanks also to everyone who contributed by buying a ticket.

The money raised has been added to our online sponsorship page
http://www.JustGiving.com/TourdeFrance

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Monday June 21 - 4 weeks to go

What Time Is It ?

Just got back from Oregon on the west coast USA.

Time change is a nightmare when its 8 hours or more.

Feel dozy - constantly sleepy with the usual jet lag.

Checked out several nice bikes over the last 2 weeks,
but not yet got the right tool for the job of climbing.

Good to see that Dan from Oxford has joined the team
(although he looks like another one who will have lots
of time at the top of mountains waiting for me to finish !)

When I finally get my head back together its full focus
on the challenge as we enter the last months training

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Monday June 7 - 6 weeks to go

Back In Shape - Hope To Keep It Up

Feel back in good shape again after being run down
and its back to the states again for yet more jet lag.

A jet setting job most see as glamorous loses appeal
after over 20 years of backwards and forwards to the
USA particularly in the current climate of airport hassle.

However shouldn't moan - there are harder occupations.

Hope to pick up the right tool for the job with a new bike.

Had two good sessions this week one indoor and one out.
Lost another pound or so in weight and although I feel fine
don't want to drop below my current 13 stone 1lb (183 lbs)
as I will lose plenty more on the three mountains challenge.

Phil tells me he is in great shape and recently came second
in his very first triathlon which is really quite an achievement.

Please to hear that he has also sorted out the accommodation
for us so thankfully we will not be sleeping under the stars like
many I saw in Bourg Oisans last year before Alpe d'Huez stage.

No update next week as I shall be in California and then Oregon.

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Monday May 31 - 7 weeks to go

No respect these young guys !

After 2 weeks of like watching paint dry on the Giro,
which allows sprinters glory before they are trounced,
at last we finally get into the real big mountain stages.

All set up a very nicely for favourite Gilberto Simoni,
number 1, reigning champion and Saeco team leader.

However the final week did not go according to script.

New kid on the block and former world junior champion
Damiano Cunego had other ideas and spoiled the party.

Whilst Lance will not be too worried by my achievements,
he will surely be keeping an eye on the new wonder kid.

As you can probably tell I have no time for pure sprinters.
Petacchi's total of 9 stage wins in one Giro is commendable
and credit to Brad McGee for his big climbing improvement.

Most interesting comment of the 3 weeks was by Sean Kelly
I rode the Alps for fun last year and used a triple chain ring.
Anyone who thinks that they can easily get up these climbs
on just the 53 ring and the 39 ring is kidding themselves.

I was pleased to hear that one of the truly all time greats
who surprisingly is almost three years younger than myself,
having the common sense to state a seemingly uncool fact
that unless you are in peak racing shape - a triple is a good
tool if you wish to attempt the massive European mountains.

After last years fiasco - it will be my main purchase for sure !

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Monday May 24 - 8 weeks to go

Golden Web Award

Good news is that our site has won an award
See the Golden Web Award icon on the left

Bad news is that since my return from the USA
I have been struggling and had a streaming cold

My body is run down and not back in sync yet
although I hope to return to full fitness soon.

I did manage to tackle the Wirksworth hills
and will be back there again for more climbs
this week and although they are not long
its the best we have within 10 miles drive.