Tuesday 11 September 2018

Doon n Dirty XC 1st Place

So it happened! I won a race. Last year I did this race and came 4th so it was great pleasure I found myself atop the podium at the end of this one.
The 3 lap race had a long hard climb followed by a great descent in each lap. On the first lap I powered ahead of the pack on the climb and never saw another competitor until I lapped one. At the finish line I collapsed in a heap, lungs bursting but feeling absolutely over the moon, especially as the second place rider has been a Scottish XC champion.
The race took place in Craigengillan Estate in Dalmellington which will make a great trail centre with a bit of development.






July went by in the blink of an eye...

I have been lax in my blogging of late but probably because of the sheer amount of cycling I managed in May, June and July with the brilliant weather we had but July was the stand out month for cycling.
Firstly I headed off to the family holiday in Mallorca at the start of July. Mallorca is my favourite place to cycle. Beautiful mountains, amazing roads and stunning climbs.
I was in Puerto de Pollenca the same hotel as last year so was able to make great use of the Sport Hotel Villaconcha's amazing cycling facilities and bike rentals for the first week of my holiday.
I was out everyday that week but the highlights were:

1. Sa Calobra out and back. My second visit to the famous climb and still had my jaw dropping. What a climb and road.







2. Col de sa Batalla
This was a climb I had never done before and do get to it involved a beautiful cycle through a lovely valley before a spectacular climb.











3. Cap de Formentor
This is one ride I have now done multiple times but even though its a dead end its the most beautiful dead end in the world. This day was different though as it was the first time it was closed to cars so it became like the worlds best cycle track.







Once again I loved this place. No trip here next year as we are off to Florida but I am coming back ASAP.
The cycling BIG wasn't over for July though. There was lots of cycling on usual routes but at the end of the month on a super day I went for a big one. I had never broken a 200km day and I went for it racking up 230km. What a day that was.










 August had its moments but more of them in another post.