January

January started with getting some solid rides in not only on the road bike, but on my brand new Handsling TT bike! I'm still in the process of dialling in the position, but we're fairly close and I can't wait for my first race on it. 

On the 17th of January, I did a pre - season road race at the Lee valley track up in London. The main aim of the race was to use it as a high intensity training session, because riding hard in training cannot simulate the same feeling of an attack in a race. I ended up initiating the breakaway of around 10 riders. I attacked on the penultimate lap, but it was always going to be a long shot. I got caught and rolled in 10th. The training benefits from the race were good and I felt like I have 'ripped the plaster off'.  

To add to my solid month of training, it was really nice to spend the weekend away in Belgium where I did some rides with a team mate and on Saturday the entire team scouted the course for the Kuurne Brussels Kuurne course. For the first time, I rode some of the most iconic climbs in Belgium like the Kopperberg, Paterberg and the Oude Kwaremont. I had a chance to go full effort up the climbs with the team and was pleased to find out I was in the top end of the group. 

Now the month has come to an end I'm looking forward to upping the intensity of my training and getting stuck into early season races such as the Portsdown Classic in early February.