Tour of Denmark, stage 3
Watcing the tour de france on television might give the impression of an easy day in the peloton, I can tell you that there is no such thing, at least not for me. Things might look calm and easy, but when you sit there, it is a constant battle of getting the right position to save energy for the final. In my case, this is a task that takes my concentration 100%, I have to be more focused than I am while doing a mtb-race. So today was 5 hours of 100% focus, so now I am sitting in my hotelbed with a headache, not because of physical stress, but more with the same feeling guys working in front of a computer have. Todays stage was almost like any other, first 50 k’s was chaotic with everybody trying to get out in a breakaway. After that, the bigger teams takes control until the last 30 where they drop the hammer, making everybody tired. And in the end Saxobank wins. Today even so.
Tour of Denmark, stage 2
Normally I like things when they are as expected. The wheatheforecast was telling heavy rain, strong wind and thunder, and that was what we got today. From the very first meters it started pooring down, that meant that we all got very cold, and god cold muscles, which made it really hard to fast. The wind was the biggest factor of todays race, and to be honest, I am a clown regarding tactics in crosswind. So my day was really hard, I managed to sit in the wrong position all day long. 190 km is a long ride on a bike, but sitting with the wind in the face for 190 km is even harder. The result of todays effort was’nt really impressive, I got lef behind not once, but twice, and I ended up around 30th spot, 4 minutes behind winner Nicki Sørensen. Yesterday I actually felt pretty good after the stage, but today I am almost as tired as I am after a mtb-race…..
Tour af Denmark, stage one.
Woke up this morning for a new chapter in my life, stageracing on the road. As i have said earlier, I was pretty nervous about it, dispite everybody telling me that it would be absolutely no problem for me. It is funny how I don’t trust anybody saying thing like this. I tryed to do everything as I normally do it, breakfast 4 hours before start and so on. Only thing different today was that I did’nt do any warm-up, nobody seems to do that on the road, so it was actually pretty relaxing before start, normally it is hectic for me. Before we start we had to go to the obligatory team-presentation, where I got represented as the best mountainbiker in Denmark, thank you!
Well, off the race went, in a freightning speed. I was rather afraid that the race would continue like the that for the next 170km, and for 5 days. That would be pretty stressfull for me. After 10k’s the pace got slower, actually really slow for the next 120k’s. The last 40 km was a real race, with 2 climbs, that felt like a mtb start climb, so that actually felt pretty good. I ended up in 25th spot, 10th if you only count the danes in. I am pretty satisfied with this, and it gives me some believe in that I can actually do pretty good here. But Don’t worry, I will never turn fulltime on the road! The wheatherforecast for tomorrow is pretty bad, so the race will most likely be cold, wet and windy, a race that determines mens fro boys.
See you tomorrow.
On foreign ground….
Even though I am pretty experienced rider, I still get the opportunity to try something new. This week will definatly be different. As some of you remember, I did some roadracing earlier this season, to get the nomination for the tour of Denmark road stage race. I have got the nomination, on tomorrow is first stage. The tour of denmark is the biggest ongoing sportsevent in Denmark, with a lot of pro-tour teams, and all the best of Denmark. The race get a lot of interrest from the media, so there should be a good chance of a small glimse of fame on the telly. So please watch aftentour on dr. I would be lying if I was’nt nervous about this new prooject, so everybody please keep your fingers crossed. I will bring my lap-top, so I will try and make a small report every evening.
So long…!
When are you old?
In my world is a veteran an old guy. I am 29 now. Today I was reading an article about myself in a german web-magazine, describing me as a Bundesliga-veteran. That really hurt me. I don’t feel like an old guy. I still learn something almost every day, I still get physically stronger and stronger, I still get motivated from a new pair of tyres, and today I got some new parts for my radiocontrolled car, and was the happiest guy on earth. Maybe you have turned old when you realize that you should enjoy your youth? I don’t know, but insist on living as a young gun, ride crazy like one, and keep on playing, both with my bikes and my other toys. People who know me, dos’nt see me as old, but it is a bit freightning to realize that other people start to see you in another light. But it only makes me wan’t to perform even better, just to make it clear that I am not over the top. It makes me happy when I see guys like Nicki Sørensen and Lance Armstrong doing well in the tour, it makes it clear that age is only a number. Maybe you get “old” when you get aware that youth is only a limited period, that has to be enjoyed. Let’s try to extend it, have fun and play.
Danish XC Championships
Well. I guess I have to leave a comment on last Saturdays race. I’ll make it short. I’m really sorry for Klaus because I know he really wanted to make a statement. He was really ready to kick as. But sometimes even Brasil doesn’t win the soccer WC.
My own performance was… well let me say typical championship form… It seems like I manage to kill myself in preperation before the nationals. This year no exeption. From the gun I just felt pain. And for you guys who race regular you know there is two kinds of pain. The god one and the bad one. I surely felt the last one and rarely saw heart beat levels above 165. I mean just went round the track like at german highend car manipulated not to go faster than 250 K/h. I don’t se my self as a Porche but more like a VW diesel (0; . I had a puncture 2 laps into the race and had to drift 1/2 a lap to reach the tecnical support zone. At that time I had joined Bech from Rivette in 5th. spot. But If you look at my lap times I don’t really think I could had defended that position.
Whats next? Well the experience has left me whitout any kind of motivation to go on my bike. Luckily I have some training routines with Allan Bachmann and co. And I hope I’ll be ready to make a statement at the two Shimano races in August.
Congratulations to Simon Tarp. I’m really impressed! Se you in August (0;
(picture: Noppenau)
National championship
This year the national championships were in Holte. This season hasn’t really been very good, the generel level of the riders in Denmark has sure increased alot, but i haven’t. From the early beginning of my winter preparation for this season last year, i have been way more proffesionel in the way i think and live, but still i haven’t gotten any stronger. Therefor i decided to take a few weeks breake from the scheduled and routined everyday living and just trained what ever i felt like during my preparations for the nationals, as my last option.
It seemed to work even better than i could possible have imagined. At the Ghost cup just before the nationals i feelt stronger than ever, i therefor looked forward for nationals. And for good reasons, the race went great, during the second, third and fourth lap i was in 3rd position and didn’t even feel tired, i actually feelt GREAT!. unfortunatly a T-Shark rider (can’t really tell one from another, they all look the same to me) overtook the lead of our two man group and had a small break-away with approx 5 seconds, cause i made a small technical mistake xD. He didn’t really get any further the next 3 laps, untill i punctured and had to run 2 and half kilometers to the next technical zone. When i got my reserve front wheel i was completly done for good and had gone from 3rd to 4th position and from 4th to 12th position. i was able to ride half a lap before i almost collapsed and had to leave the race.
Even though i left the race with only 1½ lap to go, im still satisfied with the race. my best result so far this season has been a 9th place. And during this race, i was able to maintain a 3rd during most of the race.
Manipulation
The everyday for a pro-rider is all about training and recovering, and timing these two things, it is no different for me. So I am practically feeling wasted all the time, and as soon I feel a bit recovered, it is time to get out and kill/waste myself again, that’s everyday life…It gets routine, and my life is routine. When feeling wasted small tasks feels like undoable tasks. That’s why everything has to be routines to be done. Before major races I take some time off to recover 110%, so that i get some energy overload, which helps me perform 110% both mentally and physicly. Being on top is then a rather unusual feeling. And when shit happens like last weekend, then I have a pretty big amount of energyoverload, which is of course good, I have really been benefittig from this energy in the last couple of days training.
But there is one problem, it manipulates my brain. The energy overload make me think: why did’nt I wacuumclean the appartment the last 3 months, why did’nt I update my blog as often as I planned, why did’nt I help the Pronghorn guys at the office a bit more etc etc etc…? I seem to forget very fast how I am feeling after 5 hours on the bike with interval training.
The stupiest thing is that I conclude that I will start doing all these things tomorow.
Tomorow was sunday, and after 3hours on the bike I reconned that monday would be a better day to start. Monday I was feeling fucking good in training, so I killed myself, and was’nt able to write my own name when I came home, Tuesday likewise. Today wednesday, it is an easy day of training, and I am now realistic again, I got manipulatad by my brain, only because of the unknown feeling of being on top and full recoverd. But hey, I managed to write the blog….
Skuffelse
Normalt er min blog jo på engelsk, men denne gang kommer den lige fra hjertet, og i mit hjerte bliver der ikke snakket engelsk lige nu. Hvis du som læser ikke gider læse sure opstød eller indebrændthed, vil jeg anbefale at klikker væk fra bloggen nu. Det er dagen derpå efter Dm, et Dm jeg havde både satset på, trænet til, og forberedt alt til mindste detalje. Løbet bliver skudt igang, og jeg kører planmæssigt væk fra start, og har efter ca 10 min kørsel et hul på 30 sek. Derefter drejer ruten ind på et “jomfrueligt” stykke singletrack (aka et stykke af ruten hvor der ingen spor er, men blot minestrimmel gennem buskads), og her får jeg så rykket bagskifteren af. Det var så det Dm. Min reaktion var rimelig voldsom, og udenforstående vil ikke forstå det. Cykelryttere på mit plan er rimelig ens på fysikken, det der gør nogle bedre end andre er deres evne til hidse sig selv op, finde indebrændtheden, vildskaben, galskaben og det dyriske frem, og få det tæmmet til at vare i 2 timer, samt kanalisere det ud i pedalerne. Jeg havde gjort mit arbejde, og hidset mig godt og grundigt op. Når tingene så bliver bliver afgjort af tilfældigheder, og jeg ikke kan cykle færdig, ja så skal jeg altså have afløb for mine aggressioner. Det tog lidt tid, og jeg måtte også skride hjem fra løbet før det var færdig, jeg kunne sgu ikke bære at se løbet uden mig selv i en hovedrolle. Nu er det så dagen derpå, jeg har stadig ond i mave og hoved af skuffelse. Mit liv er cykling, det er en livsstil 24/7, jeg har kørt i 15 år, jeg lever for det, og lever af det. Når det så går dårligt, er en ret stor del af tilværelsen noget lort. Og heldigvis også omvendt. Heldigvis kan skuffelsen bruges. Man skal altid tage noget positivt hjem fra løb, også de dårlige. Fra løbet i går må det blive indebrændtheden og aggressionen. Den er der masser af, og den skal slippes fri ved de næste løb. Så watch out, unleash the fury!
Samtidig vil jeg gerne ønske den nye Danske mester Simon Tarp tillykke. Han kørte sit løb perfekt, og udnyttede sin chance som han skulle. Den ene mands død, den andens brød. Nyd tiden i rød/hvid, det er fantastisk at køre i. Tag ud i europa og hvis farverne frem.(mens du har trøjen, den er kun til låns…sagt med et glimt i øjet selvfølgelig). Sport er sådan et fantastisk fristed, et sted hvor man kan være politisk ukorrekt, uretfærdig og vild, uden at skade nogen. Ihvertfald ikke sådan rigtig…..
Stepping it up
Home again from the europeans. Sitting here with my morning coffee at 11.15, these days after racing and travelling is a mess. Got home at about 2 o’clock, but the could’nt sleep it is typical, so today I am really a mess. But it was all worth it, to be honest, there has been a lack of results the past month, so my 20th spot yesterday was definatly a step in the right way. The race was brutal, I started at 51, made a god start to 25th place, worked my way slowly up to 15th spot, got tired, crashed and got cramps and ended up i 20th place. The conditions where terrible, rain and endless mud, so ridingstyle was speedwaystyle, sideways. The trip home was hilarious, the Red Baron played airguitar and forgot the way, so that we had to do some extra milage in the night. But it was fun though.
The backside today is that my body feels like it has got beaten with a baseball bat, I am still finding mud in my ears and eyes, my shorts are canstantly stuck on my injuries on my hip, I have a bike waitig for me in the basement that needs a complete overhaul, everything has to be changed. But the sun is shining, and I am a happy boy.
Update…
I woke up early today, not because of from the highway, or from Christian poulsen snoring but because today was the day where I finally got to test one of the new tubular systems for mountainbiking. So breakfast was pretty fast, and I took off for a spin on the course. Rain was pooring down, but that made testing even more fun. Half the time I was going sideways “speedway-style”, so I was riding around in the rain with a big smile. These tubulars are great fun to ride, unbelieveble tracktion, with only 1,5 bars of pressure. Pretty comfy and fast rolling…. It is a winner. I am really happy that a new set of tyres can motivate me to ride around in rain, having fun, it is small things, like that makes the difference, like kids. Today was a day of fooling araound with my new tubular toys.
While me as a pretty much grown up was fooling around, it was deadly business for the juniorboys, it was a hard day for the danish boys, and I am sure that none of them got what they came here for. But they learned some of the hard lessons of life, and realized that the other boys had done their homework as well. But they all got a lot of experience richer. Better luck next time. That’s all for today, over and out.
todays update
Woke up early today, to the beautiful noice of the highway just outside the window, so we decided to get new rooms, sleeping is pretty important before racing. After breakfast it was time for training on the course, as usual. On trips like these days go by the at the same routine everyday. Breakfast, training, eating, sleeping/watching tv, dinner… sleeping. Today was no exception. The funniest thing today was dinner. 30 min after ordering the food, it was clear for the chef that they where out of pasta. 60 min later food came, but not the food that was ordered. For example, i got chicken. Only chicken, no rice, no potatoes, no nothing.15 minuntes after we all had finished our meals, potatoes came…. in big amounts.
Well, sevice might be bad, but it was great fun. Tomorow will be a great day, it is race day for the juniors, so there wil definately be some action to watch. Tomorow will be testday for me, new tubular tyres, I am looking forward to check what all the fuzz is about. I will make you a report.
well arrived
The journey in car went well, we all arrived Zoetermeer (netherlands) in one piece, despite the Red Barons temper while car driving…. It is funny, travelling by car always take a lot more time than expected. We had planned to be here around 17.00 o’clock, but we where here at 20.00. Why is it that bikeriders can’t be realistic about time? I have been travelling on a regular basis for 13 years now, but it is the same every single weekend. The Juniors went directly to the course, and descriped it as a cyclocross highway, but hey, is’nt it what flatlandriders like the Danes are best at? I hope so.
On tour with the youngsters
Hi!
Right now I am on the highway with new danish generation of crazy bikers. We are going for the europeans, I am sure this will be a blast. These kids are crazy. I will make a small report each day. Maore later…
Ghost Cup #7, Kolding BC
Hi
On a hot, dusty and fast course (just the way I fancy) we rode the 7th Ghost Cup race. Most of the elite peloton from Jylland was there including Simon Tarp from overseas. And Simon showed very good form here two and a halv week before the Danish XC notionals as he jumped away right from the gun. Jacob Agger was surprisingly the only one who was able to follow him.
Personally I used the race to get some quality miles in the book. I unfortunately got a serious chain suck after 100 meters so I had to stop and pull my chain out in plase. After aprox. 45 sek I was back in business and in front of me was the whole peloton. On the last lap I managed to reach Simon and Agger and I took the front. On the last climp I realized that 55 minuttes on full steam had taken its toll.. Agger took third place. (photo: Brian Lykke, mcv)
| 1 | 666 | Simon Tarp Jensen | Team WEBIKE VISION | |||||||
| 2 | 18 | Klaus Vesterlund | Team Pronghorn Racing | |||||||
| 3 | 265 | Jacob Agger Troelsen | 1900MTB | |||||||
| 4 | 20 | Kristian Søgaard | Kolding BC | |||||||
| 5 | 16 | Allan Qvortrup Tvilum Bachmann | Team WeBike Vision | |||||||
| 6 | 2 | Michael Borup | Team WEBIKE VISION | |||||||
| 7 | 670 | Tyge Rasmussen | Cycling Nord | |||||||
| 8 | 682 | Kaare Bøegh | Aarhus 1900MtB | |||||||
| 9 | 673 | Peter Agger Troelsen | Cycling Langeland/Multi Atleten | |||||||
| 10 | 124 | Lars Isaksen | Kolding |
Back on track
….hopefully. After the punch in the face in last weekends bundesligarace, it was time to look back, what went wrong? Well, the short version is that I might overdid things a little, too much training, too much travelling and wanting it all too much. So in coroperation with my coach we changed my plans a little. So this week started very easy, with only riding the trails I had to ride on mondays ond tuesday demo-events in Denmark. Wednesday was a longer spin on the road with my long time friend Nicolas, and here we got time to discuss the world situation, it is always good to take care of that. That ride was therapy for my legs.
Today then, was the first hard day this week, with one 90min easy spinning on the road on my mtb, then 15 min full throttle in the terrain, followed by 5 min pause, then 40 min in racepace. I might not have set the best training lap times today, but it actually felt better. So Hopefully I am back on track.