The euro swing begins

After the early season lack of thrills and plenty of spills! Through in some race cancellations and program changes! I will finally get the season going proper in the volta catalunya tomorrow.

I love this race, don't know why, maby its because its in the land of the most relaxed people, I.e. the spanish, there casual demeanour seems to be infectious! or could be the late race time starts giving me the chance to sleep in all week, whatever it is there is something relaxing and enjoyable for me spending the week down here in the catalun region of spain, which is basically the area that surrounds Barcelona.

The race has a format that I really like. A couple of days to soften the legs, not to hard and not to easy which usually arrive in large group sprints but normally a more tired group than crazy chaos of leadout trains and revved up fast men!! So for me this is a more enjoyable way to kick of a race. Then there are a couple of hard mountain top finishes where the GC is sorted and if you like the climbs you have plenty of opportunity to display your skills. Next up is a couple more harder sprint stages which is again enjoyable and then a final shorter stage in barcelona which this year is circuits of a hard little climb which will ensure the pressure needs to be on the pedals all the way to the end. So all in all its a great race and one I am anxious to get my teeth into this week.

I have had a good last couple of weeks since arriving in europe. For the first time I have had the opportunity to adjust to the time and climate change in a very relaxed manor without the added stress of heading to a race or training camp. It been great just riding around and re familiarising myself with my training rds, getting back in the routine of meeting basso along our usual reunion point to head of for training, set up my apartment, and most important enjoy the italian food which seems to be incapable of ever letting you down! The italians sure do get the things to fuel your body just spot on right.

So with this great few weeks of settling in, banging in some harder training in the past week or so and all the time being perfectly fuelled up I am champing at the bit to pin the number on and get stuck into the season proper!

Cjw

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