Hello Everyone,
Well, this is my first ‘blog’ so we’ll see how it goes...
The phrase ‘a new dawn, a new day’ is often used to symbolize how the passing of one day into another can allow for the turning of a new leaf and to start a fresh. This, in its metaphorical, but also quite literal sense (having woken at 4 am to catch the ferry this morning) seems to be what is unfolding in front of me right now, as today marks a new era in my life. At 18, i have taken the decision to move to Belgium, in an attempt to persue my dream of becoming a professional cyclist.
However, I am under no illusions about what lays ahead of me, and the ultimate dream of becoming professional is just that at the moment – a dream. There lies years of hard work, suffering, pain, and obviously a little luck along the way, before this can truly become a realistic goal, but now i’m here and i feel that i am ready to give this my best shot!
With the much needed assistance of Patrick Schils, I was able to join WielerTeam Van Eyck Sport Wambeek, for the 2010 season alongside fellow rider Dom Schils and several other Belgian riders. My first race will be an interclub on this Sunday (7th of March), the “Brussels-Zepperen“. With a large, high quality field of 200 riders, this is a tough first race, but I hope to show some of the early season form I hope to have built through the winter . My next race will be a kermesse in Adinkerke on Wednesday, with a lot more Kermesse style racing to come over the remainder of the month.
This season i will be racing on a fantastic Cannondale Super 6 Ultegra, part-sponsered by Chelmer Cycles and 'Sport Essex'. The bike has been upgraded from stock with new Zipp 404 wheels, as well as Easton EA 70 bars and gore ride-on cables. With such a quality bike, and coupled with the professional (sometime pedantic) build that Chelmer Cycles are known for, the result is a faultless all out race machine which is ready for anything the rough Belgian terrain can throw at it!
It is true to say that without the generous support of the dave rayner fund I would not be racing in Belgium this year. The supprt and financial backing the fund offers has been a fundamental in my decision to race abroad, and is the driving force behind me for my time in Belgium.
Well I guess thats about all for now, until next time...
Nice design on the blog too, not bad for a chopper ;)
ReplyDeleteWoo a blog! I can imagine you struggling with the early morning start on the way there though, but I hope you are having an awesome time! Don't forget about updating your blog, it will be my way to keep up with you whilst I am away too!
ReplyDeleteAll the best with your racing, you're going to have a great year.
Sophie x
yeh it was a new dawn here today at chelmer not only in the metaphorical sense but also literally and every flat we fix is a new beginning and every shitter we work on we turn over a new leaf
ReplyDeletesophie sounds like a right little goer but don't let the thought of you not slipping it in literally and metaphorically put you off your kermesse tonight
chelmer
yeh every flat we fix is a new dawn quite metaphorically and also in a literal sort of way and we try not too be too pendantic in the repair by actually pulling the thorn out of the tyre so we leave it in
ReplyDeletebet sophie turned over a new leaf for you
chelmer