Must learn to smile next time (and breathe!) ©Korneel Wever

Track cycling has always been a favourite of mine. To watch that is. The anticipation of the cyclists lining up on the track, skin-tight lycra and a face full of determination and concentration, the whirring sound of the wheels spinning at 60kmph+ on a banked wooden track; the creaking boards going un-noticed under the sound of excitement.  There has however, always been that little ‘voice’ inside, whispering at me with excitement at watching the pros do what they do best ‘you should do this Hayley, you’d love it!’. As a spectator though, the thought of taking the leap from a comfortable seat in the grandstand to the saddle of a track bike is daunting. But, I remind myself that I am Hayley *fearless* Davies, and I can do this!

Technically I had 9 months to prepare myself for my first experience, having had to cancel my initial session last January due to injury. Taking a leap of faith however, means committing, and so I booked myself on to the first ‘basic training’ session of the 2012/13 season at Amsterdam Velodrome.

Besides excited anticipation starting to form, small niggles of doubt were also playing on my mind in the weeks running up to the session; ‘what happens if I don’t enjoy it’ - counting on this experience to transform me from an average roady to a hooked-tracky; ‘do I have the power and speed it takes… let alone the lung capacity to get me through it?’  But, having built a network of track cycling friends around me, they yet again assured me in knowing my passion for speed; I am not only capable, but I will love it too. If they have faith in me, then I can have faith in me too!

Feeling confident! ©Korneel Wever

With 3 indoor tracks throughout the Netherlands; the same number you’ll find in the whole of England and Wales, you could say we’re pretty lucky. When I moved to Holland 2 years ago, I jumped at the opportunity to watch the World Championships in Apledoorn, my first experience at seeing the events live. However, nothing can prepare you for the moment you are stood on the edge of the 200m track, overshadowed by the 47 degree banking; steeper than an average track of 250m – ‘oh my god! I can’t ride on that!’. Shutting the thoughts out, I get down to finding a bike (small enough) and circling the centre court ‘don’t forget you can’t free wheel. And you may find it easier to grab the side to clip in/out’ shouts the instructor. ‘Oh god. The banking is nothing. I have to clip in and out when stopped?!’ But, much to my delight, as seen on my face here, this bike is pretty comfy, and after completing a couple of event-free laps, I feel in control. I am ready!

The instructors gather us on the track and talk us through (in both Dutch and English, happily accommodating our expat needs!) a series of skill exercises from cruising the concrete, getting comfortable in the Cote d’Azur (the blue strip), and slowly coaxing us up onto the boards and around a set of cones set out and slowly moved up until we’re right up at the barriers on the top straight banking; all while looking around and becoming aware of the other rides on the track.  Wow, that’s a lot of things to think about! Of course, I have a minor panic attack when a rider in front slows suddenly as I climb the boards, letting out a little squeak (much to the delight of my friends who happened to be sat on the barriers at that exact point); but, I control it and carry on… this isn’t so bad!

Happy with our track-maneuvering skills, we move on to the fast-flying laps. The part, to be honest, I was most nervous about. Split into two groups of 8; the first group is lead out by an instructor and told to build their speed to a minimum of 35kmph, the speed at which you have enough momentum to hug the boards through the banked corners. ‘What you won’t know’ the instructor starts, pointing out the lack of speedo, ‘is if you are actually at your optimum speed. You just have to go for it’. Thankfully, I was in the second group which gave me the opportunity to watch what the other riders were doing; and what they shouldn’t be doing!

Then comes our turn. With a deep breath, I push off from the side, behind 4 other cyclists and the instructor on my wheel. We build the speed to what must have been a comfortable 35kmph, until we’re riding in the ‘sprinters line’ – between the black and the red. Within the first fast lap I find myself gaining on the cyclist in front of me– ‘Over take Hayley!’ I hear from behind. Over take?! Is he mad?! That requires going higher… ‘OVER TAKE HAYLEY! DO IT NOW, BUILD YOUR SPEED’. OMG ‘I can’t do it’ I shout back ‘YES YOU CAN! DO IT NOW!”. That’s it, I’m going. I push through the pedals building my speed with power I didn’t know I have, take a quick glance behind and the next thing I know I’m up beyond the blue line, passing the 4 other cyclists that were in front of me, with the cool wind brushing against my skin. OH MY GOD!!! I’M FLYING! THIS IS AMAZING.

I don’t know whether I am holding my breath or if I am over come with adrenaline, but the room is spinning. I slow my speed and head back down to the Cote d’Azur, but after only one recovery lap, I’m back up and flying around again before the whistle is blown for us to gather back at the centre. The instructor gives us a couple of words of advice; to me ‘don’t build or break your speed so fast, other cyclists around you may not be able to respond’. Got it. We’re soon back on the track, riding in two groups, wheel to wheel until the final whistle is blown. Two and a half hours, over so soon? I was only just getting started!

Many say track cycling, regardless of whether it’s your first go, or your 10^th go, is addictive. They’re not wrong! Speaking with the instructors after the session, I’m approved to move up into the ‘introduction level’. Not five minutes at home and I’m logged on to the website booking myself in for next Sunday’s session. My track cycling experience; to be continued….!
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Basic introduction clinics are held at Amsterdam Velodrome on Sundays throughout September – March and include a 2.5 hour skill session with qualified trainers. Bike, shoes and helmet hire are also available starting from 11 Euros for the session.

Originally featured on cyclingshorts.cc

When considering a cycling holiday, one of the first destinations many will think of is France. The rolling mountains, the colour littered fields, the warm sunny weather and all the fresh carbs you can dream of from the local patisserie.

So, I guess it’s no surprise that I spent a week en France this summer dans ma velo!

The Vercors, a region not familar to most, is a range of mountains in the Rhone-Alps, otherwise known as the Prealps; a 1.5 hour drive from Lyon or half an hour from Valence (Eurostar/TGV drop off). The scenery is simply stunning. Sheer rock faces suddenly appear on the horizon, displaying thousands’ of years of history, as the surrounding farmlands provide green tranquility. And, the roads through and around the Vercors are not only well kept (no sneaky pot holes) but quiet too. And by quiet, I mean you’ll see only 1 or 2 cars on a 4 hour ride!

Within riding distance are the beautiful and historic towns and view points of Pont en Royans, who’s houses hug the cliff-side; St Nazaire en Royans which is over shadowed by its aqueduct and fresh water lake; and Europe’s largest gorge, the Combe Laval; which, when cycling through can only be described as a scene from a James Bond car chase.

I stayed with Velo Vercors, a small but specialised cycling holidays company run by Roger – an ex GB pro cyclist, and his wife Teresa. Velo Vercors cater for everyone, that is, families that may get out on their bikes a couple of times a year but want to explore the French countryside, through to training camps for cycling clubs (sounds familiar!). And, with a broad range of abilities they also provide a range of suggested/mapped rides from 10-20km routes to spend the day at the lake; to a climb (and descent) up Alpe d’Huez, only 1.5 hours drive away. Arranging bike hire prior to your arrival, travelling there couldn’t be easier.

Their typically ‘French’ property, in the heart of St Jean Royans, one of the larger towns in the region, boasts self-catering gites (rural cottages) for a weekly break or B&B accommodation with independent front door access for shorter stays. All surrounded by fantastic gardens, a ‘summer lounge’ and of course, over-looked by the stunning mountainside. Plus, there’s an open-air pool a 2 minute walk up the road for the well needed rest days, and a masseuse on call to ease out the tight legs after a hard day’s climbing.

Roger, cycling clearly in his blood, is available as a cycle guide or domestique, which makes riding in a new area a breeze – there’s no worrying about taking the wrong turn, plus with his experience, he provides great advice and tips on the climbs and descents. God knows how he keeps going though – Alpe d’Huez twice and Mont Venteux in the space of 1.5 weeks? He must have a motor hidden somewhere!

All in all, a week at Velo Vercors may be absolutely shattering, but is definitely a holiday worth taking!

- Local area ride: http://runkeeper.com/user/hayleydavies/activity/100305127
- Tour of the Vercors including Pont en Royans, Col de Carrie and Combe Laval: http://runkeeper.com/user/hayleydavies/activity/100676919

Not able to attend group rides for the past month and a half, has not only been personally frustrating for me; but has also made me realise the importance of group-ride leaders in organising and leading out rides.

With many new members, some who are also new to Amsterdam, riding alone can be hard (more so in the lovely Dutch Wind!), and a little daunting, especially if you don’t know where you’re going!

So, to solve this, we’re introducing dedicated Cyclodam Leaders.
The role of a Cyclodam Leader is to maintain regular attendance and become a ‘face’ for Cyclodam. They’ll organise regular rides when myself or Monica aren’t available, to help maintain consistancy (and encourage you shy members to get out more often) and help define the route, distance and pace for that ride. They’ll also welcome new members and ensure those that are new to the sport, are comfortable on the ride. Of course, they’ll be sticking to our regular slots of Saturday and Wednesday; but don’t be surprised if you see more activity popping up too!

So who are your leaders?

Chloe has been a Cyclodam member from the start. She’s a triathlete at heart; making her a very competent cyclist. Having lived in Amsterdam for a couple of years, her knowledge of routes is excellent – don’t be surprised if you discover a new route!

Amavel is a seasoned cyclist who has the speed and the tenacity to make any ride enjoyable. Cycling almost every day, Amavel is very accustomed with routes in and around Amsterdam – make sure to ask him about the route through Vinkeveen & Breukelen!

Want to be a leader?
Do you know how to get from A to B? Can pace a group and make sure everyone’s happy?  Do you love cycling? If you can answer all 3 and want to help organise and lead group rides – get in touch!

Hayley x

The Amstel Gold Race is one of the most famous Dutch cycling tours (and pro-race classics). Set in the ‘Dutch Mountains’ of Limburg (yes, there are parts of Holland that aren’t pancake flat!), a 2.5 hour drive south of Amsterdam, it’s one of the most sought after events for any avid cyclist. After previous years of over-subscription, this year was the first in which a ballot for places was held, competing for for 1 of 12,000 race numbers for distances of 65, 100, 150, 200 & 250km. For me, and a few other Cyclodammers, our luck was in, and I was excited to receive my first race pack and start training for the event. And, after having to pull out of the ‘Dam tot Dam’ last year, this was not only was this my first AGR, but my first sportif too.

Of course, this being me, it didn’t go without a few bumps along the way! After working hard with my wonderful physio (also known as the ‘torturer’ for many good reasons) at re-strengthening my hip, I decided it was a good idea to go snowboarding in January. ‘Oh dear’ is the correct assumption here – 2 days into my week ski trip, I developed some beautiful bruising on my leg and a knee that, quite frankly, no longer looked like a knee. So, 3 months before race day, I’m back at the hospital having MRIs and xrays and doubting my chances of actually getting on the bike in time to not only train, but be capable of riding the 100kms! This though, is where the story of the ‘Torturer’ becomes ‘wonderful’, and much to my relief and sheer joy, I was able to not only complete the AGR at the weekend, but also in the time I was hoping for.

A happy snap at the start

Training
So, with a fresh injury, my training didn’t go quite to plan and I wasn’t able to get back on the bike until the 2nd weekend in March and even then I had to start from scratch, building up each week from 25km – 75km the weekend before AGR. On the last training ride, I’d noted that my lactic tolerance wasn’t great, which made me question if I’d have what it takes to get over the climbs on the 100km course, and with the knee still not fully fixed, resistance was going to be tough. There was only one way to find out!

Race Day
The atmosphere when arriving in Valkenberg was buzzing, and only got better as the weekend went on. It was a great start to the weekend, and on picking up the final race pack, all worries disappeared and I was genuinely excited to get on the bike and ride over the start line at 8.30am the following day.

100m into the start of the ride, my speedo/computer decided to fail – typical! A little bit of fiddling around and it still wasn’t working. I could have stopped one of the on-route mechanics, but decided to carry on without. This was either the most stupid idea, or the best; and I think it’s fair to say it actually paid off!

Enjoying myself at 70km

I’m not great on climbs, particularly as I’ve done 90% of my cycling in Amsterdam – the flatest of flat places. Any sign of an ascent and I panic. I get caught up in being in the right gear, how fast I’m not going and let my brain over take any confidence I would normally have and let my conscious believe I’m not capable of making it. But, all of that seemed to change this weekend – I listened to my body and enjoyed every km (well, apart from my rear mech jamming on a decent at 50kmph and the unfortunate sight of a man having a heart attack at the top of one climb).

Not knowing how many km’s I’d done was a little confusing and although the route was extremely well marked, this was the only thing missing. I particularly missed knowing my distance on seeing the ‘Welcome to Valkenburg’ sign at what was clearly 80km and not 95km – a slightly early celebration in my head was quickly dampened at the realisation there was still 2, particularly tough climbs to come, including the Cauberg! I wish I could say I had the legs to get over this, but at the toughest point and out of energy gels, I did unfortunately have to get off and push – and I think the photos show particularly well my thoughts at this point – ‘ouch’!

4 hours, 7 minutes, 3 GU gels, 1.5 litres of water & energy drink and 1 banana later, I crossed the finish line – I did it! And, not only did I do it, but I did it on my own and in the time I had in mind – whoooohooo!!  I sure was happy to see the massage table and my compression tights!

Pro-race

Valkenburg was one big party town that evening. I’ve never seen so many race bikes scattered outside bars – without locks for that matter too! The town was alive and was still alive at 11am the following morning when the  pro-race hit the Cauberg for the first of 3 rounds. The pro’s certainly show you how it should be done.

All in all a fantastic weekend and I can’t wait to head back in September for a weekend of cycling and the World Championships.

___________
Results:

Hayley Davies – 100km – 4h7m12s

Neil Smith – 100km - 4h44m15s

Sabrina Godri – 100km –  5h16m42s

Femke Kop – 100km - 5h16m51s

Mariette Steevens – 250km - 8h11m8s