March Madness

March has been an exhilarating month, marked by both challenges and excitement as I’ve returned to racing and life in France. After spending the winter focusing on solo training and preparation, it’s been a bit of an adjustment to get back into the full racing rhythm. However, I’m absolutely loving being back here and diving into the competitive French cycling scene.

My season kicked off with the Melrand Classic, which proved to be quite the wake-up call. With a massive field of over 190 riders, it was a large and highly competitive race. The experience was invaluable, and it felt great to be back in the thick of things. I had a bit of a curveball too with some French license issues, which meant I had to race in my UK kit for the time being. While it was a bit frustrating, it was just another challenge to roll with, and I’m hoping that will be sorted out soon so I can represent properly in the French peloton.

The race itself was a mix of highs and lows — my legs were still stiff from the travel and the stress of settling into new accommodation, which definitely contributed to cramping up with just two laps to go. While it wasn’t the ideal result, it was to be expected given the circumstances, and it set the stage for a better performance in the next races.

Next, I took on the Étoile de Tressignaux, an elite-level race that went much more smoothly. The field was again massive, but I managed to find my rhythm and position myself well throughout the race. Unfortunately, I was racing unsupported and didn’t have access to any feed, which I thought wouldn’t be a problem. However, a series of serious crashes caused the race to be neutralized for over two hours, which threw off my fueling strategy. Despite that setback, I held a strong position until the final lap. Unfortunately, I got muscled out of place in the final stretch and ended up finishing 53rd. While it wasn’t quite the result I was hoping for, I’m thrilled to have finished my first elite race of the season and can’t wait to build from here.

Looking ahead, my next race is the Tour de Ferre, which consists of three stages, including an 8km time trial. I’m particularly excited for the TT, as I’m determined to absolutely smash it and use it as an opportunity to showcase my time trial skills.

Being back in France has been nothing short of fantastic. The training has been going well, and I’ve really been enjoying getting back on my time trial bike and fine-tuning my position. This season, my big focus is the National Time Trial, so every small improvement and marginal gain will be crucial. If anyone has any positional tips or advice, I’m all ears!

With the season now in full swing, I’m really looking forward to the upcoming races. I feel like I’m just scratching the surface of my fitness, and I’m excited to continue pushing myself and building up for the Nationals. Hopefully, I’ll be able to string together some solid results in the coming weeks.