Mallorca - Part II.

Part II. :

Day 4.:

Ohh, yes! Rest day! The rest is sweet after a hard work... but where is the hard work? Aaa... Okay, the rest is necessary before the hard work! Doh!

I was awake around 7 o'clock, I quickly managed my "house jobs", cleaned the bike and washed out my dirty clothing. I had a breakfast and after I visited my "local" gym. Short walk on the beach in the sunny weather with a coffee and I prepared myself my active REST! :)

I went in Palma. The island capital is 25 minutes away from the hotel with the local bus service. Thanks God, I brought my earphone with me, I had to use it, because the bus was full with austrian pension people ( between 60 and a death) and I reckon this people all entered a challenge , it called " shout over each other in a small place"....local nursery stuffed with the wrong age group... Anyway, Mr Paul Oakenfold helped out me!

First of all I visited the old part of the town and I had to realized nothing changed since last year. Really nice old buildings stuffed with more and more expensive shops (Channel, Gucci...) and really nice cafeterias and restaurants everywhere. We are out of season, but everything full with tourists. After I had a good look around I started my "bad" mission!

Everybody knows, what is pleasure and good usually it is illegal or bad for you! But everybody has bad habit .... and next my usual (85%?) healthy lifestyle. I like "bad" stuff... one is my weakest point is the "good" food... american food... it means Hard Rock cafe! Where you can have a good food and a great time on the same place! :) Yes, I had a huge fatty, unhealthy, stuffed with sugar american meal! And after I felt myself really satisfied, because I know I worked for it! :)

After I stuffed my stomach full with lovely "shit" I came back in the hotel, I had an our sleep and before dinner I did 45 minutes KB ride on the beach.

Route: beach up and down

Time: 0:50

Distance: 24km

Day 5.:

And the training has been started! It was my first hilly day! I got a green light and I could to start to go up! :)

The day didn't start easy. I got a front puncture on the cycling path after 20 minutes. I had a think for a moment, should I come back in the hotel and change my tub or try to fix next to the road... 3 seconds later I filled up my front tub with Vittoria pit stop. It was a bit funny, I think I couldn't fix ever my tubs with Vittoria pit stop, but all the time it gives me little hope... but now it worked... I thought it worked, because I had to realized after 45 minutes I still have a slow puncture. Okay, not a problem, I had two Co2 cartridge with me, but no pump. Hmm... risky, but why not! :)

First I climbed up the Soller, I had a quick look around from the top and I speeded down to the village on the other side. After I started the day second and longest climb. From Soller up to Puig Major. Basically on this climb your elevation is nearly 900m. It is a really good climb with a lovely landscape. After the top short downhill and I turned my stem to sa Calobra's direction. It is a small village next to the see, 12km from the main road. First you have to climb 2,5km and after the real roller coster starts. Sa Calobra means snake. Basically little road leads down to the coast around with 50 hairpins. 12 km long road on 5 sqm place. Quick photos, and I borrowed some german cyclist's pump, because I still had a slow puncture but I hadn't any more Co2 cartridge and my pump had a rest day in the hotel's room. After I climbed back to the main road... 10 km long climb with 710m elevation!

The next station was Inca, where I arrived really quickly thanks the great downhill! The next climb was the Orient and the Col de Honor, but unfortunately my front tub given up finally and I had to turn way to home. I had a spare tub with me but no pump... luuzer... I did couple of interesting bike handling technic with my flat front tub, but I got back in the hotel in one piece!

Route: Platja- Palma- Soller - Puig Major - Sa Calobra - Inca - Palma- Platja

Time:6:00

Distance: 155km

Ascent: 2725m

Day 6.:

What I missed the day before I did today.. I climbed the Orient and the Honor and I fell off.....

Sunshine and wind, the program was usual on the morning. After breakfast early start. First station was Orient. Orient is small village surrounded with hills. Clean fresh air, beautiful landscape and two great climb. Col de Orient and Col de Honor. Everything went well until the top of the Honor. I realized that somebody stolen the hill's sign! :( Asshole! I remembered from last year this roads around here are really slippery because these are from white tarmac and covered with moss. If we take this two things and plus add a brand new front tyre and a little water flow on the next hairpin... the effect is: I FELL OFF! Shit! I taken the third hairpin on my ass and my right brake lever.. ohh my poor brand new Hudz... died!:( But the most importantly nothing major happened. After this little accident I visited Valldemossa and on the way back I climbed the Soller from the other side. On the way up rain started to piss down. When I got on the top I was full wet. I did the downhill really carefully, one accident is enough! On the way back I thought one and did a sharp left turn in Bunyola and I climbed up the Honor and the Orient again from the other side. On the way back the road turned to Paris Roubaix stile under my wheels in 60km/h speed but thanks God I managed this fatal error.

Route: Platja - Algaida- Orient - Bunyola - Valldemossa - Soller - Bunyola - Orient - Algaida - Platja

Time:5:58

Distance: 154km

Ascent: 2192m

Day 7:

Flat! That was my note in my training plan. Okay... I nearly did it... 1621m flat!

I started the day with a good old Llucmajor, after I road around the Randa and visited Petra and flow down on the Mallorcan Route 66 to Arta, climbed up to Capdepera and I road out the Punta the Capdepera. I checked the lighthouse and the local cats. On the way back I climbed up the Capdepera's castle and counted 11 cats. It was easy until this point. The way down to Capdepera was a bit fishy... 90km under 2 hours 20 minutes... back wind? I got the answer 10 minutes later! Yes! Wind... and not the type what we call breeze or zephyr... The way from Capdepera to Manacor was so so.. but when I turned on the way home from Manacor... hmmm... was interesting experience. On the way half I thought something wrong with my GPS, but I had to realize unfortunately everything is correct, just I moved really slowly. The way back to the hotel was a real fight, but I worked for a dinner and I had a double portion cake! :)

Route: Platja- Llucmajor- Randa - Montiri - Petra- Arta - Capdepera - Punta de Capdepera - Son Servera- Manacor - Villafranca - Casa Blanca- Platja

Time:5:55

Distance:174km

Ascent: 1621m

Pictures here!

Mallorca - Part I.

Part I.

( Basically I wanted to post this part 3 days ago, but the hotel's wifi was absolutely packed up. Finally I sorted the problem thanks for one of the austrian smart ass junior guy, who told me the secret.... and magic happens and wifi works! I had to say I wasn't the nicest guy, when he offered me the secret for 5 euros and I offered back him two incredible big slaps if he doesn't tell me the secret in the next second... but he didn't think on my offer and gave me the password! )

Okay, here we go!

Day 0:

I landed on Mallorca airport 15th February in a pissing rain. I picked up my luggage and my bike quickly and on the way out of the building I realized the new local bus service to Platja, this service costs €2 which one basically nearly €20 cheaper then the taxi... is the journey time longer 15 minutes? Who care??? 10 minutes wait for the bus and I was on the way in my hotel. Hotel Hispania! Same place then last year. 3 stars but the room is clean and kitchen is incredible good! This time of the year it is stuffed with austrian cyclist... After I quickly packed out and built my bike I decided to go for a short ride on the beach, 45 minutes KB was in my training plan. I rode up and down on the beach in the 17C rain with a big smile on my face. After quick shower, dinner and sleep.

Route: up and down on the beach

Time: 0:45

Distance: 22km

Ascent: ????

Day 1:

After a huge breakfast I went to buy a map ( because I left my last year one at home...) and find a local gym. I got a good tip on the reception, gym is on the next corner... I found it 10 minutes later, quick chat with the owner on international hand, symbol language ( nobody speaks english and hungarian here.... spanish, german and some french are the most popular). Anyway business done, €20 the pleasure for two weeks, bargain! Really nice local gym, same stile what you can see in old american movies, little boxing ring in the corner... free weights and all local heros... the question is, who a fuck am I? And what do I do between 20 local spanish guys... who's average weight minimum 100 kg more then mine...but I shout "Olah" when I arrive and " Adios" when I leave the place and everybody looks happy...

After I got everything (gym pass, map and mineral water) I planed quickly the daily route. 3,5 hours was in the training plan. The first 3 days basically just a warm up, I had to ride flat...

The route was:

Platja- Cap Blanc - Cala Pi - ses Salines - Satanyi - Campos - LLucmajor - Platja

Time :3:55

Distance: 125km

Ascent: 630m

It was a good nostalgic route from last year... and was a bit dejavu.. I went absolutely lost in Cala Pi and I rode around and around nearly 20 minutes in the village until I found the way back.. same happend with me last year.

Day 2:

Great! I woken up, weather was lovely... 4 hours in the plan and oh la la, some uphill work out! Short one but 6 repeats! And the plan was done already in my head! Randa! Randa is a small village close to the hotel and it has a nice hill! After breakfast I quickly prepared myself and I started my first hill reps around 11 o'clock.. I met with lots of other cyclist on the hill, everybody rode up and down...

After I finished the reps, I had a quick look from top of the hill.. quick and short because this time everything got covered with clouds. I finished of my ride with a little loop up north.

The daily route was: Platja- Llucmajor- Randa - Montuiri- Sant Joan - Sineu - Algaida- Casa Blanca- Platja

Time: 4:25

Distance: 122km

Ascent: 1800m

It was a good day with a little climb. After I got back in the hotel, quick shower, couple of protein turmix and I went in the gym before dinner.

Day 3:

Hmm.. cloudy morning, but it turned later really nice sunshine! I checked the map during my breakfast... 4,5 hours was a plan.. hmm.. Porto Cristo! I missed this place last year! I been on the road 10 o'clock already. I had to change my plan on the way because our spanish friends still didn't managed to finish the road Ma5020 since last year... I couldn't ride directly to Porreres from LLucmajor, I had to go Campos and after up to Porreres but this plus 10km wasn't drama.. I arrived in Porto Cristo quickly, I did couple of photos in the Porto and rode back to Felantix on the small road next to the beach... on nearly 150m high... :) The view was priceless! After Felantix I rode to Campos and came back on the same way.

Route: Platja- Llucmajor- Campos - Porreres - Vilafranca- Manacor- Porto Cristo - Can Gelat- Felantix - Campos- Llucmajor- Platja

Time: 5:12

Distance: 162km

Ascent: 1164m

First block is done!

What I did:

Time:14:17

Distance:431km

Ascent:3594m

Pictures in the gallery!

Hello from Mallorca

Just a quick hello for everyone from Mallorca! I am here nearly a week ago, but I couldn't post any news, because the hotel's wifi was packed up... Now, it looks the problem is sorted! I will do my report from the first half tomorrow and in the same time I am uploading the photos to my picasa album!

CAAD9 rain....

Hey Everyone!

Just a usual.. training hard, gym and turbo nearly every day. After my last week FTP test I be more motivated ( I was well motivated before... no worry!). I am really looking forward my labor test in beginning of March. I did the same test exactly one year ago and after it, I started to work with my (brilliant, genius, smart... ) new coach. Well, "we put some nice things on the table" altogether and I feel we will have a lovely season in this year! But all of this are just small steps... the final goal is far away and I have to fall down and stand up million time on this route!

This is my last hard training week before Mallorca. Next week is rest week and I am off on 15th February for 2 weeks hard work. Next week will be fun, we are off to the Fisher expo with Jay on next Monday and my birthday on Thursday 11th. I have a lots of dinner invitations already... but I have to look after my shape! :))))

Ok, back to the subject... Two lovely CAAD9 left my workshop in the last 6 days. Both are custom build. One is Dave's commuting and training machine( white one), the other on is our new customer's one, Mr John Heaton Armstrong.

Dave's one is from the Sram side, it has a Sram Force group set, FFWD wheels with white DT Swiss Aero Lite spokes and Powertap rear hub (made by me) and FSA finishing kit. It is a piece of lovely kit... but fuck, it is to big for me! 58cm! :)

John's one is a bit smaller, 54 cm frame with BB30 bottom bracket (Dave's one has a traditional one) SI crank and full Dura Ace set with Dura Ace wheels. It will be Mr Heaton's crit machine. He rode a nice Eddy Merckx but ...khhmm... the state of the bike.... John, please look after better your CAAD9! :)

Both are great bikes and I am fancy now with one.... But first I try to buy Jay's half System6 from the loft (for peanuts....) and I will turn to crit bike.... or not.. ahhh, too much thinking... or I just need our demo Synapse from downstairs??? :))))))) Anyway it is all just speculation! :)

I am off to the bed now, because if my coach see the late time next to my post, he will kick my ass!

Good night everyone!

FTP test

Just a quick update!

I did my FTP test Tuesday night again. The result is 314 watt, which means 4,9kg/watt! I have to say, I am really happy with it. It is higher than my last year personal best... and where is the beginning of the season? I am off to Mallorca for 2 weeks training camp soon and I will give a bigger impact for my strenght. Hopefully when I will be back , I can do up myself to 5,2-5,4 watt/kg!

My first Graze box!

Oh, well! New year, new gadgets, new ideas! Graze.... May be this word doesn't say too much for you at the moment, but I have to say it is a brilliant idea and will be really popular shortly!

Everybody knows how important is the healthy diet! But unfortunately not too much people care about the own diet and healthy living. If you on the healthy side, you know how hard to find good food without any added sugar, E-s and other chemical stuff! Hard but not impossible! And here comes Graze!

Graze is a small company, who supply healthy food straight to your doorstep. You just have to register on Graze site, chose your preferred food type, delivery details and sit back and wait the postman! One box cost £2.99, which one includes 3-4 different type of healthy choices. I reckon with two box/week you can change lots in your diet and live more healthy! If you feel interested, use my code and you get your first box free and the second one on half price. If you not happy with it, you can cancel it any time!

My first box included some really nice bakewell tart (almond and dried fruits), black peper cashews, pitted green olives in citrus marinade and roasted seed mix.

Your free code is: H8DP6PZB

Last 6 weeks..

I didn't post anything on here in the last 6 weeks. I didn't have too much free time, training camp, family members visit, Xmas, New Years Eve and lots of lots of training.

I had a training camp on Lanzarote between 13-24 December. It was a lovely time , I collected a lots of milage and lots of wonderful experience. Everything was nice and perfect, except my food poisoning what I collected on the 6th days. Basically it was my fault, I broken two really important rules. First of all, basic rule, if you go in the different country, never eat unpasteurised milk and yoghurt. I did and that was the first mistake. Second rule: if you feel, that something is wrong with you during your training, STOP! I didn't. After I felt my stomach bad and I couldn't drink I carried on my ride and I just stopped when I was in really bad condition. Because I was stupid, I had food poisoning with sunburn and major dehydration. It costed me 1 day training and 1 rest day in the bed! After this accident I treated myself 2dl chupito ( spanish spirit around 50%) and 16+8 hours sleep. The medicine and sleep worked and I finished my last training day with my highest SST and IF training in my last one year.

I rode around the island couple of times and I visited every small corner. Lanzarote is a lovely place for a ride I can recommend for anyone! Check the photos in my gallery!

Lanzarote 13/12/2009-24/12/2009

I flow back in London Xmas Eve day's afternoon. In the same time a picked up couple of family members on the airport, they had arrived in the same time. In the next 1 week I had rest week with lots of sight seeing and eating..... I gained more then two kilograms between 13. December and 4. January, thanks the really cheap and nice chocolates on Lanza and the lots of hungarian Xmas cakes! :P But back to the usual diet and I am back in shape ....nearly!

In the last 3 weeks I had a really hard two weeks with lots of turbo specific training (SST) which one was easier thanks to the bad ( and not usual) weather. Last week was rest week and I have a FTP test Tuesday morning... I am really looking forward, we will see what is the improvement in the last 1,5 months. I started the winter with 250 watts FTP (after recovery period). After 6 weeks my FTP went up 296 watts (it was before Lanza) and hopefully it is around 310-315 watts now....

I have 3 weeks more ( 2 hard training and 1 rest) and I am going to Mallorca for 2 weeks. It will be fantastic, I had good time over there last year. I am coming back in London 28th February and leaving again for a long weekend between 6. and 8. March to Budapest. I have a meeting with my coach and I will do some proper labor test.

My race calendar is nearly done for this year. 3 race already 100%. MucOFF 8 hours, 24 hour European Championship and Salzkammergut trophy!

That is all from last 6 weeks in nutcase!

I am off to the bed now, because I have to be really fresh soon!