Hello people
Sunday 9th November i attended the Pedal Power coaching day organised by the Association of British Cycling Coaches at the Transport Museum in Coventry.
Towards the end of the day i had a interview and question answer session about my cycling career so far and gave a small insight into the ways that i train myself.
I would like to thank the people involved in the day and Mike Dawson who organized my being there.
I really did enjoy talking to the guests about how i train and how my cycling has come forward over the last few years.
thanks to all involved.
deano

7 Comments

Hello People
My off season seems to have flown by quite quickly this year, with several none cycling events in this period i have enjoyed my time off the bike, that's for sure. I will say that i haven't enjoyed it as much as last years off season, with regards to eating lots, last year i plonked a considerable amount of weight on after returning home from our All Inclusive 2 week honeymoon in Kenya. I have been good (ish) this year.
Now that my 5 week off season has come to an end, i am starting to ride my bike again, last week wasn't the best weather to start in, so i only managed a couple of rides with friends.
Now starts my build up to another season with Rapha Condor who i will be riding with in 2009.
see some of you on the roads
cheers
Deano

5 Comments

Hi People

Sunday 12th October is the Monsal Hill Climb in Derbyshire.
For the second year running this event will be sponsored by the Derbyshire Building Society.

After many years of Organising this event David Thorpe from my home town of Rotherham is handing over part organisation to Sheffield based rider and multiple organiser of lots of events Team Sheffrec's Mark Etches.
After many years of blasting up the Monsal Hill myself i have been promoting the event along side Mark and Derbyshire Building Society. Even though i would love to be taking part (honestly) i am currently having a well deserved break from my bike. Sadly i will miss the event as a spectator too as i will be in London for the Cycle Show this weekend.

I know some of you will go out and support this event as it always seems fun watching the riders struggle up the last 1 in 5 steepest section with a cuppa in hand.
Here's hoping for great weather for the event.
good luck guys

Deano.

Sheffield Town Centre
Monsal Head Hill Climb promotion



Copyright Brian Pickering 2008.

7844 Comments

Hello people
I have just returned from Barcelona where i had my last weekend of racing for the 2008 season, a 2 day track race.
Racing went good with some good competition from ex world and olympic champions, 7th overall over the 2 days was a good end to a long season.
Now is the time for relaxing and catching up with everyone who has supported me through this season.
Thanks again
cheers
Deano

561 Comments

hello people
The Tour of Ireland has been and gone and it's now time for the Tour of Britain.
The 5 days racing around Ireland were a mixed bag for me, the first 3 stages i was in good form with a great 5th place on stage 1 and 14th and 16th stage s2 and 3. Then came the hills on stage 4 and 5 and my dreaded pain in the ass, (well pain in my hip) hip trouble, i was cruising along nicely when at the bottom of the conor pass my hip joint locked up and my power desserted me in both my legs, it was however a great stage for brother Russ, when he took out the stage and the yellow jersey too.
Stage 5 was going ok too, but the 2nd time up the ridiculously steep st patricks hill my legs and hips gave up working again and i spent the next 30km rolling around the finishing circuit to gradually finish the tour in 50th place overall.
After a shocking week for weather when i have luckily managed 3 recovery rides and 2 trips to see osteopath Simeon, i feel back on track to take on the peloton once again for the Tour of Britain.
Sunday will be the start of an 8day tour around the British isles, sadly the closest stage near my home town of Rotherham will be the Yorkshire stage which this year is from Hull to Dalby Forest in the North Yorkshire area.
Hope to see some of u guys out there supporting me and brother Russ.
until then lets keep smiling maybe the weather will get better
cheers
deano



hope the smiles last next week.
deano.

3525 Comments

hello people
its rest up time for me for a few days, as i seem to have pushed my lungs a little too far over the last few weeks.
i came out of the Sachsen Tour in Germany quite tired with a very bad sore throat, which turned into a chesty cough during the week running up to the Criterium Championship. Friday night went perfect and sunday in the East Yorkshire classic premier calander went good too considering i finished with half of my lungs on my jersey and shorts.
This week has been steady riding in training for me, which resulted in me feeling better each day in my legs. But sunday at Pendle Prem was a bad day on the bike for me, and the 2nd time up the main climb in the circuit i had to let the bunch ride away from me when i couldnt breath any harder or faster, that was the race over for me.
Now today (monday) i have been sitting on the couch trying to recover whilst drinking lots of honey tea, tomorrow i will be starting a course of antibiotics to get rid of what has now turned into a chest infection.
Once back on track i will be re-suming training for the Tour of Ireland in late August and the Tour of Britain at the beginning of September.
thanks for logging on
deano

4029 Comments

Hello people
The British Circuit Race Champions jersey is mine for 1 year.
yes i won the crit champs on Friday night in Beverley, east yorkshire.
This is the 2nd time i have won the event in my career, and this one was the hardest.
I managed to time my move perfectly with 2 and half laps to go in the 80 minute race, and won by a bike length from Rob Hayles and Tony Gibb in 3rd.
Now i am just waiting for my delivery of shiny new white National Champions kit from Rapha.
Thanks to all family and friend's who were there on the night in Beverley shouting me up the finishing straight in the final metres.

thanks for all the support all year and every year.

Deano





by a bike length.
Photo Larry Hickmott BC.



1 lap to go and at full gas.
Photo Gerry McManus cyclingnews.com

896 Comments

well people
after a few days off my bike after the Blackpool weekend which i reckon i deserved after a long start to the season. I also had the following weekend off racing, It was my first weekend off racing since the end of february, so i did other things like go to a couple of friends birthday parties.
Colne crit was a wash out with the weather, but i was going good until i got a slip on the final corner and lost valuable places for a podium finish.
Next up was a trip to Germany for the Sachsen Tour 2.1 uci 5 Day stage race representing GB, its been a few years since i pulled on a GB jersey so i was looking forward to it thats for sure.
Stage 1 was a good day for Team GB with the stage finishing in a bunch kick, we managed to get young Ben Swift up the front in the last few km's, with a great job by Kristian to keep me and Ben out of the wind, i was the last man a took Ben to 400m where he started his sprint and managed a great 2nd place behind Team Columbia rider Andre Griepel.
Stage 2 was the longest of the race and the longest i have raced for a few years, 242 km with several climbs along the route, columbia controlled the race until the twisty finishing circuit when the attacks started coming. We were trying to look after Swifty for the finish and then a break was going up the road, i went across to it with a CSC rider and we started working straight away, the bunch were travelling fast behind but we managed to get the gap up to 30 seconds, into the twisty finish and Kristian attacked 1.5km out, it came down to an 8 man sprint and with 200m to go i made my move for the last corner a 90 degree left hander i went into it 2nd ahead of Michale Rogers and came out perfect to come past and take my biggest win of my cycling career, to say i was happy is probably an understatement i would say. I even took the yellow jersey too with the time bonus on the line.


Winning in TEAM GREAT BRITAIN, awesome feeling.

3488 Comments

hello people
another weekend away from home, but this time Mrs D was with me.
We stayed in the WestVale guest house in blackpool, owned by a fanatic rapha fan Damon Warnes and his family, what a great weekend it was. Shame i couldnt say that about the weather.
Friday was another crit series, with briggsy making the podium with 3rd, myself 4th, holty 5th and KH in the top ten it was another good performance from the men in black. More points for myself in the overall was a nice bonus too, should be interesting end to the season when i will be at the Tour of Briatin and therefore will miss the last 2 rounds.
We woke up to persistant rain yes it was pissing it down and balckpool wasn't looking too great, so some of the boys ended up riding rollers in Damons basement, which they later found out was a little hot down there. I on the other hand was quite happy to have a 'day off' and chill out whilst the mrs went out shopping. The rain did stop at midday so out we went for a 1 hour ride with Damon and onto the coffee shop for more banter with the boys.
Sat night was BBQ night but as it was crap weather it was inside this time, more great food prepared by Damon and his family. Then it was story time from Damon, i could listen to this guys stories all the time, but i had to get up at 6.30 ouch yes bit of an early start for sunday.
Yes you guessed it Rain, i was wishing it was wimbeldon and rain stopped play, but no joy there and we set off fully caped up and a little bit cold, dreary conditions for the beginning of july thats for sure.
A big break went up the road but mr stannard decided to sit on the front of the bunch for 10km and drag it back pretty much on his own, after this another break went straight away after i attacked with pete williams 19 riders were in it and about 8 were working, very strange tactics from the others or maybe they were just knacked, the hammer went down when the sushine came out, but that was short lived, the sunshine that is and the rain came back, but the pace stayed on and 8 riders were in the front, we had myself and Rob P up there. In the finale Haylesy was going like an R6 and just kept pegging people back until stannard and brother russ went up the road, i was dead legged and tried to chase but nothing seemed to come out of my legs, Rob P too, so a hard end to a hard day in the saddle and 6th place for me. Brother Russ took out another win in the Premier Calendar series and i remain in 2nd place overall.
Now it is my time to chill and enjoy my 3 days off my bike, wow no bike what will i do?
internet i guess.
cheers keep logging on.
deano

29 Comments

hello people
a bronze medal on sunday in the British Road Race Championship was a 100% improvement on the weekend before in the GP Wales.
After 3 visits to sheffield Osteopath Simeon Hempsall in the week before the champs my back and hips were solid on the day.
I managed to make the winning break along with team mate Benji after about 70km of racing. We all worked very well together and gained a max time gap of nearly 4 minutes before the big guns of the bunch decided enough was enough and split the bunch to pieces. They ran out of road and the break split up too, leaving 4 of us to fight it out for the win and the coverted white jersey of british champion.
The last 10km was attacking racing with all 4 riders wanting it so much, until Rob Hayles attacked for the last time on the rain soaked decent into the finish in duncombe park taking Peter Kennaugh with him. My legs had started cramping, but myself and Dan Lloyd gave chase into the park Rob stormed up the climb to take the title and i managed to hang on for a bronze medal.
After such a disaster weekend in wales i was/am happy with the outcome of the race. All thanks have to go to Simeon who gave me treatment all week.
Rob Hayles was on fire yesterday, and even faster than the motorbikes around us at times. It couldn't have been a nicer bloke to win the race, apart from myself of course.
next stop some more crits and the next prem calander in blackpool, flat as a pancake, lets just hope its windy so it splits it up.
deano



3rd place for deano, yes it is hurting..
photo Guy Andrews..Rouleur..



Podium british road race championships 2008.
Me, Mr Hayles and Mr Kennaugh.
photo Gerry Mcmanus

2610 Comments