Racing in the Basque Country🇪🇸 🌧❌

After a disaster of a race at Paris Roubaix Nations Cup with my Handlebars braking on the first sector and having no no spare bike I was going to Spain with high hopes of getting a result.

Gipuzkoa Klasikoa UCI 2.1

Had to get up at 2am for an early flight from Gatwick to Bilbao. Once landed I got a bus to San Sebastián and then a taxi to the riders hostel. It rained all day the day I arrived so apart from unpacking my bike and walking to the shops to get some food I just relaxed in my room and caught up on some sleep.

The next day it was still raining but I wanted to get out and ride the second stage as it wasn’t far from where I was staying.
I rode the majority or the course and then headed back to the hostel to clean the bike and make some food.
That evening the rest of the team arrived and then on the Friday we went to pre ride the 1st stage. Thankfully the sun was out and it was a lot warmer for that ride

Saturday morning was an early start for breakfast and straight out after to get to the first stage.

It was a big field of approximately 170 riders. Colder again and a chance of rain.

After about 45 km there was a leading group of 4 and at 50km a chasing group of 4. Currently still in the main bunch I decided  to make my move. I soon caught the 4 ahead and formed a group of 5 before the first big climb,

The first climb saw us down to just 2 chasing the leading group up the climb.

We were then the leading group of 6 before the top of the climb

2 of the riders were starting to loose contact and we were down to 4 riders heading towards the final climb and I was still feeling good.

Unfortunately on the down hill with less than 20km to go 2 of us came down on a wet bend.
I initially tried to get up but had hit my Coccyx on the curb & nearly fainted so I was taken in the ambulance to get some X-rays and patched up. Thankfully nothing broken but quite sore and a lot of disappointment to deal with !

Thanks to everyone for the support this month especially to Bournemouth Cycleworks for the multiple quick repairs !

Back to training and nothing big for a few weeks, just a few local events.

Then SPIE International Holland /Belgium  20-22 and National Champs Yorkshire 28-29