Tom Vessey Cycling: Early Season Trials + A Subtle Plug

Gidday Team

Back by popular demand! Ha that one will cost you a few stubbies Tui.

Been a long time since the last write up so could be a little rusty.

Since arriving in Europe, I have hit three major races with a couple going a little wayward.

1.1 Pro GP Cerami

Cerami was the first race back on Euro soil and plunged straight into the deep end with a 200k pro race. If you don’t make the break in these races and the break is less than 5 guys, it makes for a pretty leisurely day on the bike until you hit the local laps. With around 40k to go the pelo started smoking along to pull in the EB and line up for a bunch kick. Unfortunately for me I flatted out of the race with 10k from the finish. A decent hit out for the first race back into the swing of things.

U23 Liege-Bastogne-Liege

This was a race I wanted to do well in, I knew it would be difficult but was keen to give it a crack anyway. It’s a hilly race with 4 or so of the most famous Ardennes climbs and the u23 version of the pro classic. At the start of the race it was full tap with every man and his dog trying to make the break, I decided it was best for me not to get involved in that and conserve a bit of gas for later in the deciding moments. During the narrow roads and dangerous parts I had my brilliant reindeer teammates towing Santa’s spicy sleigh in an armchair ride at the front, avoiding the kamikaze Belgies behind. Over the major climbs I made all the front select groups, however on the last major climb, the La Redoute I could quite make the front few riders and had to settle to finish in the second group watching the front ride away. Little bit guttered on this but can’t really beat myself up too much. Didn’t have the legs on the day, got a few years in u23 so will be on the hit list next year!

1.2 Paris-Mantes

From what I remembered of last years version of this was the 3 rooms with one double bed between 6 riders, so I was stoked to see two beds per room this year! No one was going to roll over and be the involuntary little spoon, phew. Although when I decided to room with Van de Maale I wasn’t aware that he is bike rider by day and foghorn by night. The best way I could describe it would be my old second hand Honda XL100 moto with the burnt out spark plug trying to kick start the bastard. Accurate description I reckon, it’s for sale too, nice rig. Anyway, onto the race.

180k of hills that really suited me. We had and 8am start which was less than ideal to smash some tucker down at 6am then make my way to the start. The first part of the race I went too early for the wrong move and missed the EB, however the jommes were feeling peppy and at the 120k mark me and one other dude bridged the 45sec gap to the leading 8 or so, putting myself in a good spot to start looking at a decent result. However on that thought, another group of 15 or so made the junction across the gap with 25k to go. A few greasy Frenchies slipped off front and we were left to fight it out for the remaining few places. In the bunch kick I was tracking for a top 10 overall but I dropped my balls a little bit when a rouge back wheel came out in front of me and settled for 21^st instead. Not the result I thought the legs were capable of but not bad all the same.

In other non-racing news, could be getting a new barn mate in the next week or so. Just waiting on the UCI License or something! Be a good change from running solo for a while. The have a couple of junior SAFA’s coming at the end of May/start of June. The barn will be buzzing.

Until then,

Stay classy you lot.

Vess.