I’ve just come to the end of my much anticipated week off the bike. I’m feeling refreshed and ready to rock for my next training and racing block of 2011. Liege went pretty much as planned, really bad. I set a modest goal of making it to the feed at 170km and doing all I could for the team. Let’s just say I didn’t even get close to that feed and spent most of my day in the back of a car. These days are days that I hope I don’t have to endure too often and one that I am glad to put behind me.

The race was won by an awesome Phillip Gilbert. I know I should probably support my own HTC team mates, who in fact had a great race and where present throughout the day, but I really wanted Phil to win. He’s an awesome guy and an awesome bike rider, a massive advocate of anti-doping, keeping your mouth shut and training hard. To win one of those races he won that week is pretty special, but to win them all in the fashion he did was just incredible. He was head and shoulders above everybody and totally obliterated anybody that tried to get in his way!

So the nightmare in Liege was over and my next race seemed like a lifetime away. I rode my bike a couple of times over the next few days just to wind down from racing so hard for so long.  I ventured back to the UK for what would be my longest stay for about three years. I was pretty excited to have a bit of time at home to catch up with old friends that I hadn’t seen for such a long time. I headed out with my old cycling club where I started off my bike riding days many years ago the Liverpool Century. I told a few friends I was coming home and tried to get a bit of a group to go out and enjoy the sun and be stupid like the good old days.

I was amazed to see a group of around 40 people had turned up for the ride and to say hello. I had a great day out, just riding my bike. Something I’ve not done for a while, there was a slight bit of carnage on a tow path but all in all we had a good day out enjoyed by all… I think…

So what was next? Five days of no bike, no cycling websites, no Eurosport, no cycling talk. I was a normal person for a few days, doing normal stuff and letting my hair down (a bit) . I loved it! After a few days of normality it was soon time to re-enter the “bubble”. I ventured out today for what seemed like an eternity away from my bike, I rode for a steady 4.5 hrs with a bit of a coffee stop with a couple of my good mates who live close by! My next race is the Berlin Velothon (whatever that is) in about three weeks’ time. Until then I’ll probably be riding my bike…. a lot!

Matt

www.highroadsports.com