The team taking time to relax |
I love this part of the year. I reckon it’s about the most relaxing time; weather’s been pretty good, there’s no racing pressure and I can just go out and ride for as much as I want. I don’t have to ride to a training programme – it’s as straightforward as, ‘hmmm sunny, let’s do a long one,’ or ‘oh, rain, let’s stay in bed.’ Actually, that second option is just fantasy with a one year old charging around his cot at daybreak, but you know what I mean.
Even better, we’ve just moved offices and the new place is decked out to suit a growing bike business properly… So I have a shower in the office, meaning I can ride in and not smell all day. Jealous? I even have the option to do a lunchtime turbo session if I want. Not that the urge has overcome me just yet…
The best part is that I’ve allowed myself a couple of mild hangovers. Earlier in the month we had a bit of a team end of season debrief which basically meant some food, quite a few beers and a detox spin to the local café the next morning.
Talking of the team, it’s a shame that we’ve lost Rob ‘Sharmanator’ Sharman to Sigma. Rob’s ridden really well for us this year to finish 3rd overall in the Premier Calendar and he’s been a real asset to Sunday Bicycles as a test pilot. Rob was going to be offered a contract renewal by us but Harry (our manager) had to tie up a few sponsors and Rob just couldn’t wait – he needed to know what he’d be earning. Fair enough, we all wish him well. And I’ll be keeping tabs on how his form is coming along because I do a few Wednesday morning training rides with him.
On the positive side I heard yesterday that the team has signed a total of seven riders so far, including one UK ‘hitter’, is looking good for signing a big name foreign rider who’s won in the UK Premier Calendar before (go on, do the detective work and you’ll work it out) and has made an application to British Cycling for a Continental class license…. Roll on 2008!
Greg
