manche atlantique 2009 will definately be one i remember but not for the reasons i was hoping for going into the race. About 70-80k's into the race i hit a fixed bollard in the middle of the road as we swung through a small town and hit the deck quite hard on my left arm. I got back on and after a few quick adjustements the chase was on. I got to about 50-100m off the back of the peloton before the crosswinds put me to shame and i was then left in no mans land! the cars then came past and nobody seemed to want to help me today. so after chasing for about 20/30K's i finally reached the finish circuits of which we had 7 to do, each time with a decent hill finish... about 1.5k's long. It was this hill that finally killed me off as the pain in my arm kicked in and i couldnt really move it much so after one lap of the circuit i pulled out when passing the team vans. The team doc checked it out twisting it this way and that way... and his verdict was that it may well be broken and i need to go and get some xrays done very soon. So after watching the end of the race ... in envy... i headed off to Quimper hospital where i spent most of the eve waiting and people watching before finally being seen to only to be told after some xrays that they werent sure if i'd broken my elbow... they thought that it was just a fracture. couple of painkillers and a sling later and i was home. but sleeping last night wasnt fun at all!
a quick note about the race... team wise, matthieu jeannes pulled off a stormer getting away after about 30/40k's with 2 Besson team pro's and they stayed away till the finish circuits, however he lost contact on the finish circuits and was swallowed up with only a couple of laps to go. his 2 breakaway companions held 2mins30 advantage at the finish after a super impressive display of strength! chapeau.
also racing were the brits at fougeres, matt jones, ali carr, nathan edmundson and rob orr. Matt and ali both finished in what was left of the shreds of the peloton after the race was ripped to pieces with crosswinds and the hill finish. a good ride by both.
for me now, well the docs recomended about 10days off the bike but that seems pretty mad! ill hav a few days rest till i get some more movement back (can move it more this morning that i cud last nite) then maybe ill be on the turbo by mid week. hopefully anyway!
hope that your weekend went a bit better than mine!
until next time,
the semi-cripple.
a quick note about the race... team wise, matthieu jeannes pulled off a stormer getting away after about 30/40k's with 2 Besson team pro's and they stayed away till the finish circuits, however he lost contact on the finish circuits and was swallowed up with only a couple of laps to go. his 2 breakaway companions held 2mins30 advantage at the finish after a super impressive display of strength! chapeau.
also racing were the brits at fougeres, matt jones, ali carr, nathan edmundson and rob orr. Matt and ali both finished in what was left of the shreds of the peloton after the race was ripped to pieces with crosswinds and the hill finish. a good ride by both.
for me now, well the docs recomended about 10days off the bike but that seems pretty mad! ill hav a few days rest till i get some more movement back (can move it more this morning that i cud last nite) then maybe ill be on the turbo by mid week. hopefully anyway!
hope that your weekend went a bit better than mine!
until next time,
the semi-cripple.
(right: the finish, above: matthieu in the break on finish circuits)
Bad luck Tom, it could've been much worse though. I broke my collar bone early last season in France, its not only painful but totally exasperating knowing you can't race or even cycle for ages, particularly when you have form. 10 days rest means about 2 for a cyclist though! Get well soon.
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