Tour Of the North 2014

Tour of the North Stage 1

Got to sign on in time, went to sign my name and it wasn't on the start sheet! Whoever printed and sorted numbers must not have used the most up to date list as I was no where to be seen. The race director Joan said she would sort it out so panic was over.

I headed back to the car to get ready and Joan came over shortly after with numbers and said Conor Murphy was not here so I could have his numbers, I said I would be keen to ride for Caldwell as opposed to guys I don't know so I popped over and they were happy enough with that.

The neutralised roll out was frantic as anything, people fighting to get near the front and then there was a crash... I got up to the front just before the flag dropped and was first to attack and drilled the front for a while, I thought I am going to be doing the same watts down the back as on the front so at least I am safe up here.

Just before the first big climb of the day I was poorly located towards the back but was able to move up as the climb progressed and went over the top in around the top 10. The decent was mental! I unfortunately got a bit freaked out and was down the back by the tight left hander (the same one as last year) I was able to gain some places on the inside and pass a few on the first kick but it was flat out to get on and round people but I made it, think I was last person to get over!

On the same bit of road there was a high speed crash someone hit the motorbike that was in front of a car it took down quite a few, I was able to get round the people on the deck and back onto the main bunch without too much bother.

Into the next climb I was well up towards the front and got up over that well positioned and made a few attacks. I knew there would be some fast descending so was a bit nervous but the bunch was well depleted so that made things a little easier.

The next climb again I went up it steady and kept good concentration on any moves that might go and kept an eye on a few people. It was hard but I was never in any worry of going over my limit.

The last climb was pretty tough going and as we got towards the top there was some strong cross winds! the speed ramped up in this and it was small groups starting to form. I committed to chase across to the front small groups and got on and was in a small group of around 10 at one point.

with about 10 miles to go we were 10 or so but nobody wanted to commit themselves and the group began to swell in size.

The cross winds were strong all the way as we were heading towards the finish i kept to the left of the road and didn't give much shelter on my inside and let people come round me to shelter me a bit. A few attacks were going off but everything was being brought back, the group continuing to grow as other riders got back on and worked their way up through the cars again.

I wasn't sure where the finish was to be honest and didn't know the distance exactly with about 10km to go I was on the front doing a fairly easy 200w and recovering a bit nobody attacking.

6km or so a slight climb and McKee from Banbridge kicked hard and another got on his wheel. I reacted to it and started to chase I looked back and I had a decent wee gap of about 5 seconds from the main bunch with the other two 5 seconds in-front again. The only problem was I had a man on my wheel!

I started to drive on and I flicked the elbow but we couldn't get working together well so I sat up.

Was surprised to hear they stayed away and got 15 seconds or so on main bunch.

I rolled in with what was left of the bunch.

Tour of the North Stage 2

When I heard the route for the TT was going to be a mile longer than last year I thought that would swing things a little more in my favour compared to last year so getting up to the start this morning and finding out that a burnt out car on the course would see the route shortened by 1 mile I was pretty disappointed. Never the less I got warmed up and psyched up for now what would be a 5 minute effort. With no real wind it would take a little away from my slimmer more aero build also so it was just fly and die and hope it would be enough, I didn't fancy myself over 5 minutes so much as its very different to a longer time trial.

After all was said and done I ended up 3rd, 2.5 seconds off first or so. What a thing I'm certain I would have been the best man there had it of been another mile as I felt fine and the finish line came too soon, my heart rate 10 beats off max.

Anyway I got a nice trophy for 3rd which is nice to have never the less and not many lift those sort of things at these kind of stage races.

Tour of the North Stage 3

After the TT I was pretty high up overall on the GC going into stage 3! It was pretty hectic on the rollout with another crash before the race started.

With the way the winds were it was pretty handy to sit in and I was very comfortable down the back wasn't much of an issue sitting down there and I didn't really need to be up in the shit zone of the bunch but I was missing out on any moves off the front.

There was a bit of a split with a group of about 20 in front and then a small break up the road from that. They were about 35 seconds up the road and a number of riders were trying to jump over. I made a move and was brought back and then put in a bigger dig on the climbs and got clear and TT'd over by myself.

By the time I got over that small group was stalling and looking at each other and before long the bunch was back on us.

Thomas martin made it into the front break and I set about marking moves out of the bunch etc.

The course was similar to 2014 but we went off the circuit onto another long section of road Thomas was now back in the bunch and there was a small group up the road so I got to the front and nailed it for on my own and hoovered up anything that was hanging out front. I was also at the front for a really sketch bit of road which was lots of wee tight down hill right and left turns! I was working hard but if I was down the back if be chasing on just as hard so was nice going through those bits first wheel.

Some attacks then went off and two of the Caldwell guys got into the move so was all good and I was able to sit back in the bunch again.

We hit a very steep climb small group up the road about 30 seconds now in front. I worked my way up the field as boys blew on the climb and went over with the chase group.

Riders started to stall and I tried to jump out of that group myself but was marked so I just sat in from then to the finish.

The chase group of about 10 swelled all the way to the finish.

I dropped from 3nd on GC to 13th overall on the GC, 17 seconds behind Yellow. Caldwell sits 2nd overall in the team classification.

Tour of the North Stage 4 

Great weather this afternoon for the final stage of the TOTN. With a little breeze I knew it was going to be a fast pace run! We had a bit of a team talk and the idea was we would all sit in and wait and do no work for the first half of the race and let the jersey teams etc take it up. I stayed down the back which was comfortable enough for the most part bar a few chasing on sessions out of corners.

Cars started to come through the bunch and at that point I knew it was a sign the break had gone out to a considerable gap. I moved from the back to the front behind one of the motorbike marshals and Paul give me the go ahead to drill it.

I got on first wheel and flicked the Garmin to show me the watts and heart rate and started laying it on thick! boys were then trying to leap off the front and eventually they learned they were not getting off the front when I am sitting at 400w.

I drilled it solidly for quite some time, the motorbike Marshall constantly giving me information the gap was coming down.

We hit the springwell with me front wheel and I was in the zone I set a hard tempo from the very bottom and the gap was over a minute going up it and as I pushed over the top it was a mere 25 seconds.

I pushed hard over the top to make sure nothing would get away at that point (I was later told I split the race in two with the pace up the springwell) but it was clear to see it was a smaller group as we went over the top, now about 40-45 riders with around 15 up the road.

we were now doing close to 50mph down the other side with riders swinging from side to side thinking they could get off the front, how stupid! I bailed out and swung off and moved to the back about 10 seconds later I saw an IED explode and bikes riders and wheels were flying every which way it was mental I hit the brakes and scrubbed off enough speed to be able to avoid the bodies and bikes that littered the road. It was one of the worst crashes I have seen and that goes for watching smashes on TV.

I chased back onto the group and made contact as they slowed for the turn up Cam forest. I got back up to the front and started to rattle out the big watts again.

I closed the gap to the break just before the last ramp on the climb. 3 of our guys were able to launch over the ramp and get into a front break I was then able to sit on the second group and let them do all the work over the other side.

My legs were recovering nicely as they were turning themselves inside out to get back in the race.

it all came back together again all be it a much smaller group but I knew those that got dropped on Cam would be closing in on us and all the Caldwell were now in this front group so I got on the front again and started pulling. A few attacks went which i marked and then I somehow found myself drifting off the front when I looked back!

I then drilled it and pulled out a bit of a gap I had spent a fair bit a short while back so wasn't expecting to stay away to be honest but I wanted to make the jerseys work!

Two guys were attempting to ride over to me but all they were dragging the jerseys up the road. It was pretty pointless but guys now see me go off the front and think I am a dinner ticket to a victory or something if only they knew how badly my legs were now screaming, and I wasn't really in the mood to work with anyone. I sat up immediately when I was caught. 2 other lads got off the front and after I brought that back I was done for the day I swung off and went to the back and stayed there for the final 8 or so mile doing my best to keep contact to try and help us in the team overall.

Craig McAuley was able to get in the winning move shortly after I went to the back and it was then sorted that I had to do no more.

We ended up with 2nd in the Team overall missing first by 2 seconds.

Craig and Darnell lifted prizes for top 10 GC and KOH prizes also.

All in all it was a very enjoyable stage race and I enjoyed being able to use my strengths to help the other guys in the team where possible.