Sunday 28 October 2012

ROC D’AZUR 56KM CROSS COUNTRY

FREJUS, FRANCE
44th OCTOBER 2012
RESULT: 14th in age category/ 44th overall

Following World Champs and Roc d'Azur marathon (see previous reports) I was even more motivated to have a good ride at my final race of 2012, the Roc d'Azur 56km cross country. This race is the main event of the festival with thousands of people taking the start line.

After being ill on Friday I had an easy day Saturday and was feeling much better by Sunday morning. Another clear blue sky welcomed the riders at the start with temperatures expected to rise to the mid 20's. The start line was pretty crazy, with around 20 people per row it was some sight to see the thousands lined up. I was on the sixth row with my sight set on a decent start; I catapulted straight into the start madness looking for gaps like Mark Cavendish would do to position himself near the front of the peloton for a sprint. I didn't quite make the front which included all the World Cup XC regulars but I was in a good group as we started the first big climb.

I rode more conservative than maybe I could have done on the descents but was making good progress everywhere else making up places regularly. There would be the odd rider who'd catch me on the descents including one Spanish guy who looked completely out of control. Turning the next corner my theory was true, he was a little too out of control and hadn't made the corner instead going straight on into the trees and shrubs.


Once again, like Friday’s marathon, the trails were super fun and were really dusty from the hot dry weather. Today though many spectators had gathered on the descents, and on some of the technical climbs. The biggest crowd however had gathered on the road climb up the Col de Bougnon where three deep the crowds cheered and shouted leaving just enough room for the riders to pass, the tunnel of noise was even bigger than anything I've experienced at a World Cup XC.

The sea views were now ahead leaving the final descent and then the dash along the beach to the finish. On the first beach crossing I caught some chap in Quick Step kit, once past him the crowds were going mad shouting 'allez allez allez Sylvain Chavenel'!! I forged ahead but on the long stretch back to the venue a group formed of around 10 riders, we entered the arena all set for a sprint, the commentator was loving it! I was fourth in the sprint (finishing just ahead of Sylvan), 21st in age group and 44th overall. The top 25 was only 5 minutes away, not bad in such a strong field, next year that'll be the target.

Every keen mountain bike racer should visit the Roc d'Azur, there's nothing else quite like it with 18,000 people pinning a number board to their bikes and taking over the hills above Frejus. Put it on your calendar next year and I'll see you there!



What a race, what a week, what a month.... what a year it’s been. There's been many ups and downs; the downs just make you stronger and the ups create stories you'll be telling for years. It’s been a great year and 2013 looks like its going to be even better. The level of support this year has been truly fantastic, especially from Mountain Trax who do everything they can to support me. Thanks to them, John Newport from Vermont Images, and all my other sponsors who've made this year possible.


Thanks for reading.
Ben Thomas

None of this would be possible without the help of my sponsors
Mountain Trax www.mountain-trax.com
Santa Cruz Bikes www.santacruzbikes.co.uk
Montane www.montane.co.uk
Fox Suspension www.mojo.co.uk
Hope www.hopetech.com
Rapid Racer Products www.rapidracerproducts.com
USE www.use1.com
Exposure www.exposurelights.com
Vermont Images www.vermont-images.co.uk
Lezyne www.lezyne.com
Jagwire www.jagwireusa.com
Kenda Tires www.kendausa.com
Phenix Metabolic www.phxmet.com
Crank Brothers www.crankbrothers.com
Clif Bar www.clifbar.com


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Monday 22 October 2012

Roc d'Azur 85km Marathon - 12th October 2012

RESULT: 14th in age category/ 40th overall

Written Saturday 13th October

Roc d'Azur is an iconic cycling festival which takes place each year in Frejus, France which is an hour’s drive west of Nice. The areas pleasant 25 degrees centigrade autumn temperatures, the fantastic trails, the coastal resort, and carnival atmosphere is what brings 18,000 people to the town for one October week. There are an array of different competitions taking place over 4 days including the cross country, marathon, endurance downhill race, dirt jumping, and tandem race (which we ARE doing next year! We just need to find a bike).

Tim Dunford has been raving on for as long as I've know him about how good Roc d'Azur is. With Worlds the weekend before it made perfect sense to make a 2 week trip and drive another 400 miles south to the coast. So it was decided perhaps foolishly that we'd race Worlds, pack the car and drive south that evening... arriving at 2am in Frejus wasn't so glamorous having raced for 5 hours and then driven for just as many (sorry, Tim had driven, I'd just fed the driver with sugary food to keep him going).


After a goods night sleep I went out Monday midday to ride what I thought to be the 85km marathon track, with some techy trails I thought it would be an advantage to know the terrain. 5 hot hours later I was back home having ridden a route which was completely wrong! It was good to be in the sun though and in the pretty hills above the coast so it wasn't all bad. It now being 5.30pm the shops were all closed apart from the bakery were I chose dinner from their delicious cake selection.

Tim had been nursing a cold virus all of last week in Ornans, staying in the same room and travelling with him I'd avoided catching anything but then Tuesday night I had a chesty cough. Otherwise I felt ok so it was a surprise pulling off the line at today's 83km Roc d'Azur marathon when I started wheezing, coughing and had no power. It felt like someone was holding onto my seatpost or someone had let my tyres down. Normally I start well but not today, Tim rode past and asked if I was okay, no was the answer!

I moved up a few places on the first climb but my heart rate wouldn't rise to anywhere near race pace. After the first hour where I'd been loosing places rather than gaining them like usual I admitted to myself that I just needed to finish the race by riding around admiring the view and having fun on the trails. There were some amazing views out there especially in the last hour where you rode back towards the coast and could look out over the beaches to the shiny blue sea. The trails were pretty awesome as well, lots of sweeping twisty sections and even more steep rocky descents.

I'd seen Tim a few times during the race, the final part of the race goes along the beach before following a rocky footpath along the beach front, I was worried Tim would catch me so kept looking behind. Riding along the beach was really good fun, I made it through the first stretch but then on the second my bike got stuck and I fell over still clipped into the pedals much to the amusement of the crowd which had gathered.


I made it to the finish 14th in category and 40th overall which was a pleasant surprise considering the world class level of competition and how ill I was feeling. Now there’s just one more race before the end of the season.


Thanks for reading.
Ben Thomas

None of this would be possible without the help of my sponsors
Mountain Trax www.mountain-trax.com
Santa Cruz Bikes www.santacruzbikes.co.uk
Fox Suspension www.mojo.co.uk
Rapid Racer Products www.rapidracerproducts.com
Vermont Images www.vermont-images.co.uk
Kenda Tires www.kendausa.com
Phenix Metabolic www.phxmet.com
Crank Brothers www.crankbrothers.com
Clif Bar www.clifbar.com

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Friday 19 October 2012

World Marathon Championships 2012

Written Monday 8th October

Its not every day you get to represent your country, pulling on your countries colours is what enthusiastic sports men and women dream of all around the world. Only one level below the Olympic games there is the World Cross Country Championships and also World Marathon Champs, each of these events decide who will wear the coveted World Champions stripes for that particular discipline.

This past weekend in very wet but beautiful Ornans, France the Marathon Worlds took place across a tough technical hilly 85km circuit. Rain had turned an already super technical track into a greasy messy bike trashing war zone! Even the most experienced riders were saying this would be the hardest Marathon Worlds ever!

Practise on Thursday was pretty fun sliding around the first and last parts of the circuit with my old teammate from Australia Andy Blair. It was great to have some time to catch up with Andy having not seen him for a couple of years. He's not lost any of his technical skills and it was pretty amusing following him down the muddy descents. On Friday Tim Dunford and I went to practise the middle part of the circuit, this 40km section was the toughest part of the track. There was everything from slippery fast rutted fireroads, out of control steep descents, boggy fields, tough rocky ascents and off camber cliff top trails which almost had me needing a parachute!

The mud on some trails was drying causing awful mud clogging, when it rained Saturday night before the race it was almost a relief to the riders as the rain would stop the mud being so sticky. With the rain tip tapping on the apartments balcony Sunday morning we nervously ate breakfast and prepared ourselves for the challenge which lay ahead.

To make things easier John and Chris from Mountain Trax had flown out to France to run technical and feed support. At the start they were there to take extra clothing which we peeled off at the last possible moments, this was much better than standing around for half an hour in short sleeve jerseys and shorts whilst it rained like some riders were doing! There were 7 tech zones all in different locations so they were kept busy and they worked the hire 'rally' car hard.

After a soaking down the 5 minute puddle filled start fireroad we turned sharp right onto the first climb. I didn't have the best of starts but once we started ascending I quickly began to make up places, the hill power training I've been doing at home had obviously worked. Reaching the top of the climb I found myself riding with the Trek World Racing Swiss riders the Flukinger brothers. I followed one of them down the first big descent making up loads of places matching the top 15 World Cup racers lines.


As the race continued I settled into a decent pace riding with another Swiss rider leading him up the climbs and then following him down the descents. Reaching the half way point I was feeling strong riding myself towards a possible top 40 finish.

Coming into feed zone 4 having successfully negotiated the most technical descent of the race I entered a series of fast fireroad descents which had become greasy with mud and rutted from the rain. On one of the steeper fireroad descents I struggle to control my speed and hit a rut which threw me from my bike and sliding down the hill on my side. No problem until my hip met with some big rocks, ouch! After a few choice words I climbed up, found the bike, straightened the bars and seatpost which had both twisted when I crashed and then got going again.

I'd lost about 10 places and something didn't feel quite right but I continued through the feed zone onto the next climb. Once ascending I couldn't put out any power through my left leg, I'd landed pretty hard on my left quad muscles and they now refused to work. I struggled to the top of the climb but was only just moving in my easiest gear almost resigned to walking, riders streamed past including first Tim, then some of the GB girls.

By the top I was in pain and was loosing body heat, it’s horrible to abandon any race let alone a race as special as this especially when you're going so well but I couldn't have made it up the next big climb.

It was a privilege to represent team GB, I learnt so much from the race and hope the 2012 World Champs are the first of many I get to attend. Thanks to British Cycling for the selection and all my fantastic sponsors especially Mountain Trax for coming all the way to France to support the British riders. Well done to the GB riders who all rode fantastically.

I write this in Frejus on the southern French coast where I’ll race my final 2 events of the year, the Roc d'Azur Marathon on Friday and Cross Country on Sunday.

Thanks for reading.
Ben Thomas

None of this would be possible without the help of my sponsors
Mountain Trax www.mountain-trax.com
Santa Cruz Bikes www.santacruzbikes.co.uk
Fox Suspension www.mojo.co.uk
Rapid Racer Products www.rapidracerproducts.com
Vermont Images www.vermont-images.co.uk
Kenda Tires www.kendausa.com
Phenix Metabolic www.phxmet.com
Crank Brothers www.crankbrothers.com
Clif Bar www.clifbar.com

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