I can't blog about a ride today because I'm a bashed up buffoon who needs a few days rest to mend my sore ribs! So I'm just going to review the year and set some goals for 2017. I also want to look at some other notable cycling achievements.
Let's kick of with what in my opinion is the biggest achievement of all. Kajsa Tylen's year in the saddle earning herself a Guinness World Record in the process of riding over 50 000kms by the 9th of December and finishing today with a short celebration ride. You can read more on her website here: http://www.ayearinthesaddle.com/
With so much great cycling this year it would be easy to forget someone or something. If it was down to me to hand out awards Peter Sagan is simply the best. I also enjoyed the Cavendish road revival followed by the sensational return to the track, especially his partnership with Wiggo. Lizzie Armistead winning the Women's Tour in Kettering was a bit special. The Olympics and then Paralympics was fabulous on the track and frightening on the road. Too many names to mention from Rio but it's good to remember that 2016 was not all celebrity deaths and bizarre politics. It was also good to see friend of C&D Cycles CC, Marianne Vos going well and then making a comeback at my new favourite sport cyclocross. On the mudbashing the battle of the vans (Van der Poel and Van Aert,) was more than a bit special!
Then of course there's the controversy with Team SKY and the TUE's. The team that doesn't cheat now appear to define this as getting away with as much as possible! Perhaps the defining image of cycling in 2016...Chris Froome the running man (also cheating but shhhhhhh!)
For my cycling friends at C&D, KCC and further afield it was another good year. I'd like a bit of reader participation at this point and ask that anyone who reads the blog leaves a comment on their favourite ride of 2016. I'm struggling to pick mine as there's a few to choose from. My favourite cycling thing is easy to pick...it's watching the progress of SuperSam. This is also a good place to thank Mark Evans and all the coaches and volunteers at Kettering CC Cyclones. You have created something to be very proud of!
One of my cycling friends from further afield set some impressive New Years Resolutions for 2015. His plan was to ride more often, drink more beer and stay single. I'm fairly sure Nigel achieved all three and then repeated in 2016 so kudos to him for that.
This brings me to my cycling goals for 2017. This year was relatively light for me as I only managed 2883 miles. For the last few years it's been over 4000 so target 1 will be to get back to that sort of distance. Another goal will be to do some more cycling in Australia. We're having a week in Noosa Heads which has fantastic MTB trails and bike hire available happy days! http://www.bikeon.com.au/where-to-ride-in-noosa/noosa-mountain-biking/ In the New Year we have three cyclocross races in a row. If it works for SuperSam I'm hoping to do the novice races in all three and then for the 2017/18 season I'm going to move up to my age group. This year I want to do a time trial. I also want to complete a Strava climbing challenge because I haven't managed that yet. It might require some Everesting but if that's what it takes! Finally I'm going to ride as much as possible with my friends. I had a break from C&D Cycles CC this year, I won't make the same mistake again (except whilst I'm Australia!)
All that's left to do is to thank everyone for a wonderful year of cycling. Big thanks to all at C&DCCC. You're a great bunch and you make cycling even more awesome. Thanks also to Chris and Andy for keeping us on the road. Thanks to everyone at KCC Cyclones and to any cycling friends not attached to clubs. Finally as massive thanks to Mrs Lindsley, the Queen of Cakes, Not only does she keep us fueled with baked products I'd never be able to do as much without her support.
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