Morvélo Test Team

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BMX

My buddy Dougie Young (a road racer on the endura development team) gave me a call the other night. He's an ex-skater, and was keen to hit up an indoor park near Glasgow.

We've decided to try and skate/bmx once or twice a week through the winter,

Here's a short vid of us at the park. We were both a bit rusty so this can be deemed as a before edit. Hopefully later in the year we'll have another edit with some new and improved skills.

Rab

Filed under  //   Rab Wardell  
Posted by Morvélo 

Season comes to a close!

Well, I haven’t blogged for a while!

I finished my season two weeks ago, at the UCI World Championships in Copenhagen, Denmark. I was really struggling to find form in my last block of training before the championships and unfortunately I travelled to Denmark knowing I wasn’t going to perform at my best.
I competed in the U23 World TT Championships on the 19th September finishing 52nd. I was aiming to get within the top 20 and looking at the times I think this is 100% possible. Next year,  I will be stronger, faster and smarter! Top 10 please.

The experience of being at another major championship was invaluable and gives me a lot to build on over the Winter.

I’ve been making sure Morvelo has been unoticed in the World of road and track cycling and I have some picture from my 2011 season.

Winter training starts here for me, speak soon!


Felix English

Posted from København, Denmark
Posted by email 

Waiting for mud

The 1st round of the National Trophy was in Newcastle so the first hurdle was the 7 hour journey to get there. The course was really open and so very windy. There were lots of bends which meant lots of time to make up or loose and some long straights into a head wind. The sand pit made it a bit more interesting but a bit more mud would have made it better. 

I had a good start and led the race for the 1st lap. By the 3rd lap, Corrine Hall had a 10 second lead on me and proved much stronger and more poweful on the straights. Adela Carter was pushing hard through the field and attacked on the last lap to take a well deserved win. Meanwhile, I was battling with Nicola Hamilton for 4th and managed to get a gap on the hurdles to take 4th overall, 1st Junior. A more technical course with some mud would have suited me better but now I know where my weaknesses lie.

Well done to everyone that raced. 

Filed under  //   Hannah Payton  
Posted by Morvélo 

It's like I've never been away

2006 was the last time I made the Singlespeed UK Champs. 5 years ago! Can't believe it had been so long. From about 1999 onwards all I did was just ride singlespeed when I was on the MTB. It was ingrained. The organisers took pity on my beaten-to-hell Kona back then and I was given a beautiful singlespeed Titanium DeSalvo as a prize! The best thing I've won hands down. And a game changer. I went from being happy to pootle around the hills to someone who now wanted to sprint around the hills. A change in fitness wasn't what promoted this, it was a change of bike. It simply wanted to be ridden fast. Always wanting to go faster than I currently going. It was inspiring and was the catalyst for a whole change of mindset in terms of what I was looking for in cycling. Speed. It was exhilarating and the resulting increase in fitness just made me want to go faster. Get to see more of the countryside that way, right?

And this was all 5 years ago! We've designed the t-shirts for the singlespeed champs for the last couple of years which has been great, but it's not the same as taking part. Thankfully this year it was to change. Since The Kinesis Morvélo Project I've been riding, unsurprisingly, Kinesis Bikes, but after 2 hours of faffing I just couldn't singlespeed the Maxlight as well as I would have liked so the DeSalvo came out of retirement. It was a fitting return. At last I made the short hop from Brighton to Pippingford, wondering how things might have moved on in the 5 years since I've been away. Not one bit. The same familiar faces, some new ones but with the same great atmosphere. Most of the "competitors" are there for the occasion and a ride around but there is always a thin slither at the business end who like to thrash it. Enough to satisfy my racing craving. What makes the SSUK such an entertaining race is that there is zero attitude on the track. Even in the close tussle I was having with my friend Tym and another couple of riders there was still friendly banter and some decent piss-taking.

Also there was the familiar beer stop at the bottom of the main climb.

There is no stranger, or more enjoyable, way of ensuring some close racing than the beer stop. Often by this point I'd managed to get a bit of a gap from Tym but his drinking style was too quick for me and my 'Ladies who lunch' sipping technique. This resulted in a sprint for me to catch him up the climb and my best attempts to keep the Dark Star from reversing back out. Mix this up with some proper mud fest conditions and it was a cracker. The course was excellent and despite the conditions still provided some very entertaining riding with steep drops and off camber sections. Quite often the best technique was lay off the brakes, hang on, point downhill and see where you end up.

After about an hour and a halfs close racing it came down to a three way sprint. A rider had caught me and Tym as we distanced ourselves from 2 other riders, and he went straight through. I felt wasted so stuck on Tym's wheel until the final climb and then gave it one last dig. I managed to just catch the rider with 100 metres of the line and the uphill finish I though would favour my '9 hills in 9 miles commute'. It did, just and I pipped him on the line. I didn't know at the that point what position I was racing for. Like a cross race, it didn't matter. It's the racing that counts not the position although I was told it was for 4th so got to say I'm chuffed with that!

Finish it off with a whole afternoons drinking and an evening Rollapaluza and you have an awesome event! It's like I've never been away.

Photos courtesy of Sam at Singular Cycles

Filed under  //   The DS  
Posted by Morvélo 

before the end

Epic days are upon me. Although my individual season finished two weeks ago, I have two most important matches of the 2011 season, the Polish Extraleague Play Off Finals. These matches keep me in line, and keep me motivated at training in this strong wind! Riding in two countries is very difficult. Constant travels, lack of sleep and exhaustion catches up with you. I was in . Poland last week for the Polish National Championships.

As ridiculous as it sounds, my individual record is pretty impressive, I've never even reached the rostrum in Poland. I must admit I've neglected my country recently, I haven't been ridning in the indis for ages (in fact it was 2007), just once in last 10 years so I had really high hopes of reaching at least rostrum place. I have to say preparation wasn't ideal, I had to get up at 3am to get a coach to Stansted, I have landed at 11:30 at Bydgoszcz to get to Torun for a 15:00 start.

Hot day and a long travel might have a big impact on me, although determination, desire and adrenaline pushed me to the maximum. Having a really bad draw with two outside grids (it's the formula in speedway that determines starting positions with inside gates beeing the most favourable) but managed to keep it together. I managed a second place which is absolutely dream come true. It was that missing piece of success that was eluding me for that long, and it rounds my individual efforts very well this year.

With wins at the Dash Trophies Grand Prix and a third at the Norwich Grand Prix it was then the biggest day of my riding career in America and a win in the World Championships final, the second place in the National final gives me the best season ever so far, and it's not even the end of it. The Polsih league is at its final stage and my team TSZ Pekum Torun have reached the final against the very powerful Leszno outfit. It is going to be raced at both tracks, first match at home at Torun. Ideally we want a large win, so we can control the second leg. We are a strong team and we are ready for it. 

Domestic season also draws to the end. Last sunday was my last match for Leicester in the Premier League, and a win against Wednesfield put us joint leaders with Horspath, but they have a superior points diffrence record to us. There was an emotional moment for me thanks to the clubs officials. They have presented me with the World Champion jersey, which I should receive in America, but unfortunately the organisers didn't have one. I can now put it on my wall, next to my trophy. Hope I can bring some more gold from Poland :D

Lukasz.

Filed under  //   Lukasz Nowacki  
Posted by email 

Hot Laps!

First cross race of the new season last Sunday and one I'd been looking forward to for a while. I'd been riding the cross bike on the long off road commute all summer and enjoying the fast rolling "summer only" Kenda Small Block Eights. I'd say I was 100% certain these would have to come off for the first race of the season, especially as it's in October. How wrong I could be.

Setting off from a warm Brighton, I headed north for Herne Hill Velodrome, traveling through the surprisingly deserted streets of South London. The air conditioning in the car had lulled me into a false sense of security and it was only when I opened the car door once I arrived, that it hit. It really did feel like stepping into an oven and a double check of the temp gauge in the car said 28.5 degrees! Being affectionately known as 'Sweat Boy' to some of my friends, this didn't bode well. I can wear shorts and a tee in winter and still feel over dressed!

I hooked up with Phil from the KMP, his good lady Katie, Gareth from Singular and James (who kindly took the photos and helped me not die - more later). The usual chat and faff and we were on the startline. Already I was sweating and I hadn't even turned a pedal. This time I thought I'd get to the front and not leave myself such a hug amount of work like I do most cross races. Despite my best intentions though, the top 75 from the last couple of races were gridded, so it was by default I was near the back once again. Not to worry, the bike (the Italian made CSix) has been pinging all summer and I felt confident, if not a little hot.

First lap and Gareth come flying past, I try and hold his wheel but cant handle the pace. It takes me about 20 minutes to get used to the all out assault of racing so I settle in and slowly pick off people. By the end of the first lap my mouth is dryer than Ghandi's flipflop and with no bottle I wonder how long I'd be able to keep going. Passing James I wheeze out the words "Bottle..." and luckily he gets my drift. Due to the exceptionally hot weather the organisers have thankfully allowed hand-ups. Still I'll have to wait for another lap until I get some relief. I tried instead to focus back on the racing and had found myself slowly catching Phil and in with a bunch of two or three riders.

James's life saving hand-ups gave me some respite for a moment but it was always short lived. I could have drunk a gallon and still be thirsty that day. About 2/3rds of the way through I was starting to fade. Hot, vague and tired I missed a couple of hand-ups which added to the problem. I was loosing time on the flat grass sections but always gaining on the singletrack and dismounts, so the elastic nature of the close racing kept me going.

The bell rang out that the pain was almost over and I was within sniffing distance of Phil. Try as I might I just couldn't give it the extra beans to get close and a mistimed sprint at the end meant I actually lost a few place rather than gained. Still, despite the heat, the resulting vagueness in my mind, it was a welcome if not slightly unusual start to the cross season. I could have almost prayed for mud and rain. Chances are by the next one at the end of October I won't be running those Small Blocks . . .  

Filed under  //   The DS  
Posted by Morvélo 

Red Bull Minidrome Glasgow - pics and video edit

In my last blog I updated that I had broken my wrist. In my follow up appointment I was told I hadn't broken my wrist and my cast was taken off. I was probably as confused as you guys are reading this. Anyway, I don't have a broken wrist... 

I had my cast removed about a week before the Red Bull Minidrome event was due to take place. I'd entered a while back and was keen to get on it like a car bonnet: I'd been excited about this event coming to Glasgow for a while. There were a few false starts as the event was due to take place in the summer due to licensing with other venues. In the end the date of 2nd October was set and the venue of the Old Fruitmarket in the Merchant City area of Glasgow is where the racing would take place. Red Bull went about doing what they do best and started organising a sweet night on tiny track racing.

I gave Kinesis a call to see if I could get a bike for the Minidrome. Luckily the track season was wrapping up for Oli P and his bike was posted up with some rather special Reynolds carbon track wheels which are the only set in the British Isles. I stickered up a set of riser bars with Morvelo logo's and fitted some lock on grips and flat pedals. The bike was ready to rock.

 When I arrived to sign on on Sunday I wasn't expected by the organisers. I saw the sign on sheet with the letter 'INJURED' next to my name. I don't remember informing anyone I was injured but they knew. I managed to get signed on and my bike passed with flying colours through the bike checks and it also received some admiring looks. 

I was due to qualify in group 2 from 2:30. Most of the riders where regular fixie guys, bike messengers and some hardcore street/bmx/park riders. I think I was the only guy there who normally lines up in lycra and has shaved legs... I was latter joined by another of the lycra brigade: Ross Crook of the Edinburgh Road Club. I gathered with everyone else as the first qualifier rolled out. I was stunned as were the rest of the guys and girls as Tom Asbergs flew round 10 laps of the world’s smallest velodrome in a little over 33 seconds. I had heard that 40 seconds would be fast round here and to be honest I was a little unnerved by this performance!

By the time it was my turn it was clear that 40 seconds was in fact a good time: no one had come close to Tom. I tentatively rolled my 6 practice laps before being held for my 10 lap qualifier. I decided to take it pretty conservatively and cruised round to the 3rd fastest time at that point with a little over 42 seconds. I was please. As qualifying went on I slipped to 10th and made the final 32 for the finals at 7pm.

When I returned that evening the event had jumped up a notch. There was a huge crowd gathering on the floor and the balcony, the Red Bull DJ had the beats turned to 11 and the atmosphere was growing. The remaining 32 riders would progress through knock out heats over the evening to eventually be whittled down to just 2 remaining finalists. It was also becoming clear that this was not some of the riders’ first bash on the Minidrome and we had some previous podium finishers in the building - Tom Asbergs and Kris Volmer. Slopestyle rider Ricky Crompton was also impressive in qualifying, seeding in 2nd place despite apparently arriving that morning drunk and in the back of a van... Sounds like me at a road race.

As the heats got underway the racing was tight. All riders upped their game with another rider on the track with them to chase or be chased by! There were also a number of pretty amazing bails! I managed to get through round 1 ok by catching my opponent. I was pretty scared going into round 2 as I faced second seed Ricky Crompton. I'd never met Ricky before but he's pretty burly, covered in tats and has a pretty snappy gate. When I told 4real Friel who I was up against he just shook his head and said 'Aw he's my second favourite for the night! Good luck...' In short, compared to Ricky I looked like a member of the S Club Juniors. In fact one of the girls from S Club Juniors... 

I knew I had to get a decent gate and build speed so that’s what I went for. By the end of lap 1 I couldn't see Ricky in my straight and I could sense him in mine! As the race went on I could feel myself edging ahead and I was 'pumping the backside of the sweet trannies' to use an Andy Barlow trademarked innuendo... (ooooo-errrrr) I was getting a decent line, entering the turns high, exiting low getting a good boost out and I was growing in confidence. Going into the last lap it was close. Ricky made a mistake and bailed out the track in his straight. I made it through to the quarters...

In the last 8 I met Ross Crook. Ross is a good bike handler, quick sprinter on the road and track and is a former Scottish Track Scratch Race Champion. I spoke to my gang of hardy supporters and it was clear I had a decent chance of beating him! Again in this heat I trailed from the start; some people blaming my flats without clips. I pegged Ross back and with over 30 laps under my belt I was beginning to push the limits of my bike and the track. It was super tight and I edged back in front with 3 laps to go. At this point as I switched right to cut into the turn I felt my front wheel slide and head out of the top of the track. I bailed and hit the track like a sack of shit. I slid round to the ground and sat on my ass a bit pissed off with myself. 

I retreated upstairs, defeated but smiling and I met with my rabble. A couple of pints were downed and I went to watch the final rounds. Ross went on to clinch 3rd with Tom Asbergs taking the win from Kris Volmer. The final race was so fast and the guys put on an awesome show. 

Before the finals though the latest Danny MacAskill film Industrial Revolutions from the Concrete Circus show and filmed by MTBcut was shown on the big screen. Danny was at the event himself and as the whole room watched I noticed he stood trying to ignore what was going on and looked a little shy. It was amazing to see a guy who is a real world leader and mountain biking figure almost embarrassed by the fame he has accrued through his skills. I guess it shows what a down to earth guy he is and as the film finished and the crowd applause a smile and a raised hand was enough basking for him. An amazing rider who rides for one reason only - not fame or fortune but because it's what he loves to do. Awesome!

I just want to finish by saying what a great event to have in Glasgow and congrats to everyone who competed! I’d like to say fantastic work from Red Bull and their partners as well as Glasgow Life for the venue. Let it be the start of 3 years or more of amazing cycling events in the City. Come back soon!

Keep it rubber side down (not like me)

Rabulous 

 

Filed under  //   Rab Wardell  
Posted by Rab Wardell 

Just messin'

Can't believe it's been a year.

Sun is out and concrete is ready
Takes some time to get used to the small wheels once more.
Re-acquainting myself with balance points and using arms for something other than just steering.
Remembering the time when all I did is break-in and ride Southsea for the whole summer.
Wonder where that brave(er) youngster went?
As the session draws to an end it finally clicks.
Moves remembered.
Moves pulled cleanly - finally.
After all, it's as simple as riding a bike.

Filed under  //   The DS  
Posted by Morvélo 

WMCCL Rd2

The cross season doesn't really feel like 'cross yet. Yesterdays race was like riding in an oven. Turning a corner into a head wind became such a relief even though you got lungs full of dust. It was the flattest and driest race i'ver ever done with no sections to recover. I went off hard from the start but a few laps in, i was feeling the heat. Maybe my long sleeved skinsuit wasn't the most appropriate thing to wear but i'll be complaining about the cold in a few weeks. I suffered through the thirst and the burning and didn't ease off the pressure and lead the race to a win :) My beautiful bikes road like a dream.
I then road the 25 miles home where I suffered a bit more and got up at 5am this morning for another hour on the road. A bit of recovery is needed now!

Filed under  //   Hannah Payton  
Posted by Morvélo 

Final BMBS Round, Plymouth- 9hr drive, 1 mint course, 3 laps, two legs, one bike...

...would it all come together? It's been a long season with every race throwing a different challenge at me. What was going to happen in this race? Could I still come out on top?

I knew I had to win if I wanted to win the British Series title. After riding the super slippy and actually technical course I realised it could be possible. There were three main climbs each followed by off camber rooty descents which suited me as I could recover in between the climbs. It was going to be so much fun to race!! I pre-rode with Lucy Grant (Scottish Youth racer) and as we went round she was shocked by the way I was riding... I had started to hop over everything, ride at crazy speeds and generally show no signs of fear - "em... Katy your riding like... like a downhiller!!! It's scary!" This was okay in pre-riding because your not so tired but in a race this could prove dangerous if I forgot the limitations of an XC bike... which I did....

On race day I had devised a plan. Previously, in races, I'd follow Beth and stick on her wheel, well, try anyway. So, I decided that I'd lead from the start and take early control of the race. It was a fire road start into a single track climb then another bit of fire road for a steeper climb into the more technical of the 3 descents. I knew that even if I didn't gap her on the climb I'd at least get a slight advantage after the decent. From then it was just about racing, going super hard on the climbs, nailing the descents and keeping it consistent - hopefully avoiding sickness, a back spasm, crashing at the start, mechanicals and any other possible bad luck!


(British Cycling photo. Taking control of the race)

To say my plan worked was an understatement! It worked so well that I already had a 40second lead by the bottom of the first decent. Up the second climbed I pushed on, 40seconds was a closeable gap over the 3laps. Fighting through the juvenile boys, I managed to safely complete lap one with a 50sec gap. Second lap I got slightly excited, and down the first little bit of single track I went way too fast into a little dip, flew out of it unable to squish my speed properly and straight through the tape... much to a juvenile boy's despair as he angrily SCREAMED "rider!!" at me.  Never the less I continued at a good pace for the second lap only being slightly sick due to the honey in my bottle - I didn't drink anything the rest of the lap until I got water!

3rd lap and there was no way Beth was going to catch me now. I just had to concentrate on getting a clean lap keeping a good pace, I needed to finish. Flying down the last decent enjoying every minute of it knowing it wasn't long until the finish. Through the river my dad gave me a time update "3 minutes" YAS!!!!!!!! I knew that even if something went wrong now I could run to the finish and still win. Fortunately though there was no need to run, I weaved through the switch backs to the finish. Hands in the air I soaked up the victory. It's been a long fight all season and to finally have a smooth race and to win by such a margin... well, there isn't a better way to end the season!


(Claire Oakley's photo Beth, me and Claire)

It wasn't just a good day for me, but for all the Scots!! With series wins from, Lucy Grant, Ian Payton in the Youth categories,  Callum Magowan in the juvenile male and Grant Ferguson and I taking the Junior titles the Scots dominated a mear 500miles from home! There was also really impressive performances from Ben Forsyth, Isla Short, Eve Hanlan Cole and Calum Grant (aka, JB - who over two laps got the same time as his sister Lucy!!). Well done to everyone who raced!

Thank you to everyone who has helped me this year and never stopped believing in me!! Special thanks to Dom and Paddy at upgrade for sorting out my bike, Reynold wheels and all the bits, Oli at Morvelo for the coolest kit on the MTB scene, the Hope bike wash man who comes to all the races and always keeps my bike lovely and clean, My dad for his fantastic support and everything he does for me and the rest of the Scottish lot for getting us to races and having great banter! Thanks to Beth for a great year of racing, best of luck for next year missy in that lovely champs top! :)


Next: my BC Academy application has been sent... I'll find out in October if I've been selected! Watch this space!

Win tin tin

Filed under  //   Katy Winton  
Posted by Morvélo