Morvélo Test Team http://morvelo-test-team.posterous.com See the other Test Team Riders posterous.com Wed, 07 Nov 2012 06:08:00 -0800 European Cyclo Cross champs http://morvelo-test-team.posterous.com/european-cyclo-cross-champs http://morvelo-test-team.posterous.com/european-cyclo-cross-champs

On Saturday I raced for GB at the European Cyclo Cross champs in Ipswich. It was an incredible experience and I will never forget it. The course was extremely dry and super fast. Id practiced all my lines the day before so I was ready to give it everything i'd got.

I finished 17th which I was very happy with considering it was my first race as an elite women.
The support from the crowd was also amazing, there seemed to be people shouting me the whole way round the course.

Warming up

544854_10151331118015649_880880228_n

The biggest hurdle on the biggest hill ever!

22414_10151331123260649_1880148935_n

Nothing left to give at the finish!

396256_10151331128435649_458700867_n


Photos by Paul Douglas

Permalink

]]>
http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1848557/Twitter-MV.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4aLC0QIIYoP7 Morvélo Morvélo
Tue, 17 Jan 2012 06:40:57 -0800 Defending the Stripes http://morvelo-test-team.posterous.com/defending-the-stripes http://morvelo-test-team.posterous.com/defending-the-stripes

Sunday was the biggest race of my season, the race i’d put hours and hours of training into, the race i’d sacrificed a lot for, the race that really counted!
So I needed to be completely focussed and ready to give it everything i’d got.

The start line is always a scary place, i’d put so much time into the preperation for this race, and I had 40 minutes to make it show.
The gun went, my foot was straight in the pedal and I put the power down.The course sort of suited me. It was dry but the corners were techinical and there was a lot of time to be gained on them. 2 laps in and I was still feeling good. Beth Crumpton was on my wheel and I was trying to make her suffer, cornering as fast as I could and powering it down the straights. Eventually I got a gap and I knew I had to go for it. I could feel the burn but I remembered the feeling of taking the title last season and I wanted so bady to defend it. 

Me and Beth locked together.

Picture_024

The finishing straight was in sight and I knew i’d done it!  It was a feeling of relief, knowing my hard work had paid off and knowing that i’d made my family, friends and team proud!

National_champ_2012

Well done to Beth who took 2nd and Becky Preece 3rd.

So all thats left to do is to take the series title. Im in the leaders jersey going into it and im up for another fight to keep it.

Thanks to everyone for all their support this season. I couldn’t have done it without them.

Permalink

]]>
http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1848557/Twitter-MV.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4aLC0QIIYoP7 Morvélo Morvélo
Tue, 13 Dec 2011 09:35:34 -0800 One round to go and in the lead! http://morvelo-test-team.posterous.com/one-round-to-go-and-in-the-lead http://morvelo-test-team.posterous.com/one-round-to-go-and-in-the-lead

The 5th round of the National Trophy seies was in Bradford. I’d kept an eye on the weather forecast all week and knew it was going to be a really muddy race. The course was rideable in the warm up laps before the racing started but after the 1st event it started to rain and the course got really slippy. By my race there was a fair bit of running up the climbs which weren’t rideable anymore and prooved pretty hard to run! One of the descents I found quicker to run; the majority that tried to ride it ended up crashing.

I finished in 5th, not one of my best results. I had a good ride with no reasons to not be going well, but there was some very tough competition who were better than me on the day. But it got me into the yellow jersey for the final round in Shrewsbury so i’m very happy :)

Sdgn

Iuhh

Podium

Well done to Annie Last who had a very good win!

Permalink

]]>
http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1848557/Twitter-MV.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4aLC0QIIYoP7 Morvélo Morvélo
Wed, 07 Dec 2011 00:56:12 -0800 Midlands Champion! http://morvelo-test-team.posterous.com/midlands-champion http://morvelo-test-team.posterous.com/midlands-champion

Last Sunday was the Midland Championships in Shrewsbury. I knew it would be a tough battle with some good riders on the start sheet; Lucy Garner, Louise Robinson and Isla Rowntree. The course was pretty dry for the warm up laps but with perfect timing the rain came down as we were on the start line.

Lucy led at the start with me, Isla and Louise lined out behind her. A lap into the race and Lucy and I were on our own. I kept the pressure on and the corners were getting slippier as the race went on. I was gaining time on the technical sections and with 2 laps to go I found myself on my own. Louise was in 2nd and she always has a very strong finish and was only 10 seconds behind me. With half a lap to go she was on my wheel. I’d practised the finishing section in case it came down to a sprint and I knew I had to get into the technical section ahead of Louise to have any chance of winning. I managed it and won the race by just a few seconds.

 

Lhkg

Kgkg

 

Ljjhg
Restres
Finish

It was a very exciting race and a close finish.

Well done to all that raced!

Isla

The winning hug off Isla!

Podium

Permalink

]]>
http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1848557/Twitter-MV.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4aLC0QIIYoP7 Morvélo Morvélo
Thu, 01 Dec 2011 09:06:20 -0800 World Cup – Koksijde http://morvelo-test-team.posterous.com/world-cup-koksijde http://morvelo-test-team.posterous.com/world-cup-koksijde

Last Saturday I represented Great Britain at the Cyclo Cross World Cup in Belgium. I traveled out with the GB team on Thursday. On Friday we rode the course which scared me quite a bit ready for Saturday. The course was on sand dunes – not quite what i’m used to. The sand was too deep to ride through in places so I spent a lot of time running with my bike.

377391_311046022257542_100000564415044_1125485_282495744_n

The support from the crowds was like nothing i’d ever experiened before. Every bit of the course was packed with spectators all cheering every rider. The buzz I got from that definately made me go quicker.
I had my own little support crew that I brought from home!

Picture_023

 

I finished 41st which I was happy with considering I was riding with the Elites and the youngest in the field.

It was such a good experience and I can’t wait to do more international racing.

Permalink

]]>
http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1848557/Twitter-MV.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4aLC0QIIYoP7 Morvélo Morvélo
Mon, 21 Nov 2011 02:36:44 -0800 Koksijde World Cup here I come! http://morvelo-test-team.posterous.com/koksijde-world-cup-here-i-come http://morvelo-test-team.posterous.com/koksijde-world-cup-here-i-come
Hp_southampton

On Thursday i'm traveling out to Belgium to represent Great Britain in the World cup. I cannot wait! Its the 1st time i've been on the GB team so it will be an amazing experience :D

The race is on Saturday and we're home for Derby National Trophy on sunday. Hopefully it won't mess up my legs too much!

Permalink

]]>
http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1848557/Twitter-MV.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4aLC0QIIYoP7 Morvélo Morvélo
Fri, 18 Nov 2011 06:36:43 -0800 National CX Trophy Rd 3 http://morvelo-test-team.posterous.com/national-cx-trophy-rd-3 http://morvelo-test-team.posterous.com/national-cx-trophy-rd-3

Car loaded with crosslights ready for departure to Southampton


Yesterdays race was a tough battle to the very end with Lucy Garner and Adela Carter. The 3 of ustook the head of the race from the start and were stuck together until the last quarter of the last lap. I knew I couldn't leave it down to a sprint finish because the other 2 were stronger than me but my attempt at an attack failed. Lucy attacked hard up the final climb and my legs felt like they were no longer attached. Lucy took the win and adela claimed 2nd with me finishing 3rd. It was a really good race and a well deserved win by Lucy.

Permalink

]]>
http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1848557/Twitter-MV.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4aLC0QIIYoP7 Morvélo Morvélo
Tue, 01 Nov 2011 06:33:18 -0700 One of the best races I've ever ridden. (National Cyclocross Trophy Rd 2) http://morvelo-test-team.posterous.com/one-of-the-best-races-ive-ever-ridden-nationa http://morvelo-test-team.posterous.com/one-of-the-best-races-ive-ever-ridden-nationa

Yesterdays race was one of the best i’ve ever ridden. Rain the night before had made it a proper cyclo cross course with lots of slippy bends. I had a good start and was joined in the early stages of the race by Beth Crumpton. We worked well together for the 1st 2 laps and had a gap on 3rd position but I found myself breaking away from her so rode the rest of the race by myself. With 2 laps to go, Carter was closing in on me and brought a 20 second gap down to 5 seconds. I knew I couldn’t afford to make any mistakes and every second that I could gain on the technical sections was vital. I knew Carter was stronger than I was but somehow I buried myself and held on to my lead to claim the win by just 5 seconds!

Podium

Permalink

]]>
http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1848557/Twitter-MV.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4aLC0QIIYoP7 Morvélo Morvélo
Wed, 26 Oct 2011 05:10:55 -0700 Where's the mud? http://morvelo-test-team.posterous.com/wheres-the-mud http://morvelo-test-team.posterous.com/wheres-the-mud Yesterdays race, Solihull round of the West Midalnds Cyclocross League (WMCCL) was another successful one :) I woke up to the beautiful sound of rain which I was hoping meant it was going to be a really wet and muddy day on a slippy course. I was very wrong! The rain stopped, the sun came out and it was another boiling hot, bone dry race. It was a good course with a few decents and some steep climbs. I had some fun catching some of the over 40 men that had started a minute infront of the women and trying to stay away from the over 50 men that had started a minute behind. Despite the lack of mud it was a good race and another win for me. Hopefully the true 'cross weather conditions will show soon!

Permalink

]]>
http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1848557/Twitter-MV.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4aLC0QIIYoP7 Morvélo Morvélo
Mon, 10 Oct 2011 03:42:11 -0700 Waiting for mud http://morvelo-test-team.posterous.com/waiting-for-mud http://morvelo-test-team.posterous.com/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. 

Permalink

]]>
http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1848557/Twitter-MV.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4aLC0QIIYoP7 Morvélo Morvélo
Mon, 03 Oct 2011 04:01:55 -0700 WMCCL Rd2 http://morvelo-test-team.posterous.com/wmccl-rd2 http://morvelo-test-team.posterous.com/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!

Permalink

]]>
http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1848557/Twitter-MV.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4aLC0QIIYoP7 Morvélo Morvélo
Tue, 13 Sep 2011 03:07:44 -0700 Legs burning? Feeling Sick? Must be Cyclocross. http://morvelo-test-team.posterous.com/legs-burning-feeling-sick-must-be-cyclocross http://morvelo-test-team.posterous.com/legs-burning-feeling-sick-must-be-cyclocross

The 1st west Midland race was on sunday in Redditch. It was a really tough course with lots of hills and fast decents.
I had a pretty bad start after a bad gridding position so spent quite a bit of time moving up the field trying to overtake on single track which wan’t easy. After the 1st climb my legs were burning and I was feeling sick but with a bit of time to recover on the decents I soon settled in to a good pace. I had quite a good lead with 2 laps to go so kept the pressure on to win the race.
With a good start to the season i’m feeling quite confident about whats to come and even more determined to make it successful.

Redditch

Permalink

]]>
http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1848557/Twitter-MV.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4aLC0QIIYoP7 Morvélo Morvélo