2013

Happy New Year everyone!

I haven’t put a blog out for a while now, and with it being a new year and exciting things coming up I thought I’d better put something together.

Well after a successful 2012, I had about a month’s rest to re cooperate not just from racing and training but also from travelling. After a full season of travelling the length and breadth of Europe, it can take its toll. It’s not just the bike and hard work that wears you out.

After having a good rest and building up my winter bike, I started to get back into training for the 2013 season. Getting some good base miles in and starting to get back on the dreaded turbo trainer! Strangely, after spending the majority of the winter on the turbo I have grown to like it!

It’s now 6 weeks away from my first race of the season. I feel like this winters been the best winters training I’ve done so far. And with exciting things popping up now its new year, I feel I have a lot to look forward to.

Due to finding the best support group for me I am delighted to announce I will be riding for Vanilla Bikes.com for the first half of the season until I take up my place in Belgium with the DCM cycling Team. I am over the moon to have joined Kevin at Vanilla, and I cant wait to get racing now! I believe Kevin will help and support me towards my goals and ambitions for this season and for the future.

In the first couple of weeks in June I will be heading over to Belgium to take up my place with DCM cycling Team. I will be living over there in the team house for the majority of the summer, doing some of the best Junior races in the world including the Junior Ronde van Vlaanderen (Tour of Flanders). Also taking a trip back to Ireland for the National Championships in August. During my stay in Belgium I will be accompanied by National Champion of the USA, Miguel Byron in the team house. I am really looking forward to heading over to Belgium and hopefully I will get my first win on the continent.  

      

Also I am delighted to say I will be a member of the Irish National Junior Development Squad again this year. I am really looking forward to being part of the squad again, seeing all the lads again and getting to know all of the new guys who have joined the Squad. I have recently been selected to attend a 5 day training camp with squad in Majorca on 9^th February-15^th February. I am really looking forward to getting out there, getting some sun and fine tuning all my hard work I put in this winter. This camp has fallen at exactly the right time for me as I will fly back from Majorca exactly a week before my first race of the season at the Clayton Spring Classic on 24^th February.

My Goals for the 2013 season are:

• Gain Selection for the National Squad for Gorey 3 Day or Tour of the North
• Win Irish Junior National Road Race Championships
• Gain selection for Junior World Road Race Championships
• Get my first win on the Continent
• Keep my love for the sport and enjoy it 

Between now and the racing season I will be fine tuning my top end speed doing work behind the motor bike and then obviously head out to Majorca.

Up and coming events:

·         25^th January - My 18^th Birthday 

·         9^th February – 15^th February - National Irish Junior Squad camp 

·         24^th February - Clayton Spring Classic Handicap

·        2^nd March - Eddie Soens Memorial Handicap 

·        9^th March - Wallis Cycles Spring Series Round 1 at Salt Ayre

·        16^th March - Wallis Cycles Spring Series Round 2 at Salt Ayre 

Thank you for reading my blog, I am really looking forward to get the season going now. I would like to say a huge thank you to Kevin at Vanilla Bikes.com for all his help and support and also everyone at Cycling Ireland for giving me the chance to be on the Development Squad for another year and attend this early season training camp.

Thank you, all the best!

Jack