Discover Top Posts Tagged with #vitalrides

Riding indoor

Is winter, weather in England is quite miserable in these days, almost always wet, very little of sun light and the best way a cyclist have to be ready for the upcoming racing season in spring and summer is either Cyclocross or doing some track. Well I am lucky enough to live nearby a very handy and functional new velodrome, here in Derby. This sport center has been built only few years ago and now attract lost of track fanatics and the GB team as well training here. Until I went the first time I didn’t know what to expect. The classes are well structured and after 4 lessons of accreditation you are allowed to start doing some structured training and potentially race. The level is very high, it is very competitive too but the riders are all very humbled here, is a tough game and there is a lot of respect between each other as soon you step in. the pace can get incredibly fast and 2 hours of this can let you without energy for a day.

#velotrome #track cyccling #tracks #fixed gear #scatto fisso #velodromo #racing track #velo #cycling #cycling diary #vitalrides #bianchi #bianchi super pista #super pista #passione celeste

This is not Belgium, actually eventually was

It is November already, and my mate Tim is coming from UK visiting for the weekend. We know since few years ago when we met at some fixed gear crit races we both used to do, and since then we kept in touch and even rode together once in Derbyshire. The plan is to go south Limburg area to do some climbing on the bike. I must admit it will be a novelty for me, as in all the rest of the Netherlands you really struggle to go over 100 m of elevation gained over a 100 km ride. We set off early from Leiden and after a change in Utrecht we are in Maastricht. Radu a friend of him who lives in Amsterdam joined us already half way on the journey on the train. In Maastricht we decide to do an initial pit stop at the famous bike café’ Alley cat bikes & coffee. Finally then we start and after some indecision we approach the route of the Amstel Gold Race, cant exactly remember which was the edition Tim picked, but so we did. After few kms we have already understood that going clockwise the wrong choice but still, at this time of the year with shortage of daylight we can’t afford to go back and start again, and again, we gonna have plenty of meters to climb. The day is one of those typical days of mid autumn going into winter, cold and wet but potentially sunny. We start seeing lots of other cyclist around and immediately understand that this is a popular route. After some time we start understanding why this race, is considered a classic, cracking landscape, steep climbs and so sketchy descends. Probably the worst of all day will be the Keutenberg, a segment of 600m with gradient of 14% average with peak of 22%, and we are doing it going down.. on the wet, not nice indeed. The company is good and Radu is very well equipped with his bike, ready for proper bike packing with all sorts. The day and the weather start suddenly to improve and as soon as we get to the top to another big climb, the highest point in the Netherlands it is all clear and the sun is warming up our day. From there it will be a constant cross of border into Germany and Belgium, with roads always quiet and pretty. Unfortunately we only managed to do 100 km (110 in total) that is already night and we don’t want to risk it too much so we head back to Maastricht where we will recharge with some food and wait for our train. In Limburg they might speak an unusual Dutch (for now is not a problem for me) but the vibes and the roads are good so I might pay vsit again soon. It can be addicting.

#vitalrides #road cycling #cycling tips #cycling culture #cycling kit #cycling journal #cycling diaries #velo #limburg #maastricht #amstel gold race #netherlands #thisisnotbelgium

Sweat it all out

Yes, lots of things to sweat it out at the minute. I wish I was out riding with my mates, but I am still recovering from the last crash at my shoulder and riding on the turbo in summer time is not exactly my favorite plan. Lots of anger, frustration, but still determinate to come back and ride fast again. Not much improvement on this first week, but still managed 6 hours of sweating.

#recovery #injury #crash #trbo trainer #vitalrides #cycling diaries

A la madrugada

This is the way in Spanish speaking countries they call the period of early morning before sunrise. In late spring early summer, I really like committing to a ride in the early hours of the morning just before going to work. Waking up at half past 5 to be out at 6 despite could look very difficult to do it, can be very rewarding. Riding fasted, so without eating before, in the morning, if not for a long period of time, up to 1 hour and half) could be very beneficial for your body and for the metabolism.Usually the first 15 minutes are quite hard, you might feel cold, still not totally awake but then you suddenly start appreciate everything. The roads are quiet, the sound of the nature waking up is in your ears, the lights are low projecting long shadows and softening up shapes and corners. It is really beautiful, I wish only I was able to do it every single day and get into the rhythm of it instead of only once or twice a week.