.... as i watched todays' stage of the Giro (Tour of Italy), i was left watching Alberto Contador dominate again. He may be 'on drugs' as most probably are, but it is still quite incredible to view what the professionals do.
Sorry, whilst on the topic, watching cycling, and following the sport closely, i drew to love it unconditionally, noticing what it had given me, forming who i am. It gave me heroes, racing stories of whom I read, support grew and I easily became obsessed with different icons. Knowing about only a small portion of difficulties, pain involved, I could begin to understand why there is such a doping problem. When heroes were found 'guilty', they were proved human after all.
As I passed through my college years (16/17), I began to realise that I was more suited to XC (cross-country mountain biking), as i did not have a road bike, and i was only really experienced of off-road routes. The genre also suited my D&T a-level, as well as my job in the bike shop. I saved and bought a new hardtail frame-set (the Kona Kula). Although a mountain bike, it was not a heavy, full-suspension. I aimed to create quite a lightweight, fast machine, suiting myself as a lightweight 'climber'. I still followed the road-racing sport, and it was always quite easy to spot that i was a 'roadie' at heart.
I went for a great holiday trip to the French Alps, mountain biking for the first time abroad. I remember that a highlight for me was finding a stretch of road on a climb that was used on the great Tour de France. Once I had ridden on this road, for me, we could reach no better. 189 professional cyclists had raced on this very stretch of road, on which i was then riding! Incredible! Two years prior, obviously, but that wasn't the point!
Then came my big jump of living at university. Incredible as student life is, i also could recognise the satisfaction that i would get by joining the cycling club. Trips amongst local woodlands were combined with one great trip to Coed y Brenin, in Wales. This trip, as much as i enjoyed it, taught me a vital lesson. Although i enjoyed cycling up (masochistic maybe), i was less certain about descending. I preferred to be on the road.
In 2003, i had saved, and bought myself a Bianchi SL3. A new chapter was about to start.
Sorry, whilst on the topic, watching cycling, and following the sport closely, i drew to love it unconditionally, noticing what it had given me, forming who i am. It gave me heroes, racing stories of whom I read, support grew and I easily became obsessed with different icons. Knowing about only a small portion of difficulties, pain involved, I could begin to understand why there is such a doping problem. When heroes were found 'guilty', they were proved human after all.
As I passed through my college years (16/17), I began to realise that I was more suited to XC (cross-country mountain biking), as i did not have a road bike, and i was only really experienced of off-road routes. The genre also suited my D&T a-level, as well as my job in the bike shop. I saved and bought a new hardtail frame-set (the Kona Kula). Although a mountain bike, it was not a heavy, full-suspension. I aimed to create quite a lightweight, fast machine, suiting myself as a lightweight 'climber'. I still followed the road-racing sport, and it was always quite easy to spot that i was a 'roadie' at heart.
I went for a great holiday trip to the French Alps, mountain biking for the first time abroad. I remember that a highlight for me was finding a stretch of road on a climb that was used on the great Tour de France. Once I had ridden on this road, for me, we could reach no better. 189 professional cyclists had raced on this very stretch of road, on which i was then riding! Incredible! Two years prior, obviously, but that wasn't the point!
Then came my big jump of living at university. Incredible as student life is, i also could recognise the satisfaction that i would get by joining the cycling club. Trips amongst local woodlands were combined with one great trip to Coed y Brenin, in Wales. This trip, as much as i enjoyed it, taught me a vital lesson. Although i enjoyed cycling up (masochistic maybe), i was less certain about descending. I preferred to be on the road.
In 2003, i had saved, and bought myself a Bianchi SL3. A new chapter was about to start.
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