The World Cup got back into action last weekend with the classic of Mont Saint Anne. My preparations were excellent, but luck didn't go my way. On the 2nd lap I had just gotten into a good rhythm and started passing riders when I punctured the rear wheel. After changing the wheel in the tech zone I was all of a sudden struggling to hold wheels. I slipped backwards, getting passed by rider after rider, thinking I had just lost the plot altogether. After 2 laps I was pushing my bike through a tech section and I suddenly realized that my bike was very very hard to push! I spun the rear wheel and what do ya know, it did a half turn and stopped dead... the wheel I had been given was not my own and the disk was not centered, so was rubbing hard against the pads! In the end it was a super strength work out I guess!!! But my head and body was seriously wasted, so I did my best to finish the race as well as possible, which was 39th place.
Now we're in Bromont for another world cup this weekend.. the last big race pre-olympics. Its hot and humid.. raining every day. Its the worst possible thing for my asthma and I'v already had to move from the apartment we rented into a hotel because it was too moist and moldy. After all my efforts to strengthen my immune system, nothing seems to have changed. Its pretty frustrating, but nothing to do but continue doing the best I can.  ¶ 5:21 AM 4 Comments

  So so, after my very disappointing worlds, I'v been home in France trying to recover from it all and get my head clear again for the last part of the season. My doctor diagnosed me with fungal & bacterial dysbiosis infection, which basically means all those little critters that live inside were very out of balance, causing a candida (yeast) growth. I had always speculated that this was the case, but now we have the evidence and specific information. So the good news is that it is treatable, and as this is most probably the root cause of all my asthma problems since being a kid.. so with some luck and smart treatments, its looking better for the future!

I decided to start treatment for this the week before worlds, which included an antibiotic.. I'm not sure if this was partly to cause for my terrible race, or if it was just that I was lacking form and the sudden heat wave on race day just knocked me hard. Basically I had a terrible start, then while trying to catch up I over did it and then on lap 3 I got some kind of heat stroke, causing my brain to switch off and I did one lap at snail pace. I was so close to pulling out, but I'm happy I didn't... in the end I felt better and managed the last few laps okay again. This year Rosara, Selby and I stayed away from the rest of the kiwis so to try and get into olympic mode a little bit already. But we also went down to the kiwis hotel for dinner a lot, which was great fun. There were a big bunch of DHers and XC juniors, so I got to hear the low down on all the kiwi gossip. Some very talented riders coming through too!










Since then I cancelled all my other plans and just went home to regroup. Its very hard being at races when the form or health is not good. There is too much time to think negatively and it really wears quickly on you. So now I'm having a period of 4 weeks without a MTB race. I started with 4 days off completely, and even tried wakeboard for the first time with Ben and Domo! I was a bit nervous, but in the end it was easier then I thought and I even got up first go! But I was a little sore after my second time, so I'll have to wait till after the season to continue..














Then I took a few days freeriding around LesGet, Morzine, Champery on the weekend of the freeride event "Passport de Soleil".. There were thousands of bikers on the trails.. except I was one of the only few to ride up as well as down!

Now I'm in a block of hard training.. around 20hrs per week with lots of specific intervals. Its been hot which has felt super after such a cold spring. My body seems to react well to this and I'v lost 2kg without hardly trying!! Next week I will do a few road races with my club, which will be good to bring the speed back a little before heading to Canada for the next 2 world cups.

Here's my MTB program for the rest of the year... yikes!

27-Jul World Cup, Mont Saint Anne
3-Aug World Cup, Bromont

17-Aug ??? French Cup, Os d'osians
24-Aug OLYMPICS
31-Aug World Cup, Canberra
7-Sep French Cup, Chamonix
14-Sep World Cup, Schladming
21-Sep GP Roel Paulisson

5-Oct World Cup Marathon, Ornans FRANCE
12-Oct Roc d'azur  ¶ 9:40 AM 2 Comments