First few days in France

After getting to Luton airport around 11am, I dragged my two massive suitcases to the EasyJet weighing scales and self-bag check in area. At home I measured that my heavier suitcase was around 20kg, with a 23kg baggage allowance however my lighter suitcase was 500g overweight. Not being one to panic I gave it to the check-in woman, and on their scales it said it was 22.8kg. Either I left something in Luton or EasyJet really do want to rip you off. After my bag was searched in security, the day got worse, for some. EasyJets policy of one hand luggage item meant that some people in the queue had to pay an extra £50 to get their handbags/other belongings onto the flight, causing uproar. The plane was about 80% full, and the air hostess was a mirror image of Dom Littlewood (TV presenter). He was the largest source of entertainment on the whole flight, apart from the crying child sat next to me.

Once I arrived I found Hugues (the director sportief) and he took me in the team car to my new apartment just 10 minutes away in the town of Charvieu Chavagneux. The apartment is full of everything I’d need to live; oven, washing machine, shower, fridge, freezer etc. however the single bed sheets that I had squeezed into my suitcase didn’t fit, as I have a double bed. Living in luxury you may say. After meeting the team president and some of the assistants, got a few bits from the shop and tried on all my kit, I chilled for the evening and tried to find out where everything was and how it all worked.

Thursday morning I woke up at 8, had 2 bowls of Special K (have not found the weetabix yet) and Hugues took me to the local doctors surgery to get my medical done. After a 2hr 30 minute wait, being the one from last person in the queue it was my turn. With a sore backside, I got my heart checked, blood pressure and other things alike. Much to my delight the scales said I weighed 61.5kg showing that my scales at home over-read. To be honest, our scales at home say you weigh 64kg, but when you move them 2m to the right you instantly lose 5kg. Got back from there, chucked my new kit on and went out in the rain, because I enjoy rain. It was weird though because it felt much warmer than 3 degrees (feels like 0), I took my gloves off eventually. I found a lovely gradual climb through a valley from Cremeiu, which itself is a very nice town which features a castle carved into the valley walls in front of you and a nice looking café. I’m currently riding a Trek Emonda SL, until my Willier arrives this week. Ive got to say, it’s a cracking bike! Banged out some solid 30/15s, with a view of the Alps behind me about 25km in the distance and rode back steady, getting lost a few times.

Friday I ventured east into the Alps and went up the col du Porte. A long 12km climb, which seemed to get snowier the higher you went. For the last few hundred meters there was a blanket of snow over the road, so I took it steady. The roads around here are very shiny when wet, meaning they are pretty slippy, so taking it cautiously is the best option to stay up right. On Saturday I went round to the top of Lyon, where it had been raining. I was following my Garmin but the road ahead was closed/ dug up. Not having a clue where I was half the time I went for it, getting pretty muddy but made it through and onto some more good mountains. One thing I’ve learnt is that you do a lot less miles in 4 hours in the mountains than you do at home and another thing is that being overtaken by a woman with flat pedals on an e-bike is very demoralising, especially when struggling up a 15% climb.

This week I am off to the south of France for a training camp with the team. A good block of training followed by 5 races to see where my legs are at!