Now what do we do? Saint Piran update.

Since writing this blog, things have changed significantly. I was hoping to be posting this in Mallorca right now however; this has been cancelled last minute. We made it to the start of the racing season; however this may be the end for a while. Training will become harder with the lack of pasta availability and I’ve now found out why Lidl cashiers scan so fast. It’s for times like these where the queue is out the door. What do we do now? To make up for the lack of racing? Maybe an everesting challenge, even if it would take around 20,000km to do round here. With no tour series, maybe I could do a touring series around the country? Or just prepare for the inevitable time spent on the turbo “in the coming weeks”. Anyway from this point onwards is my original blog I prepared so enjoy.

So, we're into month 3 of 2020 and so far we’ve survived several storms, flooding, the threat of a third world war and are currently battling with coronavirus and the constant threat of running out of toilet roll. If only id have bought shares in Cushelle. My legs have ached, my ears have bled (I will explain) but we’ve finally made it to the start of the racing season.

After a solid block of training in Lanzarote, in which the sun properly came out on the day we left and after being blown inside out for 3 weeks straight back in the UK, I travelled down to Cornwall for the launch of the Saint Piran elite team. We picked up all our Umbro leisure kit and Castelli custom cycling kit from Bikechain Ricci down in Redruth.

I met the team, some familiar faces and some new ones. For example I’ve known Jenson for a long time from Cyclo-cross. We both did our first world cup together at Kokjside and always had a good race with him. The launch day was at the Bikechain Bissoe which is based near Truro, we got 3D scanned for our Kurio compression tights before tucking into a nice breakfast and Saint Piran coffee (buy here https://hands-on-coffee.co.uk/product/saint-piran/) from the Cornish Coffee company. Then as the day went on, I spoke to sponsors, did some video shoots on the new Colnago concept bikes and drank yet more Saint Piran coffee. Big thanks to Lauren, for doing my Ratmally race graphics helmet stickers and making them look so smart.

The trip home was eventful. Engine started in Laurens small Peugeot and it sounded like a boy racer. Exhaust snapped, might fall off and 250 miles still back to Birmingham where I stayed the night. We lost so much power going up the Cornish hills that Lorries were catching us up. This is why it felt like my ears bled; can still hear the engine roar ringing in my ears a week later.

Anyway, Saint Piran is launching a crowd-funding scheme in order to support the 2020 racing season. The purpose of this is to support the team until the other financial sources (sponsorships, branded products and grants) are sufficiently established. It’s an awesome team, honest. A fantastic group of youth and experience with past results as well as big future ambitions. Ricci, an ex-professional cyclist in his own right, also taking a similar path to me spending some time in France, is one of the most enthusiastic and passionate people I’ve met and under his guidance I know this team will be a success. But its not just Ricci, its everyone who’s got involved already, as well as the other staff that make a cycling team. And you too could also be involved.

Check out the link, read our story and watch our video and hopefully this will show you that Saint Piran isn’t just a normal cycling team. And hopefully we can prove ourselves further when we get back on the road again in the coming months.

https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/saint-piran-support-cornwall-s-first-elite-level-cycling-team#start

stay safe, wash your hands.

Thank you to the Adam Gibbons sports foundation and Duncan & Toplis for the support coming into this season.