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Happy New Year.

Happy New Year to everyone. I hope that you all had a good festive period and that Santa managed to find you that obscure item of cycling necessity you requested.

I love Xmas morning, just after the little Carters have finished opening their presents, when I’m opening the multi tool or overshoes or cadence attachment for my “Garmin”. My joy is matched by apparent bemusement of all those around me. I can see them all thinking “if that’s what floats his boat”. By the afternoon most people have given up asking “what did you get Richard?” and have moved onto Wii Fit to burn off the calories.

Today I have been to my nutritionist for the first visit of 2010. I’m pleased to report that all measurements are moving in the right direction and I’m back on track to achieve my power/weight targets by the time the Sportive season is really upon us. I have almost addressed the hydration issue that was threatening to halt my progress so there was good news on all fronts. I’ve got to continue with this progress now. I’m back to the nutritionist in six weeks so I’ll keep you posted on how I get on.

Like most people the snow at the start of the year has forced me inside to train. A mixture of Turbo and Track has kept my motivation high and my fitness levels haven’t suffered too badly. I’m glad to see the back of the sub-zero temperatures now though and have been back out into the New Forest to catch up on some base mileage. My dhb windproof jacket and overshoes have been a “god send”. Having top quality thermal protection is really important and I’ve been really comfortable on even the coldest days. Impressed with DHB quality, Mrs Carter has made a first cycling purchase. She has some very attractive dhb R1 pink and grey ladies road shoes so that she can share in the joys of winter Turbo training.

The pro tour ranks have no such barriers! Most of them have flown south, like swallows, to avoid the inclement weather. I see Team Sky bolted for Valencia following a swanky, but very cold launch in London. Although I think that the weather in Spain was “unseasonal” as well. Further afield, the teams, new and old, of the pro tour are assembling in Adelaide for the “Tour Down Under” Armstrong and his Radioshack team are making their debut along with the inaugural outing of the British backed Team Sky. Both teams looked to have scored early success.

The Team Sky boys gave early intention to challenge Columbia Highroad for the best lead out train. In the Adelaide city centre circuit race that precedes the Tour the antipodean chapter of Brailsford’s boys looked well drilled and organised with Greg Henderson scoring a victory that could just have easily gone to his team mate Chris Sutton. With Mark Renshaw sidelined and George Hincapie gone, Mark Cavendish may well be thinking that things might not be so easy this season in the sprints as it has been in the last two. Robbie McKewen looked anything but finished in the final 100 metres in Adelaide. He’s back from a wretched 2009 and looked eager to make up for lost time. All this makes for a very exiting 2010. I can’t wait!

More next time,
Keep Warm, ride safe!