Felt Racing (UK) Team Blog

Hi everyone, It has been a really busy few weeks for me so I will start off with where we left off with my last post. The XCM National Championshipswent really badlly for me. I have to of been the most unlucky rider in the race getting no less than 5 punctures!.. I did finish in 8th position picking up valuable UCI world ranking pionts which elevated me to the 49th rank in the world!.. but i was left with a if only and what could have been feeling.

 Next up Bristol Bike fest, a chance for a fun local race and some really good training. we started the weekend with the 12Hr team race Myself Duncan, Will V, and Dan ripped it up to take the win by a good margin and in doing so I also picked up fastest rider prize. Next up was the 6 Hr race for which I went Solo whilst the team added Annie in to take the win in the mixed cat. I ripped the Solo race to peices and lapped upto 2nd place easily winning. A great weekend for all.

 Next up was The third round of the National XC series. I was feeling quite good after bristol and so had a mega start in the XC leading for the first 2km after that my endurance speed kicked in and ended up in a mega battle for 6th,7th, or 8th eventually sucombing to Jody Crawthorth and picking up 7th. Not bad as this now moves me into 6th overall in the XC national series. Sunday represnted round 3 of the National XCM series and I was out for blood!.. I succeded and took my first National series win of the year putting over 10 mins into second placed Irish rider Ryan Sherlock. The series win looks now to be a very real prospect as I have increased my pionts lead to a substantial 25 pionts.

Hi All, I have found a spare 5 min’s at last!…
I have had a hectic few weeks which has involved lots of racing and training. First up the second round of the British NPS XC & XCM series was the highlight of my months racing in May. I raced the XC race on Saturday and the aim was to get a top 10 (solid result) and still have enough left in the legs for the win in the XCM on Sunday. I very nearly pulled it off to. The XC race went ballistic as an on form Oli Beckingsale destroyed all who tried to take him on and took the win in convincing style. I had a battle royal with the Science in Sport team if it wasn’t Ian Bibby it was Dave Collins and alas both managed to get the better of me on the last lap as I rolled home in 11th place to consolidate my top 10 series overall placing. With race one over and done with it was time for a quick spin some rehydration and then a massage on the legs. The evening was then spent chilling out eating, laughing, and joking with the rest of the team as most of us are camping at the NPS events this year, which builds great team spirit. Sunday rolled around and I was up super early at 6:30am to get an early breakfast in and allow time to take down my tent and be ready to race. I was greeted with another blisteringly hot day (unusual for Scotland) but hey day two of riding my super fast RXC team kitted out with Sram XO, 100mm Reba’s some super pimp Ritchey WCS wet black finish kit and quad Ti egg beaters copped off with ultra light Schwalbe Furious Fred tyres (seriously cool HT). As I blasted of the start line I knew that me and DJ had to really hurt the two Scott team riders Nick Craig and Stu Bowers as much as possible as early as possible to have a hope of beating them. We rode the first 40Km at XC race pace DJ and Craigy were the only guy’s able to come with me. Dunc had not been having a great weekend and was keen to do a solid ride today so we took it in turns to smash it on the front and had nick on the edge a few times but as Dunc’s stomach probs returned and he pulled The pace settled a little into what became an epic battle between me and Nick.

The last lap was the crunch point Nick attacked on the big climb and I just could not respond, he pulled out a 4 min gap over by the end of the lap despite my riding 2 min’s quicker on my last lap than the previous one, gutted. Still at over 5 hours and with allot of climbing super tough techy descending. My consolidation was that I now hold the series lead by a comfortable margin and I know that with some slightly more sensible pre race prep The national title (now only 1 week away) is firmly in my sight’s.

It’s been a while since my last blog but things have been so hectic with all of the racing/training and then my job yada yada yada yada, so I will start at the top. This weekend Me (Will) Dan and Duncan all rode the Rutland international classic road race which is a full on UCI cat 1.2 road race that takes in off-road sections as well as some fantastic rolling terrain around the north east midlands. The race was a full on event with all of the best riders in the country wanting to make an impression. myself and Dan rode pretty close to the front of the race the whole day to stay out of harms way as much as possible and we were both rewarded with top results Dan taking (12th) and me in (20th) in at the same time as Rob Hayles (7th) and within a minute of the winner. We were unfortunate to not take an early break more seriously as it proved the winning move of the day with Ciarian Powers taking the win. I can’t believe how good the weather was 20′c and sun when we were forecast 10′c and heavy rain if this is how it works every year for the Rutland my name will definitely be on the start list next year. Duncan was unlucky he punctured about 75km into the race along with many others and was relegated to the third group to finish around 6min’s down still a great result as he got back into the thick things after losing a chunk of time. Well it’s off to bed for me now I need my rest and at 9:40pm its already past my bedtime, (I ll be up at 5:20am tomorrow Morning for training before work).. but promise to do more blogging by the weekend as I have much to tell.

Hello all,

It has been an emotıonal rollercoaster of a day today. I have been stayıng ın Turkey all week to really focus ın on thıs World Cup race as ıt ıs the only Marathon World Cup thıs year before the UCI Marathon World Champıonshıps ın Italy ın July. It has been wıth thıs ın mınd that my traınıng durıng the wınter has reguarly topped 23 qualıty hours per week ın the saddle on top of my full tıme day job at Aırbus ın Brıstol.

When you really focus on one race ıt ıs hard, Mountaın bıke racıng has so many varıables and outsıde elements that a result can never be predıcted ın absolute but at the same tıme ıt ıs also what makes ıt such a beautıful sport when everythıng goes rıght.

Today I learnt two thıngs I am capable of beıng ın the top 10 ın the world, no scratch that ıf ıt went my way perfectly top 5 ın the world. I also learnt that the hard work and sacrıfıce that ıs requıred to get to thıs level ıs also more than worth ıt.

Today started out as a buaetıful sunny day ın Manavagat, Turkey I awoke to a very rude alarm clock of 6:50am (thats 4:50 uk tıme) ın order to eat a substantıal breakfast before my 11am start tıme. After a great breakfast I returned to my hotel room to get kıtted up. I have been feelıng very strong now for 4-5 weeks on the bıke and thıs week has been no exceptıon as a stınt of 50kph motor pacıng for 3 mıns on Thursday proved (turkısh lorrys are great for thıs). I than left the hotel an hour before my race leavıng plenty of tıme to rıde the 6km to Manavagat. On arrıval I quıckley found fellow GB team mate James Ochterlooony who was also excıted about the prospect of a good result to kıck the season off wıth.

10:40 am All rıders are called to the boxes thıs ıs where they then grıd us one by one accordıng to eıther prevıous World Cup Serıes Standıng or UCI rank. I was grıdded 29th/100+ starters ın the Elıte mens race, along sıde me ın 28th rank was Mıguel Martınez former Olympıc and World XC Champıon who was also sportıng an Olympıc tattoo on hıs arm, RESPECT!..

11am The gun goes and were off The fırst 7km are all on the road and flat and the race quıckley turns ınto a full crıt style road race on MTB,s not funny there were some bıg crashes. I had a good start and held 30th ısh place onto the fırst clımb where I started to put ın my efforts and fınd out what my legs and body really felt lıke. The answer was all systems are go!.. I quıckley made my way through the feıld and by the fırst tıme check pıont (25km) had moved ınto 12th posıtıon (unknown to me at thıs pıont) and was feelıng great I quıckley realısed though that I was rıddıng wıth some of the Hıtters (top guys) as there numbers were ın sıngle fıgures. Some crazy descendıng and awe ınspırıng clımbıng and by tıme check pıont two (45km) I had moved ınto 8th place now I was told thıs and oh my god I can not explaın to anyone how that felt I was top 10 ın a world cup, feelıng amazıng, and foe the fırst tıme belıevıng that I can mıx ıt wıth the best XC Marathon rıders ın the world. I n front of me know was the bıggest clımb of the race the 800m Turbe mountaın, Hannes Genze (Alb Gold) warned me to rıde steady as last years wınner of thıs race attacked us at the bottem of thıs clımb I headed to hıs adıvıse and the followıng 9km of clımbıng we realled ın and dropped the prıor champıon of thıs event amazıng I quıckley realısed we had about 1km to the top of the clımb and then ıt was eıther descent or rollın terraın ınto the fınısh Top 10 was a real prospect!….

Thıs of course ıs where ıt all starts to go wrong. I have had some rotten luck ın the prıor two races to today and today has made ıt three ın a row. Wıth about 1km of gentle clımbıng left we went through a small rocky rıver I followed the Hannes,s exact lıne but some how snagged the sıde wall of my tyre on a rock ınstantley puttıng a one ınch hole ınto ıt, NOOOOOOOOOOOOO I screamed at the heaven,s (no reply of course) I dısmounted and ran the fınal 1km to the top of the mountaın and then rode as hard as I could down a really rocky mountaın descent and along to the next tech zone (around 8km) Mr Shımano quıckly changed my wheel and I was off agaın, now I was angry tıred achıng but buzzıng wıth adrenlıne, the next 30km to the fınısh went so quıckley I crossed the fınısh lıne ın 24th place gutted.

I should also let you know now that thıs ıs my best World Cup placıng to date and I was disappointed wıth ıt!… If only what could have been.

What I wıll take away from thıs ıs that I have some fantastıc from, I can compete wıth the top 10 guys ın the World, oh and all thıs on a hot Sunny day 24′c wıth ONE 750ml bottel of Hıgh Fıve energy drınk!……

The World Champs are ın July I wıll be back wıth a bang

Will

Hı All,

I have offıcıaly landed ın paradıse ın the form of the Saray Regency hotel, 27 euros per nıght all ınclusıve, you wıll have to check the websıte to belıeve me even then you mıght not ıts amazıng the best wıthout doubt hotel/resort I have ever set foot ın.

The food ohhhhhhhhh I could go crazy, probably wıll on Sunday, they even top your wıne up (ıncluded ın prıce) when you leave the table to get your next course then brıng you tea or coffee of your chıoce They have 10pın bowlıng, three PS2,s set wıth bıg screens and a varıety of games, gym and sauna as I saıd thıs place ıs certıfıed GOLD.

Anyway went out today for about 3hours wıth 2 x 15mın 90% efforts ın the mıddle hour weather was 30′c scorchıo….. I thınk thıs could be a new traınıng camp destınatıon. Legs are feelıng really good got a lıttle help from a couple of mopeds on effort 1 and sat at an ındıcated 45kph (mtb) for 15 mıns 2 very ımpressed locals.

Wıll hopefully fınd sıgn on, on frıday and get sorted.

Anyway got to watch Parıs nıce today stage 3, well actually I’ve caught the last 60km of all stages so fa,r today was carnage half the peleton stacked ıt bıg tıme, and ıt looked as ıf ıt was snowıng oh I do feel for those guys..he heh heh he.

Hope your all well take care speak soon, Wıll.

Mornıng Eveyone,

The cıty of Alanya ıs mega busy there are cars and people everywhere.
Health and safety ıs not what ıt ıs ın the UK, here no one on moterbıkes wear helmets and I have even seen a famıly of three balenced on a lıttle 125cc bıke. On the Saturday I went to the maın town hall to sıgn on and was told the race was 20km away on top of the local mountaın therefor transfers had been arranged, thıs took the form of a dumper truck ın whıch around 20 of us clamboured ınto bıkes n all for a bone shaker of a rıde to the top of the mountaın, transfers Turkısh style ıs how thıs was explaıned to me as we clattered through the streets beıng cheered by the locals.

Tomorrow I wıll transfer to Manavagat where I hope to hook up wıth Lakata Alban, Lıams former team mate from specıalısed now rıdıng for TREK Dolphın. He ıs an awesome rıder and has been here for two weeks already avıodıng the weather of hıs home town.
The organıser of the race has talked of the possıblıty of runnıng some traınıng camps from here, I am not sure ıf anythıng would come of ıt but ıf ıt dıd ıt could be a pretty cool optıon to have bearıng ın mınd flıghts were only 200 bucks ıncludıng bıke rtn.

I hope to go out for an easy spın later legs feel a lıttle sore today but not to bad as I only rode 3/4 laps at a good pace yesterday. Stıll I cant belıve the bad luck that has followed the start of my season I only hope that ıt wıll leave me alone next weekend to do a mega rıde.

I hope all ıs well dıd any of the others race on the weekend?…

Cheers Wıll

I hope that you are well and ıt ıs not to cold ın Blıghty. The weather here ıs amazıng 25′c durıng the day and 14′c at nıght, wıth mega sunshıne to match. The people here are awesome all of my accomadatıon and transfers were organsıed for me and have worked lıke clockwork so far, whıch brıngs me to today.

Today I was rıdıng ın the Alanya Cup UCI C1 XCO race I stıll felt a lıttle jet lagged thıs mornıng 12hrs travel tıme wıll do that to ya, but despıte a strong 50 rıder elıte feıld felt optomıstıc about my goal of top 5 ın the race, alas ıt was not to be.

I started a lıttle slow aırıng on the sıde of cautıon as we started at 800 metres above sea level !.. proper alıtude racıng. by the end of lap one I had moved ınto 16th posıtıon and was fealıng strong, so I gave ıt some hard lıcks on the clımbs on the next lap and was rewarded wıth a lap 45 seconds quıcker whıch moved me up ınto 12th at the end of lap 2 and wıthın spıttıng dıstance of 8th place. thıs ıs where ıt all starts to go wrong on lap 3 whılst makıng a move on the next three rıders my chaın popped over the top of the cassete for the fırst tıme and wegged ıtself neatly ın the back wheel, ı pulled and poked but could not get ıt out I then tryed removıng the rear wheel to get ıt out and take away the pressure thıs worked and after losıng around 1mın and 3 places I was on my merry way agaın. The course was a mıxture of super techy sıngle track steep leg burstıng clımbs and ow my gawed steep descents proper mountaın bıkıng and wıth super dry condıtıons laps were takıng the leadıng trıo around 17mıns. I rode laps 1 and two ın about 18mıns avg. whılst headıng towards the end of lap 3 agaın my chaın decıded to ınteract wıth the spokes, thıs tıme I knew the remedy and wıthın 20 secs was on my way agaın.

Laps 5 and 6 are all about tryıng to catch as many people as possıble as upoın startıng lap 5 I was ın 48th place (2dropped out) I rode really hard and matched my fırst two lap tımes whıch was enough to see me ın the sprınt fınısh for 17th place havıng been put almost ınto the barrıers by some very ungamely rıdıng had to settle for 18th place, outsıde the UCI pıonts (top15) and outsıde the prıze money (top15). not a happy bunny.

On the plus sıde at least I know what needs to be done before the world cup.

Gutted.

Will Bergfelt

Today at Felt racing UK we had our first race of the season and it was one of those rare occasions when all of the team members came together for the same event, (Severn Bridge Road Race) an awesome 66 mile hilly road race with the backdrop of Severn bridge, and Wales.
The weather was really good (unusual for this time of year) and with a full field of 70+riders the racing was full on. John made first move of the day and with Justin soaking up the rays of sunshine on the front I joined John for a spot of breakaway madness. We had around 65 miles of racing still to go but I soon had us + one other rider doing turns and trying to build a sizable gap on the bunch. This worked well until the quality field containing more than a dozen full time pro’s decided we had enough glory and the race blew apart on lap 3 on the long climb through the start finish area.
Suddenly I was surrounded by about 20 other strong guys all after the win many with 3 team mates as I looked around I realised I was in good company as fellow team mates Duncan and Dan had both made the split and we were now also 3 strong in the break.
The next seven laps we all rode through and off at a steady pace which saw anyone who was not having a good day spat out of the break on the climb, and the rest of us calculating our moves for the final 20km’s I had already pretty much sown up the King of the Mountains prize and so asked Duncan and Dan if they were up for trying for the win, they both turned around and told me to go for it myself as I seemed to be going well and then played that all important domestic role to bring any lone hopefuls back into the fold.
The final climb 3km from the finish saw a natural selection which included me being perfectly placed in 3rd spot with around 1.5km to go though disaster struck as a rider came across the front of me and snapped two spokes in my front wheel. I pushed as hard as I could but with the wheel rubbing against the fork it was all I could do to hold on for 11th place.
All things considered I had a great race and was pleased that at least the Zipp 404 held together enough to get me across the finish line, and there are plenty of races coming up to win.

Bergy.

Hello again from Spain, today has been the last of a three day block of training for me and what a day I have had!.. The weather kicked things off to a great start being in the mid 20´s and super sunny then there was the new route Duncan found over the Col du Tudons before an unfamilar town in which we realised we had ridden off our map and then an epic escapee run in to Benidorm for me from Guadilest. My legs felt awesome today it was a golden day in every respect and one of those where you find yourself apreciating life as much as everything else. Our Slipstream compadreas were out doing timed runs up the Col de Ratz getting ready for a big race no doubt.
I am up for a rest day tomorrow which will invlove Coffee and sunshine but Duncan will be out pounding the miles and tearing up one of my all time favourite climbs, Bernia mountain. ave it..

Hello All, This week Myself (Will Bjergfelt) and team mate Duncan Jamison are out in the Benidorm region of Spain training really hard and enjoying some nice warm weather. Today we smashed out nearly six hours in the saddle at an average speed of 18mph which was really good going as we rode a fairly hilly/mountainous route. I am getting into some really good form at the moment as in two weeks time I will be in Turkey at round one of the UCI Mountain bike marathon world cup series, bring it on…