Season 2013 Up and Running....

Checking out a piece of Route 66 in California....home of SmartStop Self Storage!

So its been a long time since my last blog posting way back at the end of February. Though I was looking to keep the posts coming frequent, the simple fact of the matter is ive been in a pretty uninspired writing mood over the past months. As reported in that previous post, I got struck down with an illness soon after arriving in the US. Though I was getting back on the bike as I wrote that post, just ahead of training camp and the start of the season, things have just not been right since. Something im not going to dwell on for long, but the effects of the illness itself and training missed in that month were multiplied as the season got underway. Quite simply I just felt extremely out of sorts. When im going to a bike race and not enjoying it there must be something wrong! Certainly not the way I intended my 2013 season to start with Team Smartstop Pro Cycling P/B Mountain Khakis. However im happy to report there have been much better sensations on the bike in these last weeks, suggesting the turning point on this season. Sometimes in these situations you just have to let the body do its thing and have a little faith.

Its not all been Hollywood glamour so far this season!

Nothing too much to shout about in those opening races for me personally so i'll give you the highlights show, recapping more recent events. Mid April saw my first podium of the year at the Dilworth Criterium. A dominating ride by teammate Nate Ward saw him take the win from a two man breakaway. I was to get ahead of the peloton in the closing stages to take 3rd. It was a good team performance and a sign of what was to come in the coming weeks. Before I get to that, sandwiched between was the Foothills Road Race in Alabama, which saw top 10 placings for myself and teammate Travis Livermon. A bit of a game of cat and mouse at the end, which on another day could have produced another outcome. But ofcourse thats cycling sometimes.

Team Smartstop Pro Cycling P/B Mountain Khakis 2013!

And to most recently and im happy to report that aswell as another podium, I was also to take my first win of the season and secure second on overall at the 'Heart of Carolina Omnium'. A three day Omnium (basically a stage race but decided on points for placings on each stage rather than time) comprising of two criteriums and one road race. And so it turned out to be quite the successful weekend for myself and my four teammates in the race. It was nice to actually look forward to racing once again.  A clear sign that the body was coming around. Across the weekend we raced well as a team and throw in the fun that we had in doing so, success was never going to be far away for Team Smartstop Pro Cycling P/B Mountain Khakis.

Jon Hamblen....Winner!

And so it proved! Teammate Jon Hamblen taking the win in the 'Adam Little Memorial Criterium' solo from the breakaway, backed up by another strong ride by Chris Monteleone in 3rd. Pat Raines and Nate Ward also secured top 10 placings in the finale.

The 'Asheboro in Motion Criterium' on the second day was about helping Jon keep the overall lead aswell as securing our dominance as a whole on the overall Omnium. That we did and in fact the only thing we didnt quite do that day was win the bike race. 2nd for Jon, 3rd for myself and 4th for Nate securing our dominance on the overall Omnium.

Onto Sundays 'Denton Tour de Kale Road Race' and that was about three things 1) Helping Jon to secure the overall Omnium 2) Ofcourse trying to win the race 3) Try for all of us to move up a little bit more in the overall Omnium (after all there were a nice amount of $'s up for grabs!). It was one of those days where everything fell into place after another good team performance. Always in control of the race, we had riders in the right moves at the right times. Nothing more nothing less. Soon after bridging to the breakaway in a chase group, I wanted to test the breakaway out by making it a bit harder up front. After covering a move with around 35km to go I rolled off the front and into TT mode and the correct decision it proved to be soloing the remainder of the race for the win....happy days! This was backed up by Pat in 3rd, Chris in 4th and Nate 15th. The impact of this result was great for the overall Omnium too. Jon remained on top, I moved up to 2nd, Pat 3rd, Chris 4th and Nate 9th. A nice weekend indeed!

I love a breakaway....1st win of the season!

So there it is. There have certainly been ups and downs over these past months. Luckily the pathway on this US season is on its way upwards. The remainder of May is pretty low key, but this on the plus side allows some time to re-establish some routine in all aspects and prepare for June and the rest of the summer ahead. Thanks once again for all of your support over these last months, greatly appreciated as always! And on that note please remember to check out http://www.daveraynerfund.com/ (Twitter: @DaveRaynerFund / Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TheDaveRaynerFund?fref=ts) who continue to support me and many riders racing abroad. The rest of the season awaits for me and my Team Smartstop Pro Cycling P/B Mountain Khakis teammates....until next time!

Season 2013 looking brighter again!

Stateside blogging!

New Colours for 2013!

So this is my first blog post from across the pond aka stateside aka the USA. Despite everything tending to be bigger here in the US, I intend to keep my blog postings shorter and more frequent this year (well this is the plan!).

Its been a little over 3 weeks now since I took off from London Heathrow. A smooth flight to Philadelphia was followed by some airport time before another flight onto Greensboro, North Carolina. From there it was a short drive to Winston-Salem and the home town of Team SmartStop P/B Mountain Khakis. A longggg day but I had made it and I could begin to relax.

Philadelphia....home of Rocky!

A relaxing site in North Carolina!

After a very nice few days in good company and nice accommodation (thanks to Joe Carpisassi!), meeting new people, collecting new kit/equipment and generally trying to adjust a little to life in the US, it was time for the first little road trip of the year. Destination Athens, Georgia (and Phil Gaimon's crib...thanks Phil!) where I would be located for the next few weeks until returning to Winston-Salem for official team training camp/presentation. That time has come and so Thursday we make the trip back to Winston-Salem.

Gravel roads of Georgia!

Though I arrived safely and have been adjusting to US life the last couple of weeks here in Athens have been far from smooth. Struck down by illness my days have generally been spent on my bed rather than on my bike. However luckily I seem to be on the mend now. It was far from ideal timing and disturbances to training are never welcomed, but experience has taught me that rest and recovery are far more important during these times. My winter had been illness-free until this so good foundations for 2013 had been planted for the season ahead. This is just a slight setback and having experienced my fair share of setbacks in the past, I do not intend on letting it spoil the bigger picture!

Little Details!

And that bigger picture in 2013 is a season with Team SmartStop P/B Mountain Khakis. First time I am on a team from the USA, I have been very impressed since the second I touched down and was met at the airport in North Carolina. I look forward to what the season ahead will bring! This seems as good a time as any to mention some of our main team product sponsors that will be very much part of my life both on and off the bike this season:

Wilier Bikes (Zero 9 training/race bikes & Blade TT bike) with VP Pedals, SRAM components, Ritchey finishing kit, Reynolds wheels, Maxxis Tyres and San Marco Saddles. Lazer Helmets, Mavic Shoes, Tifosi sunglasses and Polar Bottle(s) covering the accessories whilst Champion System are covering the Kit. Mountain Khakis provide the casual/off the bike clothes and Keen the casual/off the bike shoes. Yes I am being well looked after!

Team Sponsors! 

And ofcourse a mention to my personal sponsors: The Dave Rayner Fund who continue to support me, Paligap (Cycleops) likewise and also to 'Beet It' for help in the nutrition department. All greatly appreciated! 

Evolution over the years & continued support over the years from Paligap/Cycleops!

So thats all thats really been going on so far. Given the big move, a pretty unadventurous first few weeks in the states mainly due to being bed bound. But thats all soon to change. Onto training camp now and then afterwards its time to get down to business...race time! Starting immediately after camp in the Carolina's, by mid March I will be West Coast bound...Tucson Arizona, San Dimas & Redlands California will keep me busy for the first month. Im sure there will be much to report! 

Will be on the open road a lot this year...on and off the bike!

Until next time....

Season 2013 and USA Calling....

The racing season rapidly approaches and for me in 2013 that will mean the USA! Those that know me and those that have followed my progression in the cycling world here on my blog will know how much that has involved Belgium. The Belgium chapter will continue I can assure you of that. However for season 2013 the USA beckons and a chance to try and make an impact on the American cycling scene and a chance to continue making my way in the sport.

And so to my new team for 2013, Team SmartStop P/B Mountain Khakis. A US Continental cycling team based in North Carolina. After success on the National Criterium Calendar (NCC) circuit in the US in 2012, the team will be looking to maintain this status as well as add to it with success on the National Road Calendar (NRC) circuit in 2013. I am looking forward to getting rolling with the new team and excited about what the new season will bring. You can ofcourse follow mine and the teams progress through Twitter (@dfpatten @TeamSmartStopMK), Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/daniel.patten.161 http://www.facebook.com/SmartStopProCycling), Instagram (http://instagram.com/dfpatten/) and ofcourse here on my blog site (http://danielpatten.blogspot.co.uk/) and the teams website (http://teammk-smartstop.com/).

For now I am getting ready to make my move across the pond at the start of next week. I will have a few weeks to settle into US life in my 2013 base of Athens Georgia, before team training camp in North Carolina at the start of March. After this the racing begins...US style! A solid winter of training so far, it all bodes well for a great season ahead. My new team have been fantastic already in support of my move to them and I look forward to many great moments with them this season! A big thank you must also once again go to 'The Dave Rayner Fund' who will continue supporting me in the USA this year...your support is very much appreciated as always! Please check out and support The Dave Rayner Fund at http://www.daveraynerfund.com/

 

For my Belgium following, rest assured you will see me in my new colours on the roads of Belgium sometime this season whenever I find myself back in europe. To my family, friends and followers everywhere, as we head into season 2013 I thank you all again for your support. Team SmartStop P/B Mountain Khakis....heres to a successful 2013....lets go! 

Season 2012...over and out!

My 2012 season began way back on the 19/02 and with my final race on the 14/10, it is finally time to relax, reflect and look ahead to the rest of 2012, 2013 and beyond!

There have been ups and there have been downs (expected as a cyclist) but the good times always outweigh the bad. All in all I took 3 wins this year, 1 overall classement win, and 3 further podium placings amongst other 10's. As always I lived up to my reputation of riding aggressively, attacking at every opportunity and helping to get the Soenens Construkt Glas colours out front in the bike race. As well as this I again got to show this year my selfless side as a cyclist, helping my fellow teammates all in the name of the team performance. All proving that satisfaction in this sport dosn't just simply come from winning alone, but giving 100% on the road!

In case you missed them, here are a couple of videos of breakaway action this year:

http://vimeo.com/44242512

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdNMDf5KsvQ&feature=share

And so to some credits for 2012. Firstly I would like to thank everyone at Cycling Team Soenens Construkt Glas for your support this year. Its been a great year riding with and representing this team!

To my coach/trainer/therapist Luc Wante, who has been the one responsible for my successes this year by again keeping my body in great working order week after week for the duration of the season. Also to Dr Piet Daneels for again getting me healthy during illness. Both of whom are helping me to continue progressing in the sport.

To the Dave Rayner Fund and the Grays Public Purposes and Recreational Charity for there financial support this year. I am so grateful for your support and you have made this year possible. And never taken for granted...I ofcourse continued racing hard from start to finish in the chase of prize money on the kermesse circuit!

To other individual sponsors and helpers who supported me in one way or another with equipment/products. This includes Blair Morgan and Paligap for continued support with 'Cycleops' Power equipment. To Allen Bridge who helped me out with 'CNP' nutritional products and to James White Drinks for support towards 'Beet It' products.

To Martin Williamson and Ed Hood at VeloVeritas (www.veloveritas.co.uk) for continuing to support me in my cycling career and continuing to publish my blog posts on there website.

And finally (last but not least!) to all my family and friends for the continued support. So many people to mention by name, but ofcourse my parents and brother and everyone else that has followed, been part of and/or supported me this year. Im sure you know who you are...it means everything!

And so time to put the feet up for a bit...the future awaits! Until next time...

Was only a matter of time....

Time again for an update as this 2012 season in Belgium continues. Yet again the consistency has continued but also now I can happily say that consistency has been rewarded with some wins. Victories have been near all year but found myself just missing out. However with 3 wins and 1 overall classement win in 2 weeks, I have finally been able to enjoy that sweet feeling of success again. It was simply about keeping the faith knowing that it was only a matter of time before the persistence paid off.

And so to these wins, the first of which came in the town of Wambeek-Ternat here in Belgium. Also a place I was victorious in 2011. Yet again we would be faced with 13 climbs of the cobbled berg and without doubt the hottest weekend of the year....cue strong-mans race! Eventually the race would come down to 5 of us left at the front. Going over the top of the cobbled berg with 2 laps (around 15km to go) I saw I had a little gap and instinctively took a chance. With the race and the weather taking its toll on everyone it felt like it could be the right move to play. And so I was right. I quickly established a nice lead over my other breakaway companions and as it happened it was a lead that only continued to grow. Hitting the berg for the final time I continued to ride strongly and I knew once over the top that it should be mine. Still when you have been waiting for a win all year there was no chance I was slowing up. Thankfully nothing was standing in the way of victory for me that day. I took the solo victory, 54 seconds ahead of the chasers and could enjoy that moment that I had been waiting for all season!

This race is actually part of a 2 day classement and so I returned on the second day for yet again another 13 climbs of the cobbled berg in pursuit of the overall classement. Clearly heavily watched I soon realised that the best form of defense was actually to attack. And so I got away alone and made the break come to me. Again with the conditions this race was never over and so I had to keep doing a lot of riding to ensure we stayed out front and importantly for me ahead of the other classement contenders. In the last laps this was especially the case when some of the other breakaway riders were thinking more about individual victory. Though I came to close to winning again (placing 4th) the thoughts of the individual win had to take a bit of a back seat to ensure I won the overall. And that I did. Another successful weekend in Wambeek-Ternat which coupled with the results also there in 2011 meant I had 2 overall classements, 2 race wins, 2 further top 5’s, 2nd berg classement x3 and some additional primies for good measure. Just for reference I also placed 7th there back in 2010. Safe to say I like this town!

The timing was great as the following weekend would see me having a slightly different weekend racing on the Island of Jersey. Having visited there in 2009 I finally made my return this year. Cycling is very popular on the island and continues to grow. This weekend of racing is certainly evidence of that. Over for 3 races (time trial, criterium and road race) I ended up walking away with 2 more wins. I was to take victory in the time trial and road race and barring a crash in the criterium I was still in contention for the win there also. I was to finish 6th in the crtierium, but 2 out of 3 is not bad! Along with the racing I got to have a nice (extended) weekend on the Island of Jersey. Was made to feel very welcome by a good group of friends who I had not seen in a few years, got to have a good catch up, see how cycling is growing on the island and got to see more of the island itself. I also got to see ‘Big Maggys’ coffee shop, something that was just a concept being thought of back in 2009...now its a reality and some hours were certainly spent in there over the weekend. I left Jersey on my 650km road trip back to Oudenaarde satisfied after a very enjoyable weekend. Thanks to everyone there that made me feel so welcome!

And so to the rest of the year. There is still 5-6 weeks remaining of the season and with the condition still good im looking forward to what it will bring. The first win of the season is always the hardest and now that is taken care of, along with the further successes that followed, im looking forward to continuing to finish this season off in style! 

Until next time....

Riding hard and back to writing about it!

So its been way too long since my last posting. Since that mid-April time post, my race schedule has increased, my condition also (always a satisfier) whilst the weather like much of europe has continued to be mixed. However with nice spells of nice, sunny belgium days, the good weather has outweighed those bad days....just! We'll get the real low point of these past months out the way first and that came on my return to the UK for the National Championships, which certainly did not go to plan. Not helped by a run-in with a 4x4-trailer combination just two days before, but given I got away without broken bones, im not one for too many excuses. Maybe this was just a sign to stay in belgium :p

And to the good side of racing, which has been non stop for me really since the last posting. Unfortunately my first win of the season has still eluded me, though another podium placing with a 2nd in Sint Kornelis Horebeke amongst other top 10's has shown I am trying ;-) The 2nd place in particular was a strong showing where I had been in a 100km+ 2 man breakaway, before being joined by a teammate and one other rider in the latter stages. My teammate would then attack and I would take the ride to the finish and make it a Soenens Construkt Glas 1st and 2nd. Nice to be part of that!

Along with the results however, I have more than ever been showing my strengths as a rider. Certainly as history has always proved a man for the breakaway (we will come onto this with some videos below), but also with the work I have been doing within the races for my team. Whether it be pulling/controlling on the front, chasing down attacks, helping riders to move up when necessary, usual domestique duties, etc, I have been doing it in these past months. Not only doing it, but enjoying it and showing how capable I am at doing such work. Maybe my calling really is as breakaway man/loyal domestique!

My most honourable day on the bike however came just two days ago in the pro kermesse GP Jean-Pierre Monsere Roeselare. A race that remembered the Accent Jobs Willems Veranda's rider Rob Goris who sadly died just last week. With a breakaway gone which included the likes of Stijn Devolder, 3 Topsport Vlaanderen riders and 2 Landbouwkrediet riders, it was left to the team of Accent Jobs to bring back the breakaway. Given the circumstances of the race and my willingness to work I saw it as an opportunity to get to the front and join in the chase. Something appreciated by the riders and something that on such an occasion was a privilege to be part of. And after a good long chase, the breakaway was pulled back, proving once again that satisfaction does not just come from winning alone.

And so to those breakaways. Two of which came most recently and luckily were documented.
Fleche Ardennaise (Ardense Pijl Topcompetition UCI 1.2), a race regarded as one of (if not) the hardest one day race at this level for the parcours that it tackles. Going in the early break may be seen as  a hard move on such a race, which is cue for me to go on the attack (like I need an excuse :p). I bridged across solo to the breakaway of 3 that had just gone and proceeded to drive it to get the gap out. Unfortunately only 2 of us out of the 4 were prepared to work but despite this we got the gap out to 3 minutes over the peloton. However in such a race this time would be lost as the race and the climbs wore on. Clearly "in the zone" and riding strongly (and neglecting hydration just a little...oops!), cramp would set in further into the race. Eventually caught by a chase group I continued working in this group at the head of the race before eventually being swallowed up by what was left of the peloton, with heavy cramps having set in. Regardless of a 50th placing and 3rd in the hill berg classement, I had left my mark again in the Ardennes. You can see it on the following video:
http://vimeo.com/44242512

Next up came IWT Oetingen (UCI 1.2) and coming just a few days after the Nationals I was out to make up for the disappointment experienced there. Cue attack again! I was in the early break before being caught. Went again alone before taking a slight wrong turn. Back in the peloton I was soon to attack again and finally third time lucky the break of the day was away (sounds so simple lol). I went over the Bosberg 1st, the Muur 2nd amongst other climbs and would be leading the berg classement. The break would swell but with the main teams represented it was all looking good for me. Then we hit the finishing circuits and a circuit that I would relish....cobbles! However yet again misfortune as on one of the pave sections I would get a flat tire and with only 50secs over what was left of the peloton I was out of the breakaway and in no mans land. Back into a once again reduced peloton but still leading the berg classement I would continue to the finish (in and out the cars mind due) placing 64th only to find out I had missed out on the berg classement by just 4 points, finishing 2nd. A disappointing end to what had been a great race for me. But once again I could take heart in the performance and once again satisfaction could be taken by another epic breakaway day. Again you can catch some breakaway action on the following video: 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdNMDf5KsvQ&feature=share

Hopefully I get some luck back on my side in the races ahead. Finally taking a few days off from racing, I will race again in a kermesse in a few days time in my teams home town of Ingelmunster, before taking to the start in the Ronde van Luik (Tour of Liege) next week, followed by the Ronde van Namen (Tour of Namur) at the beginning of August. Good times ahead im sure! 


Until next time....