Clinton Avery Cyclist

Sorry everyone for the big delay between updates, I was away on tour then when I got back, by the time I thought I should send out an up date I had another race coming so I thought I would send out an update after that. So here I am now…..

The tour I was at was the Tour Of Liege or over here known as the Ronde Van Luik. Its a 5 day, 6 stage tour down in the mountains of Belgium… which I’ll have you know, dont come close to the mountains of France, Switzerland, or Italy. Or Rotorua for that matter. lol

Anyway, Im going to cut the update on this rather short and not give you every detail, as it will be alot of reading to find out NOT MUCH. I started the tour, I had very bad legs until the 3rd day when I finally had good legs… just. I was in the early break so by the time we got caught I was tired so I lost more time. However it was only a little bit of time today. On the 4th day was 100km in the morning and 10km Time Trial in the afternoon. I was riding the morning so I wasnt going to use any more energy then I needed too that way I would be good for the time trial. However that plan was blown out the window when the rider in front of me got his rain jacket caught in his front wheel. He hit the deck, I hit the deck, he got up and started chasing, and I got put in the ambulance as I couldn’t extend my arm from my elbow. I thought this was it back to NZ for me. I bit of Ice and a few exercises with it, it was working again 3 days later. But my tour was finished right then and there. By the way my elbow was not broken and now it is fine.
 
The Good legs have arrived………
We had a race in the home town of the owner of the team so for the team this race was a big deal. “What ever it takes a team member has to win”, were the words from the director. 15 laps totaling 120km was the race. On the second lap I was away with a group of 7, But crash number 2 occured. A 90 degree corner with a patch of sand on the racing line made my front wheel disappear from underneath me…. I was ok and rejoined the race as the pelaton was coming past. 3 laps later I was in the chase group of about 15 riders with other kiwi, Logan Hutchings also. As I had team mates up the road I wasnt helping the chase, and if Logan stop chasing the whole group would stop I think. Logans efforts brought the break away back with 6 laps to go. As we caught them, I launched a big attack. I looked back to see Logan and another coming across… I thought this is the group, the winner is coming from here. At the start of 5 laps to go I noticed another team mate coming across, so I slowed to make it easier for him. Logan didnt want him to come so he tryed lifting the pace but he managed to get to us. At the start of the last lap I launched another attack, and for a moment I thought I was going to the finish alone. I took another look back to see my team mate coming across to me… when he got there that was it, heads down for the finish. We got to the finish 30 seconds in front of the other 2 guys, arriving with a double salute (side by side, both hands in the air, holding hands). Just to make a good photo for the team.
 
The very next day I had my home town race. I wasnt sure if I wanted to race as I have a big race again on Thursday and I didnt want to be tired for that. So then it was a txt message to my coach, “yes or no… its the home town race and everyone wants me to race but I have a big race on thursday and I raced yesterday?” the reply comes back, “thats 2 days recovery, go for it.” So again I was going for 2 races in a row again but I wasnt sure if this time was going to be like last time with the 1st and 2nd. Today was 20 laps of 5.5km so almost a case of getting dizzy towards the end. When I started the first couple of attacks hurt me and I was thinking of stopping, but I few laps later the legs come and started working. With 12 laps to go I was away with a group of 5 and we stayed as 5 till 6 laps to go. On the 6th to last lap I decided to test the legs of everyone by attacking out of a 90 degree corner, up hill into head wind. From that we were down to 4 riders and I knew who was going to be next. The less riders at the finish the better, so I hit it again in the same place to drop us down to 3 riders. With 3 laps to go one of the other guys attacked and for once I was calm enough to let him go, then I waited for the guy that was left with me to chase. It worked! he started chasing hard and as he began to slow I knew he was probably lactating so I attacked him with no reaction. I rode accross to the guy up the road to make just the 2 of us for the finish. I wasnt sure how well he could sprint, but going by his attacks I knew he was no snail so I wasnt going to take my chances with a sprint. 1.5km to go I attacked with everything I had. I took 20 m with the attack then it was a matter of who would lactate first, lucky for me it was him. He sat up when I think he noticed he wasnt closing the gap to me. I went the last km solo to the finish to take my second victory. 3rd if you count yesterday as a victory.

What makes today special though is it was the home town race, I won, and it was Julma’s (women of the house I live) birthday. So I also had victory flowers to give to her.
 
Well thats all from me for now ill be back after my race on thursday to let you all know how that goes.
Over and out
Clinton

Well i know i just sent out a race update yesterday but i also raced again last night (monday night. the race i won was sunday afternoon), So 2 races in 2 days. Well i was quite excited to tell you all about the race i won and it gave me great convidence in my ability going into this next race. I wasnt expecting anything great having raced all day in a break away the day before and this race being of a higher level, so i was going to this race as training for the big tour i have coming up next week. The tour of leige. I was expecting however for this race to really finish me off as it was a 80km criterium. 50 laps of 1.6km and a sprint every lap for money. The weather also wasnt on our side as it was gail force winds and pissing down with rain. Imagine a city curcuit with all those painted lines, cobbles, and narrow streets…. I was hoping i wouldnt crash but the was a high chance if you pushed it too hard or were in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Anyway we started and man they started fast! I think the first 2 laps with the rain and wind we averaged 47kmh. It was way to scarey for me so after one of the sprints i hit it and took 3 others with me Including a team mate. A few laps later we had a decent buffer over the pelaton so me and my team mate took turns at taking the sprints…. Some sprints being worth up to 50 euro. anyway we got to 10 laps to go and we rolled into the back of the pelaton to lap the field. We went to the from of the pelaton as they werent allowed to interfare with the front of the race. It really messed with my head as the pelaton sat on the back of us as we rolled around for the last few laps. 4 laps to go i through in a couple of attacks as well as my team mate but the other 2 guys were strong enough to keep shutting us down. The last corner before the home straight was over 90 degrees on wet cobbles then you had 100m uphill to the line. You had to be no further back then 3rd wheel if you wanted any shot at the sprint finish. Well 500m to go my team mate was leading me out for the sprint, when all of a sudden one of the other guys attacked, i reacted instantly. It took me a few meters to get on his wheel but i got there. Into the final corner and i thought i have got this. I had a good line for the corner but a tad to much speed…. i got a little fish tail going but held it up. I start sprinting and was going much faster then the guy in front of me. I started to come over top of him and when he noticed he come off his sprinting line a pushed me across the road. It didnt really fase me as i was still coming over him. When he realised he wasnt going to beat me in a fair sprint he hooked me into the barrier (mover very raticly into me) which is illegal. I hit the breaks, through my hand in the air with a closed fist in rage, and start my sprint again. I strated to come back over him but it wasnt enough and he rolled be by a cm. I was 2nd.
I went up to the officals after to protest the sprint, But being the home town boy, A frenchy in a race in france, and the commasire being french, they said nothing happen in the sprint. They just turned a blind eye. Under those cercumstances you are never going to come out on top.
Anyway I know that race was mine for the taking and i had the legs for it which is good. I am very pleased with how i am racing and the last couple of days have showed that.
Anyway thats all from me
Talk to you again after my next race
Clinton

Well everyone i am quite excited about writing you this email today…I have had my time off which has done me good. nice and freash but still with good form. A little lack of endurance when i started training again but am all back on top again, and if you dont mind me saying so im stonger now then i was before.
I started the week training on a borrowed bike as i was still waiting for my new frame to arrive Which happend to come on the Tuesday so i only had to ride the borrowed bike once. For the tuesdays training i had 3 hours on my programme but i decided while i was out there that the day was to good to be only doing 3 hours, i knocked up 4 hours instead. Wednesday came and with 5 hours on the programme and motovation to do that alone being low, i decided to do it in two rides. 2hours in the morning and kermise race (sorry John) in the afternoon.
The race…. With this race being the ony kermise on today there were a number off riders, including NZ’s big hitter Hayden Roleston AKA Rolly. Well the first lap was surprisingly easy with a few small attacks but not much pace. Lap 2, Rolly hit it and i follwed, as well as a couple of others. Next thing i know there is 6 of us off the front and the pace is on. A few laps later we had a health time gap of about 1 minute. with 8 laps to go i was really feeling the hurt as Rolly and 2 others are just chucking it in to each other and i was caught in the middle. On that lap i was dropped out of the breakaway cause the legs had nothing. And nothing to the point where all other groups just rode staight past me. I stopped not long after that.
Thursday’s training was surprising. Although the race killed me i was fully recoverd. I went on with my 4hours like i didnt even race the day before.
Friday was a big one, 5hours 40 minutes. The very starnge thing was, when i got home i felt like i had only done 3hours and it wasnt an easy ride.
Saturday was the day my girlfriend was leaving to go back to New Zealand and she was leaving late in the day. Thought it wouldnt be very nice to spend the last half a day with her off training, and there wasnt enough time at the end of the day so i took the day off.
Sunday is what i am excited to write to you about. I wasnt surposed to race but there was a kermise race just down the road so i thought why not.
The race…. 21 laps totaling 116km on a rolling circuit. i dont know why i decided to race today but i did anyway. It was really windy so thought it is going to be good for some gutter action which suits me. The first lap and already with the cross wind there was a group of 6 off the front and i happend to be apart of that. It was only a couple of laps later and we were down to 5 riders and had a 2 minute lead. Round and round we went until 5 laps to go. One of the guys decided to test the group and attacked, I followed. We were caught again half a lap later. As soon as were were caught i counter attacked and Two of us rolled away. Little did i know the guy that was with me was working for one of the others so i had to go at it alone. I tried attacking him but he kept coming back at me. Even though the were both from different teams, i presume there was money changing hands. With a lap to go we were back at 4 guys, but one was struggling, it didnt take much to loose him. Now left was me vs two guys. On paper it wouldnt look promising for me but today i had good legs and if either guys wanted it they had to take it. For the whole last lap i was getting my arse handed to me on a silver platter, but i wasnt giving up. 1 guy would attack and i would have to chase, as soon as i caught him the other guy would attack and again i was left to chase. For those that dont know its called getting one, two-ed. i was coping it the whole last lap. 500m to go and we were still together. 200m to go one guy attacked so i was straight on his wheel, when he reaised i was there he sat up. I hit him back staight away and sprinted to the line to finally take victory by a good few bike lengths. I thought to myself as i saluted… Cop that then guys.
well i race again tomorrow so ill have more to tell you about. I hope it is as good as today.
Clinton