The Build up to worlds went well, I was coming up to them with good form. For me it was a big change comparing to last year and the year before. I will tell you like I have told a lot of people… “the previous two world championships for me were a waste of time”, and for those who were reading my updates back then would probably agree. What happened then was, I had done a wee bit too much racing and I was starting to get tired. I knew it, but being selected for worlds I wasn’t allowing myself to recover. I wasn’t racing good and with worlds coming up I thought I should do more to get better rather then doing less. It just made me worse. It was a serious lesson I had to learn from.
This year however I had learnt my lesson and had got things right, my form was good and I was looking forward to having a enjoyable world championships. The week before I done a race with the professionals with the intention of doing 120km or so and pulling out. Just to keep the speed but not to make myself tired. Well I got to 120km and was feeling good so I thought I would do another lap. Then I thought I will do another lap again because I still wasn’t feeling tired. Well I got to the last lap and realised the race was finished in 15km, so I made my way to the front of the peloton as it was going to be a bunch sprint. The thoughts running through my head were, “Ok Clinton worlds are next week, if it get too dodgy up here get out of there because you cant afford to crash now”. Well with 300m to go I managed to push my way into the Rabobank leadout train. With 200m to go I was 5th wheel thinking “I may actually be able to win this race”. 150m to go the sprint was underway. There was 4 of us spread across the front in real contention of winning when a heard a loud crack from my front wheel, followed by a strange grinding noise. In the split second it took me to realise it wasn’t going to cause me to crash I was swamped buy a dozen or so riders. I just rolled in finishing 16th but man I was pissed. I think I broke my front axle but I’m not sure. This race just proved to me that this could be a good world champs for me.

We arrived at worlds in Switzerland and I had heard all kinds of stories about the course. I had heard it was next level hard and that is why Julian Dean and Greg Henderson didn’t want to race. But on the other hand Tom Boonen thought he could win and they are all sprinters. So really I had no idea what to expect. We rode the course that day and guess what it was hard! I wasn’t going to say it was the hardest world champs I have been to but I knew it wasn’t the easiest either. With my current form I thought I should at least survive. It consisted of a 13.8km lap with 2 climbs per lap. The first climb being 1.5km long with the last 800m at 12% (steep). The second was 2km long with pinches of 10% but no real decent after. The longest time for recovery was from the top of the first climb to the bottom of the second climb but that period was only about 5-10mins long. The rest of the lap was just hanging on.
Well…I was wrong about being able to survive…. It was the hardest race I had ever done in my life. So hard in fact that only 60 or so riders finished the race out of the 170 that started. But it wasn’t that we pulled out willingly, we got pulled out once you were far enough behind. And guess what… the only riders that were left contesting the race were all climbers. Or riders that could climb. I was disappointed being the 3rd out of three U23 world Championships I haven’t finished. But on the other hand I didn’t feel to bad about this one because looking at the other races (the pro men and women) they all turned out the same way.

Anyway just to finish this email off, you wont be hearing much from me for a while as my season has come to a close and I am taking a month or so off the bike. At the moment I am just waiting till the 16th to come home as to change my flights were too expensive. You should begin hearing from me again beginning to mid November when I begin preparing for 2010 season.
Hope you have enjoyed following my season and thank you to those who have supported me this year.
Until my new season begins Peace out.
Clinton
P.s I should learn that if I send a lot of short updates you enjoy reading them more then one that is too long. Opps, Thats my Bad.

I raced today the Omloop van de Grensstreek - Wervik and to be honest wasn’t expecting to do to well with the race from Sunday in my legs and only one Recovery day, but the team wanted me so I had too race. It was 175km on (for west vlaanderan) a rather hilly circuit including climbs like the kemmel berg (2km long, last 500m at 18% and cobbled) and a few other climbs from around that area.

I knew the race from last year and where I need to be positioned in the peloton coming into some of the climbs, but fortunately I didn’t need this knowledge as 500m after the start an attack went. I wasn’t to keen to chase all day again so I jumped across. There were some better than average riders there, so it justified the move. We rode as 6 for 10-15km and during that time I was thinking it was going to be a very long day.

Shortly after we were joined by 12 others to make 18 and we were off. Soon after we were out to 2 mins 40 secs. On the second of 2 times over the Kemmel berg the break became 10 riders making the work load more with still 60km to go. Coming back into Wervik for our three 12km finish loops we had a 1min 30sec buffer so it was looking like we would stay away.

On the last lap the attacks started but me and my team mate Arthur soon took control of that when we started one two-ing the 8 riders that were left. We never managed to get away as the riders left we still too strong. Arthur was looking like the most likely candidate for getting away as the would let him go a bit before bringing him back. They would just shut me down straight away. Coming into the sprint I had a good position but unfortunately was caught out with 300m to go when the sprint began with a rider from Beveran 2000 beginning the sprint with a lot more speed then we had. I blew it by waiting till 150m to go to launch out of the train but it was too long! I made it up to the beveran rider but not over top of him. I finished 2nd which I am very happy about but I had the legs to win, I just made a tactical error and it cost me.

Talk soon
Clinton

The race was Vlaamse Havenpijl 1.2 with the pros and 182km. It was quite a technical race with lots of tram lines, cobbles and traffic islands. Also a little breeze which was enough to keep it strung out most of the race.

Nothing happened in the first hour except attack after attack. I had been with alot of moves that had potential but were missing key players so they were brought back. Then finally a group of 21 got away and the race settled down a little, but unfortunately for me and the team we missed it.

I had a couple of attempts in the very early stages to get across but the pace was too hot and I didn’t get far. With 60km to go it became time to chase and with help from Cinelli down under we caught the break with 5km to go. I was quite tired but had a little left in the tank so thought I’d have a nudge at the sprint.

After fighting for position for a couple of seconds I got a call on the radio saying Fredrik, one of the sprinters in the team, also the bosses son and stagier with Quickstep was too far back for the sprint and needed help being brought forward. I dropped back found him and used what I was going to use for the sprint to bring him forward. With 400m to go I got him into position and just kept my head down for whatever position I could muster. It was 32nd somewhere but Fredrik managed 5th or 6th.

After the race I got a big thank you from Fredrik, his dad, the team management and his supporters.

I was a little disappointed but at the same time proud of my work…… with the boss being happy was a bonus too. Its always good to be liked by the Boss of the team!

Sorry the email is short I am a little tired and not really interested in typing. But I Have another race on Tuesday so you will hear from me again then.

Cheers
Clinton

In the Beginning of the tour it was looking like i would be riding for my team mate Jens Debusschere when he took the yellow jersey after the first stage winning a group sprint of 20 or so riders. The group slipped away from the pelaton amongst the caos of chasing down the breakaway and at the finish had a 47 second buffer over the rest of the pelaton.
The day began with the plan for jens to win the bunch kick if there was one but i was to go with the early break and not work. I was to save my legs to attack the break away in the last 20km of 144km stage. With 18km to go i was away with one other rider but we were soon swallowed up by the chasing group of 20 with 6km to go. For me then was just a matter of hanging on and trying to finish on the same time as the winner. I was just lucky Jens was in that group to challenge the sprint. The whole plan worked out which ever way it went.

Day 2 was looking to be an easy day for the team in the 156km second stage when a large group slipped away after 30km. Fortunately for us Jens was in that group so it meant other teams had to chase and not us. Not long after the break went up the road i could see a lone rider with his hand up, In a yellow shirt with red shorts. I was hoping it wasnt Jens but it was and he had a puncture. For me and the rest of the team it meant we now had to begin the real chase. The were guys in the front group that were in the front 20 yesterday so it had to come back. The whole day on the front took its toll and we caught the majority of the group but the second place getter from the tour last year and part of yesterdays top 20 had ridden away from the break and won the stage with 26 seconds taking Jens easily out of yellow.

Day 3 was to prove the tour wasnt over with an 11km time trial. All the guys from the team rode excetional with 4 out of 6 inside the top 10. Jens blew us all away winning the tt 26 seconds ahead of the yellow jersey bringing it down to split seconds whether he got the jersey back or not. He did! For 15 mins! The team director from the yellow jersey at the begining of the day (Sep Vanmeke) put in a complaint that the times from the day before wernt proper and a 1 second advantage was given to Sep putting Jens second on GC by 1 second. It was fair to say there were some angry people amongst our team! For me i was 6th in the time trial putting me 5th in General Classification at 14 seconds. Believe it or not although people were angry over this situation it presented us a perfect attacking oppitunity for the next Day/stage.

Stage 4. The plan was………..158km later It couldnt have played out more perfect!
No just kidding. The plan was Jens to go with all the early attacks he had the legs for forcing Sep to chase him, then later in ther race i was to attack, again forcing Sep to chase. If he wanted to keep the yellow! Anyway Jens went with attack after attack after attack and when it was my turn Sep didnt chase. Whether he had forgotten about me or was to tired to chase i dont know but the guys all said his team wasnt helping him. I was with a group of 15 and we stayed away to the finish with 35 seconds Putting me in the yellow jersey. Unfortunately though there were 2 guys in the break with me that were 1 second behind me on GC and 7 seconds. Which didnt give me much of a time gap going into the last stage. But the important thing was I had and the Team had the yellow jersey back.

Going into the last stage with 2nd on GC at 1 second, 3rd at 7 seconds, and 4th at 14 seconds it was looking like it was going to be a tough day for me and my team. 5th on GC was Jens so we didnt have to worry about him. We knew we had to let a break go because that is the only way to take control of the race. So after 40km a break was let go. With no radios we cant be told who is there or get regular time gaps so it was a dangerous move, but one that had to be done.It became Especailly dangerous when later we find out that with the time gap the break had there was a new leader on the road. It had to be brought back. The guys hit the front of the pelaton and wound up the pace. We brought the break back to 15 seconds with 45km to go but that was to early to catch it so we let it go out to 35 seconds again. 25km to go the boys wound the pace back up again bringing the break back with 15km to go. We did this because with 3 guys who can still win the tour it meant i only had to deal with their attacks for 15 km. And im telling you now 150km stage, 4 previous days racing in the legs and trying to handle attacks from 3 differnet people with all different agenders, that 15km seemed like the longest of my life. In the end it came to a bunch sprint and i managed a respectable 6th for the final stage. And WON!!!!!!!!!! the

In the end the teams results were…. i won the tour, the U23 classification and 3rd in points classification. Jens won 2 stages, and second in the points Clasification and the team won the overall teams Classifcation. If you ask me it was a very successful tour!

thats all from me
Clinton

The first race was GP van Geluwe 1.12 and I was told at the beginning of the race that “even though I had to race the next day I was racing to win”. It all went good and they were about 19 riders out of the 220 left with 2 laps to go. It was a hard race with the heat and the wind but I handled it. The only problem for me was, every break I was apart of was brought back. I think too many of the good riders know who I am and were not letting me go anywhere with out them.

Anyway me being the marked man left options open for the rest of the team. The last attack of the day saw 7 riders go away with 3 from the team so I wasn’t going to chase. We still came away with the victory though. It wasn’t me who won but it worked out good for the team. Once they got away I was left keeping the rest of the strong guys neutralised. That became hard work and in the end sprinting for 8th place wasn’t looking inviting so I just rolled in for 12th.

The next day was Oetingen 1.2, with the pros. It was a race I was capable of doing well in with all the cobbles but 170km of hard racing the day before left me swinging after 100km. I was dropped not long after that. The problem I am having with the team at the moment is… They are becoming “Continental” next year and therefor have to drop some riders. If I don’t get a contract I would like to stay with the team. All the directors from the team like me and know what I am capable of and selections for races become arguments on who gets me for their race. Hence 2 big races in a row. I dont want to argue or say no because I want to stay in the good books.

After a couple or recovery rides I raced again, but this time it was just a kermese. Anyway all the big names from kermese racing were there and also a couple from Palmans. It went good with a lot of riding in the gutter with the cross wind. After about 30km it began breaking up into small groups. I was caught in the 3rd group when it happened. While the gaps were small I jumped up to the 2nd group and rode straight past them to the 1st group. It was hard work but I was still in the race. We rolled around and around and slowly the lead group got smaller. With 4 laps to go 2 guys attacked but both had team mates. After a while I realised they were not going to chase so I attacked and bridged across. Again I was marked and because I was there the break was coming back.

The others realised they were being brought back and sat up, but I kept going. Alone. I was kind of hoping a few would come across but they were just happy to work to bring me back. I was caught at the beginning of the last lap. As soon as I was caught 2 others counter attacked. I had nothing to go with it or shut it down so I was hoping the others would do that but they didn’t. they were out to about 20secs so when I recovered enough I attempted to bridge across again, but 2 of them were moving faster then me and kept pulling time. But then both guys were ex Pros. I held of the chases for 3rd place.

Anyway that’s all that’s been happening so far. I have a few more big races over the next few weeks so will keep you posted with how they go.
regards
Clinton Avery

Anyway my final attempt for U23 paris-roubaix was looking good with those two earlier victories but the team needed me to race a 3 day tour in the Pyrenees, France the weekend before. I didn’t email about it because there wasn’t really much to say and I had other things on my mind. I had to ride for the teams climber so being first for me was the lowest priority. Anyway Yannik (the climber) turned up to the tour with a stomach bug and me being his room mate I ended up with it on the last day. I rode 16km of the last stage, from the start to the hotel. I was soooo crook. The First half of the week leading into Roubaix I was desperately trying to get rid of my crook guts and finally I felt good again on the Thursday. I tried hard not think about the few days where I couldn’t really train and tried to remain positive but I wont lie, the further into the week I got feeling back was making things harder and harder. “Why is it always my turn for something to go wrong when there is something really important coming up?” if any one has that answer please email me and tell me? The main thing was i was feeling 100% by Friday.

The race……… I had a good sleep, I hadn’t thought at all about the earlier few days, and I was amping. Finally the day I had been waiting so patiently for was here. Leading up to the start, if I said I wasn’t nervous I would be lying. I was constantly to and from the toilets, but not from being a little nervous but more I was well hydrated. Thats what I kept telling myself anyway. It was the first time I have actually been nervous for a while. I knew who were the favorites were from the highlighted markings on our teams start list but judging by the huge “!” (explanation mark) my director had drawn next to Taylor Phinney’s name I knew he was a big priority.

The first 50km is just like a normal road race with rolling hills but no cobbles. I knew they would let an early break go but wasn’t at all concerned when it went because all the favorites were still sitting in the peloton. All though I think to bridge to the break wouldn’t be that hard if I needed to. The Peloton was creeping and the break wasn’t taking much time so they cant have been going that fast either. I think in that first 50km I spent a lot of time in my small chainring.

I was expecting shit to hit the fan once we reached the first section of cobbles but it didn’t. And the race never really go hard until the 3rd to last section of cobbles. It was really frustrating but every time we tried to do something about it, it would only last a few minutes and then slow down. Thats all that happened in the first 130km. After that things started heating up a bit which made me happy. Normally at this stage in the race the peloton is 20-30 riders, but this time the peloton was still 60-70. It didn’t take much, all the strong riders went to the front and drove it over the longest section in the race. That made 9 riders left at the front. I WASNT one of them!

By this stage everyone in riding in the dirt on the side of the cobbles and I was a few riders back from where it was splitting. I hit the cobbles as soon as I realised what was happening and rode around the few guys that weren’t fast enough and then back down to the dirt where it was faster. They only had about 20m but I was running out of legs fast trying to catch them, But I did! So did one other guy and that was it race over.

The unfortunate thing was there were 3 guys from one team and 2 guys from another in the front group of 11. They attacked all the way to the finish, and with every gap I had to close or attack I had to shut down, I could feel my sprint getting less and less. Finally we reached the Velodrome and I was saying to myself “one last effort! Com on.” But unfortunately again, It didn’t com on! I stood up to sprint and everything cramped. I mean everything! Fingers, Forearms, quads, calfs. I knew right when I sat back down that it was going to be a repeat sprint of the first year….. SEATED! And seated sprints aren’t that effective. I gave everything I had seated but it was only enough for 7th.

I was SOOOOO disappointed because I knew I was capable of better but the more I looked back at the race the less I can find that would have been better doing differently. I raced the best race I could have but I guess it wasn’t my day to shine and the other 6 riders were better. I caught up with fellow kiwi’s Jesse Sargent and Sam Bewley of trek-Livestrong before the race and they had no idea what they were in for. When I caught up with them after I don’t think they knew what had hit them. Sam comes straight up to me after a performance I did not expect he had in him (16th) for someone who hasn’t ridden cobbles before and said……”That was that hardest thing I EVER done in my life!” I could see on Jesse’s face there was an AAAAAAAAA-MEN! So thats how the day went for me and despite doing everything right it didn’t work out.

I have other things to focus on now so hopefully one of them will work out.
Clinton

Win number 1

Win Number 2
What a great weekend.

Anyway so the read isn’t too long I’ll get on with the races. BTW both race were back to back (Saturday and Sunday) Race 1 was a 120km kermise but being an U23 one everyone thinks not many people will turn up. They were wrong as we still had a field of 120 riders. The weather was bad all day but cleared just for the race. It made me a happy chappy as with the amount of turns in the course it would have made it very interesting. It was almost a weird race though as it seemed like a criterium but the lap was to long. The reason I say it seemed like a crit was it never left town. Hence the million turns.

With the turns and the wind combined it was going to make it a tough race for those at the back of the bunch so I wasted no time moving to the front. When I realised how hard it was at the front, I thought about rubber band effect in the peleton. It is where the riders at the back have to slow down more for the corner and accelerate more out of the corner therefore making the bunch opporate like a rubber band. Same as a rubber band… the more you stretch and relax it the closer it is to breaking, and the weaker it is the sooner it will break. Same effect with the peleton.

After that long thought I tried to make it as hard as I could by driving the front. One rider was up the road after half a lap so I soloed across and started working with him. Looking back I saw 2 more riders coming one being a team mate of mine so I waited for him to make 4 riders in the break away. We got out to 46 seconds but that was as far as we got. What was left of the peleton was chasing hard. We didn’t let up though and kept working.

One of the riders stopped working so it was time to get rid of him. When he was on my wheel I dropped the wheel in front and let my team mate and the other ride away. The gap began getting to big so the rider behind me began working to chase. We turned into the cross wind and I hit it down the gutter. To my expectations he missed my wheel and I rode back up to the leaders. He never made it back! With 3 riders and 10 laps to go the work was getting harder and harder but we were still hovering around the 40second mark. The fortunate thing for us was we were out of the chaos back with the chasers as their group got smaller and smaller every lap. With 6 laps left one of the guys stopped working but with some discussion he just wanted to get to the finish. With 5 laps to go my team mate was hurting and began pulling soft laps.

I figured we weren’t going to stay away unless someone rode hard so I took on that role. I pretty much rode the last 4 laps by myself with a couple of hangers on. On the last lap my team mate Laurant ask me if I could let him win as he hasn’t won a race in 4 years. I thought about the games like that in the team last year so I was apprehensive. I told him no I wont let him win BUT……. I will lead him out for the sprint and if he can come around me I will let him have it, if not do he has to do some more training. However I had seen him sprint before so I wasn’t too concerned.

I took Victory by 2 bike lengths for the first time for the season with a 117km breakaway and Iwas still feeling good afterwards.

Sunday Race 2 was 115km and again U23. A lot nicer race too as there were less turns and back roads. The finish was in town but the rest was in the country. There was a strong wind so I knew the race would be over quickly. The first cross wind section would sort things out for sure. Sure enough, after the first lap there were 15 riders left of the 80 that started. Amongst being myself and fellow kiwi Ryan Wills.

This was a bonus, because there was a whole team from Latvia (Lithuainia if thats how you spell it) there and they are strong. With Ryan there at least we had some form a defense. A few laps later there were 7 left, still Ryan and myself and 3 from the Latvian team. I knew we would need a plan for final few laps to have any chance but I had no idea what to do so didn’t say anything. Just go with the flow and see what happens.

On the second to last lap I let Ryan slip up the road with one latvian and another rider as splitting them up would make things easier to take control of. When they had about 20second I hit it and went alone to bridge to the leaders. Ryan saw me coming and stop working to make it easier  for me to get across but with the wind it was anything but easy. I got there with 2km to go and said to Ryan, “you try attack and I’ll take care of these 2″, I wasn’t sure of the latvian but I knew Ryan wouldn’t win a sprint against the other rider. The plan became… he attacks and I’ll wait for the sprint. He tried but unfortunately was shut down soon after.

Coming into the sprint I was on the front which was not the place to be, so I sat in the gutter, not driving but that way the sprint could only come up one side. It was all on with 200m to go when I though its now or never. Ryan settled for 4th and the latvian realised he wasn’t getting anywhere either so settled for 3rd. The other continued to contest but as soon as he stopped gaining on me and I started to pull away again, he let out a big F***! as I took my second victory with a solid bike length. It was a good weekend with 2 victories and I know now my form has come at the right time. Especially with Paris Roubaix in 2 weeks time.

Thats all from me
 Clinton