It’s not all bikes y’know….

Posted on December 10, 2008 by Serge Bardot

When I’m not biking, or boozing, I like nothing better than playin’ me geetah! Been playing a long time now. In fact, I first started playing after a motorbike crash put me out of action! What a suprise. 😉

Anyway, before I moved to France I stoopidly sold most of my small collection of guitars. The only electric I have left is the one that nobody wanted, a Fender Big Apple Stratocaster. Here she is…

My Big Apple Stratocaster - Blue on Black

A beauty eh? In the right hands such a guitar could make a grown man weep, and make a young woman go weak at the knees.

So, with a gig coming up i’m getting some practice in, wringing every last emotion out of her when my B string snapped. It’s nearly always the B that goes first. Ever tried buying guitar strings in rural France? Not easy, especially when I’m fussy about what I play. So instead of treking into Limoges and supporting the local guitar shop, which I know I should do, I went online at Strings Direct and ordered some of my all time favourites – Fender Super Bullets. Thanks to Rick at Strings Direct for the rapid service – they arrived within 48hrs.

GHS fast fret While I was on, I ordered some new Fast Fret. It’s a String and neck lubricant. That…

lets fingers slide freely, keeps strings clean and is good for wood. Glides on wipes off, specially formulated for stringed instruments.Fast fret cleans strings, lets you play faster, brightens sound, prolongs fingerboard life, long lasting, won’t damage your frets…

Last time I bought Fast Fret it came in a tin! If you’re into guitars you’ll know how long ago that was. 😉

UFOLEP 2008 season prize ceremony…

Posted on December 1, 2008 by Serge Bardot

All the prize winners on stage together
A Friday night deep in the heart of the Haute Vienne. More than 200 cyclists and friends are gathered for the prize ceremony for the 2008 season. There’s roadies, and mountain bikers, national champions, regional champions, young stars of the future, and old veterans who are still kicking ass! At the end of the ceremony all the winners are called up on stage for a group photo. Right there in amongst them, standing proud, there is an Englisman. Yep, an old veteran mountain biker with a dodgy shoulder. He’s won the VTT Challenge Competition. 🙂

Les Gantiers – 17th edition – VTT Raid, St Junien

Posted on November 17, 2008 by Serge Bardot

Les Gantiers 2008 Remember when I rode this last year? A true blast of a race. One big loop run off at road race speeds, only off-road. Thing is, last year I was flying, and had super form. I’m not quite there this year. Though I’ve been looking forward to this one for weeks.

The start – Following the startline antics from last year the organisers have made the start a little wider. Yeah, but it still goes into the same gravel strewn 90 right after 50 metres! Chaos ensues, and again after another 50 meters the 90 left onto the road. I manage to get away in the first twenty riders. It’s fast. I’m breathing hard. On the road climb out of the river valley I manage to get up to the lead group. By the time we swing off into the first Chemin I’m looking at top twenty.

Mon Taxi Parti! – A group of about 6 riders is moving clear. I should be sat on the back of them. My taxi is leaving without me! I move up where I can. I’m working with a couple of roadies. We’re sharing the work well, and we’re making progress, slowly catching riders. There’s a long drag. One of my co-workers does a big turn on the front and blows himself up! Why? So just the two of us. We’re motoring.

Into some mucky sections. My friends chain sucks up, somethin’ gives, and his chain is broke! Too bad for him, and too bad for me. I’m on my own now. Two kms further on I spot one of the main contenders fixin’ a puncture. I’m hoping he gets it fixed fast so I can catch him when he comes flying past. He never does.

Economique – Looking ahead down some of the long straights at what must be two to three minutes into the future I can see half a dozen riders, though the nearest looks at least a minute ahead. There’s nobody close behind. I’m riding as fast as I can. 100% concentration so that not even half a pedal turn is wasted. It’s tough.
Les Gantiers 2008 - I made the vets podium
Into the last few kms. I’ve made a little progress, and I’m closer to the rider ahead than I was, but I ain’t gonna catch him. I cross the finish line in 15th position. I’m second Vet B. Beaten again by Jean Claude Sansonnet (US Nantiat). The first 7 riders are home together! With Jean Phillipe Menneteau (US Nantiat) taking the win. I’m some 5 minutes off the pace. It’s OK, I know what I have to do. 🙂

Specialized Stumpjumper HT Comp versus S-Works Stumpjumper Carbon HT

Posted on November 14, 2008 by Serge Bardot

Stumpjumper HT Comp 2009 and S-Works Carbon HT, choose your weapon.
The Stumpjumper HT Comp is the least expensive is Spesh’s Stumpy range. I reckon it’s fantastic value for money, and good enough to race on. In fact, up until I got my S-Works carbon this year, that’s exactly what I did. Since 2005 I’ve used a standard Stumpjumper Comp as my main race bike. Had some good results too. If you can’t win on the Comp, you can’t win.

The 2009 Stumpjumper HT Comp is even better. It’s now made of the same M5 alloy that was reserved for the S-Works alloy bikes. With it’s 28 spoke front wheel, flat bars, and 90mm travel forks, this ain’t no trail bike. It’s for racing………and i’ve got one…..and I rode it for the first time this week at the Armistice day VTT rando at Isle.

Wanna know how it rides? Well, I dunno! Why? Because after the first few minutes when I had to ‘brain shift’ into SRAM mode I was so busy enjoying the ride I forgot that I was riding it. I was so busy hacking up and down the sides of the Vienne Valley on super steep climbs followed by fabulous singletrack descents strewn with damp leaves covering rocks and roots, that the bike just disappeared.

Whether the bike became transparent, or part of me, or whatever doesn’t really matter. It’s the fact that it rode so well, and I felt so at home on it. It was only when I queued up at the Lavage Velos (bike wash), that I noticed it. Ridden standard, as it came, out of the box. Oh, and ridden hard too. I was third rider home out of 300.

Compared to my XTR equipped S-Works Carbon hardtail, it’s a little heavier (though much lighter on the wallet!!!). But in terms of performance, and being a XC race tool…..If you can win, you can win on the Comp. It’s that good. 🙂

Thanks to the crew at Pearce Cycles who supplied mine.

Armistice Day

Posted on November 10, 2008 by Serge Bardot

11 November 2008 will be the 90th anniversary of Armistice Day…. the cessation of hostilities on the Western Front, which took effect at eleven o’clock in the morning — the “eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month”.

Take a ride through any French town or village, and there’ll be a monument, or memorial to those lost in the First World War. Stop and read the names, and you’ll see that a lot of families lost more than one. Yet the French equivalent of the poppy, the paper cornflower whose blue colour recalls the French sky-blue uniforms, is rarely seen in the buttonholes of television presenters or politicians, and it is almost impossible to find one on sale.

Every year, a dwindling number of first world war veterans attend the Arc de Triomphe wreath-laying ceremony but this year none of the surviving 15 Frenchmen – aged between 105 and 109 – are well enough to take part.

Well, I’ll be doing my tiny bit tomorrow…. sporting a flower and a ribbon. Lest we forget.

On the podium in the 17th Frederic Mistral VTT Raid

Posted on October 28, 2008 by Serge Bardot

On the podium in La Frederic Mistral
One of the best races of the season. I’ve been looking forward to this one. A ‘full on’ mass start race. One big 42km loop. Raced as seen. Last year I finished 3rd scratch, and won my category. I ain’t got that sort of form this year, but I’m gonna race hard for a category podium place.

The start – they’ve changed the start this year. This time instead of an out and back around a field, it’s an uphill start on a bumpy field for 200m a sharp left, a 200m dash along the top of the field before diving down for a sharp right onto the tarmac with greasy wet tyres! 🙂

My Plan – Flat out for the first 5kms to try and get myself into the best fast moving group I can. Then ‘economique’ – try and stay there.

The Off – You just know it’s gonna be chaos on the inside of the first bend as everyone squeezes in. I line up further out to the right. My clubmate Eric lets me in on the front line just in front of him. The tape goes down. A few words from the commissaire. A countdown from 5. We’re away on two. As I climb onto the pedals Eric gives me an almighty shove! Thanks Eric 🙂

Up around the first bend with the leaders. Hold my place along the top. Left down towards the tarmac. Easy onto the road. Lock the forks out and kick. Jean-Phillipe (Nantiat) comes by, I get his wheel. We’re hammering up the short road section all desperate to get into the first narrow off-road in the best position we can. I dive past a couple of rider as we go in.

Onto the rocky climb now. Chances of riding it are slim. Slippy damp rocks and leaves. I don’t even try. I dismount and run up the right-hand side to keep my bike out of the way. It’s chaos. There’s a lot of ‘jovial banter’ as bikes and bodies clash.

We’re over the top and away. I reckon I’m in the top twenty-ish. Not great, but I’m in good company. Stephane (Ambazac), Lionel (Nantiat), and me old mate Jean Claude (Nantiat). All good riders.

For the next hour and a half we race on some of the hardest, fastest, unforgiving, fabulous trails in the Limousin. There’s lots of action as riders come and go. I’m climbing well enough, and I’m fine on the technical stuff, but on some of the fast descents……

Well, on some of the fast descents I’m losing ground. Still lacking a little confidence. But that’s OK ‘cos I’m going like the clappers on the flat, and i’m able to motor back onto the group.

Over half distance now, and just like the last race Jean Claude edges away ever so slowly. It’s tough now, and there are some steep rock strewn granny ring climbs. Lionel slips, curses, remounts, and curses some more. Up ahead I can see Christian Boutin, we’re catching him. Over the top, then a short descent. Lionel is dropped, i’m on the wheel of Christian, Stephane has a 50meter gap.

We turn onto a tarmac section. I want to chase Stephane, but I don’t want to tow Christian up, he’s a vet, and a fast descender, he’ll beat me if I don’t get rid of him. I jump past hard and go after Stephane. There’s no response from Christian. He must have blown.

Stephane of the Ambazac Sprinter Club I work together with Stephane, we catch Marko (St Leger La Montagne) another demon descender. I ride past him as hard as I can. I’m feeling pretty good. I stay on the front, I open up a gap on the two.
Not a big enough gap though as they both catch me on the descent from the Frederic Mistral memorial. We’re almost home now, and it’s mostly downhill. Marko comes flying past making the most of his Specialized Epic. Stephane gives chase. I chase Stephane. We ain’t gonna beat Marko, but if I can stay in contact I’ll have a sprint against Stephane.

I push my lack of downhill confidence out of my mind. Wrap my fingers around the bars and ride hard. We’re really motoring. There’s a huge mud hole up ahead. Marko goes right. Stephane goes left, catches an edge and shoots himself into the bushes. I manage to miss Stephane’s rear wheel.
I ease to see if he’s OK. He’s back on his bike and chasing.

Into the finish, a couple of zig-zags, a sprint to the line. I’m 11th scratch, and second Vet B (over 50). Jean Claude Sansonnet is first Vet B in 8th scratch.There’s only one other vet in, that’s Bernard Soulier (AC Cosnac), a Vet A (over 40), he’s 3rd scratch!!!

Wrap up – I’m happy with my ride. My form is on the up, there’s more to come. I’m just two minutes down on Jean Claude, and I’m well ahead of some of the riders who’ve been beating me lately. I come away with a nice trohpy, and I’m looking forward to my next race already.
Got a nice trophy

Choise of weapon – I rode my Specialized S-Works Stumpjumper Hardtail with some new Rock Shox SID World Cups (100mm). I ran Hutchinson Piranha Tubeless tires at 2.5bar (35psi) with sealant. I carried no tube or CO2 cannister just in case! But I did carry a SRAM quick link, and a small micro tool. I used a bottle and cage with a 500ml bottle of water with gear mixed in. I carried no food. I knew from previous years results that the race was about two hours long.

Find out more about this great race here http://www.guidonbellachon.org/

17éme Sentiers des Etangs – Nantiat

Posted on October 23, 2008 by Serge Bardot

Racing my S-Works Stumpjumper HT First race of the season – The Mountainbike season here in France runs from September to September. So far there’s only been one competitive event, and that was the Chrono (MTB time trial), at Panazol. So this’ll be the first chance to see who’s hot and who’s not. It’s 45kms, one big loop, ridden as seen.

Let me set the scene – I’m still on my way up form wise. Nowhere near as fit, or light, as I was when I broke my collarbone in June. I’ve been struggling this week. Sometimes when I overdo it some of the muscles around my good/bad shoulder get really stiff. From Wednesday onward I’m ramrod stiff, and despite the team masseuse doing her best, and me topping up with anti-inflammatories it just won’t let go. During the night before the race I wake up many times uncomfortable. I decide not to race as the outcome is bound to be a negative one.

On the day – We are up early and on our way. It’s a cold crisp morning. Carla is racing, I’m just doing the rando. At the race site, in the bustle of activity, I go into auto pilot…. sign on, number on bike, warm up, and as if by magic, I’m on the front row of the grid, the starter is counting us down from 5, we’re away on 3. There’s some pushing and shoving as we funnel into the first trail. I’m sitting just near the back of the lead group, we’re going fast!!!

On the first climb, I pass a few, a few pass me. It’s tough, and I don’t feel good at all. I’m starting to lose ground. Some of my Veteran B rivals come past Jean-Claude Sansonnet (Nantiat), Marcel Buisson (Nantiat), Dominique Vrignaud (EC Ambazac), Jean Luc Gromet (Beauvallet). This is going horribly wrong.

When you’re going backwards and you feel like sh*t it’s easy to back off, you need a strategy. Here’s what I do…

Stay calm, stay focused, stick to the task. I tell myself that’s what I’m doing (self talk?). Often, when I’ve been going really well I’ll have a tune going round and round in my head. Not always the same tune, but one tune that’s worked for me on many an occasion is Kylie’s ‘Can’t get you out of my head‘!. Not the whole song, just the “La la la, la la la la la, la la la” bit. I call on Kylie voodoo to help me out, I focus on what I’m doing, and push on.

I seem to be going OK on the descents, and I’m gaining on Jean Luc. There’s a tricky section with big rocks as we drop onto a road. Jean Luc over cooks it and crashes. He’s OK, it’s a low speed tumble. I squeeze by. On the tarmac now, chasing to get the wheel of Marcel. I catch him as we go off-road. It’s Marcel who’s set the circuit. He knows every twist and turn of these trails, and it shows. Firing into blind bends at the perfect speed and line for the exit. I put my faith in Marcel and follow as tight as I can.

We catch Jean Claude! As we pass I ask him if he’s OK. He says he cannot breathe, the air is so cold. Onto big wide tracks now heading in the direction of Lac St Pardoux. Jean Marc Restoin (AS St Junien) arrives. He’s a strong roadie and on the open trails he’s going like a train. Only thing is, he’s towed Jean Claude back up!

Marcel has dropped off, we’ve caught Dominique. Jean Marc is doing the lions share of the work, and the kilometers are flying by. As we get into the narrow technical stuff JC thanks Jean Marc by diving in front of him. Down a rocky descent Jean Marc struggles, Dominique and I give chase.

On the twisty singletrack by the lake (St Pardoux), JC on the front, me glued to his wheel, Dominique glued to mine. It’s quick, but not desperate. I glance at my watch, one hour done, I reckon we’re halfway. Turning away from the lake, climbing what seems like a forever climb JC edges ever so slowly away. I try to go after him and get rid of Dominique, I can’t. Dominique tries to get rid of me, he can’t. JC stays in sight, just up ahead.

Almost two hours on the clock, and I’m really struggling, I’ve had enough, I’m looking for the finish. There’s a sharp right, and a granny ring climb, I hear Dominique miss his gears, I kick hard. I can hear the PA system announcing riders home. The finish can only be just around the corner. Dominique is back. I recognize where we are. A short twisty 500metres to go. I give it my all, and as we drop out onto the short finishing straight I sprint. No one comes past.

Wrap up – So, seeing as how I wasn’t gonna race. It didn’t actually turn out too bad. I’m second Vet B around a minute and a half down on JC (who’s been going extremely well). I’m 14th scratch out of 106 finishers, again, no too bad. I’m exhausted, it’s been a tough one.

Thanks to the Nantiat club who hosted the race, and Marcel for a superb circuit (course). Thanks to my fellow racers for a great workout, and thanks to Kylie – “La la la, la la la la la, la la la”. 🙂

BTW – Carla came 4th in the ladies race.
A copy results in Excel is here.

Takin’ the nasty medicine…

Posted on October 16, 2008 by Serge Bardot

You know what it’s like. Trying to get some form. Taking the nasty medicine that is hard training. Coming back from rides with aching legs, sore back, head done in. But you just know it’s got to be done. This is when you pay for the good days.

Like yesterday, working hard, going nowhere, can’t seem to get on top of the gear, off the pace, behind schedule, headwind all the way around, chewin’ on the handlebars. Big races coming up, want to do well. If it was easy it wouldn’t be worth doing would it? Plus, the pleasure and satisfaction will be directly proportional to the pain and dis-satifaction I have right now. Push on! 🙂

Les Mégalithes – 15éme édition – VTT Rando

Posted on October 7, 2008 by Serge Bardot

This is the one we started with 3 years ago. This is my favourite rando, a 42km tour of the western end of the Monts de Blond. It’s an early start, an’ it’s bloomin’ chilly, though we’ll warm up soon enough. I spot a few of the ‘usual suspects’ signing on. Remember, it’s not a race, you just ride at your own speed. 😉

There’s no ‘Grand Depart’ this year. Instead you can leave anytime you like after 08:45. This means that by 08:45 just about everyone is gone. I set off at a brisk pace, picking my way through the traffic. By the time I reach Arnac i’m too hot so make a quick stop to remove Buff and scarf. I’m feeling pretty good, and you know what it’s like, when you’re feeling good the pain feels good, the faster you go the better the pain. I’m blasting along, pretty much full on.

Along the tops now, heading in the direction of Montrol Senard. There’s a rider catching me from behind. I’m goin’ damn quick, he’s goin’ even quicker! He catches me, it’s Jean-Phillipe, we’ve ridden together loads, usually with me groveling on his wheel. We exchange greetings, then, as per normal, i’m chasing his wheel. I manage to stay with him all the way into Montrol Senard village, though it’s a struggle. I’m not descending as well as I was, a little cautious.

We head out of the village and swing right onto the steep chemin towards Montmezerie. Jean-Phillipe slowy edges away. It’s steep and rocky, but I make it all the way to the top with just one dab. The next section if very fast, with plenty of rocks and roots to keep you focused. The dappled sunlight through the trees add to the sense of speed. I spot a rider up ahead, i’m gaining slowly. It’s Nico from the Nantiat club. I almost catch him but the trail turns downhill, and Nico drops like a stone.

I’m at the ravito (food stop) now. There’s one rider who I haven’t seen, though I know he’s here somewhere, Christian….. he must be ahead somewhere. Away from the ravito with Jean-Phillipe and Nico. We head down across the slabs on one of the best descents in the Monts. A sharp left, drop over the road, and down again. Fast, rocky, twisty, bermy, scary, this one has it all. I can’t stay with the boys, by the time I get to the lake at Les Petite Hors they’re out of site.

I push on, hard. Nico in sight again, and I’m gaining on him. The long granny ring climb back up to Boscartus. I catch him just before the summit. There’s a couple of kilometers of tarmac, i’m on the front. I know where were going, and what’s coming next. I don’t want to spoil Nico’s fun so I wave him through at the top of the last big descent. Again, I hang on to the fast descending Nico as long as I can, but in the steeper stony stuff I can’t stay with him. When we spill out onto the road at the bottom Nico has some 200metres on me.

We’re off the Monts now, and i know it’s a rolling run in to the finish. I’m chewin’ on the handlebars, riding like a man possesed. I catch Nico, he stays with me for a while. I lose him in some traffic. On very familiar ground now, the singletrack through to Le Pic. Hammering. There’s a stream, with a bridge, normally I take the bridge, but someone is on it, I don’t want to be held up, I blast through the water – not like me at all. Can’t be more than 3km to go now. A rider up ahead, I recognise his style though not his bike. It’s Christian!!!

So…… today was brilliant, I enjoyed every pedal turn. I feel like i have some form coming, but still some work to do to get ‘race fit’. I’m not climbing as well as I was – need to lose the 2kgs i’ve put on, and I’m not descending well – still a bit cautious after my fall in the Mandragore. I’ll keep taking the nasty medicine that is hard training. I’ve got two weeks, then it’s two big races in a row. Time enough, but only just.

Chrono Catastrophe!!!

Posted on September 22, 2008 by Serge Bardot

Panazol poster Rode the Panazol rando yesterday. 28kms friendly with a 10km time trial (chrono) at the end. Enjoyed the rando, lovely sunny morning, a bit chilly, but a good warm up for the chrono. Stripped off arm warmers and leg warmers, and was ready.

Three short laps to make 10kms race track with riders going off at 30 second intervals. I’m off behind Christian Boutin, someone good to chase. Just over halfway around the first lap I puncture! How can it be, as I’m running tubeless with sealant? I stop and use a foam canister. It doesn’t work very well. I continue back to the start area where there is a mechanic. I shout him, and he runs over with a track pump. With my tyre pumped up hard I set off on lap two, passing some of the same riders I’d already passed.

By the end of lap two I can feel that the tyre won’t be hard enough for the last lap, I pull over at the start again. Shout the mechanic again, and bang the tyre up hard again. Out for the last lap, I give my all knowing that it’s pretty hopless.

Now, the worst part is i’ve been going on at Jean Claude Sansonnet for not using tubeless, and puncturing so often. He’s riding today, and finishes a fantastic third (scratch!)…….. on normal tyres, with tubes! Doh!