#bikescience

Hello everyone,

Sorry I haven't posted anything recent lately, I have been very busy starting out  new investments in my career pathway and getting stuck in with the winter training! This blog is going to be delivering some good and bad news, depending in which way you want to take it... I will also be telling you about my new career pathways I have started in the Outdoor world! 

Firstly, I will start with the bad news... I have to sadly say, 'Bike Pure-Lemond-Aspire Velo Tech Ladies Team' will not be racing in the 2015 season. This is due to sponsorship faults and commitments containing lots of different matters, which means the girls in the team have had to split up in our separate ways and will not be racing as a team next year. I was gutted to hear the devastating news about the team, but everything happens for a reason. In addition, being on the team for 2014 has been an eye opening and amazing experience for me being able to work as a team with different girls, team managers and sponsors.

I would never fault the girls one bit, we all got along like sisters and was always there for each other even if one of us was in need of help. We stuck together and worked through the races and events as one big team! However, this couldn't of happened without our parents being by our sides and supporting us/the team throughout the year, if it wasn't for them there wouldn't have been a Bike Pure Team. BIG shoutout to Terry Morgan Slater, who co-operated us together as a team and was our Team Manager throughout the year, making sure all our problems were sourced and equipment situations was delt with. Thank you!

Another shoutout I would like to do is for our sponsors who were there for us throughout the year, even if others weren't. Massive thank you to Bike Pure, Lemond, Sukkie Hydration, Lazer Helmets, Decca, Sufferfest, Aspire Velotech and Bike Science. Half of these sponsors have been fantastic from setting us up with profession bike fits to sourcing us equipment and training videos, without you I wouldn't have able to do as well as I did throughout the 2014 season. Thank you!

However good news, Bike Pure have now folded and with new sponsors, team managers and riders they have started a brand new team called 'Elite Velo Kalas Sportswear Cycling Race Team'. I have already personally met the team manager and done a training weekend with the team, it sounds all fantastic giving the riders an opportunity to continue on their professional cycling career. However, I will not be racing with them next year as i have a various of different opportunities come up for myself. It was a difficult couple of months making my decision on teams, what to do and if it is the best decision for myself to develop as a rider. Afterwards, I came with a final offer and i took the chance to ride again for 'Squadra Donne Shutt VR'.Personally, I thought this was the best decision for me to make and develop as a young rider, following my ambitions to ride pro continental. My team manager will be Jon Miles, who is a great guy who I have a lot of faith in to help me develop in to my cycling career and gain me more experience racing with the big guns. I am unable to confirm any sponsors yet, as we are still negotiating. 

Secondly, I will carry on racing in the Junior Category for the 2015 season but as a 2nd year as a CAT 2. This means, I will still be doing the same races as i did last year and hopefully, having another chance to race in the Pearl Izumi Televised Tour Series for the 3rd year running. With me still being 17 years old, I am still in college. In September 2014, I started a new college course at Reaseheath studying an Extended Diploma in Adventure Sports. This means I am at college 9-5pm, Mon-Fri every week but I absolutely love it and I am very happy I changed my career path into the Outdoor Adventure area. I am able to take part in different sporting activites such as kayaking, canoeing, sailing, rock climbing, orienteering and much more every weekday! It's an awesome experience and pathway to take. Still giving me enough time to love the sport I do and carry on with my experience and knowledge in cycling.

Lastly, another area I have started to work on is my coaching qualifications. I am currently waiting for my course to be an Level 2 British Cycling coach, which I will be taking in the new year of 2015 when i am 18. I currently volunteer myself at Lyme RC Club nights on a Friday, helping out the kids to do roller sessions and giving presentations on information about the cycling world, how to get stuck in there! I am also lucky enough to be asked to be an 'Expert Rider' at any Track or Road RSR's/NSR's with British Cycling, passing on my knowledge of the specific skill, technique or tactic the younger riders are working on. The next RSR I will be attending is the 21st December at Manchester Velodrome, specialising in Team Pursuit.

MASSIVE Thankyou to everyone who has supported and sponsored me for the 2014 racing season, I couldn't of done it without you and got the results I did. 

Hope you enjoyed my performances and presence.

See you in the 2015 season with more updates on the NEW team!

DAY 1

Saturday 25th January 2014

The weekend just gone by, i had my Team Launch for my brand new team of 2014/15 Bike Pure - Lemond - Aspire Velotech Women's Team. This was all located down in sunny, South Wales. 

The first location, for a early Saturday Morning get up, was at Bristol Bike Science. Here, was where I had first Meetings of my team manager… Karl Nielsen. Also, meeting all my new team members for the coming couple of years racing with them what I have got to come. We all arrived in synchronised timing slots, hopefully this will happen during the racing! When everyone had arrived, we got together welcoming each other, getting to know each other a bit more. Luckily, all us girlies knew each other from racing against ourselves in the past season. So we didnt have much introducing to do, just a catch up on goss we missed!! ;-) 

However, we got on with what we were there to do! We started on with our professional bike fits, from our great sponsors Bike Science. Andy, did all the hard work for us girls, by setting us up properly. Adjusting our positions from left, right and centre. Even one of the girls had a new pair of Bonts out of it! It was approaching dinner time and it was interview time. We had a lady from the Women's Cycling Magazine here with us, promoting women's cycling. Keep a look out for our individual interviews with all the team members 2014/15, from the team in the great magazine!

Afterwards, it came about 1.30pm and we all just wanted food! So, we travelled across the road in our new lycra kit, as you do, in to this very indivdualised cycling specific cafe! Best looking cafe i have ever seen, I would defiantly give it an award for the most thoughtful and authentic cafe going. After we were all finally over our mesmerised sights by this cafe, we sat down and got a bite to drink and eat. We were all chatting along, having a small chat about what we want out of each other and the team! When we had filled out bellies and finished, we all headed back over to the Bike Science building and finished off with the rest of the bike fittings. 

The time was getting on and it was being late afternoon, we headed out into the cold, windy, wet weather for a quick photo outside our sponsors building. All holding on to our bikes, ensuring we don't get blown away! Us all, smiling under our freezing cold bodies, trying to pose like models. When the photos were complete, we were all relieved and hurried back in to the warm, dry building and getting changed out of our lycra kit. As training time, is chamois time!! ;-) 

It was time to head back to our Premier Inn, in Newport Wales.

We dismounted our cars, got into our rooms, changed and back out we were for a team meeting and an evening meal. All us girls, were just so hyped from the day we had so far and couldn't wait to find out the inns and outs about our new team. In our meeting, we considered about all the races we will be entering and any concerns any of us had about what was happening. It was very successful! Finally, we were able to have our late evening meal. You can tell when people are happy to get their food, the whole table goes completely silent. After our mains, us cyclists ordered our puddings and seeing who can eat the quickest desert… However, we all were completely full to our rims for our next busy day ahead. It was time for bed!

DAY 2

Sunday 26th January 2014

The sun was rising and it was time to meet for our final day together at the launch, for our photoshoot. All looking fantastic in our matching kits and trying to pretend we were all models! (future job, maybe?) ha ha! 

Anyway, we started off with our serious portfolio shots and edging towards our team shots throughout the morning. Topping them off, with our fun shots, which we invented our ideas ourselves and had great fun out of it. Whilst this was going on, the weather was awful! It just never stopped raining, all morning. 

After the morning session shoot, we headed out to a different venue @ Celtic Manor. 

After this, we all went back inside in to the warmth and casual saw a Ferrari chilling inside the hotel. Mental!! 

When we had finished at the Manor, it was time to head out in to the countryside for some moving shots and 2hour 30mins ride for some team bonding. This ride showed a lot about ourselves, as the course we went round had a bit of everything init. We all stayed together and helped each other, we seemed to bond as a team as riders very quickly. Throughout our ride, we got use to having our shots taken and literally, swimming through the puddles we came upon.

After our nice bonding ride, we got back to the Premier and all jumped into a nice hot shower!! We really needed it, get all that dirty mud of us.

The day came to an end, and it was time to say fare well to our fellow team mates and our team manager! For sure, seeing them all very soon!!

Please check out our official write up on our team's website…

 http://bikepure.org/2014/01/team-bike-pure-lemond-aspire-velotech-launch/