3 more days...

What about the 4 days to go post I hear you cry? - Fail!

Anyway no riding in the end yesterday, just a midday BBQ following my clean, spit and polish of the posh bike, as well as a brake block change.

Great ride to work today - fairly quick but not stupid, aiming to do 40 today in all and then same tomorrow, then that's it

Think I'm ready now, and have either got everything or know where it is to get it pre-departure. Weather forecast has improved - Light winds, no rain and partly cloudy - all looking good.

Roll on Friday!

And one less makes 5

5 more days, good ride today with Simon, James and Peter. Very wet, but warm - out to the coast and back in a bit of a loop. - Very satisfying drilling it back along A140 (not quite team pursuit standard but still good fun!)

Weekly stats are: 277 miles in 15hrs 24mins 10secs and 7520ft of climbing.

Realistically 3 more days of riding to go.

6 days to go...

Tense, nervous, but almost ready and that's just my leg muscles!

159lbs according to Wii Fit this morning - aiming to lose a couple of lbs by Friday (might come in handy on Honister or Hardknott?!)

Rest / recovery day today, No riding, lots of water and fruit for me!

Looking forward to last big ride tomorrow pre-Fred  with the "liVELOve" boys - approx 50 miles out to the coast and back, taking in a few hills but keeping speed gentle (17mph-ish) and lots of spinning - should be good fun?!

7 days and counting...

Ouch! - Sore legs today, but kill or cure went out for an early morning commute with Scott. 29miles in just under an hour and a half - gonna take a day out tomorrow and chill, keeping hydrated etc.

7 days till the Fred though now. Nerves have kicked in, but in a good way I think! Sneaked a look at the long range forecast - damp but little wind so ok-ish but not perfect (anything can happen in a week though...?!)

Day off the bike tomorrow, last long ride (40-50miles) on Sunday then Mon-Weds will be low mileage easy pedalling (well that's what I am telling myself anyway!)

Thursday is travel day (7 hours + on a train across England) Riding on Friday and then travelling back on Saturday.

On the plus side, Carb loading begins tonight - It's Fish and Chip night!!!! (Well it is Friday!)

Golden Boy Brad

Wig-GOLD!

TDF Champion + Gold medal in the Olympic ITT - Awesome performance by Brad.

What price a Rainbow Jersey in September too?

Just over a week to the Fred, last week's stats:
249 miles in 13hrs 53mins 2secs, and 6535ft climbed. on target for 8000miles ytd pre-the ride. Nervous yet excited - just want to do it now!

Sunny weather has disappeared and damp if not downright wet weather has replaced it. Hopefully the storm before the lull...?

Yellow

Look at the stars, look how they shine for you and everything that you do, and they are all YELLOW!!!!

He's only gone and blinkin done it!

Arise Sir Bradley Wiggins - 2012 Tour de France champion!

Rewind to my pre-race predictions, I picked both Yellow (Brad) and Green (Sagan) ,and had Van Garderen on my shortlist for White.

BUT, quite apart from the awesome display by Brad (not forgetting Froome's faithful lieutenant duties), what about Cav - what a team player, and then when the reins were relaxed, Team Sky unleashed a monster - 3 stage wins in this edition of the tour for him, 6 for the team, 4th in a row on the Champs makes Cav still undefeated there.

In other news I managed 305miles last week, in 17hrs 18mins and 41 secs, climbing 8386ft in the process.

Weight is dropping off too, last weekend I was down to 11st 6lbs, today I have lost another 2lbs and based on recent rides no speed / power loss either - Good to have the posh bike firmly installed and loving this weather - Hot Hot Hot!

FW Training Update Week 3

Another week gone by and a further 300 miles under the wheels and in the legs, time on the bike 17hrs 31mins & 48secs, with 7428ft of climbing. FW is just 3 and a bit weeks away, and the nervous excitement (tension) is building!

The 7000 mile barrier has now been broken and if possible I would like to be on 8000 by the time the Fred is done. (or even before?)

2 uncharacteristically sunny days have seen the posh bike emerge from a premature hibernation, rain is now forecast for a couple of days but a promise of more sun to come, towards the weekend so I guess short term pain, long term gain?

TDF still bodes well for a Brit winner and even a Brit 1-2, just need to get the two Pyranean days over with and Team Sky have to manage the attacks that are sure to come.

Imagine Brad in yellow and then Cav winning on the Champs? - perfect!!!!

FW Training Update Week 2

In a word - WET!

Felt sure the tide had come in today as I cycled near the coast!

Anyway 299 miles covered, in 17hrs, 18mins and 6 secs, with 6880 ft of climbing.

Memo to self - Need to book B & B for Lake District though as don't fancy camping or indeed roughing it in a doorway somewhere!

Meanwhile - looking at the map above, trying to work out what the outline reminds me of?
Answers on a postcard (Normal Competition rules apply!)

FW Training Update Week 1

Countdown to "The Fred" is on, so how am I doing?
Well last week I completed 316miles, in 18 1/4ish hours with 8800ft of climbing.
Strangely my weight has increased by a pound to 11st 9lb? - Room to lose some?


Looking ahead, it is likely to be a wet week but aiming for another 300miles - we'll see?

Le Tour 2012 - Predictions

The eagerly awaited Grand Depart is in 3 days time, and starts with a prologue Time Trial.
Despite form, I still believe that the overall is not a foregone conclusion, although Wiggo is on fire this season so far and looking at the route etc, it will be a great travesty if he does not at least make the podium

Beyond the competition predictions below, there are those who deserve mentions for just being darned good bike riders.
Voeckler & Hoogerland will still be ones to watch, but I suspect that anything other than short term glory will not be theirs? Publish and be damned so they say so here goes:

Yellow
Wiggo
Evans
Nibali
Outside bet - Froome / Valverde?

Green
(Assuming that Cav is playing for the team)
Sagan
Renshaw
Farrar?
KOM
Dan Martin
S Sanchez
Vanendert
White
Sagan
EBH
Van Garderen
Team
Got to be Team Sky hasn't it?

Looking forward to 23 days of unadulterated pleasurable TV!