Team Focus MTB 2010/2011: Roc D’Azur – Cote D’Azur, France – 7th

My annual pilgrimage to the Roc, the worlds largest MTB event. 140,000 MTB nuts descend on Frejus to enjoy everything French, Sunny, Sandy and everything with wheels. This was more of a holiday then a racing trip….Ava was at home, so it was a time for Hazel and I to take it easy…….of course that was not going to happen! I did the masters race on Friday. 42kms, flat out! 1500 riders. I finished 21^st, 14^th in category. Pretty short, pretty easy going, a bit of form and a top 5 would be very easy……maybe in a couple of years.

On Saturday we spent the day cheering on the other riders. Coyner and Judy in the Tandem and Michelle in the 20km race….her first race! Both did very well.

Sunday came, and I was on the 3^rd row of the grid for the Roc. I was in incredible company, world champs, Olympic champs, national champs, they were all around me! Very exciting. Then to the start…..helicopter bussing, crouds cheering……10 seconds. I watched the starters finger, I saw the twitch before I heard the sound…..off we go, a good start, top 20 but by the road, on Burry Standers wheel (gulp). The next 5km was flat out, 42*11, on the back of the lead group….savage. Once we hit the first hill though, I backed off, right off…a long race, and I wanted to enjoy it.

The course was amazing, the best yet. Lots of nice climbs and descents, not too rough….great fun. With 20km to go, I was in a group of solid guys….we hit the fireroad kicker after the road, abut 3000 people on the hill, the noise was unreal, goosebumps all over. Amazing, I kicked and caught a few more guys, loving the singletrack into the finish.

110^th, not too bad, I enjoyed it, that was the main thing.Next irish home was Vinzer, followed closely by Sutty, very competitive. Well done to all the Irish, a great crew and some great performance. Ray stuck his head in a tree and pulled half his face off, lucky to keep his right ear, get better soon. Sign language from now on with him!Hazel and I then took off to check out Monaco for the afternoon, a coffee in Casino square, the back to the Badabing bar for mega pints and dancing until later……..Roc on!