The ups and downs

It's been a great season so far but of late things just haven't gone my way. I finished my second block of the year racing in Italy feeling very tired, particularly the last race were I was absolutely exhausted and I think suffered from heat stroke.
It was time for a break, and after a few days off the bike enjoying the Italian sun I was on a plane home to continue a bit of well earned down time. The next couple of weeks consisted of only very easy riding and unfortunately a few trips into the doctors as my health had deteriorated at the same time, with a few basic medicines to get me going, I thought I was back on my way.
Luck was not going my way however, and with a last minute decision to race the national championship, I quite soon regretted it as I was caught up in a high speed crash and my race was over. Despite feeling very sore and sorry for myself, the damage was all superficial and as I'm writing I'm in Switzerland staying in a team mate's family chalet preparing for next week's Giro Della Valle d'Aosta, my biggest race of the year so far. It's a spectacular under 23 line up, with most of the world's best teams and nations represented and any results here will be a major achievement. The race features 3 summit finishes plus 2 other stages and a time trial all around the Valle d'Aosta region of Italy, right in the heart of the alps. At the moment it's hard not to be anxious about the race, I haven't raced at this level for what feels like a long time now and riding round the tough mountains roads of Switzerland isn't very easy whether you're racing or not which hasn't filled me with confidence. Hopefully the form will be back for the race!
Let you know how I get on,
James

Life on the road

After starting the season so well in Portugal, the transition to Italian racing was always going to be an interesting one. From my experience last year, the races in Italy, despite being contested by amateurs and in some cases only under 23s, unlike Portugal, and are incredible competitive and I was apprehensive to see how many results would compare.
After a lengthy drive from the Algarve to the Zappi's base in Italy, on the Adriatic coast just north of Rimini, our first race was the prestigious Piccolo San Remo. The race followed a common theme for many of the races I've done well in Italy this year and last year, a repeated climb every lap reduced the group significantly and put some pain in the legs. Before the race exploded on the last lap with a furious speed set up the climb, it ends up being a case of gritting your teeth as the strongest boys put the hammer down and hanging on for dear life. Over the top comes some minor relief but before long it's time for the sprint and being a bit on the light side this isn't exactly my forte and on this occasion I managed to get 10th from a group of 25.
The next weekend was the first big target of the year for me, the hilly UCI 1.2U Trofeo PIVA, a race packed with the very best under 23 riders in the world. Following the same pattern, the race gradually shed riders up the repeated climb every lap, my legs felt good and I sat in waiting for the end. I had a small tumble when the bunch ground to a halt on one lap but barring that it was a controlled race. Disaster struck approaching two laps to go when I swung around the outside of a Lotto Soudal development team rider as he attempted to take a last minute bottle, his soigner quickly tried to pass it to him but I was caught in the middle and the full bottle smashed me square on the nose at about 25 mph. What happened next is a bit of a blur, I pulled up on the side of the road, blood dripping from my nose and everything having gone black for a few seconds. After realising I was okay and having my brother Jonny and Flavio to pace me back in, I managed to rejoin the group with just over a lap to go. The last lap instead went twice over a longer harder climb and here, predictably the race kicked off. I was unfortunately at the back of the group starting the climb the first time. I watched as the big hitters made their move over the climb and I thought my race was over, thankfully the second group I was in caught them on the descent and as we started the final climb there was only 50 of us left. I managed to pass a lot of guys on the climb and as I crested the summit I was part of a little group just behind the leaders, over the top we worked hard and soon there was the final group of 15 of us, the riders alongside me were some of the best under 23 riders at the moment and I was excited to just have made it there. In the end a couple of boys clipped away on the run in and I sprinted to a solid 8th, a result which I'm really proud of.
Since then my form has dipped slightly, I had a mechanical the next day at the Giro Del Belvedere, then the following weekend at the Trofeo Edil C, I pulled out on the last lap as my legs gave way and a sore back hindered me. Thankfully after this it was time for a well earned two weeks at home to recovery and head back to Italy fresher and in a better state of mind. The first race back was a kermesse like race round Rome city centre, were the break in racing really caught me out and a another DNF was on the cards.
Putting that rough spell behind me, last weekend thankfully went well, at the UCI 1.2U GP San Vendiamo, I managed to grovel over the last climb in the 3rd group as the 3 leaders raced clear and when the rest of the groups combined sprinted to 12th, which was a great boost for my confidence.
Thanks for reading,
James

Sunny Start to the Year

The end is drawing near for my time in Portugal, it's been over two months of living and breathing cycling, enjoying the sun whilst knowing back home, the weather's been miserable. 


The year started with a minor setback, I was forced to sit the first race out with a niggling knee injury, but hearing that the team rode strongly in what was the first round of the Copa Espana did at least help my confidence. Thankfully my knee soon felt better and by the time the next race came round I was ready to go, at the Clássica Internacional Loulé Capital Europeia do Desporto UCI 1.2, there was a strong field of the best Portuguese teams and a few strong foreign teams too, including the American team Optum Kelly Benefit. The race started at a fast pace with different groups constantly going up the road before being brought back, then finally just before the first main climb of the day a strong group of 25 attacked off the front and I managed to follow. From there it was a case of sitting the wheel and saving as much energy as possible as the group worked hard to open the gap to the finish. With 5km to go the front group hit the final climb, I tried following a strong attack by Canadian Michael Woods but he was too strong and soloed into Loulé to take victory. Behind there was confusion as the group went the wrong way on a roundabout but I managed to not lose much time and finished 9th, and also 1st in the under 23 category. It was my first time on a podium spraying champagne, which as you expect did not go so great, but a great start to the year.

Up next was the first stage race of the year for Zappi's Racing Team. The two day Trofeu Alpendre Internacional do Guardiana UCI 2.2. We expected the first day to be one for the sprinters but the it turned out to be hilly than expected. Myself, James Locker and Callum Ferguson managed to hold onto the front group over the climbs and then following an impressive recovery by Locker who crashed on one of the descents before catching us up, we decided to work the best we could to help him in the sprint. It was a chaotic sprint, and in the end the break was never caught, Locker placed 29th on the stage, myself and Callum lost no time, whilst the rest of the team rolled in the group behind. 

Stage 2 was a day for the climbers and despite a small crash the day before I was really looking forward to it. From the gun the pace was high up a 5 kilometer climb, the Ecuadorian team of the race leader working hard to close down any moves that were going away and then keeping the pressure on the crosswind sections over the top of the climbs. Approaching the first classified climb of the day, a few splits were forming and myself and Callum made an effort to get ahead before the climb started. It was a smart move as the front split really put the hammer down up the climb and soon 30 of us were away. Unfortunately Callum had a mechanical over the top of the climb and had to wait for assistance. Up the road the American team Optum Kelly Benefits worked hard to try and extend the gap the front group had. With the crosswinds it was tough riding in the gutter and eventually we were brought back by the chasing group, with Callum in it, before the final two laps around Alcoutim. The group was whittled down over the two laps, and there was roughly only 40 of us remaining for the final 10 kilometres. Despite suffering from cramp I managed to follow a few moves and approaching the final descent into Alcoutim found myself right at the front of the group. It was a hair-raising finish with many riders taking serious risks on the fast final few corners. I entered the last straight in 6th position and ended up 5th in the sprint, a result I was incredibly pleased with. I was 19th overall and 4th in the young riders classification.

Our final race in Portugal is going to be the Trofeu do Sudoeste Alentejano e Costa Vicentina UCI 2.2 and from there we travel to Italy for a another month of racing. 

Keep you updated, 
James Knox

First Post

Thought I'd try and keep this brief. This is my blog to keep track of results and stories as I attempt to follow the arduous journey many of Britain's best cyclist took before me in the hope of one day becoming a fully fledged professional. In 2015, my second year as a senior, I will be once again be riding for Zappi's Racing Team managed and taken under the wing of former Italian professional Flavio Zappi as he takes us across Europe competing in some of hardest and most prestigious amateur and under 23 races to give us this opportunity. In only two weeks the season will be kicking off as the team heads off to the Algarve for pre season training and racing. Lets hope it's a good year.