So Xmas eve my inbox lit up with the header “don’t open till after Xmas for fear of disappointment”. Of course that meant opening it there and then as I have long since stopped believing in Father Christmas and the it’s not like the title promised good news.

Seems my plans to enter Transcontinental 4 had been curtailed, by the fact that they want all those who have already done it to be a shoe in. I have no problem with this except, why make you fill out a two stage application process, why not ask those you want to do it if they are interested and allocate the left over spots.

My real problem after getting all into the whole adventure planning mode was Xmas Eve are they having a giraffe.

Anyroad a few days of feeling sorry for myself and the consideration of doing it anyway because all the organizers do is stamp a card at four check points and give you a silly hat. Cannonball the TC4 is surely the ultimate unsupported adventure!

I finally decided to renew my acquaintance with Phil Deeker of the Rapha Cent Cols fame and put my hat in the ring for  the spring classics challenge.

Six spring classic pro courses in seven days, Tour of Flanders, Gent-Wevelgem, Paris-Roubaix, Amstel Gold, Flèche Wallonne and Liège-Bastogne-Liège – some of the most historic events in cycling, where the legends of cycling’s true northern hard men are made.

Stay Tuned