Le Peloton #179

I’m starting to see a pattern here, like last year…

We all made it to breakfast so the rest is history we can forget about, at least me. A great breakfast at Le Mond 🙂

The history: Strava

Le Peloton #178

Can you see the dry asphalt? A miracle working waking up in the middle of the night, ride with heavy legs since yesterday and meet some nice people. Manage to hold Peter’s wheel up to Nacka Forum:

Then at the redlight at Storängen I dropped for real. Nils and Rille in the front today riding superfast, can’t believe how they can average 35,5km/h on studded tires…

Took a couple of shortcuts and ended up at Le Mond with tired legs, out of shape today. Tomorrow it’s restday and then hoping for better legs on Friday 🙂

At least I had a new kit today, team cx speedsuit matching my bike 🙂 #lookprogoslow today 😉

Map and stats: Strava

2017-

Time to look back and see the ups and downs of this year. What to learn from the sad and what to remember as good.

The big things seems to start with Racemile Showdown in the end of January, this year not so cold but really icy as seen on the picture above. My Sequoia came to it’s perfect use with 42mm studded tires:)

A weekend with friends and a big Thank You to Hagen for arranging 😀

Then came a spring with a not so fast Sequoia which didn’t seem to give me any extra leg muscles. Instead it became a dropping time on Le Peloton with a too low handlebar and I felt slow…

It may have seen like many people on the picture here but my thoughts has been Le Peloton is loosing people to other things. Like Morningspins:

Without finding the speed on my roadbike I found it on my superlight Epic ht mtb and cut my PR at Långa Billingeracet with around 20min 🙂

The fastest bike I’ve ever had and super agile. Unfortunately it didn’t have an rear damper and I seem to have been older making my back hurt after like 40-50km Marathon racing. Felt fast uphill, it felt really good downhill singletracks but on on flat singletrack with roots and rocks it felt like I was standing still.

So I ate ice-cream instead:

And I tried to ride with fast people, SUMO style:

Manage to do a Randonneur with these great people in awesome pace 🙂

And according to Strava the one I was riding most with in 2017 is Emil who’s super fast:

A thing I didn’t think was I was going to do Vätternrundan once again. Riding around a boring lake on boring roads with stressed people. But Stefan convinced me to apply and what a team. Known and unknown people having fun going fast for almost 300km 😀

I never thought I would do it at 7h27min, and remembering it as fun. Riding with Henrik, getting to know Glenn, seeing how simple everything seems for Calle and Fredrik. Everything together with Jukka and Karl keeping things together. And the biggest effort by Erik for making it all possible and making us have a calm knowing everything is in control and skipping the stress so many people got for Vätternrundan. Skoda Cycling Team is not just a team effort, it’s like being a pro with everyone trusting you 🙂

The summer passed and the next big event came.

Race Across Skåne. Another friend like Hagen arranging a top notch event. Waking up in Malmö that day not feeling on top was a bit sad as I really longed for being in top shape that day. Got dropped sitting totally wrong in the crosswind pretty early, feeling like on a spring Le Peloton but at a 190km race instead of 40km training. Ending up with meeting my good friend Emil who saved the day. Cruised on this wheel feeling shit the rest of the route:

We had a crash in a group and it started raining. Everything felt just bad so at the last stop I got an ice-cream…

It’s always fun with an ice-cream, always 😀

The day after I felt worse, driving to my mum instead of doing an recovery spin with the rest. Got fever but manage to get good until our adventure trip. Me, Emil and Emile went to Norberg with gravelbikes and target to explore some new roads in the middle of nowhere. I felt slow after my illness but I love new roads and places. I found a straight fast road on a sunny day outside Norberg, or the road maybe found me…

The end of the summer after a stupid crash. But the start of knowing I got so many kind friends always there to help out. So thankful for everyone making my recovery easier. I missed Rapha 12 Hills and many many kilometers of sunny cycling but it could have been worse.

I got back on a bike outside 😀 Have been feeling slow all autumn but I’m riding and no matter of speed cycling is a beautiful sport. And with help from Specialized Nordic and Specialized Concept Store Stockholm I’m more motivated than ever. Got the dreambike which I’m hoping to ride everywhere, all the time and with a smile (when the salt is gone from the roads)

Travelled to Girona for some sun and met some cool people:

So 15437km later the year ends and I’m still not tired of cycling. The best way to explore our beautiful world and meet nice different people from all over the world.

For 2018 I want to go to new places, new countries. Want to enjoy every moment no matter if I ride in sunny Italy or just commuting to work a rainy grey day. Want to be a good friend. Want to watch some proper roadracing and maybe even meet Annemiek van Vleuten. Want to be an ambassador of our beautiful stylish sport without judging people. Because style is important 😀 

So welcome 2018 and good luck having more fun! Let’s enjoy every moment 🙂

With Sthlmess to the north

I’m not a tourist that likes to stop and watch things, but I want to see things and discover new places. I’m always motivated to ride in new areas, to new places or in different directions. When Rille asked me if I wanted to join his new teams training today I felt more fun than the alternatives.

First a lot of suburb, the finer ones until we hit the beauty of Kalhäll. Going along the water instead of towards home tired on the asphalt as last time was much nicer 🙂 Rode the small route to Kungsängen and along Mälaren. Until the thing that no one wants happened. Dante slipped in a corner and while the rest of us (except Rille who was in the front) tried to brake and not run over him we crashed too, super slippery black ice 😦 A couple of bruises and straightening a saddle we got up on our bikes again. Now a bit slower.

Out on a big road and it looked a bit icy but no worries, tried to stand up and try the rear wheel grip once and it wasn’t much. Said to Rille I thought of quitting and taking the first train home. We met a couple of other riders and joined them for a bit and then we found a nice cycling path. The three of us without studs got happy about the grippy gravel 😉 Cruised along towards Sigtuna and the famous fika

and for the only picture I took today:

Stopped at Tant Brun and got coffee and cake, worth coming back (in the summer). After Mårten talked about taking the train home from Märsta which was closest and I wanted to join. Rode a nice cycling path straight over to Märsta and then we changed our minds when we had to ride back to the train. Continued with the group and took the train from Rosersberg which was the next station instead.

Map and stats: Strava part 1

Perfect timing in Rosersberg and didn’t even have to wait for the train to arrive. Got on and was satisfied with the beautiful ride. The train had to wait for a green signal but no rush for us. After a while they said it was an electrical fail further ahead and we had to wait. After 40min the website said the traintraffic should be starting 20min, we waited and joking about it. Then when it changed again and they didn’t know when it should start we left… Cold we started to ride back to Stockholm instead, easy in the beginning then it’s like a labyrint from Upplands Väsby and to Sollentuna, messy cycling paths that goes back and forth under and over the main road.

Outside Sollentuna we said goodbye and took different ways, it started to get dark and I just wanted to go a known road home. Stopped for a mars and took of my innergloves as I needed more space for my fingers. got up the heat again and the kilometers got moving with straight known cycling paths, red light intervalls at Sveavägen and I could smell a warm shower and my sofa. 🙂

Map and stats: Strava part 2

Home and happy. Some really nice roads today and I have to do the same route (except the trainstop) in the spring/summer again 🙂 Great company and pace too. And thanks to Rille for all pictures except the bikepicture, good with a photographer with you on bikerides 😀

Le Peloton #177

Today I wasn’t first to Urban Deli. Petter came first, then me and then Martin.

When the clock showed 5.59 Peter came so 4 today. Rode together in the beginning with Peter being the strongest on studs, I took a turn on Järnvägspizza (the hole one), no one passed. Until we turned into the ”climb” and Petter attacked with Peter on his wheel, and they rode away from us without studs… Martin was strong up the climb but then he mostly hang on to my wheel. Took the shortcut in Älta and a PR. Martin took a turn on Flatenvägen and then it was just to keep it as fast as possible until the finishline. Thought I would blow up a couple of times today but kept it together and even with being dropped it was a great morning effort 🙂

Breakfast alone at Magnus Johanssons bakery:

Until Peter came who had been waiting a bit after the finish if we where behind. So ended up being just 2 at the breakfast

Good food and really close to work afterwards. And my body felt a bit tired until lunch, just like it should be after a Le Peloton 🙂 And heavy legs on the way home 😉

Map and stats: Strava

Le Peloton #176

Peter is missing in the picture from this morning. I felt slow on the way there after intervals on Tuesday, Le Peloton on Wednesday and intervals yesterday. But last day of riding this week before I head to my mum for Christmas.

It felt fast in the beginning, like last spring. When Peter went around Michael before Lillängen it felt faster. Christian and Claes passed me up to Nacka Forum and I dropped… Felt just like last spring and unmotivated I turned around in the roundabout instead of trying to chase back. Rode to Älta and the last part of the loop with the feeling my rear brake was rubbing, but I don’t think it did.

In Älta my watch died too so had to stop and start my phone to continue the Strava recording.

Back in Stockholm I got warm so even opened my jacket in the end getting a bit of spring feeling 😉

Then we had breakfast and the ride was just a memory and some K’s in the book.

Map and stats: Strava1, Strava2

At work I tuned my winterbike a bit. Got aware that my pedals have seen it’s best days (from 2008) so ordered a new pair of Crank Brothers Candy. Choosed the cheap and light 1, in pink 😉

295g and the way home felt much more stabile 🙂

The winter arrived, in a beautiful way

Riding on dry snowy white roads is a luxury that makes it worth riding in the winter in Sweden. Stod hearing the sound of studded tires and the world becomes quiet, and light. It’s all beautiful.

Today Emil planned a route down to Gnesta and then to Södertälje and the pendel home, a really nice route with a couple of new exceptional roads 😀

And with a lot of happy great people 😀 The tempo was pretty easy but as it should be with cafécycling there are different opinions on how easy is and gaps became a usual thing, as people always wait for the slowest ones it feels like a fun way to ride. And always when we are so many riding far there are many people having their plans and leaving the group at different places.

I may not have attacked any time but my Diverge feels really nice and sometimes I get the feeling of pushing on with Rille and try to feel fast 😉 Had a bit cold hands in the beginning and after the fika but after a while I took out my innergloves and just rode with my Specialized Deflect H20, layering is a key and to not have to tight gloves so you can get some warm air around your hands 🙂 Café du cycliste winter bibs and legwarmers was the thing today together with my lovely Yolande jersey and a great Skoda vest with backpockets for my phone and innergloves 🙂

And more white roads 😉

A lot of great instatimes with the lovely sun getting through the trees and onto the white roads:

And ending with the important part, fika. Pepparkaka was an obvious choice for today, happy face 🙂

Map and stats of a route I can recommend: Strava

Did I mention every ride that includes fika/food in Gnesta is a success? The centre of beautiful roads.

SUMO goes gravel

It should rain this morning and I was tired since yesterday, For a short while I thought of skipping the ride today and sleep instead. But then I thought again and thought I could drop if it gets too hard.

So tired when I left home I noticed I forgot my bottle after 10min, stopped at work and picked up a bottle I had there on the way. A noticeable difference riding with studded tires so I was a bit tight on time and as Jesper got a puncture when he and Michael was riding to Urban Deli I continued to Ektorp where everyone from different places would meet up.

Already leaving Ektorp I got dropped without being able to get up, ended up in 2 groups. After Skurubron and around Boo I said to Jesper who was the only one left that I was riding alone instead so he passed and got up to the others.

Michael waited for me and we rode together for a short bit and thought the others would wait at some point. They took a different route so after a couple of messages, a phonecall and some time we all got back together.

They convinced me not to ride alone and instead join them around Velamsund. I got convinced and thought I would go back home from Gustavsberg instead of riding out on Ingarö afterwards. Around Velamsund was really soft gravel and I thought everyone had a hard time, specially for us with ”thin” studded tires.

When coming out to the asphalt at Lagnövägen Claes proposed to go on a new route, a bit of adventuring. Everyone agreed that it was a good idea 😉 Until we turned off the asphalt and onto the grass, wet soaking soft grass that turned in to mud. Daniel dropped his wheel and bent his derailleur hanger making him and Peter turn. While the rest of us tried to get some kind of grip and trying to stop spinning and getting forward. Forward into the woods where grass turned into dirt and was just mud…

Ending the adventure part we got out to see Emil’s secret training at full speed.

We shook our heads and kept on moving

Gravel again and a bit of asphalt to Gustavsberg. Me and Oskar did the fast thing and turned right towards home as fast as the others couldn’t complain :p Took one detour but except that straight back. Alone from Ektorp where Oskar turned. Stopped at work washing my bike a bit until I rounded Södermalm with Linn and Maria that had been riding mtb. A nice city detour for me trying to get 3h without doing loops.

I didn’t get 3h but almost 😉 And after all happy to get out, even when my friends are fast they are friendly and it’s always nice to meet up with people and ride ”together”. Even when everyone seemed to have taken different routes today, best Strava Flyby :p

Map and stats: Strava

We rode around a lake

I know my limitations and when it was talking about a 137km ride with start at 10 with fast people I thought of something else. Didn’t want to ride until the darkness arrived and didn’t want to bonk halfway.

Instead my best gravelguide Emile made a 73km route around Bornsjön which me, Emile and Petra started. Going along Mälaren in the beginning is always a success and the gravel at Bornsjön is really nice. Some singletrack to spice it up and walking down a never ending stair made the Emileroute complete. Always need to walk a bit and always need to hate some roots :p

Mostly beautiful and fun road with ice on one side, we did it English style and rode on the left side 😉 Even when all of us had studs.

First ride this winter where I got use of both my Café du Cycliste wintertights and innergloves too, felt warm and cozy in the beginning but a bit warm in the end. Started with a vest on but it gets warm when I’m out of shape so went off pretty fast 😉

All in all a great Saturday with some tiredness in the end and after Emile left home it was just Alex who joined in Slagsta who had some powers left 😉

Map and stats: Strava (I recommend to copy the route 🙂

Le Peloton #173

I’ve been riding Le Peloton in all sorts of weather. Once last winter it snowed so much I got too late to leave my backpack at work, it’s been soaking wet and really icy. And sunny and dry 😉 But today was the first time of my 173 rides it was just me.

All alone in the darkness, got a couple of small showers but small enough to get cover by my Café du Cycliste windjacket. So can’t even brag that I was hardcore 😉

After not been riding since last Thursday in Girona but had a busy time moving made my legs slow. Decided already on my way to Urban Deli to take the shortest roadloop around Älta and Storkällan. Did like that on the cycling paths as I was feeling so slow.

Made it to Le Mond and got saved by Kalle making the early start worth it.

And instead of stopping my Garmin at Le Mond I started it again going home for a shower, odd 😉

Map and stats: Strava