It's been a while since we've heard from Dan. He hasn't raced a lot last month, but instead he was training like never before ;)
Last weekend he entered a Marathon in the UK.
See his race report below.
On Sunday the 4th May I entered the Dyfi Enduro Marathon starting in Machynlleth it is 67km in total with 1800metres of climbing and some very technical descents full of loose sharp rocks.
I was felling good and looking forward to the riding.
The start is a 10km climb of which 6.5km are neutralised behind a police escort on the main road until you reach the forest. In the Escort I was riding behind 2 of my trusted riding friends Russ and Sean, I got to the front and to the forest safe and having used very little energy. Big thanks to these guys.
The pace then lifted and immediately the race was strung out, four of us started to pull away and set the pace on the forest road. I knew I was riding well as in this group was the National Marathon Champion Neil Crampton. Soon Dan Evans started to pull away and I knew I could ride with him but I would suffer too much for the effort and blow later on. Three of us stuck together and crested the climb as one.
We stuck together for the next 30minutes riding the long climbs and rough descents. I was feeling very confident on the Downhills and riding quickly managing to gap the other riders on each descent and making them work to catch me again on the climbs.
My confidence got the better of me though and I could feel my tyre loosing pressure as I must have hit a rock and put a hole in it, the tubeless solution doing its job but losing the battle.
I stopped to fix it but realised I had torn it quite badly and by the time I had changed the tube, all hopes of a top10 finish had gone, I rode on a at a steady pace only to flat again soon after.
At this point with no tubes left and 20kms to go I called it quits and took the main road back to the start.
Dan Evans took a fine win with Neil in second and Sean (the Captain) Grovesnor riding smart and fast to grab the final podium place.
I left frustrated but happy with my form and looking forward to next week’s National Marathon Championships in Selkirk, Scotland.
Dan planned to come over in June to ride in Apeldoorn, but some birds decided that that wasn't a good plan, so we don't know yet when we will see him race in the Netherlands.....
Last weekend he entered a Marathon in the UK.
See his race report below.
On Sunday the 4th May I entered the Dyfi Enduro Marathon starting in Machynlleth it is 67km in total with 1800metres of climbing and some very technical descents full of loose sharp rocks.
I was felling good and looking forward to the riding.
The start is a 10km climb of which 6.5km are neutralised behind a police escort on the main road until you reach the forest. In the Escort I was riding behind 2 of my trusted riding friends Russ and Sean, I got to the front and to the forest safe and having used very little energy. Big thanks to these guys.
The pace then lifted and immediately the race was strung out, four of us started to pull away and set the pace on the forest road. I knew I was riding well as in this group was the National Marathon Champion Neil Crampton. Soon Dan Evans started to pull away and I knew I could ride with him but I would suffer too much for the effort and blow later on. Three of us stuck together and crested the climb as one.
We stuck together for the next 30minutes riding the long climbs and rough descents. I was feeling very confident on the Downhills and riding quickly managing to gap the other riders on each descent and making them work to catch me again on the climbs.
My confidence got the better of me though and I could feel my tyre loosing pressure as I must have hit a rock and put a hole in it, the tubeless solution doing its job but losing the battle.
I stopped to fix it but realised I had torn it quite badly and by the time I had changed the tube, all hopes of a top10 finish had gone, I rode on a at a steady pace only to flat again soon after.
At this point with no tubes left and 20kms to go I called it quits and took the main road back to the start.
Dan Evans took a fine win with Neil in second and Sean (the Captain) Grovesnor riding smart and fast to grab the final podium place.
I left frustrated but happy with my form and looking forward to next week’s National Marathon Championships in Selkirk, Scotland.
Dan planned to come over in June to ride in Apeldoorn, but some birds decided that that wasn't a good plan, so we don't know yet when we will see him race in the Netherlands.....