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Issue 64 - First Update of 2011

17/05/2011

by Owain Doull

My first major goal of the year was the Junior Paris Roubaix where I was designated team leader for the GB squad but unfortunately crashed badly in the feed zone, I spent all race jumping from group to group trying to get myself back in the race and finished 18th in the end. I was really gutted as I targeted this one.


After returning home I had a few days off to recover from my crash and on my first ride out I got knocked off my bike by a 40 foot lorry which was hands down the scariest moment of my life. Luckily the bike took the brunt of it (i.e. it went under the lorry instead of me) and I got off lightly with only severe bruising to my shoulder and hand and a few grazes. My team sponsor Pete Hargroves (Hargroves Cycles) sorted me out a new bike really quickly and then it was off to Croatia for the 2nd round of the junior world cup series. I was in the winning move on the first day which pretty much wrapped up the overall in the end but punctured out of it when the neutral service was not yet in the gap. After that, it was all about working for Jon Dibben who also made the break and was well placed for GC.





After Croatia it was off to the Isle of Man where I thought my luck had finally changed with a stage win on the final day but I was wrong. After Isle of Man it was off to Czechoslvakia where on the 4th stage I went down in a big pile up and took most of the skin on my left side off and might have fractured my thumb (I didn't really trust the Czech hospital I was in). Its not a great start to the year!


I'm having a few easy weeks off now over my exam period then getting back into full time racing with a few British National Series and British champs and a stage race in Luxembourg.


We at Prendas wish Owain a change of fortune for the rest of the season and hope you will join us in wishing him the best of luck and the victories that his undoubted talent deserves.