Goulburn to Citi cycling classic.

Another 2nd isn't another win. The 170km road race was made up of 1 main highway and 2 solid climbs towards the end. Break aways were trying to get up the road all day but the race along the hume highway proved to be to fast. The average speed was 47kph before we turned off and headed into the mountains. Razorback was the name of the climb which we had to complete twice before heading for the finish line. Drapac Porsche tried to get away with Gene Bates and Peter McDonald (Australian Champion) into the final km's but Fly V had them covered. Coming into the finish I was sitting behind my lead man Bernie Sulzberger which was on 3rd wheel behind Richard Lang and Cameron Jennings (Budget Forklifts). It was a perfect position for us but has Bernie kicked around to the left hand side of the road it suddenly curved back at him into a round about and we both get squeeze into the gutter. By this time Lang kicked out of the round about and gained a nice gap and it was to little time to bring him back. Still we hung onto 2nd and 3rd but as said it's not a win. 

Next week is Launceston to Hobart. We stay down in Tasmania for the Tour of Tasmania which starts on the Tuesday. The hills will prove to be a challenge for me but with Bernie in great form, Ben Day and Phil Zjichek back from America we should be able to do something.

Great news about next year but will have to wait a few more days :)

JC 

The Tour of the Murry River set's the bar high for 2010. 

Fly V Australia's director Henk Vogels had expectations and ambitions for me to win 15 races throughout 2009. The Tour of Murry River was suited for me has a sprinter with most of the stages being flat or with undulating hills. I won 3 stages and placed second 5 times which really found me some form for the coming racing month. With Gratfon to Inverell last Saturday, Goulburn to City this Sunday, Tour of Tasmania and the most important tour for the season (bar California) the Herald Sun Tour in October. I hope to carry this form right through until the end of the season and off some time off in November before having our training camp mid December. 

And on another good note it's great to be back home spending some quality time with family and friends, although I'm still away each weekend. By the end of this week I should sign a deal for 2010 and possibly 2011. 

What can I say, it's been a dream run for me in the past 6 weeks. I won the last stage of "Superweek" then the criterium at Elk Grove stage race and I came back down under with some incredible form which continued the results be winning the first stage of "Tour of Geelong" and then topped it off by winning 3 stages, 5 2nd places, 1 3rd in the Tour of Murry River and won the overall. 2009 is a year that will stick in my mind for a very long time to come. 

The racing schedule is very full for the next 6 weeks. I will race down in the Grafton to Inverell this Saturday (242km) road race, then Goulburn to City, NSW, Tour of Tasmania, Herald Sun Tour and then finish the season off in Noosa, Queensland.

Next year is looking very positive but I will have to write about this next time.

Jonathan