Friday, 19 December 2008
Its been a week or so now since the end of our first camp in Teneriffe. And everybody is for sure settling down, getting ready for Christmas and then the New Year and all that it brings.

Lance sure made a few headlines these last few weeks. Now its going to be down to the legs from here on in. He sure looked good and I am sure he is going to make a few guys legs scream.

I saw on his Twitter page that he feels good and has cancelled a trip he had pencilled in to train with Levi up in Santa Rosa, the reason being he felt he was
where he wanted to be. In his fitness level.

I am down in Germany for a week, getting a little riding in and also skiing. Its been about 13 years since I last was on the slopes. Back then I had the old style ski's. Now I got what they call carving ski's, they make life a whole lot easier. Anyhow's, I love being up on the mountains, either on ski's or on my bike. Can't beat it.

Back home for Christmas Monday. Ok, if I don't write again before the 25th, I would like to wish everybody a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Monday, 8 December 2008, Sussex
Its back home to chilly England today. At least its not raining, for now anyway. Tomorrow it will probably
be tipping it down.
I left Teneriffe on what was the warmest day so far, not sure of the exact temperature but I think it was around 25 degrees.
As I said in a previous entry, I think the team will have a big year, bigger than last.
Of course next season we will be able to participate in all the ASO events, which should make life
easier for us.
So, the conclusion after one week together is that yes, we are going to have a "ripper" of a year. That's
how the guys who live Down Under would put it. As it happens that's were my next team commitment
will be. Yes, Lance's first race back. I think its going to be a bit of a circus.
The Tour Down Under is a nice race, and of course there are a lot of guys who want to do well and show their faces. But for most its a race to get the legs turning. With no TT or serious climbs its difficult for the strong guys to show their worth.
I am looking forward to the Tour of California. There its going to be interesting. For our tram and the opposition. Can't wait.

Sunday, 7 December 2008, Tenerife
Almost done. In fact I think it was done after yesterdays ride. A few of the guys went out to celebrate the birthday of Alberto. So today it was short rides all round.
Not one for sitting around I decided to ride up El Teide. Took me three hours. I was only taking it steady, but its one hell of a climb. So along with the two hours I did this morning I had a good day on the bike.
Tomorrow we leave the island and head back home for Christmas.

Saturday, 6 December 2008, Tenerife
Another day at camp. Means bike ride massage eat for the riders. I went with group two for 3 hours today. My legs felt a little tired. It was fun though. After my last heart episode I thought that riding with the boys had finished. But I still have a little bit of form, and its early so they are going quite steady, most of them are. Some are on it already. Lance Levi, they look good. And are putting in some decent miles.
Tomorrow is the last day of training, then its off back home for the Christmas period. Today we finalised most of the race program, both for riders and staff. It all looks good.
I sense an air of confidence around the team. Its going to be a big year next year.

Friday, 5 December 2008, Tenerife
We are just pulling up outside the hotel after the Karting trip. It was great fun, a lot of guys with sore backs though. Alberto ran out the winner with a classic last corner move on Haimar, the crowd were well impressed. I did not fair so well. Although I did not disgrace myself I expected better. The main thing was like the surfing we had loads of fun. This morning I went out for a ride early, uphill for 24 kms, 90 mins, 30 mins to get down. Great way to wake up. Some might say. The first group did quite a long hard ride. The press were again out in force, today was the day were they were able to take snaps of the guys out riding. I think tomorrow things will be a little calmer. Only another couple of days and we will be out of here, as always time flies. Its been a good camp so far and I think it was great to have everybody together here.
Tomorrow I think I will try and get a ride in with group two. Its not everyday you get a chance to ride with the pro's.

Thursday, 4 December 2008, Tenerife
I am sitting here at the Lance press conference. As you can see from the photo's there is a fair few people waiting. And he is taking questions on all the usual subjects. Its quite something to have this amount of interest in a cyclist. Then again Lance is no ordinary cyclist.
He say's he feels ok for an old guy. And from what I have seen he will be more than ready for the challenges ahead, both on and off the bike.
Next up is Alberto. For someone who has won all 3 Grand Tours in the last year he finds himself as the support act here.

Wednesday, 3 December 2008, Tenerife
Went for a ride with the boys today, a few of them. It was called group 2. I have not been riding much at
all,I would say on average about two times a week since the middle of October. And I was pleasantly surprised with the level of my fitness. As I said yesterday the terrain around here is very hilly. Not easy for doing easy rides, ie not lifting your heart rate. Especially when you are riding in a group. One of the riders
in my group, Andreas Kloden trains in this way a lot of the time, and he wanted to do 5 hrs today, at a very steady heart rate though. So he turned off pretty quickly to pursue that regime. Anyhows, now I feel pretty shattered because Tomas Vaitkus put the hurt on us all on the way home, got my heart rate to 160, highest for a while.
Also in the group were two of the new riders to the team. Haimar Zubeldia and Jesus Hernandez. They
both seem very nice guys. Haimar has a fantastic record in Grand Tours in recent years and I am sure he
will fit in perfectly and be a great asset to the team. Jesus has been without a team for a season. He was
with Relax a couple of years back, before that with Manolo Sainz at Liberty. He is a good friend of Alberto's, they live close to each other and train a lot together. He is a pure climber and looks very similar to Alberto on the bike.
I think tomorrow I will have a day off the bike, and try and go running. I have been a few times in recent weeks, and the muscles are getting used to the different action.
Later this afternoon we have a presentation by Doctor Damsgaard, he is in charge of our internal anti-doping system, he also works with CSC. This system has worked well for us and once again proves we are doing everything we can to keep our house in order.
I know the weather is pretty pony back home, here its fair, but more clouds than normal.
We have a go karting session in a couple of days, I am looking forward to that.
Ok, later.

Tuesday, 2 December 2008, Tenerife
This sentence seems so "deja vu" I know, but its been a while.
My last entry was during the Giro, the day we took the jersey with Alberto. He defended the jersey the next day in the TT up the Plan des Correnes. Then there was a rest day. Anyhows, due to circumstances beyond my control it turned out that there was to be no place anymore for me in the team car. Yes, I was slightly "miffed" so decided to return home and forget about it.
The rest of the season was a success. I had some good times and results.
That was then, and this is now.
Now is here in Teneriffe with the 09 Astana team. And of course we all know who is in that team. Yes, Lance. After 3 years out he has decided to give it another go. He is looking great, healthy and very strong.
Today I am out behind Alberto, we know the arrival of Lance has him concerned. And yesterday Lance announced that he intends to ride the Tour. The plot deepens.
We are staying in a beautiful hotel, in Playa de las Americas. I believe Lance has stayed here before. The weather is perfect for training, the terrain is pretty tough though. And we saw that today, with the Kazak riders just getting on their bikes for virtually the first time and Alberto being who he is there was soon a few guys out the back and suffering. For sure Alberto has not been training much, but he does not need to be able to fly up hills virtually. I said the same this time last year when we were at the camp in Javea Spain. Its like he is peddling on thin air.

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