They have finally come! Just got me two dales earlier this week, both are superlight and both ride amazingly! Hope im fit enough for them in 2008, no point having good bikes if you cant ride them!

Cyclogay Photos

Final Podium - Paul, Sam Craig and Me

P Diddy Crossng the line 2nd In Lurgan Park

Crossing the line 3rd in lurgan Park

End of Season Races

Relentless 24

Made the trip to Bonnie Scotland in Oct there for the Relentless 24! Was good craic and all the rest! The course was fun and was mostly based on the World xc course totalling 10.2 miles in length and 1500ft of climbing a lap!

The race went ok! started well and did ok until the night stage where I started to wane a bit!around 6 in the morn my bed looked a bit to comfy so after 18.5 hrs and 16laps I clocked off and went back to the B&B! Ended up in 3rd so was happyenough with that!

Cyclogay Races

Ahh the annual Cyclocross season is upon us and luckly there is also a mtb race at all Irish Cyclocrosses thank god!

I ve done two of these races so far, Both in October ended up 3rd in both of them so was happy with that! Feckin Roadies beat me to! :( aw well least they wer good craic and up for the laugh! apart from 1 of them, YOU KNOW WHO U ARE LOL!!!

Was good to see me mate Paul 'P DIDDY' Mc Menamin winning 2 of the races and getting 2nd in the others dam good result old bean and all DONE in THE BESTTT POSIHABLE TASTEEE!

On the last weekend of September the 6th and final round of the Ulster xc league took place. In theory according to Ross all I had to do was finnish in the points and I would be the overall league winner!Still I wanted to win and even tho the course didnt suit me as it was manmade Dafyd Davis shit and wild tight!No good for a 6'3" donkey like me!

Started off well and led for the first few mile but come the tight hardpack singletrak I was strugling bad and was soon caught by Phill O'Neill we duelled for 2laps but he was to fast on the tight stuff! Aw well still got second!Thatl do nicely. Heres what the race report on cycling ulster had to say;

" In the Mens race Phil had a great dual with Lakeland CC ace Michael Holland, the pair locked in a great battle for two of the three laps. On the last lap Phil pulled clear to take victory with Michael having to settle for second, as he gets ready for his next 24 hour race".

Check out the women lol!lookin good!

Micko

Ulster XC Champs

Rony

This years Ulster XC champs where held outside Dromora on Whitemans Mountain Tevindarragh and also doubled up as a Round of the Ulster XC League. The course was great, I loved it! it was totally open and exposed and had plenty of climbing and technical features!



The race started bangon 12 o' clock and had a feild of about 25or 30.My mate Ronan was on the front row (In the Red nearest the camera)and I was on the second row (In Blue).


As the start whistle went we took off very fast somehow I managed to find myself in 3rd place but on the first climb the 2 guys in front of me blew so that was my cue to take over, I led the race with no majour hickups to the end from there and was quite happy when I crossed the finnish line but I couldnt help but think I could have been the Irish champ as well if I adnt of made a silly mistake!Aw well we still enjoyed the day and the course!



Micko

Kona Global 24hr Champs

My second 24hr this year took place in Catton Park In England,the course was flatish with 2-3 fairly steep climbs of 500m or more, there was some okish singletrack but frally easy!most of the lap was through barley feilds and lanes.

The race started with the usual 1mile run accustomed to 24hr racing, I started somewhere mid feild at the end I wasnt to far from the front, it was kinda hard to get used to runningas I dont do to much!

When I got on the bike after the run for the first lap, I was feeling great , felt very fresh and couldnt complain.Soon things where to change! basically I got 3punctures on the first lap so that put me near the back! When I got back to my pits I changed over to tubeless wheels with some latex milk for puncture resistance! What a start I dont think it could have gone any worse!

Anyway onto the second lap it went much better managed to make up a good few places the same continued for much of the next few laps.

Giong into the night stages I was feeling a little tired and worn outbut I still got the laps in, my new Light and motions where superb and really lit up the night!

Around the morning was tough to tho when the sun started to warm up it was great, suddenly my energy came back and I felt much better, I was actually doing some fast laps which was greatas it ment my lap total was going up much quicker.

On my second last lap I was running in 15th place and the guy in 14th was just up a head by about five mins so I out the hammer down once again to another level an actualy caught him for 14th! All I had to do now was just cruise home as the guy id just passed was totally hamered!

I ended up 14th overall with 21 laps of a 9mile course. Have to say I was pleased with that!

One of the things that I found with racing in England on neuromus occasions was the total lack of skill displayed by mostly English riders, even the top guys, I mean these are the guys writing articles on bike handling skills and finding your flow ect ect and they cant even beat an amature paddy mtber on their own soil goin through singletrack or on desents,fair enough they can pedal allright but I still lost count of the amount of times I canned the trek and salsa guys on the singletrack and dowhill! Ok rant over It was a great weekends craic and thanks to my mate olie for doin me pits and lookin after me, and well done to the organizers it was a great event!

Micko

NPS 2007 & Ulster League

This years NPS & Ulster league Have been/went very well for me with some wins and good places.

My Season kicked off in Carlingford for round 3 of the NPS. The coures was fantastic, it was so technical, have to say I really enjoyed it and cant wait to go back there at the end of the month for the Irish National Marathon Champs. The racewas run over two laps and a start loop so in total it was around 16km of tough technical singletrack. I started on the 3rd row and soon made my way into first. Goin into the first peice of singlet track Seamus Byrne passed me and tookoff like a rocket and showed me how to ride as I tried to keep up with him!Wasnt much good as he was way technically better than me!he rompedoff for the win by 2mins!

On my last lap I was so tired imade so many errors and eventually Colm Keane caught and passed me for second!I stayed with him until the end but couldnt go round him he was to strong!So Final podium was: 1st Seamus 2nd Colm 3rd Me. Was happy with that result!

The next round was held in a new venue in Maghramourne Quarry near the seaside town of Larne. The course was different to what we are used to as there wasnt a tree or forest road in sight! The lapwas in theregion of 3.5 miles and very fast with some good kickers and drop inns.

The race started at 12 O Clock on thebutton I wason the second row this time behind Seamus so I wasnt in a bad place! When Andy blew the the whistlewe where off like rabbits out of a trap,Seamushad made a terriable start and Colm and Gareth slidetackeled eachother out of the race on the first corner (not intenionally of course, justsome bad luck).I was running 3rd at this stage and feelin good!I knew I was alot quicker so I moved to the front and basically powerd away!I led from start to finnish so I couldnt complain! Seamus finnished 2nd and Paul Foley Got 3rd.

Crossing the finnish line that day was one of the best ive ever had on a bike as it was my first xc win!

The next race was in Limerick around a park. The course was very cut up and didnt hold up well and over half the lap was spent pushing the bike!neverthe less the event was well run and had all the facilities one required.

At the start of the lap there wasone long steep drag whichone guy just shot up whereas I stayed calm in second and eventually at the top there he was!The guy had blowen!Good I thought so Ipassed him at good speed and began the hikeabike section, once off that I had a goo 2min lead and was nearing the start finnish forthe second lap, when all i can hear is pisssgh, I picked up a lump of glass and in turn a puncture!Bythe time I had this fixed and back on the bike I was running in 7th but 6th place was jut up the climb in front of me so I easily took him as I dont mind the climbing! Paul Foley deservadley won and Colm and Gar from IMBRC where second and third.I finnished 6th.

The next race was in Bangor at the start of June and was part of the Ulster xc league.The race was in Castle park Bangor which is a great venue and provides an excellent xc course with alot of god features. The race started with myself and my good mate Ronan setting the pace, after the first lap I had built up a small lead over Ronan and by lap 2 it was around the minute mark. at the end of lap 5 I was very tired as the muddy ish conditions where starting to take their toll on me but I held on for the win! Was very happy with ths race and I cant wait for the next race at the weekend now where hopefully myself and Ronan will battle itout again!

My next race was in Djouce woods in Wicklow. I think thebest course of the seaon was on offer as it really included everything from fast swoopy bits to goo technical sections!The race started ok for me I was in 3rd and soon moved into first! I led for 3 laps with a small advantage over Paul, but what I didnt know was that Ben Morrow was blazing his way trough the feild from nearly last!Some ride!Going onto the last hill I was so tired and Paul quickly pounced on me taking first! I stayed with him for a while but then cam Ben he wasflat out!He blew past us to take a brilliant 1st place paul got me for second and I got 3rd.

The last round of the NPS was in Tallagh, Dublin. The course should have of suited me as it was flat and fast but it wasnt to be the case as I had a race to forget! If I had of won I would have lifted the NPS Overall. Paul won and won the NPS overall which he thourghly deserved and it couldnt have gone to a nicer bloke!I just hadntgot the energy and ended up finnishing 12th a carrer worst!Aw well I dont look back in anger!

I have tosay in my first year of competive mountain biking ive learned so much and made so many new friends!Its a totally different scene to road its much more friendly and welcoming!I will definately be doing this for many years to come!TOUCHWOOD

Irish XC Champs 2007

This year was my first year of competing in the XC Champs so the morning of the race was kinda nervous for me considering my last few races hadnt gone to plan as I ran outa steam in both of them on the last lap whilst leading, so with that in mind I prepared as best as I could by having a good breakfast and double checking I had everything!

Once I was sure I had everything off I went to Rosstrevor. Its about a one hour drive from where live so I arrived in good time at around 9pm, Race starts at 12pm. Once Signed On I went and had a look at the course, and a dam good one at that. Plenty of technical singletrack (Typical of our xc races)which I dont mind and a good fire road climb to gain some altitude!Course is around 3-4miles long.


Once I finnished my warm up lap it was near time to go, so one last check of everything and down I went to the start. Nerves where naturally high. As I looked around at my competitors I realized that I was prob the favourite here as Paul Foley was not here!So I now have a massive Bullseye on my back!As my name was called by our commisare Andy Potts for the front row im now really really nervous and looking to go!

As the count down began 10 secs to go im pumped and ready for the job, 5,4,3,2,1 and where off like rockets, my start could have been better but im 3rd going into the first corner behind Colm and Dave Askin I Pass Colm on the inside of turn 1 for second then where on to some singletrack before the long fireroad climb, im right on Daves tail here and I know im haveing a good day as following Dave isnt taking much outofme!Onceon the fireroad climb I pass Dave and set a fast pace up the climb, when I looked back after a mile there was nobody there, so I keep pushing like mad.

At the end of the first lap of 3 I have a minute of a lead and am still feeling ok going onto the second lap!Thislap was ok until 1 section of singletrack near the end of the lap where I make a mistake a come off, im back on soon enough but have lost time and vital confidence!Now Second place man Michael Cowan is only 20secsback, I cant afford another mistake!

On lap 3 going up the fireroad climb I putsome time into Michael about 20secs but he is a much better decender and he soon catches me on the decent!Im keeping him behind me and waiting for the next hill where I will attack him, but my luck was outI make a critical mistake and I loose control of the bike on a treestump! Michael goes straight past me and by the time im back on the bike hes 10-15 secs up the road!I chase like mad and give it my all and finally catch him on the lin but its not to be he has won the race by 2secs!

It was a great race forme even tho I didnt win this time but im so over the moon to have second it doesnt matter!Well done to Michael on first and well done to Brian O' Driscoll on third his best ever ride!

Micko

24 Hours Killeeshill (Charity Event)

Nearly Two years ago in September 05, on TV there was a Half Hour Documentary done on the sport of 24hr mountain bike racing which totally captured my imagination and I became fixated on, to nearly obsessed! The only problem was I was a road racer and only would ride off roads for fun!It was that week in September 05 I started serious training to prepare for A 24hr solo that I would try some time in 2007!Training would normally involve six days a week totaling 15-22hrs of training to get me in 24hr marathon shape.

Me With Some Of The Local School Kids

In Feb this year I decided that my fitness and strength where bang on target as I had won a few of the early season races on the road and on the MTB, as there are no 24hr events in Ireland north or south I would have to improvise and organize my own in aid of some local charities. Once all was decided and plans laid my start date would be 6pm June 8th 2007 and finish at 6pm the next day. The course would be 27 miles with half on roads and half off roads around Kileeshill.On the morning of the 24hr I spent checking over the bikes I would use and organizing the required food and equipment. By the time I had all this done it was around 1pm, so I had my dinner and went to sleep for a few hours wakening again at 5pm. Then it was just a matter of getting to the start at the community center!

On The Start Line June 14th 07

At five mins to 6 I was standing on the start waiting anxiously to go nerves were very high and it seemed forever but then I was told I could go Thank god! Off I went onto my first lap I was undecided for a few minutes weather I should go out fast and hopefully get into a speedy tempo or keep at a steady tempo, in the end my mind said FAST GO FAST. The decision paid off and my first 3 laps where very fast around the 1hr 20min mark, every thing went perfect, my power and speed on the road was great and my flow on the off roads was fast. At the end of my 3rd lap at the 81 mile mark I made my first food stop an put on the lights for the night section!On to lap 4 about half way around, my pedal on the bike began to cease up! FUCK just what I need! I rode on as normal though it was now starting to cause my knee pain, so I had to limp around the rest of that lap and change pedals! Luckily at the finish of the lap my close friend Oliver was there to help but try as we might the pedal would not come off so I had to change bikes, this held me up for a good twenty mins setting up the lights ect on the spare bike, so it was now around 1am and time for lap 5 which went well, but lap 6 was when the body started to slow I wandered if my early pace was making me pay or was I just low on fuel/food I was glad to see the end of lap 6 only for olie and jemma giving encouragement through the nite I would have Blew!So after a bowl of porridge at around 5-6am and some energy drink it was on to lap 7 which was also hard all the hills where like mini mountains and the off road section was killing me, I even fell off I was that tired, luckily I didn’t hurt myself! Everything was now sore, as everyone kept telling me at around the 12-14hr mark is when the sh1t hits the fan! And it’s true you have to just struggle on through it! Come the end of that lap at around 8:30 I got some pasta and more food, and got my specialized XC Pro mtb back fully fixed so on to lap 8 and I got a sudden surge of adrenaline and the old me was back ready for quicker laps!On lap 9 I was joined by another close friend Raymond, his Dad Kenny and Ian this was of great benefit as they could now set the pace for me and keep me going, and as Kenny is a coach and has done many endurance cycles before (Including the Road Race across America!!)He gave me invaluable advice! Forever grateful for that!The laps just seemed to come around and come around it was great!On the 12th lap Oliver had a car load of supporters (Emier, Bro & Jemma) to see me through my last few laps, once again it just spurred me on soo much, and then the phone in my back pocket was beeping, I gota text from Sinead and 1 from levina giving support and they really iced the cake just wot I needed, Thanks so much, the mind soon was active and ready to take on the last few hours!From all the support on the 12th lap I managed a 1h 28min lap!!Couldnt believe it! I was motoring again and then the 13th lap, which I started at around 4pm feeling great, soon turned into a hard slog my body was just giving up telling me to stop there was a few times on the longer 3mile plus climbs I had to stop the heat was high and the sweat was rolling off me flat out! Luckily I just mad the last lap and as I rounded the last corner my legs just gave up, it didn’t matter 1 fuck now cause I was home, and every one was there to greet me was a special moment for me as nearly 2years of hard work had come right on the day!Once showered and changed I had a stretch and started planning the next 24solo which will be Aug 11th & 12th 2007 In EnglandAnd hopefully olie will be there again!Thanks again to Raymond, Kenny, Ian, Jemma, Emier, Bronagh, Levina and of course Sinead.And one very big thank you to Oliver your part of the team.

Micko