Racing in full swing.

It's been a busy couple of months since I returned to training and racing back over in Spain for a decent 6 week block.

I wasn't really ready for full on racing with only 2 weeks training but the team wanted me to dive in and do what I could.

It was a baptism of fire for sure, evening town center races are not for the unfit and not my favorite by far!

A serious lack of legs and lungs but it was all small steps back to fitness, plus having to be careful and nurse my knee and not over do it.

A couple of one day races where my knee played up ended in me not finishing which was depressing and demoralizing, but i had to think of the long term.

Then the 3 day Vuelta Valladolid stage race which I did last year came around, I did what I could to help the boys, we managed to come home with the best young rider jersey for Marti which was great, but another DNF for me on day 3.

I was starting to get fed up but could also feel myself getting fitter, but heading home to do the Junior tour of Wales I knew I'd be up against it.

This race I've looked forward to doing since I first started racing, its the biggest in the UK for juniors and probably the hardest, to top it off I got the dreaded airplane cold on the way back, great!

It was a tough 4 days, the weather was fairly rubbish with most days being wet.

I got around, missed most of the crashes and suffered a lot!

I was happy to finish the race but disappointed to just survive and not be competitive at all especially on my home roads.

I'm back over in Spain now for a couple of weeks to round out the season with the Vuelta Talavera this weekend, a 3 day race which I did last year, its a bit hilly for me but what's new!

Then next week it's challenge Subbetica which is another 3 day hilly stage race.

-Seriously struggling!