My final blog for this year, it’s certainly been another interesting year with some pretty great highs and some equally bad lows. My ability to maintain form and sickness seem to have mired this season, but I can definitely take a lot from this year and use it to improve my performance over the next season.

My last few road races of this season sadly didn’t go quite as I wanted them, I was able to get in multiple moves and attack with some of the best riders in the elite races which was a great sign but sadly none of the moves were able to stay away.  Problems with my bike ruined another race and although I had the form and was able to get in the moves I didn’t get the result I could have.

I have managed to get my weight down quite considerably this season and am now able to climb far better than before so am looking forward seeing what I can do with that for next season and am hoping to try racing more in the Ardennes.

I came back to England for a flying visit for the national TT circuit race at Thruxton this month and although I haven’t been doing any time trial training I think I put in a reasonable performance there.

I'm now going to be taking a short break before getting back into training and hopefully racing on the track back in Belgium. It’s just a case of persuading a friend not to be such a wuss and do madison racing - if he reads this you know who you are!

As for next season, I have signed a contract with a new team for next year and can’t wait for the opportunities that that affords, I’m really looking forward to racing with a team that is far more team orientated which is something I’ve missed since I was a junior.  The team is the same levels as my one from this season so I’ll still get the opportunity to race in the top races in Belgium.

Recently I had the incredible opportunity to train with Taylor Phinney who was staying in Gent.  I happened to run into him (not literally) and being such a chill guy he invited me out training which ended up in us doing cyclocross on road bikes! I also got the opportunity to go on the BMC team bus, which was at the service course near where I live. Speaking with Taylor while out training made me realise how, although I have had problems, the fact that I have learned everything myself makes it a far more valuable lesson and that in the long run it’ll hopefully make me a stronger cyclist and person.  So the Moustache and Glasses psychologist look Taylor has going on certainly suits him.

Speaking to guys like that and having raced in the pro kermesse races this year with the top riders in the world really makes me realise that it is going to be hard, but that if you really do stick at it and ignore the things that go wrong and learn from your mistakes; it may take a long time but it really is within reach.

So even if this year didn’t end quite as planned I now know what I have done wrong, what I have done right and by learning from my experiences I hope to come back next season and get the results that I know I can.

I just want to say a huge thank you to the CTT for the support and the opportunity that they have given me.  I hope that I can pay them back one day by achieving my dream and make it a reality.

Till next season, thanks for reading.

Jake