Abnormal service now resumed

10 Winter, ride lots.
20 Spring, ride fast and set new standards.
30 Break collarbone.
40 Summer, start all over again. Do not Loop.
END

I was impressed by my own stupidity ability to leap back on to a road bike and after one ride attempt to do an "athlete's time trial". Going under 30 minutes for the 10 miles wasn't half bad all things considered. You try it.

So some fitness has persisted.

When I did the Boxing Day 10 last year, I notched a long 27.56 using more or less full aero kit and TT bike. Hopefully I will be able to get back to doing very short 25s around the Nomads course sooner rather than later. So I was only 1m 6s slower on a road bike.

Katusha's Canyon TT bikes ahead of the final Giro TT in Milan.

The first three miles were agony, my chest felt crushed as the air in my lungs pushed against my cracked ribs (what a hero). Having settled in to a rhythm approaching Southill things got better and I managed to remain uncaught by Mark Young.  I'm still aiming for a sub-hour 25 this year, it just may come a bit later than I wanted it too.

I was feeling both bouyed and relaxed during and after a long weekend in Milano with Mrs D. The time trial there has a great vibe as the start village is really open and there is good access to the rigs and to the riders. If subliminal marketing needed evidence of its powers, I now have a Cervelo.

And the winner rode for?

Hesjedal's P5

...oh yes, Garmin-Cervelo. His Team Mechanic did say that he (Ryder H'l) was going to "crush the event". And he was right.

Mine will be ridden to relative glory too this year, of that I am determined. Glass half full. What struck me about the Giro was the slighlty chaotic feel of almost everything and also the partisan yet enthusiastic and knowledgeable support of the tifosi. It is everything Premier League football is not. And to be fair, some other sports have similar traits.

Yes he's the World Road Race Champion and yes we were that close to him before his TT ride.

Can you imagine hanging out with the players just before kick off and chewing the fat with them as they warm up?

Can you imagine being in the tunnel at kick off?

Can you imagine walking to the edge of the pitch, free of charge to support the actors and action?

Can you imagine any of these so called athletes shaking off a massive smash and riding for the next 20 days?

No, nor can I.

Let's hope that cycling stays this way for some time to come and doesn't disappear up its own seatpost.