Are things falling into place for the 2014 Duo Normand?

It’s been a while since Team Grumpy blogged at this site. In fact, Team Grumpy riders haven’t raced together as a 2-up team at all this season, after a minor scheduling disaster ruled out the Port Talbot Wheelers 25 mile 2-up which usually kicks of the season for the team.

Our grumpy heroes haven’t been wasting their time however. While not really exhibiting what might be termed sparkling form, both riders have seen a gradual improvement to their solo time trialling efforts, judged both from their times and from their result sheet positions relative to other riders.

Team Grumpy (mostly due to the sterling efforts of ‘Grumpy’ Art Vanderlay) has already (a) entered the Duo Normand, (b) arranged accommodation, (c) arranged ferry crossings and (d) sorted out racing licences. 

So everything is in place. 

And of course Team Grumpy is now awaiting a performance destroying event to bring the whole tottering edifice down in rubble. Not that Team Grumpy is in any way pessimistic, though. Whatever happens at the race itself, the team is sure to have a fair amount of fun trying.

Team Grumpy to Regroup in March 2014

There's been something of a hiatus in this blog since Team Grumpy made their trip to Normandy for the 2013 Duo Normand. This has been occasioned partly by the pressures of daily life, but more excitingly by the fact that both members of Team Grumpy have seemingly survived the winter accident and illness free (touch wood!) and have been busily training. Grumpy Bob isn't particularly superstitious, but maybe February 1st is a bit early to make that claim...

Grumpy Bob and Grumpy Art have, for a change, managed to keep their training going fairly consistently through the winter so far. This is generating an alarming sense of optimism in the Team Grumpy international headquarters, which clearly must be quashed. And soon...

Team Grumpy is sad to have to announce they will be missing out on their usual season opener, the Port Talbot Wheelers 2-up '25'. This is because of Grumpy Bob's work commitments. Grumpy Bob's Baldrickian cunning plan was to arrange these work commitments to avoid the usual calendar slot for the 2-up, only to find the event being held a week or two later than expected.

Regular readers of this blog (if there are such) may recall that this event is usually characterised for Team Grumpy by lack-lustre performance. In 2013, an omnishambles was averted by Grumpy Bob's severe back pain which meant that getting out of an armchair was pretty nearly impossibly (let alone climbing on a Cervelo P3). This year Team Grumpy will regroup for a solo '10' the week before the Port Talbot Wheelers event. Watch this space.