Allebike Factory Team's opening race weekends in Spain yield both good form as well as learnings for the season ahead.
Three weeks, three race weekends, and three tough fields. That's what awaited U23 cyclists Edvin Elofsson, Leo Lounela, and Oscar Lind during the season's kickoff in Spain. On the early morning of February 5th, the team flew from chilly Sweden to a slightly milder Spain, where the cyclists, guided by team manager Petter Mattsson, would have the opportunity to put their winter training to the test against the world's absolute elite.
The camp's goal is to create a stable foundation as a starting point for the winter training for all three cyclists while also providing an opportunity to step into the elite field early in the season and gain all the experience it entails, especially for first-year U23 riders, Leo and Edvin.
Sunday, February 11th
Shimano MTB Super Massi La Nucia C1 saw 108 strong cyclists at the start line. As today's race had no specific U23 class, first-year U23 riders, Edvin and Leo, had to ramp up from zero to one hundred quickly as they lined up next to heavyweights like Tom Pidcock, Sam Gaze, David Valero, and Ondrej Cink. Due to the transition from junior to elite, both Edvin and Leo have limited UCI points and start in the seventh and ninth row, respectively, in the tight pack.
The race begins, and both riders manage to get off to a decent start despite the circumstances. After one lap, they have advanced significantly and are now around 30th place. These riders, who showed exceptional consistency last season, seem to continue in the same manner as they sprint for the 26th and 27th spot after 1 hour, 19 minutes and 34 seconds. A fantastic start to the season, with several big names behind them in the standings!
"The boys executed a flawless performance given their circumstances in their first elite race. With many lessons and experiences gained, we look forward to the next competition," says team manager Mattsson. He continues by explaining how the plan was to enter the new class without any fear and at the same time, gauge the level of some of the world's best XCO cyclists.
Edvin and Leo agree that they had a really excellent season opener and are pleased with the results, but they add that it's only the beginning.
Saturday February 17th, Internacionales XCO Chelva HC - day 1
After another great week of training, it was finally time for the second round of the competition - the Internacionales XCO Chelva HC. Unlike the previous week, the categories were divided into elite and U23, giving the guys a chance to compete against other U23 riders only. The good news of the day was that even Oscar, who chose not to participate in the previous week's race due to an injury, was on the starting line. Therefore, a complete team of three would complete six laps on the technically demanding course.
As the race begins, Leo flies through the field like a bullet and forms a tight group with five other riders, creating a slight gap from the rest of the field. However, after slightly more than one lap, there is overcrowding on a rocky section, and Leo is forced off the track with a puncture. While Leo is heading for the technical zone to change his wheel, Edvin takes over the lead for the team and stays in the top ten for an extended period.
Oscar starts the race cautiously after his injury but manages to accelerate significantly after a few laps, speeding through the field like a train and ultimately finishing in 12th place. On the way, he passes Edvin, who struggled a bit in the last lap but still manages to finish strongly in 17th place. Unfortunately, Leo, who climbed to 15th place after the tire change, ended his day with a crash resulting in a DNF.
"Good race by all three boys today, despite Leo's misfortune. Of course, it is especially exciting to see that Oscar has recovered his race pace after only a couple of weeks of base training. All in all, it is another step in the right direction on all fronts," says Petter.
"It's great to be back in the game. I missed out on pace at the start, and lost some ground there, but when I got into the groove, and the competition settled in, it felt really good," summarizes Oscar.
Sunday, February 18th Internacionales XCO Chelva HC - dag 2
Just 26 hours after yesterday's race, it was once again time for Edvin and Leo to stand on the starting line. This time it was a combined men's elite class with a slightly longer distance. As an HC class race, the level just below the World Cup, it guarantees a strong field, and today's race was no exception. About fifteen cyclists with wins, podium finishes, and top 10 places in both World Cups and championships were present to compete for positions.
Leo continues to demonstrate his strong power and ability to weave through cyclists in a tight starting field when he climbs up from the rear ranks to 14th place early in the race. A flat tire requires a brief stop in the technical zone for a wheel change, but Leo continues to race quickly, smartly, and safely to the finish line, ultimately securing a fantastic 19th place in the tough field despite the flat tire.
Edvin, who chose to start slowly and work his way into the race due to allergy problems, also puts in a solid performance from start to finish where he constantly places among the top 30 cyclists.
"Today was great! It's really fun to feel that you're in the game even at this level. It's an exciting experience to compete against cyclists who have had cycling as their job for several years," says Leo, after today's performance.
"Another really excellent day of competition. It was the toughest opposition that both Leo and Edvin have ever faced, all while still recovering from the previous day's race. Leo impresses with how he tackles yesterday's challenges and today's puncture, and Edvin impresses with his consistency and safety in racing. Both of them showed high-level performance today!" adds Petter.
With those words, the team's Spain period has passed halfway, and a few days of rest and training are on the agenda before Shimano Supercup takes place in Banyoles next weekend.
Saturday, February 24th Shimano Supercup Banyoles
Filled with positive energy after two great race days in Chelva, the focus was now set on Banyoles for the concluding HC competitions of the period. The track was entirely different from the one in Chelva, with two more demanding races awaiting as the culmination of three wonderful training camp weeks.
Not all days are perfect, and today's race proved to be a tougher round for the cyclists. Oscar and Edvin struggled with fatigue caused by a lack of competition experience after Oscars injury period and problems with pollen allergies for Edvin. Leo kept up a high pace until a mechanical stop was required, causing him to drop to 29th place in the strong field.
With more lessons and experience, we have come to the final race of the training camp period. Once again, it is an elite-class competition. Edvin, along with team manager Petter, decides to skip today's race to allow his body to begin its recovery. Therefore, we have Leo and Oscar at the start line. Although today's competition is even tougher than yesterday's, both cyclists get a good start and remain within 20 seconds of the coveted points area for a long time.
However, towards the end of the race, the tough camp and the long competition begin to affect them, and the distance to the top 25 grows. Leo and Oscar ultimately finish in a respectable 32nd and 40th place, respectively, in a field filled with cyclists from the absolute world elite.
"The team's training camp block in Spain concludes with a weekend of valuable learning experiences in Banyoles. On Saturday, it was tough and educational for everyone, while Sunday's race was another step in the right direction. It's important to remember that the journey over a season is rarely straightforward - sometimes we stand still, and sometimes we step back before taking a huge leap forward. We take with us valuable lessons and experiences about what it takes to reach our goals," says Petter.
The team will now continue its training block before the next round of competitions in France, where Edvin and Leo will be competing. Oscar will continue to focus on building his base training, which he missed due to his winter injury, before the season kicks off for real.
"The purpose of the camp was to bring the team together and collect experience, as well as using tough races as a springboard towards the real season. I think we've achieved what we hoped for and, at the same time, earned some UCI points for future races. This is just the beginning of a long and exciting season!" concludes Petter before the journey home to Sweden.
Photo: Piper Albrecht
