With Christmas been and gone and 2024 looming large, winter training is in full flow and exciting times ahead, as already I’m pleased with the feelings on the bike and the numbers I am generating but we are far from race fitness which is looking promising.
Since my last blog I’ve done a bit of track racing at Full Gas track league and the Full Gas open. Track is always good fun even with winter training legs, I was responding well to the demands of higher cadence and fast speeds. I’ve always enjoyed returning to Lee Valley Velodrome and it was good to see Massimo and Sonny who were originally dad’s friends and they’ve seen me grow up and they are part of the dedicated bunch of commisaires at Full Gas.
I also did a few of the Full Gas crits in October/November coming 5th in the first, winning one and coming 2nd in another and that little smattering of points gave me enough to end the year gaining my 1st cat licence for 2024 so that was definitely an added bonus for the season.
Once racing was over and my cat 1 licence was in the bag. My focus moved fully to winter training and so working together with my coach Henry at 2020 coaching I’ve been doing weights, core, strength and conditioning, Yoga and lots of riding. Outdoors and indoors, I’ve been going day by day ticking off the days and me and Henry are both pleased with how I’m responding to the training but also we both know it’s far from over if we want to achieve our 2024 goals. 
Most rides unless the weather is dangerous (which is usually just when it’s too windy) are outside if I can, although having Zwift does help if the weather is too awful, so I don’t miss a training day. Been having a few long rides where everything just feels great, a no chain day where riding the bike just feels easy so those days have been enjoyable. One of those surprisingly was a 175km ride to complete the PRL Full route on Zwift. Highlighting my mental strength and motivation to be able to tap out the power even on the turbo for a long time (and good chamois cream of course)
It was announced that TAAP’s team name will be TAAP Kalas Racing next year as Kalas have joined us as kit supplier and sponsor so that’s really exciting. Kalas make class leading kit and is most notably the kit supplier of World tour team Alpecin–Deceuninck (The team of world Champion Mathieu van der Poel). TAAP have been announcing new and returning riders and sponsors on Instagram on their 12 days of Christmas. I’m definitely excited to work with the new sponsors, see the new kit and race with new and old teammates.
I have had a bit of bad news though, I was servicing my Cervelo S5 and noticed a crack and some delamination on the rear chainstay and knew that just a slip on a corner and clipping the kerb in training had damaged it so I had to put a claim in at Laka to replace the Cervelo, annoyingly Cervelo’s especially with Ultegra and 38cm handlebars etc are quite rare in the UK but Laka have been great suggesting possible alternatives so hoping after Christmas now I’ll have a replacement bike although I’ll be sad to see her go. Seriously though do get your ride insured if you can. I won’t say what the replacement is as you will have to check out my Instagram for the full reveal but I can assure you it’s even more of a weapon than the S5…
So for now it’s continuing the winter training, completing the Rapha Festive 500 just by doing my normal training and get ready for 2024. 
Do check back soon for more updates and check out my Instagram page soon for my 9 favourite photos from 2023 #best9in2023 Thanks to all the photographers out taking race photos that help make that possible.
Thanks again to Ryan and everyone at TAAP Racing and Henry at 2020 Coaching for really driving my training to the next level and for a great 2023 and here’s to a fantastic 2024!
Lance Childs 