Starting 2013 Racing

Hi everyone

Hope everybody's had good winter!

First of all I want to thank the Braveheart Fund for supporting me again this year. The past two years the help I have received has made a big difference in financing my travelling to races etc so I can reach my goals. I also thank everyone for their support and encouragement.

The racing season's just around the corner so it's time for an update on my plans for this year's racing.

I've been training hard over the winter. So far (touch wood!) I've stayed healthy and I have kept up a good training programme since the beginning of November. Enjoyed doing a bit of training on the new Glasgow Velodrome with Scottish Cycling too.

My local roads

The Rosneath Peninsula

This year I am getting to race a full season in Spain with Team Ibaigane Opel.

I raced for them when I was there last Summer and after the results I gained, they offered me to race with them for the whole year. They are an U23 team based in Igorre, the Basque Country.

I'm really looking forward to it. I think it will bring me on big time, having top quality races week in week out and terrain that suits my strengths. I think it will be a lot better for me than another season in the UK.

The plan for the season is looking really good. Most weeks I will have two road races, mainly at the weekends. I will have the weekly Lehendakari U23 series and the Euskaldun Elite road Series as well.

I have around 4 Spanish National Cups which take place in the first two months of season. They are top road races in Spain. I think one of the races we are are doing is in the South of Spain, the rest are near us in the north.

Then I have 3 stage races in April and May. Two are are Elite & U23, but I have big international 5 day U23 race near the border with France at the end of May.

I am looking forward to the stage races as I haven't done many whilst I have been based in the UK.

That stage race should do me in good stead for the British Road Champs in June. Its in Glasgow which should be great, hopefully the course is a good one. I think I will have good form for the Champs because I will have a lot more quality racing and better health in me than I did last year going into it.

I have Beaumont Premier the following weekend then I'm back to Spain racing there until the end of the season, where I will have hard races like the Beasain Classica.

So I'm heading on the 19^th of February and my first race is a Spanish Cup on the 24^th. Can't wait to get the season started!

Will keep you updated via blog or on my twitter @robbiehassan.

Thanks for Reading

Robbie

The village of Igorre, where I stayed last year.

The team's HQ is in the local stadium.