Adam Cotterell

I'd been trying to think of an excuse to offer up as to why I went largely under the radar for the whole season, and to be honest, I could't think of a good one. So I'll just tell it like it is, here's my whistle stop tour of my 2010.

The year started well, a solid winter had me in god form for the early season races in the South of England, with my best result coming in the Severn Bridge Road Race. I went to Belgium at the end of March and spent most of April sick! It wasn't until the end of April that I claimed my first top 20, shortly before returning for the Lincoln GP in England. That went ok, on my return to Belgium I was flying and claimed my one and only Belgian top 10 to date at Wodecq, where I was out smarted and out classed by Frank Vandenbroucke's brother-in-law to finish 6th. The follwing race I was again in front group contesting the win, this time I could only manage 14th though.

Then it was home for the Divisional Champs, plus a stage race, where I narrowly missed winning the 3rd stage, but finished 3rd on GC. A forgettable few weeks followed (save for an unforgettable night out in Gent!), and it was time for me to go home to usher my Sisters wedding along. We were supposed to ride the National Champs the week after, alas we didn't get in, just as well as I left a good proportion of skin behind at Crystal Palace that week!

July was solid, if fairly average, then I returned to England once more to ride the Richmond GP, I don't know why but I really like this race. Which is bizarre as its one of the hardest courses going! It went wel, and I finished 43rd. Now, up to this point I had been consigned to just kermesse racing in Belgium, but my performances in may had not gone unoticed and I had been invited to guest with the Eurasia team, managed by Ken Hashikawa. Who was a formidable rider in his day. You can see me above riding to 39th place in the Nieuwkerken - Waas Interclub race in the Eurasia colours. It was a fantastic opportunitiy to get to step up a level, and was definitely useful in selling myself to new teams come the end of the season, so thanks Ken!

September passed by all but unoticabley, were it not for winning the SERRL Championships on one last trip home before the end of the season. It was my first win in just over 2 years, and the champagne that evening certainly felt deserved! The last few races in Belgium were fairly standard affairs, hiding in the bunch I knew my season was drawing to a close. There definitely a 'last day of school' air about an October kermesse though, they were some of the most enjoyable races of the year!

So thats it, with my 2011 arrangements firmly in place I returned home on the 16th October. Tired, but infinitely wiser, and impatient for the new season. Finally, a huge thanks to Paul Bowtell for saving my housemates and I, from complete disaster in Waregem! Kortrijk is a fantastic place to live, or even visit, so do!