GEORGE BENNETT
JUMBO-VISMA
For years I’ve only chased summer. At the first sign of European winter I usually jump ship back to New Zealand in search of sunshine and dangerously high levels of ultraviolet radiation. I love New Zealand but I have finally come to accept that our climate is, well… sh*t. It’s a very cold country with an outrageously hot sun. Your options are to brave the massive hole in the ozone layer and fry in open air, or step into the shade and freeze. With this in mind, I’m sticking it out in Europe for longer these days and in doing so, I think I have found my new favourite part of the season.
There is something nice about getting back on winter’s doorstep. The Dutch have a word that sums it up perfectly: gezellig. It doesn’t really translate but roughly means cozy or snug, but in a weird Dutch way. Guys emerge from the depths of the off-season in various states of health and moral fortitude, and take their place at the back of the training peloton that is slowly crawling towards January with a fresh set of demons to push us along.
One thing that is helpful in my line of work is that I genuinely enjoy riding my bike. I’m always surprised how much I rely on cycling, or at least fresh air, for mental health. Normally in the off season I pass the time playing other sports, trying to climb some mountains or being far too dangerously hungover to consider any of the above. But being forced to lay on the couch for a few weeks after my operation I found I had too much time to stare at the wall - the upshot of this being by the time I was able to ride again I really appreciated it. When I talk about emerging from the off-season with a fresh set of demons, I mean this in a positive way. Being zen is great to a point, but at some stage it will not help you through six hours in the rain. For those days we need to fall back on the trusty internal struggle that helps us suffer in a way most people are not prepared to.
There are a nervous few weeks ahead. At some stage I will be able to do a few hard efforts and get an idea if the cartilage resection has been successful in combating the side stitch. The recovery has gone well and despite some rough scars and some discomfort I feel pretty much the same.
If you have suffered through my ramblings this year then you will be relieved to hear this will be my last. I’m heading back to New Zealand to see the family and do some hours parked up in the Aniseed Valley. The Bennett tribe grows by the year; I have a few new family members I haven’t met and I’m keen to roll the arm over in some backyard cricket test matches under a few layers of SPF50. As nice as I’m finding it over here in the gezellig autumn, and despite our sub-par climate, ultimately the land of the long white cloud is home. Enjoy the holidays and thanks for tuning in.
Normally in the off season I pass the time playing other sports, trying to climb some mountains or being dangerously hungover