tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40985492009-02-21T05:04:04.939+01:00Kashi's MTB JournalA diary containing news and race reports from Kashi Leuchs, New Zealands No1 Mountain BikerKashihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293433424621954974noreply@blogger.comBlogger212125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4098549.post-12228792324893079922008-12-23T10:16:00.002+01:002008-12-23T10:25:44.549+01:00Merry Xmas from sunny Dunedin !A few weeks ago the guy that was managing my NZ sponsors for me just decided to stop doing his job, so I'v been left to pick up the pieces and be a business guy again. Not what I was hoping, but its all back on track now. I'm super stoked to have three sponsors who will help us (Marcus Roy and I) around some very cool races. I will kick of the new year with my firstKashihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293433424621954974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4098549.post-79183147583299081212008-12-15T12:40:00.003+01:002008-12-16T11:02:36.567+01:00I'm having trouble with my photo gallery... so until thats sorted I'm just going to update photos using iweb... please click the link below...http://web.mac.com/kashileuchs/iWeb/Site%202/Hey%20there.htmlKashihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293433424621954974noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4098549.post-57547508673931346382008-12-15T09:40:00.004+01:002008-12-15T21:41:30.192+01:00Well its been a pretty hectic week tripping around the county meeting some talented juniors, making an amazing high country mtb tour, then visiting friends and sponsors in Christchurch and Wellington!The junior camp was for the top South Island riders and we had around 15 hot shots between 12-17 years old turn up for some fun in the Hanmer sun. This place is renowned for its flowing single tracksKashihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293433424621954974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4098549.post-53524257621263616062008-12-04T11:18:00.003+01:002008-12-04T11:44:05.343+01:00Life in Dunedin is humming along nicely. I'm as busy as always, but spending heaps of times at the laid back cafe's and restaurants as well. This is one thing I love about this place... perhaps because of all the students, there are just so many cool places to go, not to mention my all time favorite hangout, annoying the nice folks at R&R :)I'v also been meeting lots of great people involved withKashihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293433424621954974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4098549.post-22513580021446497322008-11-15T20:46:00.005+01:002008-11-17T11:53:27.635+01:00Its just amazing how much stuff there is to do when moving ! I'v been at it for the past month, organizing my life, stuff with my new team, selling off old gear and seeing friends. Its been a super nice autumn and I'v really enjoyed spending some quality time with friends. So in the end I was pretty sad to finally say good bye and head south back to NZ. The plan to return to my 'real home' has Kashihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293433424621954974noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4098549.post-59696384997744956382008-10-18T11:54:00.001+02:002008-10-18T11:55:38.281+02:00Ce weekend au Roc d’azur, c’était la dernière course avec l’équipe Cannondale Vredestein. Toute l’équipe était là et on a mangé pour la dernière fois au camion.. Le Dimanche, ils ont préparé une soirée crêpes… miam ! Merci Tony et Irina !! L’ambiance était un peu triste, mais Roel nous a remonté le moral avec une très impressionnante victoire dans les deux grandes courses, le XC et le Marathon. Kashihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293433424621954974noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4098549.post-57556948852818606302008-10-14T14:16:00.002+02:002008-10-14T14:20:09.863+02:00This weekend I was at the Roc D'azur, despite not racing. It was fantastic weather and I did manage to ride a little. It was a nice chance to be with the team one last time and say good bye on a relaxed note. Roel also made it a successful final race by winning both the XC and Marathon.. wow! By sunday I was really feeling very lazy and fat and it was not nice. I really wish I could have been Kashihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293433424621954974noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4098549.post-85448842623551048942008-09-29T09:35:00.003+02:002008-09-29T09:59:09.361+02:00Team Felt PresentationIts been a nice weekend in Italy meeting the new team, checking out all the bikes and amazing new team truck! I'm really impressed by how organised the team is, considering how early we are still. This is great for me, as my plan is now to return to NZ in around 6 weeks.. so its important I have things sorted. Here's a few photos... more on the photos page...Kashihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293433424621954974noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4098549.post-44884654802892667192008-09-29T09:06:00.002+02:002008-09-29T09:29:19.242+02:00Press Release:New Zealand's mountainbike star Kashi Leuchs has confirmed a change of teams for the next four years to team Felt International. This follows an amazing and successfull three years with the team of "Cannondale/Vredestein" where Kashi achieving a steady top ten ranking in world-cups and a win in the marathon world-cup final in 2006. Kashi just met his new team at the Gimondi Bike Kashihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293433424621954974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4098549.post-11488929093033139612008-09-22T16:59:00.003+02:002008-09-22T17:22:22.466+02:00Roel Paulissen GPIt was a bit weird going to a race with no intention of racing. But as it was Roel's race and organized by Tony and Irena Paulissen, I had to go and show my support. These two have been with us at every race during the past two years, driving the truck, and creating a super nice atmosphere. I started the race, but pulled out after 100m, so to not agitate my infection anymore.But Kashihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293433424621954974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4098549.post-6770277423258764992008-09-18T16:41:00.005+02:002008-09-19T00:25:56.636+02:00While it was not a big surprise anymore, my asthma caused me more problems last weekend during the world cup finals in Schladming, Austria. I still tried to get the body ready for one last effort, but my body just said NO! I was breathing very heavy for 4 laps, suffering badly, so finally when I realized it would not get better, I pulled out. Now I will stop all intensive training and races for Kashihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293433424621954974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4098549.post-72145221989969718042008-09-14T14:15:00.000+02:002008-10-14T14:16:03.612+02:00Schladming COUPE DU MONDE FINALJe suis parti jeudi. J’ai rendu visite à mes oncles et tantes à Munich. Je ne les ai pas vus depuis Noël. D’habitude je les vois 2 ou 3 fois pas un. Ils sont géniaux. Je suis reste une nuit.Le lendemain. J’ai voyagé en Autriche pour voix mon équipe a Schadming. Il pleuvait et il faisait très froid. J’ai fait 2 tours avec mes coéquipiers, Roel et Jakob. Après nous Kashihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293433424621954974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4098549.post-34433296602859443972008-09-12T18:51:00.001+02:002008-09-12T18:54:06.619+02:00Maintenant, Je vais écrire quelque chose en français. J’ai recommencé a prendre des cours, et il faut que je m’entraîne.Les cours sont très bien parce que j’apprends nouveaux mots et comment prononcer des mots importants comme ‘cyclisme’, ‘équipe’ etc. C ‘est dur aussi parce que après deux heurs de cours, je suis vraiment fatigue.Ce week-end, nous avons la dernière coupe du monde. C’était une Kashihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293433424621954974noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4098549.post-20528335183123939282008-09-12T18:31:00.000+02:002008-09-12T18:32:29.588+02:00Dan le Merde,,,It was during the long haul flight back from Aussie that I realized my car key wasn't in my hand luggage. This was normally routine, as what if the checked in bags are delayed?! Well, just what would be the chances of that happening today I wondered. Bad thought. Rule number one in Murphy's law eh... So as I sat in the que to report my lost bags I pondered over my options. Bus and Kashihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293433424621954974noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4098549.post-25055207746437696542008-09-01T11:33:00.001+02:002008-09-02T01:49:44.951+02:00It was tough to get into race mode today. My head seems to have let go after all that's gone on the past few weeks. But Rosara was perhaps feeling even worse and she stomped into an awesome 2nd finish!! So awesome!!!! So perhaps there was hope after all. The course felt a little like a local race track, around 90% windy single tracks that were super fun, but did not allow for much passing or hardKashihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293433424621954974noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4098549.post-13805777474320217362008-08-28T15:24:00.003+02:002008-08-31T23:36:34.185+02:00Thanks to everyone for so many best wishes and support during these games. Its been hard to accept the inevitable, that with so much sickness, a good result was out of reach... but I have still have taken away some super memories of an incredible event and a super week in the village with the kiwi team.I flew down just 5 days before my race, so there was no time to get too distracted by all the Kashihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293433424621954974noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4098549.post-56423110470354385862008-08-17T07:36:00.002+02:002008-08-17T07:39:42.709+02:00Just finishing my packing and about to head down to Beijing. I can't write reports from there, due to restrictions. So I'll take lots of photos and put in a olympic report the week after.The last few days have been better and I managed to do the French Cup race without problems. Unfortuneltly the course was super muddy and we had to run lots. Well, atleast I am ready if it rains in Beijing... I Kashihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293433424621954974noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4098549.post-32674749279174117582008-08-14T09:31:00.002+02:002008-08-14T09:37:18.563+02:00Many people have been asking about the pollution. I've found this awesome site:http://www.asiasociety.org/beijingair/?gclid=CJn19pDnjJUCFQnMXgodPSUtgA#room-with-a-viewHere we can see day by day the different pollution. Last year, when we had so many problems in the MTB test event (Sep 22), it says had a level of 99... Now, after all there efforts, the first few days of the games at levels of 95 &Kashihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293433424621954974noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4098549.post-58909671655427401332008-08-14T08:52:00.002+02:002008-08-14T08:58:38.543+02:00I'm finally able to train normally again, but with just 10 days until the big race, its not going to be easy to regain my best form. But I will do my best ! As I was unable to compete in any of the stages of L'hexagonal stage race, I will now race a French Cup in Oz d'oisans on Saturday. I have only raced once on the MTB in the past 8 weeks, and in the past 2 weeks I'v hardly trained, so the Kashihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293433424621954974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4098549.post-87694437418192675362008-08-08T12:51:00.002+02:002008-08-08T13:03:29.304+02:00Today is the Olympic Opening ceremony. I'm going to watch it, despite agreeing with all those that are calling for a boycott. I am hopeful that these olympic games bring awareness of certain problems in our world, but I also believe that Olympic's are about more then just the country they are being held in. It is a chance for the world to join hands and be happy... to think of the positives for Kashihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293433424621954974noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4098549.post-28140193470396955452008-08-03T15:18:00.002+02:002008-08-03T15:32:03.791+02:00Its race day and I'm sitting here with a dry throat and slight headache. Its been a tough ride recently, dealing with all my asthma issues, mechanical last week and now this. But its all part of being a bike rider.. patience! Right now the most important thing is to be okay for the Olympics.. my World Cup overall chances are over and out.Its the first time I've ever had a proper cold during the Kashihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293433424621954974noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4098549.post-50399204247602841372008-08-01T15:04:00.002+02:002008-08-01T16:07:17.011+02:00As my team is not here in Canada with me, its been a good chance to hang out with a different crowd and get to know some more people. With the Olympics coming up in a few weeks, the plan was to keep the team together get some routines squared away. The team is just Rosara and myself, plus Selby as wrench. Rosara rides for the Ghost team, who also sent little Lisi and swanny Andy, so this made a Kashihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293433424621954974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4098549.post-69864941724826834682008-07-29T05:21:00.004+02:002008-07-29T05:34:19.339+02:00The World Cup got back into action last weekend with the classic of Mont Saint Anne. My preparations were excellent, but luck didn't go my way. On the 2nd lap I had just gotten into a good rhythm and started passing riders when I punctured the rear wheel. After changing the wheel in the tech zone I was all of a sudden struggling to hold wheels. I slipped backwards, getting passed by rider after Kashihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293433424621954974noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4098549.post-35591137125859688862008-07-10T09:40:00.004+02:002008-07-10T10:31:54.544+02:00So so, after my very disappointing worlds, I'v been home in France trying to recover from it all and get my head clear again for the last part of the season. My doctor diagnosed me with fungal & bacterial dysbiosis infection, which basically means all those little critters that live inside were very out of balance, causing a candida (yeast) growth. I had always speculated that this was the case, Kashihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293433424621954974noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4098549.post-25176718397118246192008-06-12T23:12:00.003+02:002008-06-13T00:30:33.947+02:00I know I know, I've been a slack ass again! Its just been a hectic month and well, the results were not so hot so I wasn't really itching to tell everyone about them. I spent a week up in Font Romeu, which the French all use for there altitude training. There is a huge center up there for Olympic sports and tons of national teams staying. But I couldn't believe how horrible the accommodation was.Kashihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293433424621954974noreply@blogger.com1