I came up to the chicane a bit fast and I probably should have just went straight on but I thought it's been a good lap I can get it through here. I tipped in with the front brake on a bit too hard and the front let go. It was only a small off but embarrassing all the same! I ended up parking that bike (my number 1 bike) for the rest of the day and rode my spare with the new engine management system on it, and back to the testing role but I was now matching my time from the lap before the crash consistently with out pushing. I was disappointed when it was too cold the following day to go any quicker as I had my number 1 bike back, I had missed the opportunity to put down some fast laps but we still got through some testing work on the final day.

We had a rest day before we moved onto Guadix for a further 2 days testing, most of the day off was spent taking Euros off Rutter as we raced TOCA on our Sony PSPs for money. At the start each race was worth 5 euros but before long Blade was putting down 20 euros a race, in the end I felt bad taking his money so I had to call it a day when he put down 50 to try and recoup some money. It certainly made the day go in faster, my brother Eugene and Johnny Rea joined us later at the hotel for a 4 way link up, but Eugene was too good and kept beating us so we stopped playing for money!

It was my first visit to Guadix so when it was wet in the morning I put in quite a few laps to get dialled into the circuit. After lunch it dried up and everyone was out on circuit. I got up to speed fairly quickly and we began making some progress with the set up of the bike, I was doing similar times to Johnny and Rutter (the other Dunlop runners) in the afternoon which was only a few tenths of Kiyo. I got 4 laps behind Kiyo and was able to see were HRC had an advantage on us so hopefully we can bridge that small gap for the next test. Kiyo was quickest from Johnny, Harris, Rutter then me.

I was happy considering it was my first day at the circuit and everyone else had been their before. Rutter said he was trying to catch me at one stage and he was struggling to make any time so that pleased me considering he holds the lap record around there from last year. I got to try some of the better spec Dunlops too and they were quite impressive so if I can get good results early on I should have access to the better rubber and hopefully I will keep it going throughout the season.

I was first on track the next morning, it was very cold and before I had completed 10 laps it began to rain. With the rain not relenting I headed for the airport early to try and make it back for the Irish Racer awards. The organisers done a top job and got things sorted for me to get back. I flew from Granada to Barcelona, then Barcelona to Dublin, and then I got chauffeured to the Ramada hotel in Belfast just in time to pick up the main award of Irish Motorcyclist of the year, which I was chuffed about. I brought back the leathers that I had just got out of that morning for the charity auction. I'd like to thank everyone who voted for me though, it was a top night!

Since the dinner I attended the Ally Pally bike show in London and I also had a trip over to Italy along with Eugene to get re-measured for my new suits. Eugene is moving to Alpinestars equipment this year so he was getting all sorted too. When I've been at home I've just been training really, I do quite a bit of road cycling along with my brothers Eugene and John. We built a gym at home at couple of years ago so it's always good to get back and work on our strength and flexibility. After all it probably saved my career last year when I got hit by Karl Harris bike at Silverstone.

I still live in Ireland but I'm moving in with my girlfriend Jodi (sister to Chaz Davies) over on the Wales border in Kinsham, it will makes things a bit easier not having to travel home so often, but I have a top class osteopath back home who looks after me so I'll still be travelling to get put back into shape. Hopefully it should mean fewer flights this year but you never know, it's always nice to get home!

Our next test is in March, the team are currently building the new bikes, and hopefully everything should be ready for Guadix on the 13th March. We have 2 days testing Guadix and then a further 3 days at Albacete so hopefully we will have everything sorted come Brands. We will miss the preview days up at Snetterton but you can't be in 2 places at once.

I was just speaking to Birdy earlier and he has bought another trailer, an even tricker one he reckons so if we aren't the fastest team on track we will definitely be the flashest in the paddock!

Cheers,

Michael