Yesterday I made the long West-bound journey to Harchies, into the Walloon and approaching the French border. Another sunny day greeted us for 19 laps of the “6.2” kilometer circuit. After a warm up recce around the flat, exposed and very windy lap the race got underway at 3 o clock, with 85 riders signing on.
Instantly the race exploded into life, even by Belgian standards, led by team mate Dom Schils, as riders attacked through the twisty town to make the head of the race before the first cross-wind section. With the peloton strung out across the road, and gaps opening I worked hard to remain at the fore. As we hit the 2 kilometre long straight head wind section, the pace was relaxed and the peloton reformed. This did however; serve to set an attacking precedent for the race.
After the start and feeling strong, I adopted a distinctly amateurish, albeit confidently fool-proof plan of going with every attack until one eventually stuck. It was very much a case of riding with my legs rather than my head, but I was feeling strong and seeking a reward for my efforts. Eventually, after about an hour and a half, the elastic snapped and a group of 14 went clear riding hard into the strong cross winds. With a couple of laps ‘through and off’, the motorbike marshal arrived and revealed a time gap of 35 seconds to the peloton. Realising this was not enough, and indeed well in sight on the long straight sections, we pressed on until the lead slowly extended from seconds into minutes as the beaten peloton surrendered behind. For the 14 of us however, it was race on, which invariably meant the shelter available at the rear of the group became a whole lot more appealing to the weaker/lazier riders, not willing to contribute to the pace setting.
At the 100km mark, and the gap uncatchable, a few speculative attacks went, but I was content to stay with the main group and save my energy in the fierce wind. With only 2 riders ever distancing themselves, and only gaining 5-10 seconds a time, there was little risk of them staying away - only digging themselves into a hole 20metres up the road. Managing to miss the lap board on apparently every lap, I’d guessed from my Garmin at around 2 laps to go. Noticing the lap counter next time through, I was a little bemused at seeing still 5 laps remaining – the billed 117km race clearly somewhat underestimated (I had 137km at the finish line!). For the final 40 kilometres then, I had no gels and no food, my only hopes of a beautiful victory resting on the firm shoulders of 2 bottles of warm coke.
As we approached the final lap, being decisive was going to be key. In a couple of races last year I’d gambled sitting in the wheels and relying on others to close gaps to those attacking in the closing kilometres, saving my effort for the sprint. However, this always allows groups of 3-4 to ride off and no-one willing to give chase, as I recalled from Tielt-Winge last year. I was confident of waiting for the sprint, a headwind straight drag up to the line played into my strengths and I was prepared to place myself in the leading group at all times, even if that meant offering a free lift to riders in my wheel. With no-one giving half a wheel, it ultimately came down to a 14 up finale. Poorly positioned and caught in the middle of the group as it swelled across the road around the final bend, I was left floundering in 7th – 8th wheel as the sprint took off. Finding a gap on the right hand side of the road I got my head down and unleashed my bid for glory, passing all but one rider at the line. It’s frustrating - with another 5 metres I had the race won, but encouraging knowing I had the strength, if lacking the tactical nous, to get that win. But it’s coming.
Quite predictably, just as I get into some good form, my 4 week Easter tenure in Belgium has to come to a halt, as I return to Loughborough for the final term with exams looming. Ah well, at least I can use it over the next few weeks on the club chaingang, local 10’s and mid-week crits around Mallory. Who wants to race in Belgium anyway...?
I’ll upload the podium pictures when/if I find any! And here it is:
