Lazy blogging, report From Vlaams-Brabant

It’s been 3 weeks since my last blog, a little bit of lost motivation creeping in perhaps? Anyway, I don’t remember too much from the last few races, so rather than waffle my way through vague descriptions, here’s my latest blog through the medium of photography:

  The team for the 5 day Ronde Van Vlaams Brabant (L – R): Me, Kevin Crabbe, Dom Schils, Matti Stiens, Dieter Uyttersprot, Dieter Verbeek.

  

Stage 1: Wilsele 145km, 3 X 34.5 + 5 X  8.5 km. 

The race stayed mainly together throughout, with few break away attempts gaining more than a few seconds. The elastic eventually snapped on the with 2 of the finishing circuits to go while I was sitting back expecting a bunch sprint. The group instantly gained one-and –a-half minutes. The winner of the overall would come from that group and with team mate Matti making the cut and finishing 5^th, it was all to play for on day 2.

Stage 2: Boutersem 172km, 7 X 24.5km laps. With the GC already taking shape, the race was a lot more controlled, but a group did manage to jump clear mid-way through. With Matti puncturing from the break, the team rode to the front to chase the gap down. By the end a 2 minute gap was back to just 20 seconds after a long day pulling turns on the front. 

Stage 3: Rotselar 11.6km time trial. 

In true British style, we headed out along a dead straight road for 5.8km, turned around, and rode back again. Despite not feeling so good, I came in a respectable 25^th place, from the near 200 starters, and I was boosted up the GC to a top 30 position.

Stage 4: Betekom 145km, 4X 26.6 + 3 x 12.8

Feeling better as the race went on, I went attacking today, and moved off front a couple of times. With a pan flat parcours, and teams willing to control the race, staying out front was tough work and sure enough a bunch kick decided the race. Early on I’d suffered a seat post dropping, and rear puncture. Plenty of practise chasing behind the car!

Stage 5: Liedekirke 155km 3 x 24.4 + 5 X 15.3

Couple of climbs on todays parcours including the cobbled Puttenberg to be climbed every lap of the race. Despite the difficult race, the peleton stayed almost intact, as the leading teams fought to ensure a bunch kick. I tried a couple of times over the climbs, but unable to move clear was content to wait for the bunch kick. With plenty of crashes through the final bends, I came in top 20.

I finished the race 27^th on GC, and second of my team. I can take a lot from the race though: doing my fair share of riding at the front of the peleton, a decent time trial and throwing in a few attacks of my own for the week. Despite the good form gained from the race, taking on another Beker Van Belgie interclub in Zillebeke the following Wednesday proved too much, as my quest to recover in time was thwarted by the relentltess climbs of the Belgian Walloon! A big DNF. I think perhaps 7 big races, nearly 1000km of racing in 10 days was a little ambitious...

Keep tuned in, more to follow soon!