Jauche, Ruiselede

Jauche

With Andrew's chain snapping on the first lap in Wambeek the previous day, we decided to change plans and took to the start line in Jauche on Tuesday.

Again strong winds battered the wide expose course, and feeling fatigued I knew all I could do was follow wheels and see how the legs felt later on. With constant attacks the pace was furious and slipping too far back, I found myself having to close gaps to hold my place in the peloton. Of course, in the battering winds, the field split to pieces, and I found myself with Andrew, in the second group on the road, with the early break group gaining a good gap. With a few riders not content to sit and work with the 15 or so man group, the pace very changeable, and as their futile 2 minutes attacks went and came back, the leaders gradually extended the lead. With Andrew puncturing 3 laps out, and riders loosing contact, we came into the final lap with 9 riders together, and despite a favourable uphill sprint, the efforts from the previous day proved too much and I had to settle for 4th from the group, 13th overall with 9 riders still up the road.

Ruiselede

Despite knowing how fatigued I was, and for an unknown reason even now, I again joined my brother at his final kermis of the week before heading home that evening. The pain flat circuit, combined with a fine drizzle, meant we were destined for a 'brake/sprint' situation at every corner. Not the type of circuit for, by this time, dying legs...

Inevitably the entirely fruitless task of taking on the race was evident, both of us dropping out at the hour mark...

Lesson: 4 races in 5 days: may have bitten off more (bar tape) than I can chew with this one.

Wambeek – Day 2

It seems the efforts of day 1 combined with the forecast storm over Wambeek for Mondays second day was enough to put off a huge number of the riders from Saturday's race. As we lined up for the 3 o' clock start, just 31 riders took to the start line, 16 of which being my team mates!


Naturally, it was 2 Van Eyck riders who flew off the start line to initiate racing for the day and joined by 3 other riders, they settled into the lead break for the day. Behind them, it was clearly a day to sit right at the front of the peloton, moving up the road at all opportunities. With 5 up the road, a few already out the back – including Andrew with his chain snapping on the opening lap – its easy to see that if 10 riders form a break ahead of the peloton, then they will gain a numerical advantage, become the peloton and the those behind would have been dropped...


Soon enough I found myself in smaller groups out front and settled into a rhythm within the group. In such small numbers, and fierce winds blowing on the exposed course, the work-rate for everyone was very high, despite the pace being relatively slow (39kph average). Despite numerous attacks (including team time trial formation at times) from myself and Dom, the going was too much for 2 or 3 riders to stay clear, and despite getting close the leaders at times we never made the junction and so we settled down to tick over the laps, as the gap to the leaders steadily increased again.

Toward the end of the race, the group was down to 6 riders, including the U23 Luxembourg national champion. In the final lap another team mate – Yannick – attacked the cobble climb, and following the response from a “non-worker” in the break group, I counter attacked him over the summit and continued the final lap alone.


The punishing wind meant the final few km drag to the finish line would be block head wind, and with Yannick pushing hard to catch a dropped rider from the break, I put in an all out effort to close the gap. I caught the pair, at 50metres to go point, both now looking at each other to start their sprint, and jumped instantly, integrating my own sprint onto the 8km time trial, and just being pipped at the line!


7th on the day, 1st under 22 and 4th overall for the two days, (although really joint 3rd!), with team mates 1st and 2nd, it was a great day for the club!

Wambeek: Day 1

As the home of my team, 'Wielerteam Van Eyck Sport Wambeek', this race is naturally considered in high priority by the club, and so I was really after a good ride over the 2 day event.

The 2 races, one on Saturday, one on Monday, can be ridden as independent events, but in riding both you qualify for an overall general classification, based on finishing positions rather than time. There was a separate U22 category, and added to that a 'Bergklassement' (king of mountains) prize located at the summit of a long cobbled climb to be scaled 13times each race. Add all that up, and it's makes a fiercely competitive race!

With 99 riders signed on for Saturday's race, we went out slightly steadier than usual, everyone seemingly cautious of how the next 110 km would pan out. Of course it did not take long for the attacks to go, and on the first lap I jumped into a small yet futile break group...

With strong winds, the race became more of a race of attrition with the peloton splitting almost every time over the tough cobbled ascent. With a break group of 8 out front, although with a not uncatchable lead, I was eager to try and jump over the gap. However, paying for my efforts up the climb, I missed a split of 15 or so riders. Sensing the group was going clear from the rapidly thinning peloton, I attacked, and joined by 2 others riders, bridged the gap after 2 laps. With the leaders well within sight, it was not long before I went on the attack again, accompanied by 2, and then 3 others, we set about joining the leaders. Getting to within 20 seconds, the group upped the pace to ensure we would not catch them on the block headwind drag to the finish. After a few laps we were reeled back into the chase group. Nearing the finish, 2 riders clipped off the front, and coming second in the sprint by a few centimetres, left me 12th overall, and 3rd under 22 for day 1.

To be continued...

Lazy Blogging

It's been a busy week since my last blog, and with my brother staying over here to get his own piece of Belgian pie I've been a bit lazy on the blogging front. Here's the first report of many more to come, from Evergem.


Wednesday 18th, I travelled to Evergem for a mid week race really in preparation for the 2 day event in Wambeek the following weekend – the town and therefore home race for my team. On the border to West Flanders, it was always going to be a fast, flat circuit, and it didn't disappoint.


Immediately the 100 or so strong peloton strung out around the narrow 7km circuit, but staying reasonably well positioned toward the front end stayed safe ahead of any splits in the field. With very few breaks getting away, and none staying away, the pace seem to settle a little until. At the half-way mark however, whilst I was caught napping and drifting towards the back the race suddenly picked up, as waves of attacks at the front shredded the peloton. For 2 laps, it was head down, singled out, bar-chewing hell. With wheels being dropped links,rechts, and centre? it was a case of moving forward at all costs: to be caught the wrong side of a split with the peloton never dropping below 50kph, more often that not nearer 60kph, would have meant race over.


Eventually, the pace dropped again, but remarkably the peloton remained together, albeit a lot of riders out the back, but unknown to me, no break group had gone clear. Assuming (with nothing to actually base it on) there was a break group ahead, I settled in to test out my bunch sprinting legs. On the final lap a group of 12 moved clear, who went on to contest the win - my misjudgement causing me to not even try to go with it! In the end I came 21st, 9th in the flat out, 65kph tail wind sprint to the line, with added road furniture thrown in to add spectator interest.

Het spijt me, ik spreek geen Vlaams!

"I'm sorry, I dont speak Flemish" - for all you non-flemish speakers out there...

Despite my good intentions earlier in the year, I have to confess my language learning capabilities have been somewhat stretched. So I am a little more clued up than when I arrived, and my “learn to speak Dutch in 3 months” book has provided invaluable help, if a little under-used and over-optimistic (perhaps 3 years is more feasible?), but to suggest I have 'learnt' Dutch would be wildly inaccurate! I've picked up the words often thrown around the house, and can understand spoken Dutch with a small degree of success, but speaking the lingo. No chance.

On the bright side, everyone's English has somewhat improved...!

5th in Tielt Winge

On Sunday, amid uninterrupted rain all day, I headed just a few kilometres north of here to a wet kermis in Tielt Winge. At 15.00 the race started with 130 or so riders signing on – although nearly losing 30 on the first lap as we were sent the wrong way!

The undulating, twisty, and at times narrow 7.8km circuit provided plenty of attacking options, although on the now drenched roads, few breaks gained any real advantage in the opening laps. Having forced a few moves a couple of times, I finally broke clear alone with around half the 117km race remaining. Bridging over to 2 riders, the 3 of us worked together well for a lap before being joined by 7 others who had also slipped clear of the peloton.

With the 10 of us working well, we were quickly a minute, and then 2 clear and with just a couple of laps remaining it was clear the break would succeed. Despite the attraction of primes every other lap - which I didn't contest to save myself for a favourable hill sprint finish – the group remained almost together until the final 3 kilometres. With a lone rider attacking on the main climb of the circuit, and then 3 chasing, I was thinking too much about the sprint and hesitated, gambling on the other 3 riders closing the gap. Of course, they didn't. Riding to the line, I led out the sprint for 5th and won convincingly, nearly catching 4th place on the line, but just a handful of agonising seconds short of the winner.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing. Confident of the hill finish, I needed to stay at the front, and do all I could to get back to the leaders. I became more concerned with beating the 2 riders with me than chasing for the win. Still, I can't complain, 5th is another good result, and another lesson learned.

Hoeleden

Well, it was hardly a race to write home about, but I'll do so anyway. On Tuesday, I headed to Hoeleden, just a few km from here to a race on local roads. Riding a warm-up lap I was assured that there would “definitely be a crash tonight”, on a notorious corner where “crashes occur every year”, and “people always end up in the hedge”. I got the point. At the little later time of 6pm ('handily' meaning we would finish in darkness), the race rolled out with 107 riders taking to the start.


After an uncharacteristically slow start, the calls of “is the race started yet” - predominantly from an over zealous New Zealander - were answered as the peloton soon charged round the circuit. Unfortunately, I managed to spectacularly miss 35 riders heading off out front, and having gained a few minutes it was race over. Throwing what was left into the “it's just another training race” pile, I did as much work as I could, and even got in a little time trial practice for a lap or so, before rolling in just ahead of the disinterested peloton in a group of 4.


Next race is tomorrow, another local circuit just north of here in Tielt Winge.

2nd Day in Overijse

It's been a fairly quiet week on the racing front, with just the return leg of Overijse on Saturday. This event is a 2 day affair, with the individual placings making up a general classification. The course for this event was much harder, with multiple climbs, cobbled ascents and descents, and fast technical corners, sharing many similarities and indeed many of the same roads with an event I rode in Overijse earlier in the season. With 82 riders signing on, racing got under way at 15:00.

Despite the constant attacking, the peloton stayed very intact for most the race, and not feeling too great, I bided my time sitting in the wheels knowing the race would become a war of attrition rather than one to award attacking flair. Going on the attack in the last quarter of the race, I felt terrible, and soon found myself back struggling toward the rear of the now 40 man peloton, with over half the field dropping out the back. However, worse was to come as now a series of all body cramps began to set in. Riding through it as best as I could, with the pace heating up in the closing laps, I lost contact on the main steep climb of the race, cramping every time I stood out the pedals.

Eventually I came in 31 place, somehow leaving me with a hard worked, but possibly not well earned 9th overall on the gc. The problem: by the end of the race I was totally dehydrated, and hadn't drunk any where near enough leading up to the race. A total school boy error on my part, and one I shouldn't be making. Lesson learned.

Nearly the double in Overijse

Today I headed to Overijse for a hilly 110km U23 kermis in the town of Tombeek. With a kilometre climb each lap, many exposed windy roads, and twisting descents, it was clearly going to be a day for a breakaway. Having blown a side wall during the warm-up lap and a bit of motor-pacing to get back in time for the start I was well warmed up, ready for the 3pm start at the bottom of the main climb of the circuit.


Riding with high confidence, I tried a few early attacks, and after the second lap slipped into a small break group. However, with the strong winds we didn't last long before being reeled back into the peloton. Soon enough counter attacks went with Dom making it into what became the main break away of the race. With the lead never reaching more than 40 seconds, the gap was always bridgeable, but the surging of the peloton as attacks came and went left the group out front. After a few attacks, I finally broke clear with 2 other riders as we made our way across the gap to the 7 leaders. With the gap down to 20 seconds however, I entered the twisty descent far too fast, straightened up to prevent near certain death while locking up both brakes, desperately trying to stop before the almost slow motion inevitability of hitting a poorly positioned garden wall in my head became reality. Bunny hopping the curb, I caught a patch of sand, loosing the front wheel, and missing the wall by inches – thankfully, the speed was reduced enough to escape unhurt; I knew those winters of cyclo-cross would come in handy somewhere! Jumping back on, I rejoined the chasing peloton, and found my feet again.


However, not contempt to sit in the wheels, later that same lap the peloton bunched up in head wind and kicked again. Joined by one other rider, we rode flat out and after 2 laps finally bridged the gap up to the leaders. After some through and off the tough course started to take its toll, and approaching the bell lap we were down to 5 riders, both Dom and I present. With everyone saving themselves for the finish, and all watching each other, we were joined with just 3 km to go by who Dom informed me was a former world sprint champion! This wasn't good news for the fast run in. With Dom making his mandatory attack inside the last km, I sat in the wheels waiting for the moment to go. Underestimating how soon the finish came up, I left the sprint too late and was jumped from 3rd wheel, eventually crossing the line in what I believed was 2nd place, (photos later showing this) but was only awarded 3rd by the judges.


Never-the-less, I'm obviously really pleased with the form, and cant complain about the results! I think a couple of days recuperation is in order after what has been a lot of racing in the last 2 weeks.

First Win - Boezinge

After Mondays hilly kermis in Flobecq, where I finished 16th, yesterday I made the long 170km trip to Boezinge in West Flanders. The short course – just 4km a lap – was pan flat, featured a cobble section (with adjacent smooth bike path), and some exposed cross wind roads. At 4.30 the race got underway with some 50 riders ready for the 18 lap race.


With primes every lap, the initial flurry of attacks went out as usual, and just a few laps in I found myself out front, having just sprinted for the prime, with initially 2 and then 3 riders. We stayed away for a couple of laps but never really gained enough advantage to crack the peloton. As we were reabsorbed, team mate Dom Schils, set off another attack, and despite just one other rider following opened up a good lead.


However, the windy circuit was too unfavourable to any small breakaways. As Dom started to come back to the peloton, attacks went as riders attempted use the leaders as a target to bridge over and form a break. This succeeded in forming a lead group of around 20 riders and with a fair gap to the peloton, the race for primes (10 Euros a lap) was fierce!


The race proceeded in strange circumstances: no-one was really willing to work together to ensure the group stayed clear, instead preferring to attack each other at all opportunities, with the somewhat unjustified outcome of keeping the pace high enough to hold off the efforts of the chasing peloton.


Having won 3 primes, and a close second on 2, I shifted my materialistic intentions to one side, and with just 4 laps remaining started to think about the finish, and saving my efforts for the final dash to the line. Staying at the front of the group was key, and I attempted to go with any attacks, trying my own hand a on a few occasions. However, nothing was sticking and with 1 km to go, Dom launched his trademark 'casually ride off the front' attack. Taking the 'free' ride I got on the right wheels and was the first to jump out for the sprint, holding it to the line to take my first victory of the year!


It was just last week that Dom asked me if I thought I could win a race this year. Of course I declared a profound yes, but whether I really believed it was left lingering in my mind. To have that first win feels a great breakthrough, and a new platform to progress from now.