Belgium 2006, entry 13

I have less than 2 weeks left here in Belgium. It's hard to believe I've been here for 6 months, half a year. I remember thinking about it in March and really coming to terms with the fact that I'm living here, not just staying here. Well, it's almost time to move again, with all I need packed away in a bike box and a duffel bag... but not before a couple more UCIs! I'm racing Wednesday with the National Team and then my last race here is on Sunday in France. I've got good form right now so I'm looking forward to finishing off the season with a kick.

I did a U23 kermis yesterday in Kortrijk and had a good race. Arne, Kevin, Aaron, Sandy, Sean, and I represented the CC very well by racing aggressively at the front. There was, however, an unfortunate situation that occurred during the first lap that ended Aaron and Sandy's race early. No, not a crash... the course marshal wasn't paying attention and the peloton took a wrong turn! And you thought stupid stuff like that only happened in the US. There was an early break with 10-20 seconds that made the correct turn and with the wrong turn by the peloton, that group was gone. It was total chaos when 50 guys were trying to turn around and instead of neutralizing the race people just went harder. For those people who didn't turn around in time (Aaron and Sandy) their race was over. After the hectic first lap the race went pretty well. Unfortunately the break had a big gap and were picking up all the premes. Our team was racing very well and we were going with all the good looking attacks, although nothing seemed to stick. Towards the end the wind finally took its toll and broke things up a bit. Arne finished in the first chasing group, I think 12^th, and I finished with one other rider a little ahead of the peloton in 16^th. Kevin and Sean had strong finishes in what was left of the peloton. Overall a good day at the races.

I'll let you know how the last 2 races go. Thanks for reading. Vince

Belgium 2006, entry 12

First, let me apologize to my readers for the lack of updates. I know that I have been slacking on my diary and have no excuses. So I'm sorry. I finished the Tour of Antwerp last Sunday and was doing lots of kermis racing leading up to that. The kermis' were mostly U23 which are a lot of fun because I can race with guys my age instead of old dudes just in it for the money. I had a decent race in Deerlijk and a good one in Oostniewkerke, where I got 22^nd.

I did the Tour of Antwerp last year and was really looking forward to doing it again this year. Most of the stages were the same so I had a little advantage in knowing the roads and cobbled sections. I didn't have any outstanding results in any of the 5 stages but looking back can definitely see the improvement from last year. Last year I survived the race while this year I actually raced it. There were stages last year where I finished in the grupetto and barely made the time cut. This year I was active at the front of the peloton and feel like I actually did something in the race. Another promising fact is how well I recovered from day to day. At the end of the 4 days of racing I was very tired and had dug very deep but was nowhere near as wasted as the previous year. It is a good sign that I'm maturing and getting stronger as a rider. So things are going in the right direction... maybe not as fast as I would sometimes like but I'm getting there.

I had a great little visit from my Mom and sister after Antwerp. It was perfect because I got to recover physically from the race and refresh mentally by having family here. We enjoyed each other's company for 3 days and even saw some cultural and historical highlights of Brugge.

Looking ahead: As of now I'm racing this Sunday in France. I did it last year so it will be fun to see what I can do. I feel recovered from the stage race and I'm hoping I'll have some great form for the remainder of the season. Tuesday I race again, this time in Belgium called Wervik. That's the race I crashed in last year and took a chainring to the shin. I plan on crossing the finish line this time, hopefully in the top 30! After that, only a few more races and I'll be back in Michigan on September 6^th. Well, thanks for reading and I promise to post a couple more updates before my trip home, Vince

Belgium 2006, entry 11

This past Monday I raced in a UCI called Schaal Schoeters, which was one of my first UCIs I did last year. It was a good reminder of how far I've come in the last year. When I did it last year I was struggling at the back the entire race and didn't even make it to the front of the peloton to go with attacks. I remember that it was a very wet day and that I was just racing to survive and hopefully make it to the local laps. This year I raced like an entirely different person. Instead of hiding at the back I was constantly in the top 30 and followed acceleration after acceleration without much problem. I felt very strong and maybe was a bit too aggressive in the first 80km. When the peloton reached the local laps there was a small breakaway up the road and the race basically turned into a kermis. There were constant attacks and attempts to bridge the gap to the leaders. After just a few laps the entire race was broken apart into many small groups with the CC team having Bret Blembocki and Yarden Gazit in good positions. I was in a group just behind Yarden and was hurting pretty bad towards the end of the race. I wasn't too happy with my result, which was just inside the top 50, but felt pretty good about the way I raced and how deep I dug near the end of the race.

I've come a long way in the past year and with my current fitness I am really looking forward to the stage races that start in just a few weeks. I've been in Belgium for 4 months now and am planning on making the most of my final 2. Time is definitely not standing still so I really have to go after each and every race. My next chance is another UCI this weekend, wish me luck.

Belgium 2006, entry 10

In the midst of the current doping scandal which involves many of the Tour de France favorites, I have been thinking quite a bit about why I ride. The sport of cycling is becoming synonymous with doping in the public eye and I'm afraid that someday all elite cyclists will be suspected of using some form of performance enhancing drugs. This both saddens and angers me. I want to be a professional but would never compromise my morals to attain that goal. Cycling is pure to me now and I want it to be pure to me for the rest of my life. I love this sport and if I come to a point in my development or my career where 'there is no way to get better without doping' then I will leave the competitive side of the sport and ride for love of it. The thing is that there is always a way to get better without doping because cycling is a sport of self-improvement. The lessons one learns in cycling are lessons of life: discipline, sacrifice, delayed gratification, patience, and teamwork. Cycling has made me a better person and I could never continue to learn in this sport while cheating.

I ride

Belgium 2006, entry 9

My mid-season break is over and I feel refreshed both physically and mentally to charge into the second half of the season. I spent 5 days in Germany visiting my relatives and experiencing life on a farm. I think the highlight of the trip was being in downtown Munster for the first game of the World Cup (Germany vs. Costa Rica) and watching it on a big screen in the town square among thousands of German soccer fans. It was probably more 'out of control' and fun there than in the stadium itself. My vacation also included some tasks on the farm such as working a wood splitting machine, herding 125kg pigs into a semi, and even driving a tractor! I saw and experienced so many new things during those 5 days which really kept my mind off cycling and 'recharged me' mentally. Thank you to the Selhorst family for opening their home to me this past week.

I feel very good to be back in full training mode and am really looking forward to the hard training that is coming up in the following weeks. I got my training schedule today and have several 5+ hour rides ahead of me and also a short training camp in the hills of Wallonia in a few weeks. My next race will be a kermis this weekend to hopefully get my racing legs back in time for a big UCI on Tuesday. Then there's no looking back because it's pretty much racing and recovering all the way until September! It's a little hard to believe we're already halfway through June and that I've been here for over 3 months. It just needs to serve as a reminder to make the most of every day I'm here and to train and race as hard and best as I possibly can. Thanks for reading.

Belgium 2006, entry 8

It's fairly common knowledge that nutrition plays a large role in a cyclist's performance. What I eat and drink several days before a race can have an effect on how I feel during the race. I like, personally, to eat pasta or rice 2-3 nights leading up to race day and on the night before I like to eat a well seasoned kip fillet (chicken breast) or kippenworst (chicken sausage) with my pasta and sauce. And don't worry mom, I always eat my vegetables. On the morning of race day I've come up with the perfect breakfast. Race day breakfast is obviously an important meal but isn't quite as important as what I eat the 2 nights before. Whatever you eat will burn in a 4 hour race. I actually can't take full credit for this discovery because I first saw Robert make this special breakfast: muesli packed pancakes! The number one rule to these pancakes is that you can't use any measuring equipment. They'll turn out a little different every time but will still be some of the heaviest most calorie packed pancakes you'll ever try.

This is the recipe:

1-5 eggs

A good amount of vanilla soy milk

A couple fist fulls of whole wheat flour

Baking soda, whatever you feel like or how ever much you can find

A dash or three of salt

0-5 tablespoons of sugar

Muesli, lots of it (if you can't find bag-o-cheap-Delhaize-muesli just mix oats, rasins, cornflakes, dried banana chips, sunflower seeds, and hazelnuts. Mmm)

Serves 1-8, yes that's right, you never know.

Note: Using a non-stick pan is almost mandatory because of the size and weight of these bad boys. Ideally they should have a 7 inch diameter and a 1 inch width. Top with whatever you have in the fridge: yogurt, jam, fruit, peanut butter, or honey.

These pancakes really did the trick for my last race! This past Sunday I raced Ruisbroek- Puurs, a UCI race close to Antwerp. Ron and I, from the Cycling Center did it with the USA National Team. The race was 160km... 3 big loops and then 8x8km local laps. The course was very flat with hundreds (no joke) of turns. Wind would have played a bigger factor but there weren't enough long crosswind sections to shred up the peloton. Just when the 175 man peloton would be single file on the rivet, there would be a turn. I raced smart and a little conservative in the 3 big loops, only shooting a few bullets to go on the attack with larger moves. I did expend a nice chunk of energy when I crossed a gap to 20 guys all by myself. Although when they saw the stars and stripes they seemed to sit up and of course the peloton caught us a few km later. We were racing without radios so it was difficult to know what was going on unless I was in the first 30 positions. Going into the local laps, I knew there was a break up the rode but wasn't sure how many and what the gap was. Ron and I raced very hard in those final laps. I felt very good in the last hour (pancakes??) so I was trying my hardest to get up the road. With one lap to go I was in a 3 man break (racing for around 25th at that point) but was brought back with 4 or 5km to go. I managed to finish in the middle of the peloton, about 50th for the day. I was happy with my race even though it wasn't a great result. I raced hard and I raced smart, plus I felt amazing towards the end which is a great sign. I was actually having fun suffering over the 500 meter cobbled section in the 8 local laps! The legs are feeling good and my fitness is there so I'm really looking forward to the next races. I know one thing's for sure, I'll be eating muesli pancakes for breakfast on the morning of the race.

Belgium 2006, entry 7

Good training, great weather, a hard race, and a few games of Monopoly have made this week at the Cycling Center quite enjoyable. The race I did this past weekend was Circuit Wallonie, a very difficult race in the hills of southern Belgium. It was not my greatest performance of the year considering the fact that I did not finish and made several 'stupid' mistakes within the race. It sometimes feels like I'm making so little progress from week to week here in Belgium, but I've learned to acknowledge my mistakes and look ahead to improving in the next race. I also know that the month to month and year to year progress is more important than the ups and downs from week to week. It's often frustrating and disheartening to race beneath your potential but staying positive and 'keeping your head on straight' are necessary to survive here in Belgium.

The weather has been very nice for the past couple of weeks, at least during the week. It's funny how the rain and clouds come along with the weekend and the big races. I always laugh when we drive though downpours on the way to a race and think how nice it was during the week. The more I think about it, though, I suppose it's better to train in nice weather and race in the cold and the rain. It just makes the races that much more epic and unique, right? The cold and the rain will permanently scar that race into your memory. 5 years from now, the races I'll remember are the ones where I couldn't feel my feet or the ones where my hands were so cold I couldn't squeeze my water bottle. Oh, how I love the weather in Belgium. As I was saying, the weather has been great during the week so going out for long training rides has been very easy and enjoyable. I've actually gotten some sun on my pasty white arms! The highlight of training this week was definitely on Friday when I won my first Hertsberge town sign sprint. Whenever riding in a group of 3 or more the sprint for Hertsberge really gets competitive. I was riding with Steven and Sean, both of whom have racked up many Hertsberge wins, and attacked 2km from the sign, taking advantage of the draft from a passing car. Steven and Sean caught and passed me, but I continued to ride. They sat up briefly and I attacked them for a second time and rode the final kilometer solo for the win. The sprints and attacks for the Hertsberge sign escalate from ride to ride and my prediction is that there will be attacks for the sign from as far as Tielt (15km) by the end of the season!

My down time at the house this week has been spent playing Monopoly. I recently received a care package from my mom which included plenty of treats, magazines, and games. The game of Monopoly really brings out the tycoon in people and it's a great way to pass some time on a rest day and get to know your teammates. I just hope we all stay friends after all the backstabbing and cut-throat business of the game. I can see it now: 'I'm not taking you to the front of the peloton... you didn't sell me Boardwalk!' Thanks for reading.

pics from '06

post GP Waragem recon ride


the start of Tour of Flanders


Getting a little camera action


some wicked cobbles


CC staff Noel (in red), Geert (in black), Ann (in white), Wouter (light blue)

Belgium 2006, entry 6

U23 Liege- Bastogne- Liege

May 1^st 2006

What an opportunity I had yesterday to take part in yet another U23 World Cup Race! The field quality was certainly high, with teams from around the world present and ready to race this epic course. Teams from Belgium, France, and Holland were obviously there and were joined by Spanish, Swiss, and American squads. The Cycling Center Team was represented by Steven, Arne, Derek, Aaron, Chris W, and me. We arrived in Houffalize on Sunday afternoon and after spinning the car ride out of our legs we checked into our hotel. Bernard and the staff arrived just before dinner and as we loaded carbs into our bodies for the next day's battle, we listened attentively to Bernard's directions. There was no point in sugar coating this race: it was going to be hell and there was going to be suffering. With constantly rolling terrain, about 10 climbs of at least 2km, several open crosswind sections, and rain in the forecast we were in for a tough day in the saddle. Bernard expressed his desires for the race and made it clear how he wanted us to approach the day. Our preparations were good and focus was there. All we needed to do was race hard, race smart, and as Bernard says 'Do the right things, and do those things right.'

On the morning of the race, we gathered for breakfast and some pre-race pasta and laughed as Steven told everyone about my sleep talking and sleep gestures. Apparently I was talking in my sleep, which I am known to do on occasion, and was saying how we needed a higher cadence up La Redoute (a famous climb). I don't remember any of this but Steven said that I shouted the name of everyone on the team and ordered them to have a higher cadence. The funniest part is this: I was moving my arms in a cycling motion during the whole affair! I'm still trying to figure out if it's a good or a bad thing that I'm dreaming and sleep talking about races. Anyway, we drove to the start line a bit later and made all the final preparations. The weather wasn't looking too good so I grabbed my vest and long gloves out of my rain bag just before the start, something I would be grateful for later in the race. As the peloton rolled off the line for the neutral start I remember thinking how awesome it was to be doing this race. I wanted to do my best to make the most of it, I was ready to go.

The peloton wasn't too nervous in the beginning because the big climbs didn't start until kilometer 80. The first 80km, however, were by no means flat and was by no means easy. I tried very hard to race smart and save my energy for the big climbs, but made the mistake of racing a bit too far to the back. I know it sounds easy but position is the key and I am still searching for the balance of racing smart and racing aggressive. I'll probably continue to improve on that balance for years to come. I made it safe and sound to the first climb when things got messy. On climbs of 2-4km, trying to hold the pace of the leaders can sometimes cause you to 'blow up' so instead of jumping from group to group I climbed at my own pace and got into a small group at the top of the climb. We caught back onto the peloton on the decent and I knew that the next climb would be a lot worse. I did my best to move up into a safer position and at the beginning of the second climb I had trouble keeping in contact with the group. I wasn't the only one having trouble, it was more like a shattering of the peloton and from what I heard, by the 4^th climb (La Redoute) the peloton had been broken apart into small groups of less than 20.

I may have forgotten to mention that it was now raining and the cold, wet hell was just beginning. My teammate Aaron and I chased hard for a long time before finally the caravan of team cars passed us and the commissar waved us off. Our race was over but we continued to ride at a decent tempo to stay warm as we waited for the bus to come and pick us up. We rode and rode yet no bus came. We began to worry that we had been left behind and at the top of La Redoute we stopped to ask some police officers what was going on. They didn't help us at all but some racers came up the climb just after us and told us they were riding to the finish. We followed them towards Liege and heard the rumor that the bus had filled with abandoned riders long ago and had driven straight to the finish. We got into Liege and joined up with more racers searching for the finish. The finish line was in a small suburb called Ans but no one knew exactly how to get there. I just rolled my eyes every time one of the Belgians needed to stop for direction. The more we stopped, the colder we got. Aaron and I didn't have any food or water and were beginning to shiver. At that point it felt as if we were living a nightmare. We had been riding for more than 5 hours in the cold and rain. Somehow we made it back onto the course and rode the final 5km to the finish. Never have I been so glad to see a dirty Belgian kleedkamer (changing room) with a dirty hot shower!

It wasn't the most successful of races and it wasn't the most fun of races but I learned some lessons and it will be a great story to tell for years to come. As for the team, Steven made it to the line and Arne came very close. Considering over 110 guys abandoned, that's an accomplishment in itself. The race wasn't bad as long as we all apply what we learned to the next race we do. Thanks for reading.

Belgium 2006, entry 5

Hello to all my readers. Life is very busy right now at the Cycling Center. We have a full house with the Navigators living upstairs and also lots of visitors ranging from press to friends of Bernard and Ann. The press that was here came to shoot a piece about Americans racing in Belgium and learning to ride cobblestones. They gathered footage from around the house and then 5 of us from the CC went to France to ride some famous cobbled sections of Paris-Roubaix and even the Roubaix Velodrome. It was awesome to ride the track where so many historical cycling moments took place. They did a few interviews and filmed some great footage of us flying over the pave and coming down the banking of the track. The piece aired on Friday night just after the national news. Talk about Prime Time! It was a great experience and although I wasn't interviewed I had a great time working with the crew and riding those historical roads.

On the racing front things are a little rough. This past weekend was a 2 day stage race in Belgium called 2 Days of Gaverstreek. That first stage was one I'll never forget. I've never been that cold on a bike in my entire life. As we lined up for the start it began to rain and by the time the peloton rolled out everyone was soaking wet and shivering. It was about 6 degrees Celsius and with the strong winds I soon lost feeling in my extremities. I wasn't able to reach my top end on the bike because I was so cold. In a sick way it was quite humorous because when I stood up out of corners I could hardly ride in a straight line because my arms were so numb. I bumped into a few guys and didn't even know it until they yelled at me! The race broke apart fairly quick due to the strong crosswinds and terrible conditions but I continued to race. Only 30 of the 170 racers finished so the organizers allowed everyone to race the second day. The Cycling Center Team chose not to start, though, because of the amount of stress the cold conditions placed on our bodies. It was better not to risk a week of sickness for a low placing in one race.

I luckily stayed healthy from last weekend and have had some great training rides this week. Derek and I did a nice long ride a few days ago along the canal that runs from Brugge to Gent. I really enjoy riding along the canals. There's no traffic, very few turns, and great scenery. I found out that the roads along the canals were originally used by teams of horses to pull the large ships from town to town...fascinating. I suppose the cyclists that now ride the roads can be considered a type of 'work horse' too.

Well, I'm off to go re-con some important sections of this Sunday's race. That's right, I'm racing on Easter Sunday. So when all of you are enjoying your Easter brunch, just think about the pain I'll be in. It's ok though, I'm planning on doing a nice Easter breakfast on Monday... French toast and all.

Belgium 2006, entry 4

Things are going pretty good right now in Belgium. The house is filling up, the racing legs are coming around, and the weather is getting better... well, maybe not that last one.

I did a kermis in Wallonia last weekend and felt really good throughout the race. It was in a small town called Choumont-Gistoux and the terrain in that region is quite different than in West Flanders. The circuit was about 8 kilometers long and included two 900 meter climbs. It was a fairly windy day and one of the hardest crosswind sections was after the first climb so I knew things were going to split up there. There weren't any other kermis' in the region that day so racers came from quite a distance to take part, causing the field to be very large. I think it was the largest field for a kermis I've ever raced in: over 180 guys. I got a decent start position and made it up to the front without too much trouble. This was my first kermis of the season and, in a way, I forgot how aggressive one must ride to do well. I played the first couple laps conservatively and when attacks started to go I went with a couple. The one mistake I made in the race unfortunately came at the breaking point. I was in the front when the move went up the road and the last rider to make the split was my teammate Steven. Instead of stepping on the pedals and jumping across, I doubted my sprint and eased off to allow the gap to form. I really didn't want to drag the entire peloton back to my own teammate, but I should have at least tried to jump and sat up if I couldn't open a gap on the riders behind me. Lesson learned. I rode in the third group until the end of the race which was one lap to go for our group. Out of the 180 starters only 31 guys finished. They paid to the top 30 (too bad for the guy who got 31^st). Only 15- 20 guys were in my group, which was pulled with one to go, so I was somewhere between 40 and 50. Not bad for my first kermis back in Belgium, but I have some work cut out for me.

This past week has been filled with good training rides and bad weather. I'm getting used to riding with wet feet and putting on my rain jacket too. It's not that bad though because when it does rain it usually doesn't last the whole day. A group of us did a 5.5 hour ride to re-con some important hills and went through 2 rain storms but arrived back at the Cycling Center almost completely dry. Tomorrow will be an easier training day in order to be prepared and rested for a big UCI race in France on Saturday. From what I hear, the course has rolling hills and is very open, so wind will definitely be a factor. Sounds like fun. Until next time.

Belgium 2006, entry 3

GP Waragem Report

I've heard racers say that they would rather be lucky than strong. I don't fully agree with that saying, but some days it makes a lot of sense. Yesterday was one of those days.

We arrived in Waragem with plenty of time to prepare ourselves for the start and after getting situated I went to the start line to get a good position for the neutral start. I think there were about 160 racers and trying to hold position in a pack like that isn't too easy, especially in a neutral start. A neutral start is when the peloton rolls slowly behind the lead car and waits for the official to drop the flag. During that period everyone fights for good position and because yesterday was such a big race, the peloton was extra nervous. One of the Rabobank guys hit a curb or something in the first 5 minutes and flew over his handlebars only to have his bike hit my arm and leg. That was probably the start of my bad luck. Even after the official start the peloton was very dangerous and although there were no major pileups, many guys pulled stupid moves and crashed by themselves. I was feeling pretty good and holding decent position throughout the first hour of the race but also knew that the real racing wouldn't begin until we got to the hills. I was also very confident on the course because of the re con rides and knew the best places to advance position. I handled the first cobbled section well and knew a good line to take. I had good position coming into the town of the second climb and was very focused. As we approached the base of the second climb, the Berendries, the peloton slowed down to fit on the narrow road and a rider behind me rode right into by back wheel, causing me to fall. A few other guys went down but it wasn't a very serious crash. I got up right away and realized my wheel was severely out of true. I radioed Bernard for a wheel change but by the time I got rolling again, the peloton was over the climb and out of sight. I chased hard for a while but the caravan continued on without me and that was the end of my race.

It was a disappointing day and bad luck did play a role, but there will be more races for me in the future. I can be grateful that only my wheel is broken and not my wrist or collarbone. I suppose there are ways to curve your luck (position, position, position), but in the end you can't change what's in the past. I'm feeling healthy and strong, so I'm looking forward to my next race. Let's just hope I can be lucky and strong on the same day! Thanks for reading.

Belgium 2006, entry 2

After about two weeks into my stay here at the Cycling Center I feel like I am over the jet lag, healthy, and beginning to settle into a good routine. The first week is always one of the hardest because of the stress of traveling, separation from loved ones, and adaptation to the new environment. I was a little depressed in the first week because of the messy weather and my weak feeling on the bike, but now I'm feeling great and looking forward to some hard racing.

My first race back in Belgium this year was Kattekoers Gent-Ieper. It was less than a week into my stay so I wasn't really expecting much. My only goals were to re-familiarize myself with the European peloton and test out the legs. It was cold but sunny at the start and as the flag dropped I knew that I was glad to be back in Belgium. The race was fast in the beginning due to few turns and wide roads. The Cycling Center team re-conned the course in the van the day before so we had some idea of where the hardest points would be. The defining part of the race came after about 2.5 hours when the peloton reached the hills. There were 3 climbs in 10 kilometers, one of which was the infamous Kemmelburg. I failed to be in the proper position when going up the first climb and as the peloton broke apart I ended up in a second or third chase group. The race didn't last too much longer for me but I did make it up the Kemmel and felt in the end like I got a good workout. There were things I could have done better, so there's work to be done for next time. I'll do as Bernard says and focus on the little things, and doing them right, rather than the result. This approach will eventually lead to results the right way.

Dr. Dag Van Elslande, the Discovery Channel Team doctor, came to the Cycling Center this past weekend and brought all of his equipment necessary to carry out the lactic tests on the team. It was very gracious of him to come to us this year because it is a little drive to his office. The test begins at 100 watts and every 3 minutes increases by 50 watts. I did much better this year than last and will meet one on one with Dr. Dag next weekend to discuss the results in more depth. The test is just one piece of the puzzle to racing well here in Belgium. There can be very strong racers who never finish because of their lack of experience or cleverness. For me, a good test confirms the hard work I put in this past winter and increases my confidence for races. With good confidence I race aggressively and feel more like I deserve that position near the front.

Dr. Dag writes all of the training programs for the Cycling Center team. Since all of the lactic tests were so good he wanted the selection for GP Waragem to have a very hard day of training the day after the tests. GP Waragem, or Dwars Door Vlaanderan, is a very large U23 race held in conjunction with a pro race on the same day. Dr. Dag wanted us to ride from the house to Waragem, do the large loop of the race that includes 12 climbs, and then ride home. He also wanted us to put in an all-out race effort between the Kwaremont and the Patersberg, 2 very famous climbs. That stretch of the race will be very decisive because it includes 3 very steep cobbled climbs. On the final climb of the day we were to sprint to the top and the winner could 'sit in' or draft the whole way home. It was obvious to me that our teammate Steven was the strongest and to beat him up the climb we would have to use not only our legs but our brains. I told Sean that I would attack about 400 meters before the climb and make Steven close the gap to me. Sean would sit on his wheel and hopefully pass him in the final meters of the climb. The other possibility would be that no one would want to chase me and I would win the sprint. Long story short: things didn't go as planned and Steven won. Overall I guess it is a good thing for our team that Steven is riding well, but it would have been nice to outsmart the Belgian. An hour later we pedaled in to Hersberge and arrived at the Cycling Center. It was quite an epic day, just short of 6.5 hours. I owe our assistant director Geert Vanwalleghem a big thank you for driving the follow car with supplies the whole day and snapping a few pictures of us on the climbs.

That's the News From Hertsberge for now. The big race is tomorrow and I'm really looking forward to it. After 2 re-con rides, I actually feel like I know the course (not quite as well as Runway Plaza, though) which can only boost the confidence. Thanks for reading and I'll let you know how it goes. VR

Belgium 2006, entry 1

Hello everyone and welcome to season 2006. This past winter has been filled with great training and many thoughts of Belgium. I've followed a very specific training program that included long days on the bike, many days in the gym, hills, flats, and a big rubber ball. I feel like I have taken good rest days and have a great base under my belt so far. Winter training can be harsh in Michigan but I realize that there are far worse places to train. I did some pretty epic rides on the rollers but was able to get outside at least twice every week. Having spent time at the Cycling Center last season has really affected the way I am preparing this year. Where as last year I trained and trained not truly knowing what to expect, this year I am more focused and know exactly how mentally and physically demanding the racing will be.

I raced Valley of the Sun and was a little disappointed with how it went. I had no 'top-end' which makes perfect sense because it's February and I haven't done much riding above LT. Nevertheless it was a good jump start to the season and a nice three days of good intensity. One good thing I did notice was that I recovered very well in between races. Even though I would have like to do much better, I have to remind myself that I have a long six months in Belgium ahead of me and would rather be 'race-sharp' in August than in February.

After VOS, I went to Albuquerque to spend a few weeks training with the Cycling Center team. Our stay was sponsored by the Veloport Corporation and we were treated extremely well. The Veloport Corp is a group of people who are very committed to building a cycling facility equipped with a BMX track, velodrome, and tested equipment. Though much of our time was spent on the bike, we did have many things to do including meetings with Dr. Andy Pruitt, Kristen Dieffenbach, Polar, and Mayor Chavez.

From Albuquerque I flew home to Michigan to spend my last days in the States with my family and friends. That weekend was very busy with visiting friends and running errands. I attended the team meeting of my local team, Sunrise Sports and afterwards was awarded one of the three Euro-Devo Scholarships, which was created by Brian Adams and sponsored by Red Bull. Now I'm back in Belgium and ready to once again live the life of a professional cyclist.