The Waterbottle Shuffle

A valuable skill for any cyclist training in sub-freezing temperatures. You roll out of your driveway for a 5 hour ride with 3 waterbottles. 2 are in your cages and 1 takes the seat of honor: In the back pocket closest to your body. It's covered by at least one layer and steals some of your precious body heat to maintain its liquid form. 30 minutes into your ride you notice the bottles in your cages are begining to take solid form. At this point you must begin the waterbottle shuffle. Switch a bottle from the cage with the one in your pocket. Isn't that comfortable? That chuck of ice on your back... stealing your body heat? Continue switching and swaping frequently for best results. The longer you wait, the more uncomfortable that next bottle on your back will be so keep practicing the waterbottle shuffle and stay hydrated.

Oh, my lactic test was "very good man." Right on track and ahead of schedule.

Tag, I'm it?

So my bro from Boulder, Allen Krughoff, sent me a message saying that I've been tagged, which means that I'm supposed to list 5 things you may not know about me and then tag 5 other people. I usaully don't participate in these kind of chain mail experiments but hey... it's an easy blog. So:
1. I hate chain letters
2. I got involved in cycling because of the Make-A-Wish Foundation
3. I dropped out of U of M with a 3.8 GPA (I do plan on attaining a degree before I die)
4. I can pour the best latte this side of the Mississippi
5. I only have 5 friends and they have been tagged, so I guess the chain ends here unless...

The first 5 people with blogs who read this are tagged. Please leave a comment stating so.

Other News
Doing a lactic test this weekend... sweet.

What I do

My time during the winter is spent building my sword. Sometime I spend 5 or 6 hours a day building it. The edge and point are not that sharp right now but I don't care about that. It's only November. I want to get my sword really strong and big. Then, at the end of January or maybe the begining of February I'll start sharpening it. The sword building is going great. Sometimes I feel like I want to start sharpening it but I hold back and keep building. After I'm done building for the day, I put it in it's scabbard to rest. It's already pretty big and by May/ June/ July it's going to be one seriously leathal weapon. Image from Wikipedia

Oh so true

"The early days in Belgium must have been lonely, but he did not let that get to him. He was there to learn a trade. He trained and rode hard; went to bed early; spoke on the phone to his girlfriend (later to be his wife) back home. He was in Belgium to do one thing: to become a professional bike rider, and nothing else must be allowed to intrude. It's an attidue, a monkish approach, which doesn't sit well with many young riders contemplating the demands of the sport nowadays."

-Author Graeme Fife refering to Sean Kelly in his book Inside The Peloton.

fall training in Michigan isn't so bad

It's just the winter I don't like.

It takes a break...

After a few weeks off the bike, doing little more than working and walking my dog, I am once again back in training. The end of the season break came a bit early since I had no races after mid-September. So I "got it out of the way" and have returned to training a little earlier than I have in previous years. The end of the season break is an interesting phenomena. You look forward to it the last month (maybe more) of the season but when you're in it, you long to ride again. I feel once again "at home" while on my bike and find purpose to my life while pumping iron in the weightroom throughout the winter. It feels great to suffer the aches and pains of training, the fatigue of winter training ride, the refreshment of a hot shower and an evening on the couch. My legs are clean shaven and I feel like a bike racer again. Still have plenty of work to do before the team training camp in late January, but I'm ready. I guess it takes a break to truely recognize my love for this sport.

Winding Down

Although cyclocross is tempting, it's time for a little break. the last few races of the season went ok but bad luck struck again with an untimely flat in the Tour de Leelanau. The peloton was broken up but I managed to get back into a group that finished, albeit outside the time limit... still top 40 (tough race) . I got 10th the week before in the Grand Rapids Criterium, not a bad day at all. There's something about bike racing though... unless you win you could have done better.

I'm working once againg at Starbucks and looking forward to a good winter of training. I hope to escape the brutal Michigan winter after the holidays. And before you know it I'll be in Albuquerque for training camp. The Cycling Center has some big things in the works for next year so I'm already motivated for next season and I haven't even taken my break!

Home and Healthy

I'm back in Michigan, feeling healthy, and looking forward to racing out the final weeks of the season. On the schedule is Tour Via Italia Criterium, Cadieux Criterium, Priority Cycling Classic, and Tour de Leelanau. That should take me to mid-September and possibly a little time off the bike. Thanks for following my season. I'll try to keep the blog updated with info on my off season and the plan for next year.

It's that time of year

The Cycling Center is clearing out. Only 8 North Americans remain and 4 are leaving next week... including myself. It's a strange time and I have to say it's not my favorite. All the big races are over and the season has begun to wind down. The plan was to do one last kermis this weekend but I may take my final weekend in Belgium off racing. There's a little bug going around and I would rather travel healthy and rested than tired and sick. Plus, I've had over 10 race days in the last month! Rest is good.

So I get home on Tuesday. I may race the Rockford Criterium on the 25th and I plan on racing Labor Day Weekend too. It's been a good seaon here in Belgium. I've reached a new level in my racing this year and the improvement is clearly visable. On many occasions I was close to good results, but some bad luck got in the way. It will come, as Bernard says.

Getting Wet in Antwerp

It's a weird feeling to be done with a stage race. It''s nice to be able to rest but at the same time it's a bit depressing. There is a major drop off in stimulus. No schedule to keep, no carbo-loading, no eat-sleep-race cycle. Yet my body is still raging, expecting another day of racing. I'll give it what it wants and go for a ride in a few hours.

The Tour of Antwerp was wet. The first day (prologue and road stage) it rained from sun up until sun down and was cold. It was a miserable and epic day on the bike. The CC team had good prologues and finished in the front of the peloton in the afternoon. Besides some minor crashes everyone escaped to race another day. Friday morning was a short race of only 90km, completed in less than 2 hours. That's over 27 mph. Despite a hairy run in to the finish Allen cracked the top 30 and Aaron and I were just behind him. The afternoon brought a Team Time Trial of 23km. We had high expectations for this and were a bit disappointed with our 15th place. Right smack dab in the middle of 30 teams. The times were close but we made a few too many mistakes. Team time trialling is definately a skill where practice pays, and our 3 days of practice may not have been enough. It was a good learning experience. Saturday was the crazy day. I was the only rider in the peloton to get soaked and it wasn't raining. On a narrow farm road I crashed into the grass to avoid a pile-up. My momentum sent me rolling into a ditch filled with nasty muddy water. Of course the pile-up caused a major split and I spent the next 130km chasing and rotating with other riders to minimize the time loss. It was a very frustrating day because the crash was near the front and I had the legs to do so much more than pull a chase group around for 3 hours. The result at the end of the day did not reflect my good form or aggressive racing but instead it reflected my bad luck. Sunday was the beast of 190km. I was worried when I had trouble getting out of bed due to exhaustion and my sore right side on which I crashed. I thought it might be a day of merely surviving. Once we got rolling, though, I was shocked to discover how great my legs felt. A small early break escaped and the peloton chased at a fairly steady tempo. I tried to be conservative and paient. The 2 local laps with cobbles would decide the race. 30 km from the local laps...Rain. Those cobbles would be like riding on ice. I raced at the front the entire day and tried my hardest to stay there for the laps... for my own safety and for a good result. There were some nasty and spectacular crashed, some of which I could only hear. They all motivated me to move up even more. In the end I placed 38th, not great but nothing to be ashamed of. I raced hard every day, gave everything I had to give, and unfortunately had some bad luck. I did better than last year and I am nowhere near as wasted as I was at the end. Time to recover, race a kermis, and head back to the old US of A.

Tour of Antwerp, August 9-12

Four days of racing with 2 double days. It all begins tomorrow with a 4km prologue and an afternoon road stage. On Friday, we have a morning road stage and an afternoon team time trial. I'm looking forward to the TTT. It's not often you get the chance do do one and we have a team full of good time trialists. Hopefully we can get a good result. Saturday and Sunday are both road races and I think one of those days is on a hilly course which is not even in the province of Antwerp. The Tour of Antwerp will likely be my last big race in Belgium this year. I leave on the 21st, so after Antwerp I'll recover and do a kermis or two before packing it up. I'm looking forward to the next 4 days and believe a good result is entirely possible. I've done this race before so I know some of the courses and I know what to expect. My bike is clean and my form is good... now all that's left to do is race.

The New Steed

Nate Fields, the CC mechanic, is the one who built up my beauty of a bike. He spends countless hours in the garage building and maintaining wheels, TT bikes, and spare bikes. Plus he's always willing to help you out with your own equiptment. I fully trust Nate with my equiptment and being the picky guy that I am, that's saying something. He knows his stuff and is awesome at what he does. I've received some lightning fast wheel-changes from him in races. Nate Fields is the man. Thanks for building my bike.

Definition: Vascular

The Abbreviated Conclusion to Ronde Van Vlaams Brabant

The highlighted result of the week was Aaron's 6th place in the individual time trial. The team raced especially hard on Saturday. We were aggressive the entire race and tried to make it into a breakaway. Unfortunately we burnt a few too many matches in the early part of the race and could not contest the field sprint. (If we had only known it would have come down to a sprint... but alas that's bike racing.) Sunday was the final stage, a 160km circuit race with 2 climbs and no fewer than thirty 90 degree turns per lap. Oh, by the way there were 6 laps. We counted the turns from the race book and I estimate that I made at least 200 turns during the race. Racing at the back of the peloton on a day like this was suicide. On the first lap I flexed my legs on the climbs and got into a small break. I really wanted to race in the early break and go for all or nothing on the last day. The peloton didn't give us much time and we were absorbed within a few kilometers. Another break formed but was brought back before the finish and the finale came down to a 70 man sprint. I "contested" that 70ish man sprint but didn't have the legs to pull off a result. So overall the Tour of V.B. was a bit disappointing. No good result. I think that my crash in Willowbroek stole a good deal of my racing form. The one good thing about V.B. is that instead of getting tired or weaker throughout the race I felt that I got stronger each day. So on to the next race (but not before I recover) and the next opportunity.

Tour of Vlaams Brabant- Day 1

I done screwed up the first day. May have lost my chance at a good final GC. Felt like a dull, rusty chainsaw... instead of a polished razor. No sense on dwelling on the past becasue I'm going bike racing again today. Nothing to lose now. I'll help my teammates and race as hard as I can.

Pre Vlaams

I've been recovering from my mild concussion, scrapes, and bruises with super human efficiency. I feel like I'm just shy of 100% but will be there in time for Vlaams Brabant, a 5 day stage race that starts Wednesday. It never ceases to amaze me how fast a battered body can heal given the proper rest and nutrition. Anyway, my pre Vlaams thoughts are these: If I can race at the level that I was before the crash, a good result is in the cards. I'm also eager to get back into the racing routine and what better way to do that than 5 days of hard racing. Vlaams Brabant is the province around Brussels, so the CC team will be day trippin' it and sleeping in our own beds every night... nice.

Here's the link to the race's website: http://www.rondevanvlaamsbrabant.be/

Today and tomorrow: rest, preparation, and organization so I can be ultra-efficient during the stage race. I'll post some thoughts and short recaps later this week... if possible.

1500 meters

Yesterday was one of the best races of my life. A Top Comp race in Willowbroek. It's unfortunate that the result doesn't show it. With less than 5km to go, I was in a group racing for 12th place, 25 seconds behind the lead group of 11. A top 20 was surely attainable. Then with 1500 meters until the line...I crashed. A Davo rider pushed me into the gutter despite my hand taps and yelling. I skipped around and hit the deck hard. 168 km of work out the window. My bike is destroyed, my body scraped and bruised. I'm no longer doing Tour of Liege seeing as how I need both recovery time and a new bike. A lot can happen in 1500 meters! But hey, it could have been worse.

schedule

Wednesday 7/11: UCI 1.12- GP Stad Geel
Sunday 7/15: UCI 1.12- Willobroek
Wednesday 7/18: UCI 2.12- Tour of Liege
Thursday 7/19: UCI 2.12- Tour of Liege
Friday 7/20: UCI 2.12- Tour of Liege
Saturday 7/21: UCI 2.12- Tour of Liege
Sunday 7/22: UCI 2.12- Tour of Liege

GP Stad Geel went ok for me. 170km in 3.5 hours! I finished but haven't seen results. Wasn't top 20, so nothing too exciting. The legs are good though and judging by the schedule there are plenty of opportunities ahead.

Pittem

The UCI in Pittem yesterday was a hard race... pretty descriptive huh, like there are easy races in Belgium? The course was a big loop of around 115km followed by 5 local laps of 9km. The big loop was almost an out 'n' back to the Flemish Ardens (aka the Tour of Flanders climbs). The wind was a factor because it was nearly all crosswind to the climbs. Nevertheless, 49 kilometers were covered in the first hour. That's... let me think... 49 kilometers per hour. For you folks stateside that's 30mph. So it was a sprint to the Kwaremont. I hit the base of the Kwaremont in decent, but not great position. I worked my way past many riders and moved up as much as I could on the climb. The legs were good. After the Kwaremont the peloton was totally destroyed and the race was probably over for more than half the guys. I continued in my small group, which I think was the second chase, which eventually caught the first chase group. By the time we arrived back in Pittem my group was racing for a few spots in the top 30... I think. (The result are still not posted, and I have yet to see them). The style of racing changed once we arrived in Pittem. It was Kermis time. Farm roads, crosswind, and a short cobbled section made the local laps the hardest part of the race (for me anyway). I don't know where I ended up but I feel like I was strong enough yesterday to have done better. I really believe that if I had raced to my full potential, I would have been somewhere in the top 20. It wasn't a bad day (Steven Galle was 14th), but it wasn't great. I'm racing Wednesday and then again next weekend. Then, if all goes according to plan I'll be doing Tour of Liege.

The Volk and The Yellow Bus

Not the best of days for the CC or myself. It wasn't altogether terrible but I don't feel that I raced to my full 100% potential. I did this race last year and the improvement is clearly visable but I hold myself to a high standard that I want to achieve. The race went over many notorious climbs such as the Eikenburg, Muur, Leberg, and Berendries (3 times). Throw in a couple of long, nasty cobbled sections and we've got ourselves a bike race. Being a Top Comp, the field quality was high and the peloton was nervous during the run-in to the first climb. There were a few close calls that shook me up a little but I did my best to put them out of my mind. My legs were feeling a bit "closed" but I managed to hold position over the climbs and cobbles. On all of the decisive sections of the race, guys would fall of the pace slimming the peloton down climb by climb. I unfortunately was in the wrong place on the Leberg when a crash cause a major split. I have no one to blame but myself for my poor position, though. The group that I was in was pulled with one local lap to go, so nothing to brag about in that respect... too bad. Steven Van Vooren was our best placed rider and Peter Horn wasn't too far behind.

I had a new experience after the race: I was selected randomly for drug testing at the yellow motorhome. I'm all for drug testing, but I think it would be more appropriate to test the riders in the top 10 and not the DNFs. I think only one of the guys in the top 10 was tested. Wierd. Anyway, after all the paperwork and 5 bottles of water, it was time. The doctors gave me detailed directions so that I was the only one to touch the cup and glass test tubes. Not once did anyone, other than me, touch the specimen until it had the locked cap on the bottle. Somewhat comforting, although the terms "lab error" and "percent error" have now started to worry me. Overall it was a very time consuming and somewhat violating process (no privacy), but I'm happy to take part in it if it will clean up this sport. I've been wearing a wristband for the past few months that says "I support drug free sport" and I guess that yesterday I was truly living that saying.

What's goin' on

Not a whole lot.

It took me some time to fully recover from Romsee. I didn't race this past weekend in order to get some good training in and be fresh for Het Volk this Saturday. Today we rode the course, or at least most of it, in an easy 5 hour ride. We put in some efforts on the climbs and my legs felt great. It will be a very hard race because of both the course profile and the field quality (it's part of the TOP COMP series). I'm looking forward to it.

More to come.

Romsee- Stavelot- Romsee

Hot. Mountains. Not extraordinarily long but mountains nonetheless. Suffering raised to the second power.

I came ready to race and was focused on doing everything I could do for the team. In the first 5km I found myself in an escape of about 22 guys. The early break had formed. It was destined to be a long hard day. I was there and gave the CC team representation. The break worked fairly well together and continued to increase the gap. 2 minutes and 30 seconds was the highest. I was suffering in the heat and on the climbs but the thought of being the only CC representation in the lead group kept me digging ultra-deep to stay in the mix. Here was a good feeling: I was the first wheel into Stavelot! If the race was merely Romsee-Stavelot, I would have won... but alas, I had yet another 2 hours to race. Not long after that, a bridge group with Steven Galle made contact on a very diffucult climb. Lungs and legs burned while riders were dropped from the group. I had lost contact with the front group. One last dig to stay there... but I didn't have it. I was upset, but somewhat comforted with the fact that Steven was there ahead me. I dropped back to what was left of the peloton. Peter, Dave, and Steven Van Vooren were there and I pedaled over more tough climbs... coming back from the dead over the crest of many climbs. Eventually my efforts from the first couple hours caught up with me and on yet another tough climb I fell behind. I rode to the finish but was not scored. In the end, we had 3 finishers but unfortunately no good result, although we were the 7th or 8th in the Team Classification. I can't be too upset with my race. Yes I was dropped, but I was where I needed to be and gave everything I had. I contributed to the team and I suffered.

It was hot and I suffered. There were mountains and I suffered. Suffering to the second power and I'm better for it.

Good legs and bad luck

I really hate that title. It sounds like an excuse and I like to believe that in a way one creates their own luck. But... flatting out of the lead group of 30 with 3 laps to go in the Oudenburg kermis must qualify as bad luck, right? Here's the low down:

Scott Wenzel, Scott Jackson, Elliot, Santiago, and I pedaled out of the CC at 1:30pm with our backpacks and shoulderbags under a perfect blue sky. Destination: Oudenburg. A little over an hour later we arrived and scouted out the course before obtaining our numbers. The blue sky was swallowed by darkness as if the apocalypse was imminent. Apparently the cycling gods were angry and we were to feel their wrath. 15 minutes before the start, rain soaked the dirt and crap covered farm roads. A nice sludgy mixture awaiting my mouth, nose, ears, and eyes! Here's a first for me: on the line the field was blessed by a priest with holy water. That was comforting. The race was underway and the 70 or so riders hauled through the slippery roads of Oudenburg. When the roads are wet like yesterday you memorize the man hole covers, the painted bricks, and all the areas that become as slick as ice in wet weather. In the first hour my legs were awesome. I feel like I have the best form of the season thus far and if my fitness grows over the next weeks that will be even more exciting. I was following wheels at the front, staying out of the wind, and accelerating with ease out of every corner. It was a nice feeling! Now let me say a word about Belgian farm road spray. It's nasty. Imagine riding as hard as you can in a crosswind 1 inch from the edge of the narrow muddy road. The peloton is single file and there is a constant spray of water, mud, and dung going directly into your face. You can only keep your glasses on for so long before they get so muggy and steamy that your visibility become zero. Then your eyes become so clogged and encrusted with gunk that they sting and you spend the next 3 day picking particles of "who knows what" out of them. You try spraying water on your eyes during the race but that only helps for 10 seconds. But it seems I digress. Back to the race. The peloton was wittled down, groups seperated and came together, and I was feeling good. On the last corner of the circuit with 3 laps to go: Psssssssss. I was pisssssssssssed. I rode the flat to the start/ finish and got a wheel change from one of my teammates who was out. I remember saying under my breath, "This is useless," but I had to try. I soloed for 1 lap trying to connect to the group. No dice. My race was over. Went to the kleedkamers and washed away the dirt but the frustration remained. That's bike racing though. Good legs and bad luck... right?


This is me afer the race, covered in Belgian farm road spray.

Brugge'n

Thirsty v-dogg

My favorite bar/ coffee shop.

Aaron Boyleston

The Belfort

My view while people watching in the square

Raced a kermis yesterday in Wervik. I finished but the satisfaction of merely finishing is not enough for me. I'm hungry for some results. 40th place isn't worth the pile of horse crap I ran over during the race. The legs are good, though, and I'll be ready to go again after today's rest.

Lotenhulle Kermis

Taha, Scott J., and Chris waiting for me to get rolling to Lotenhulle.



I was more than motivated to race yesterday seeing how I haven't done so in a couple of weeks. We left the CC in the early afternoon for our hour spin to Lotunhulle, which is a tiny town near Aalter. After obtaining our numbers in the smokey haze of a small East Flanders bar we set out for the kleedkamers (changing rooms) to pin our numbers and hopefully find a place to store our bags. We shared a small changing room with a young British rider who borrowed our pins in exchange for the trunk space of his car (for our bags). I shot the breeze about racing in Belgium and shared some stories when he mentioned that he remembered me from last year. Well, I didn't know I left such an impression.


We warmed up on the course and determined the hardest sections. The laps were short but there was a long section of farm road (think US bike path) with a stiff crosswind that would proove to be the decisive point. The race was underway and I was instantly pleased to be back in the chaos of a kermis. Now I'm not the kind of racer to make stupid attacks early in the race but the perfect opportunity presented itself in the crosswind setion and before I knew it I was off the front solo. What the hell was I thinking?... when who should appear but the young Brit with American pins. We hauled. I hurt badly from lack of racing in the past weeks. But after 10 or 15 km my legs opened up. We shared premes and worked hard. A group of 8 bridged with Aaron B. in it. I think when the Belgians saw 2 Americans together in the front they eased off and let us do most of the work. This move was doomed. Groups came together and split. The race progressed. I missed the winning move of 10-12. I must have fallen asleep. Is that possible with a heart rate of 180?


My group was racing for 13th and I didn't have a whole lot of juice for the finish. I ended up in 26th, partly due to my poor sprinting. I still made a few bucks and bagged a few premes. I made enough money for some groceries and a haircut! Plus it was a good long day on the bike. And the best part of all was my knee... 100%.



Scott J., Elliot, Taha, Scott Wenzel, Aaron, and Alex after a long day.



V-Dogg front and center

Training Resumes

After being off the bike for several days I feel great to be back in the training routine. My knee has been improving every day and I haven't had any pain in over a week. The Doc said that I was lucky to stop at the first sign of a problem as I most likely prevented a more serious injury. The plan now is to race a kermis Wednesday and then hopefully, if all is well, a UCI next weekend.

I'll get some new pictures up here soon.

Injury

There hasn't been a whole lot to report on in my life recently. No races, no wins, no crashes, just an injury. I injured the tendons above my knee in training and have been trying to heal up as quick as possible. I was suppose to race a kermis yesterday but didn't even ride and today the knee/ quad is still bothersome. I'm hoping this clears up soon becasue it's obviously not fun to be off the bike. The worst part about the injury is that it ocurred in training, not some spectacular crash. So no good stories to tell. Just doiong my workout and strained something... how stupid. For now: ice and rest. Hopefully if it heals up quickly, I'll be racing next weekend.

CC wins Team Classification in Laarne

Even though I had a less than stellar day I can't be down because the team rocked the competition. Steven was 3rd and Bruno was 14th! We also had Jim and Aaron in the top 40. Possibly the first time the CC Team has won and Interclub Team Classification.

So here's the quick scoop. It was a damp and drizzily day. The peloton was decending into a town before the first climb of the day and the group was spread wide accross the road of reasonably smooth "downtown cobbles." (cobbles+drizzily= ice-like) The road narrowed for a bridge and of course people hit the deck. I fell into the grass, quickly rose, and checked my bike. The problem was that there were piles of bike racers across the bridge and no way through. I guess I'm too nice a guy to step on people's faces and broken collarbones to get past a road block like that. I watched as a group of 30-40 riders rolled effortlessly to the base of the first climb of the day. It seemed like minutes before I was pedaling again and chasing with all my might to get to the lead group. Groups came together and split but I never made it to the lead group despite attaking on several climbs in attempt to bridge. Some days things just don't go smooth. But hey, I'm alive and well, the legs are good, and I'm training hard and looking forward to my next race.

Hasselt-Spa-Hasselt

12 KOM climbs. 162 kilometers. 4 hours. That's what I did on Thursday, how about you? Overall, it was not a bad day for the Cycling Center Team. Steven Van Vooren finished in 12th and we had 4 others, including myself, finish in the peloton. All 12 climbs were in the big loop of 130km and I was feeling ok over all of them. I'm climbing much better than in years past and my top form hasn't yet arrived, so I'm quite pleased. I was at or near the front of the group for all of the climbs and never was in serious danger of getting gapped or dropped. The last two climbs hurt especially bad for me and by the time the peloton arrived in Hasselt for the 3 local laps I was unfortunately not much help for the team's sprinters. I could only hold the wheel in front of me and wait to cross the line. My "empty legs" in the last 20 km's were a bit disappointing as I would have liked to help move into sprinting position one of my teammates, but it was a decent race for me nonetheless.

Next up is a UCI in Laarne tomorrow. I did it last year so I know what's on my plate. 8 climbs, half of which are cobbled. 3 flat cobbled sections. 170 kilometers. Approx 4 hours. What are you doing Sunday?

'tween Top Comp's

There are 10 UCI races that make up the Top Competition Series here in Belgium. They are the most prestigious and difficult amateur races in Belgium. The field quality is always very high, the courses are challenging, and the race organization is amazing. Right now I'm in between two Top Comp's that are very close to each other. I feel fortunate to be able to participate in these races becasue they are some of the best in the country. My last race was Circuit Wallonie on Sunday and my next one is Hasselt-Spa-Hasselt this Thursday. Both are in the southern, hillier, region of Belgium known as Wallonia.

Circuit Wallonie was ok (but far from great) and I'm content (but far from satisfied). I finished in the peloton several minutes down from the large lead group. The origional break was about 16 riders but on several KOM climbs small groups of 5-15 riders broke off the front and bridged... making the lead group eventually larger than 40 riders! I could hang in the peloton on all of the climbs but just didn't have the acceleration power to go with any of the bridging groups. I did this race last year and my improvement in 1 year is quite amazing. Last year I was dropped on one of the KOMs in the first hour and this year I was in the mix, riding at the front of the peloton. Even with that improvment, I'm not quite satisfied and am looking for some good results in the next few weeks. I know that I have the potential to be in that front group of 40 and race the finale. The legs feel great and Thursday offers another opportunity to display my improvement from last year. For now, life is good and I'm just chillin' 'tween the Top Comps.

Rainy Days

My past four days of training have been in the rain and I'm getting quite good at picking the worst time of the day to train. On Wednesday I put off my ride until the afternoon in the hopes that the weather would clear and the roads would dry. Just when the roads were drying I left for my training and sure enough it began to pour. The last 2 days I've gone out training quite early with the attitude of "just getting it over with" and of course I've ridden in the rain and the weather has been great in the afternoon! I get home soaked and dirty, quickly hose the bike and rain cape, shower, and do laundry. Then I eat lunch and watch the sun come out! I've convinced myself that I'm saving all of my luck for my next race, which is Circuit Wallonie, on Sunday. It's a big UCI in the southern part of the country (which is very hilly) and the competition should be tough. I'm feeling good and looking forward to it.

In other Cycling Center News, Steven Van Vooren placed 10th in the first stage of a 4 day race in the Normandy region of France. The stage stage race ends on Sunday.

Testing 1,2,3

Here's some pictures of my lactic testing at Dr. Dag VanElslande's office today (Pictured is his assistant). The first test begins at 100 watts and increases by 50 watts every 3 minutes. Blood is drawn from my ear to track my lactic levels. The second test is a 3 minute all out effort. Oh, the pain. If you can't tell, the pictures are in chronological order!

Starting out, nice and easy


First blood


Starting to sweat


Getting red in the face and stabbed once again


Burning


Getting into the pain zone


The start of the second test... all out sprint


"Settling" into my highest sustainable wattage for 3 minutes


Just after the test... about to pass out


Recovery


Ready to go again!...?

Pictures courtesy of Fraser Young

pre race day

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_mon5_jung

Mei Prijs, Hoboken

Mixing it up with the pros today. There were a good number of pro teams in attendence inluding Landboucredit- Colnago, Unibet Continental, Fondas, Gerolsteiner continental, Sunweb, Predictor-Lotto continental, and others. This was my first UCI of the year and a good chance to get some good k's of racing... 184 in total. The race was 3 big loops of 45km and then 4 laps of 11km. The weather was absolutely beautiful: no clouds, 70s F, but... there was wind and plenty of it. While sitting in the folding chairs before the race, our turn-out awning was nearly blowing off of the van. We had to roll it back up and sit in the sun.

The biggest differences between UCI 1.2's (pro/am) and 1.12's (amateur) is the distance, speed, and etiquette. 25 km more, 3-5 km/h faster, and a little less sketchy. It's more chill at times, but when it goes hard, it's hard.

So... my race started out well. It was very fast in the first big lap and no breakaway got too far up the road. A small group finally got away after an hour or 1.5 and things chilled out a little. Still, it was fast and hard in the crosswind sections. I was doing fine with positioning and fueling my engine. I felt very good on the bike today, especially since I was ill on Friday with stomach problems. At about 10km before the local laps Unibet Cont. went to the front and closed down the gap to the break. That was THE hard section for the day and by that time my legs were having trouble at the top end. I was fine sitting on a wheel in the gutter but when little gaps opened up I just couldn't close them with a quick acceleration. That was the begining of the end for me and I was dropped from the peloton just before the local laps. A bit disappointing but lets stay positive: I raced well for 3 hours, This was my first long race of the year, I felt good after being ill and I did the right things while I was racing. As much as I would have liked to finish, I know that with a few more long hard races in my legs I'll be uncovering some good summer form. Then it will be time to race for better results.

A quick word on the team's performance. Steven Van Vooren and Jim Camut did a great job and finished the race in the top 50.

why belgium?

Many people wonder why a 20 year old American would want to go to Belgium to race a bike. I hear this inquiry all the time. Why Belgium? Why can't you race in the US? Of all the places in the world, why would you go to the tiny country (the size of Maryland) sandwiched between France and The Netherlands?...A country most Americans associate with waffles and chocolate and beer. Part of the answer is that bike racing is deeply ingrained in the culture of Belgium and it is the most respected sport of the country. Belgians love their bike racing. When roads are closed for a race, drivers get curious instead of angry. They might even get out of their car to watch the race caravan pass. They'll cheer and scream and when the road opens after the race passes they'll get back in their car and continue on their way. Nearly every road in Belgium can be ridden by bike. Many roads have bike lanes and he ones that don't are shared equally with autos, tractors, and mopeds. I'd be willing to bet that for every car in Belgium there are three bikes. Just about everyone rides a bike. I've seen first graders ride their bikes to school and grandmothers ride their bike to the market. It's awesome.
The other answer (and probably the most important one) to: Why Belgium? IS THE RACING. The fields are bigger and stronger. The races are faster and longer. And the distance from home to the races is shorter. For those of you who are familiar to the racing in the US: It's like having all the NRC races and then some condensed into an area the size of Maryland. Plus the level of racing is higher... in my humble opinion. Most of the UCI races here are 160km (100 miles) and usually end in about 3.5 hours. The fields are always larger than 120 rides, sometimes as big as 200...and the amateur races are filled with guys who will be pro in a year or guys who have already ridden professionally. Racing in Belgium is big business. There's money and potential contracts at stake in every race. Bike racers in Belgium aren't fooling around. It's not a hobby over here... it's a job. And that's why I'm racing my bike in Belgium.

Next race: Tuesday 1 May, UCI 1.2, Hoboken

Laarne Kermis

Well, it was nice to get back on the kermis scene. I raced well but unfortunately did not finish. I was feeling good for the first half of the race but it was as if my legs just turned off after that. The field was very large because this was the only midweek kermis in Flanders. I think there were about 150 starters. I made the lead group of 16 on the first lap and that was pretty much the race. The top 10 came from that group. Unfortunately I wasn't there for the finish, but I know on a good day I could finish with that group. It's disappointing to think about that but I also need to stay positive. I raced well, I raced hard, I was where I need to be. I've only been here a week! things will only get better as I continue to adjust and get over the jet lag. I don't quite feel as good as I did on the bike 2 weeks ago in MI. So I'm confident good things will come. Plenty of racing to come, too. There are 3 UCIs: Saturday, Sunday, and Monday and I'll do one of them for sure.

Thanks for checkin in! Vince

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUU7sqm_Nwk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mj5Vj2WIfIg

I had the choice to do a U23 kermis today but I decided not to race. After all, it's only my 4th day in the country and I want to be fully recovered and adjusted from travel before I race. I've been feeling better and better as each day passes and I think I'll be fine after the weekend. It's looking like I'll do a mid-week kermis and hopefully I'll be selected for one of the 2 UCIs next weekend. In the 2 weeks leading up to my flight I was riding very well and feeling quite strong on the bike. I'm confident that in a few days I'll have that feeling back and be ready to suffer... and hopefully put the hurt on some Belgians.

This is what's going on at the CC:
U23 Kermis today for 5 riders
Elite/ U23 Kermis tomorrow for 5 riders
Zellik- Galmaarden UCI tomorrow for 6 riders

For results:

http://www.wielerbondvlaanderen.be/

Click on "Uitslagen"
Then "Weg- Piste- Veld"
Then chose the date.

over here

I made it safe and sound to Hertsberge. The journey is not my most favorite day of the year but I survived and got through it with little stress. Check out the worst part of the trip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlrdzgJXSVY

This week is all about getting over the jet lag, into daily routine, and staying healthy. I did a short ride yesterday and today and it feels great to be back on the narrow roads of West Flanders. I was really missing these canal roads. I probably won't be racing until mid next week or next weekend. I have to say that the CC looks great and the guys that are here make up a good group. I'm feeling like this is going to be a great season.

The last few days stateside

Well, it's nice to pick up a win every now and then. I was the first to cross the line this past Saturday in Waterford. A great way to end the winter before heading off to Belgium in a few days. It was a surprisingly fast race due to a higher field quality, in my opinion. I remember when I first started doing these races several years ago, it seemd like a group ride with a sprint at the end. Now, there is attack after attack and the peloton can be strung out for multiple laps. I heard the promoter say that our lap times were some of the fastest he's seen. A good sign for Michigan racing. The first half of the race was filled with attacks and attempts to create a breakaway. As fast as it was, no group could distance itself from the peloton. It was as if the breaks were never the right combo of riders and the peloton was never happy with letting it get a gap. At some point after the middle of the race, I again attacked... seeing who I could draw out of the peloton. No one! Finally Tony Brule (sp?) bridged solo to me and we worked hard to hold a gap of between 15 and 25 seconds until the finish. He led the entire back straight of the course and with 200 meters I jumped for the win.

Sunday was a blast too, even though I didn't win. For me these races are merely about preparing for Belgium and this past Sunday was a great day of training. I got on the bike in Redford at 8:45 am and headed west to Ann Arbor. I got there in time to pin my number and spin arouind with some teammates. The race started at 11:30 and was 40km long (40x1km lap). There were a handful of guys (including myself) who made this race a tough one. The peloton was strung out and with the wind it eventully shattered. It was awesome! Small groups, DNFs, echolons.. this crit had turned into a race of selection! Unfortunately I didn't make the front 3, but I was determined to still race for the win or suffer trying. I wasn't thinking about sprinting for 4th. I was thinking about how hard it goes at the end of a 160km race in Belgium. I think I ended up in the top 10, but my day wasn't over. After packing up some food and water I spinned my legs towards home... a solid 2 hours into a headwind. I was pretty wasted when I got home... but all I could think about was the hard racing in Belgium and how I'll be ready for it when I leave this Tuesday.

I don't know my own strength

Things have been good since my last post. The weather hasn't cooperated but training has been going well nonetheless. I don't feel like I have a lot to report on since I haven't raced in a couple weeks. The last training race was cancelled due to snow! Only in MI... and maybe Belgium. The one exciting/ scary moment I had was on a training ride when I was doing some sprint efforts. Check it out:


Yes, those are my handlebars. snapped a few cm's from the stem. They are not very old and although they have a funky shape I think the true reason they broke is this:


Well, I'm just lucky I didn't go down. All I can say is the ride home was the longest I've ever ridden one handed.

I'll be in Belgium in less than a week now. Lots of loose ends to tie up this week. Check ya later.

I've given in... I've created a blog

I've never been a fan of blogs. Maybe it's because they seem so cliche and that it seems most everyone has one. I guess I'm one to be different. In the past I've reported on my racing and training through the Cycling Center website (www.cyclingcenter.com) and that seemed to work pretty well. Although I would not update it very frequently and only did so during the season. Plus, I deleted them after every season. I want this year to be different. This will be my brainstorming notebook, my post race journal, and my photo album.

Maybe I should back up a bit and introduce myself to those of you who don't know me. I live in Michigan and my one and only passion is racing bikes. I started riding road bikes when I was 13 and began racing when I was 15. I'm now 20 years old and have spent the past two seasons in Belgium racing for an amateur team: Cycling Center. My goal is to race at the highest level I can attain. Whether that is Pro Tour, domestic pro, or Category 1 races in Michigan... I don't know. I've been racing in Belgium to find that out and I head back for my third season on April 17th. In '05 I was there for 3 months, in '06 I was there for 6, and this year I will be there for 4. By the end of this year I will have spent over a year of my life in Belgium. But I love it there and that time has been the best time of my life.

So Vince, what have you been up to all winter? Well, that could be two dozen blog entries in itself, but I'll try to catch you up with a brief summary. I got home from Belgium in September and went to school while continuing to train and work (at Starbucks, the best employer in the world). That was a busy time although training wasn't at the top of my list after 6 months of straight racing. I basically took October off the bike and recharged physically and mentally. I began training in November, building up my aerobic base and improving my overall strength. In late January and early February the Cycling Center team had our training camp in Albuquerque, NM. I was there for about 3 weeks. Our camp was held in conjuntion with the Navigators Insurance team and Team Lipton. It was great to be surrounded by so many great athletes and to be able to train in some decent weather in NM. I need to mention the Veloport Corp. who sponsored our camp and treated us so well the entire time. Check 'em out through the Cycling Center website. Got back from NM... trained, worked, trained, etc. Fast forward to the present.

This past weekend were my first races in about 6 months! All considered they went great. I raced in Waterford Saturday and in Ann Arbor on Sunday. They were both training type races and a good test for the legs after a winter of primarily low intensity and strength building. I feel like I'm on track for a good season in which my fitness will gradually increase throughout the season. I placed 11th Sat. and 2nd Sun. I love the Ann Arbor races because they are such a great day of training for me personally. I wasn't able to dothem last year because I was in Belgium but this year I will be able to do 2. I ride 2 hours to the race, race for about and hour, and ride 2 hours home. One of my all time favorite rides! Sort of like in Belgium when we ride to the kermis races (usally 30- 60 minutes... but the races are 2.5 hours). well, that't oficially my first blog. All of the entries prior to this were first posted on the CC website. They are from 2005 and 2006. Thanks for reading.