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.
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
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.
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.
Friday, June 15, 2007
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.
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.
Monday, June 11, 2007
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.
Thursday, June 7, 2007
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
Sunday, June 3, 2007
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.
I'll get some new pictures up here soon.
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