Diegm

The past few days have been crazy as there is a lot going around the house.  There has been a race the past three days with most guys doing all of them. I raced two out of the three days. My first of the two races was a smaller race in Beernem.  It was a pretty cool race that went all thru the neighborhoods and all along a river with a series of steep up and downs and at the bottom of one of the down hills they had a guy standing there to keep you from going in the river.  At the top of the same downhill they had a stretcher to carry off the victims. Anyway it turns out there was a large field as the Elite and U-23s raced together. The start was crazy and being that three quarters of the race was on single track thru the woods, moving up was impossible. I had an ok start but it was just too congested to get to the front. That’s when I was riding with Cody Kaiser and we were just minding our own business having fun when this jerk laid it down in front of me on an icy corner. I had no way to react being that we were on ice so I slide out in a way that I thought I could get back up and keep going, but instead I landed with much more force and the whip lash slammed the back of my head into the pavement.  I got up seeing stars and got back on my bike and tried to keep riding, but I soon realized I was not able to ride my bike that well.  So before I hurt myself more I pulled the plug.  Thankfully, I did not end up with a concussion just a really sore neck and busted up helmet.  Not the race I had in mind.

I took Sunday easy to try and get ready for Monday’s Super Prestige in Diegem. The course in Diegem is very hard.  It’s all in town and climbs to the top of town each lap and then descends back down on coble stone streets. There are always thousands of people watching and the elite men race at night so the crowds are crazy big. Our U-23 race had over 70 starters and I started in the very back of the grid. I had an average start and was able to pass quite a few riders on the first lap and more the same on the second lap. But on the third lap I crashed hard and then bobbled in a few corners and lost a lot of spots. I was able to get going again but it was too late and the gaps between groups where huge. I managed to finish on the lead lap and ended up 57^th.   Not good and not what I wanted, but it is a “result.”

Tomorrow we go to Azencross GVA in Loenhout.  It always has huge crowds and is famous for its green whoops.  It should be a lot of fun and a big U-23 field, probably over 100 starters.

Check out the great photo’s from:

http://www.podiuminsight.com/

http://www.tomrobertsonphoto.com/

http://www.eurocrosscamp.com/

Also check out the final two laps of the elite race in Diegem!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s28N34wZyZs

Christmas Eve from Belgium

Super cold now and its only supposed to get colder. The temp is not that bad, but the humidity and wind make it feel frigid. Got out and road yesterday mid-afternoon in hopes of riding in the heat of the day. Hopeful thinking on my part, turned out to be not that bad until the return trip. Not so much fun having the wind blow you across ice covered roads. Anyway I had a pretty lazy day and a good dinner thanks to Els. The slow life will change starting today.  I’m going to be racing every other day until I leave. Unfortunately I will not be racing the World Cup on Sunday, but its just one race and there are many more for me to race this week. Hope everone has a Merry Christmas!

Easy Day

I had an easy day today after yesterday’s World Cup.   We just hung out and went for an easy recovery ride over to Kortrijk for some coffee. One nice thing about living in a house with 20 guys is that it’s pretty easy to get a little group together to go ride. It’s a good thing because the weather is so crappy here that everyone helps motivate each other to get out and ride. Right now there is probably about 6 in. of snow on the ground and the Belgium’s have no way to deal with it.  The airports close and the roads don’t get plowed or salted. It all makes for some dicey training rides but good fun!


Gearing up for the ride.

 

The Kalmthout World Cup was really hard, as it should be. I didn’t really know what to expect as far as how I would ride.  I did ride the exact same course last year in the just a about the same conditions, so I knew what the course would be like. It’s a fun course, mostly flat with a couple fly-overs and four sets of stairs dug into small mounds. The race went alright for me.  I started in the very back just like normal, so I only had one direction to go – up. My start was ok and I knew with the icy conditions I just needed to be patient and not kill myself because it wouldn’t get me any where. By the second lap there was more room to pass and to go faster which landed me on the ground in an icy corner. I led the assault on the ground with my knee and we all know how that works out. Luckily it was the corner before the pit, so just jumped up ran into the pit and grabbed a new bike and I was on my way.   I have not been riding the greatest lately, so I was pretty glad I finished 49^th – which is not great but it was on the lead lap. My knee is sore but ok.  We don’t race again until this Saturday so I should be good to good by the weekend.



Having Coffee and getting warm.



My real Belgium waffle.



Belgium

This past week has been pretty crazy. I got back from Bend late Monday and was home for a few days to see some friends and family and repack. Then flew out Thursday morning for Belgium and made it to Izgem yesterday mid-morning. Travel was good with no lost bags or bikes – just a long travel day. I made it to Belgium just in time for the snow and cold weather. Yah!

Today we raced in Lichtervelde a small town not too far from the house. It was just a small race and pretty low key. The whole goal for racing today was to just open the legs up so we’re not flat for tomorrow’s World Cup in Kalmthout. The start today was a little interesting as they moved the start to the grass because the road was too icy. It didn’t really matter since the grass was just snow/ ice and frozen ruts. They also started the race right after the first guy was called up and I was one of the last guys called up and was still taking my tights off and not even on my bike yet. So I started DFL, which wasn’t that big of a deal since the start was so slow, but still really? So most of the guys just raced half the race and pulled the plug. I followed suit and raced 5 laps one lap pretty hard and then just took it easy and stayed upright. Tomorrow should be fun as they are talking 2 to 4 inches of more snow. We have an early wake up call tomorrow for the drive to Kalmthout.