Pre race routine went as usual with an early morning ride to free the legs then come home for some good old pasta before we set off for the race. Today though we would be racing outside of Brussels so was a good hour and half drive to the start. Ive been lucky for as most this week there have been 2 German pros along with their director that have been living in the team house, ive been able to train and ride with them to the races. Though today was the last time as they drive back to Germany after the race leaving me to hitch a ride back with a fellow ASFRA rider which i had only met today before the race.
The temperature was building to a comfortable 20c perfect for short sleeve,fast racing. With a starting field of 306 riders it was by far the biggest field ive seen in awhile. This meant being at the front at the start line was quite impossible but i was happy to be mid bunch along side the Germans. The race kicked off straight into 2 tight corners then full gas, one word HECTIC. Imagine 306 riders fighting for the front, head,bars,pedals everything clashing with a rider from every direction. I was moving along just fine sitting near the front when suddenly the rider in front of me swooped to the right taking my wheel out and sending me to the ground. Squeals, smell of brake pads, then bang, a couple dozen riders, riding straight over me. I actually came off lucky just cutting up my left knee and hip. I quickly mounted back on the back having to put my rear wheel back in as it had come out. Also having to bang my left lever to make straight but my gear shifter was kaput the lever part was sitting out horztional... i was happy it got stuck in a big gear pheww.
It must of been the adrenaline rush cause i managed to chase for a good 5 laps(round 50k) swerving between groups to get back to the front pack. Though i was almost completely shattered by this stage with still more than half the race to go. From that point i don't know how i made it to the finish, constantly in the red and avoiding crashes left,right and center. Coming into the last lap i was in good position near the front, held till the last corner. From there was a straight finish of about 3k to the finish. Next thing bang someone had flatted in the middle of the pack and a good bunch of riders came down i skidded barley missing the crash to have to quickly do a standing start and sprint back all the way to the finish. By the time i got to the line after spending almost the last 3k full gassing i managed to still be in the main pack finishing a respectful 76.
Take a look at this youtube video of Niuewrode -Just to show you what racing is like in Belgium:
From then end of the race till I got home was absolute mayhem. I quickly got back to the car of the Germans grabbed all my gear out and got on my bike looking for my ride home who said he would wait near the line. I searched for a good half hour for nothing. Called my manager Luc and he called the rider, " he has forgotten you" WTF.....
apparently he only lasted 2 laps pulled out and just left home. Now i was stuck Bloody and exhausted in a random town which i have no clue is. Then i rode around asking riders if they were going back near Gent but nothing all were from near the area. Usually the races we go are close only 20k or so away so this classic being 100k away wasn't usual. By now i was freaking out as my phone had run out of credit and i barely had any money on me. I managed to talk to one of the officials who talked with my manager via phone and we organised that one of them would take me to the local train station where i would have to catch a train back to Gent, then once there Luc my manager would pick me up still another 20k back to home. The problem being i didn't have enough money for a train, by chance i was lucky that the organizer of the race (who happened to work for the Belgian cycling federation) had overheard and had lent me 50 euro. Though he said "i will give you this money as i know Luc and i will give you my bank details too, if you dont pay me back trust me you will never race in Belgium again!!!"
From there i was driven to a train station, bought a ticket and crammed onto a train with my bike and bloody knicks. Then transferred to another train to get to Brussels. Once in Brussels i had to wait another hour for the next train which then i caught and took a further hour to get to Gent. Once i was in Gent i called Luc but he was still a good hour away so i sat in the train station covered in dirt and sweat and waited. Eventually Luc arrived put the bike in the car and drove me home. To put it into perspective i finished the race around 5:30 i got home around 11oclock at night.
WHAT A DAY, i hope i never see that rider that left me there because his got something coming for him.
Race Results
The temperature was building to a comfortable 20c perfect for short sleeve,fast racing. With a starting field of 306 riders it was by far the biggest field ive seen in awhile. This meant being at the front at the start line was quite impossible but i was happy to be mid bunch along side the Germans. The race kicked off straight into 2 tight corners then full gas, one word HECTIC. Imagine 306 riders fighting for the front, head,bars,pedals everything clashing with a rider from every direction. I was moving along just fine sitting near the front when suddenly the rider in front of me swooped to the right taking my wheel out and sending me to the ground. Squeals, smell of brake pads, then bang, a couple dozen riders, riding straight over me. I actually came off lucky just cutting up my left knee and hip. I quickly mounted back on the back having to put my rear wheel back in as it had come out. Also having to bang my left lever to make straight but my gear shifter was kaput the lever part was sitting out horztional... i was happy it got stuck in a big gear pheww.
It must of been the adrenaline rush cause i managed to chase for a good 5 laps(round 50k) swerving between groups to get back to the front pack. Though i was almost completely shattered by this stage with still more than half the race to go. From that point i don't know how i made it to the finish, constantly in the red and avoiding crashes left,right and center. Coming into the last lap i was in good position near the front, held till the last corner. From there was a straight finish of about 3k to the finish. Next thing bang someone had flatted in the middle of the pack and a good bunch of riders came down i skidded barley missing the crash to have to quickly do a standing start and sprint back all the way to the finish. By the time i got to the line after spending almost the last 3k full gassing i managed to still be in the main pack finishing a respectful 76.
Take a look at this youtube video of Niuewrode -Just to show you what racing is like in Belgium:
From then end of the race till I got home was absolute mayhem. I quickly got back to the car of the Germans grabbed all my gear out and got on my bike looking for my ride home who said he would wait near the line. I searched for a good half hour for nothing. Called my manager Luc and he called the rider, " he has forgotten you" WTF.....
apparently he only lasted 2 laps pulled out and just left home. Now i was stuck Bloody and exhausted in a random town which i have no clue is. Then i rode around asking riders if they were going back near Gent but nothing all were from near the area. Usually the races we go are close only 20k or so away so this classic being 100k away wasn't usual. By now i was freaking out as my phone had run out of credit and i barely had any money on me. I managed to talk to one of the officials who talked with my manager via phone and we organised that one of them would take me to the local train station where i would have to catch a train back to Gent, then once there Luc my manager would pick me up still another 20k back to home. The problem being i didn't have enough money for a train, by chance i was lucky that the organizer of the race (who happened to work for the Belgian cycling federation) had overheard and had lent me 50 euro. Though he said "i will give you this money as i know Luc and i will give you my bank details too, if you dont pay me back trust me you will never race in Belgium again!!!"
From there i was driven to a train station, bought a ticket and crammed onto a train with my bike and bloody knicks. Then transferred to another train to get to Brussels. Once in Brussels i had to wait another hour for the next train which then i caught and took a further hour to get to Gent. Once i was in Gent i called Luc but he was still a good hour away so i sat in the train station covered in dirt and sweat and waited. Eventually Luc arrived put the bike in the car and drove me home. To put it into perspective i finished the race around 5:30 i got home around 11oclock at night.
WHAT A DAY, i hope i never see that rider that left me there because his got something coming for him.
Race Results
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