Golf cart paths and 95 crazy belgians

Today, I did the 1.12B elite vc/u23 in Wervik, which means, I did a 115k kermesse in Wervik. Wervik is about 40min south of where I am and borders the France. There were a few french riders in the field but the majority were crazy belgians along with a few american riders from the cycling center, www.cyclingcenter.com and yours truly. The course was pretty flat with lots of sharp turns the usual cobbles and speed bumps thrown in for good measure. Every time I go to one of these races, the atomsphere is intoxicating, both the alcohol kind and the "im kind of a big deal" kind. Race started out wicked fast as usual and after 300m there was a sharp right turn onto a road that resembled a golf cart path with a metal fence on the right side. This lasted about 300m then there was a right turn onto an open road with a fair amount of wind. This part of the course would provide a good area to make up ground if the group slows at all. The next right was onto a batch of rough cobble that lead to another golf cart path that made of the majority of the backside, 3k(?) with some chicanes and just crazy sharp turns. At the end of this section there was a sharp right which everyone always seemed to want to come to a complete stop before jamming it. Led to lots of hard work from the back side. Still on golf cart path then we turned onto a proper Belgium road which always had some belgian dude yelling at me. I like to consider him part of my growing fan base. He must have had the start list and wanted to pick someone special, as I like to think.

I felt pretty good in the race despite being relegated to the back after some sketching turns. I did my best to improve my position when the pack went gruppo compacto. It was definitely one of the most techincal courses but fun. On the 3rd lap to go, the peloton went gruppo compacto and I shot out from the right side thinking this was my time to make it. Well, I worked hard and made it too a few other riders. On the 2nd part of the golf cart path, my legs were getting worse and I didn't have anything. so the gap formed and I was spit out from the front group. I managed to finish but it wasn't the neccessary finish that gets podium girl kisses. I was happy with my ride. I'm definitely understanding the racing better and I am able to hand with the group better and sprint out of the corner faster. Leg strength is increasing, I guess thats what happens when you are doing 58k/h in your 53x12! I thought the other day that I wanted to make the next race exciting and try my luck at attacking. I think I picked a great time to attack b/c gruppo compacto and the next portions were lots of tight turns which leads to a lot of stopping. Just spent too much energy earlier on..ohh well. I made the most of it.

When racing in belgium here a few techniques you can use to hurt the field the most. When you are in the front of the gruppo, you coerce your mates around you to slow unexectedly on a turn which is normally taken at higher speed. This allows you to shred the field and increase your chances of podium girl kisses. An adaptation to this move is to have you teammates up ahead and then slow to a near stop on the most sketchy portion of the entire course. Some might think this is called blocking but ohh the contrary. This move is called the "Belgian Screw." Today, I saw this move performed perfectly as I got to feel the full effects of the class-a move from the rear of the train.

At the start I saw a whiteboard with names and numbers written next to the names. Ahh, the elusive ORB, The Off Road Betting, stand. Similar to the OTB, off track betting, in the US. I scanned the names, and saw Barrowclough 25-6. Sweet! Not exactly sure how they come up with such an odds of winning because there is little information on this lone american in Belgium. Upon seeing the sign, it made me feel that I have reached a new plateau in my riding. I know have bookies following me...I'm Prime Time now! I hope i didn't wreck anyone's finances today =)

Tomorrow is a rest day for me and I am going to take a trip to Brugge, "its where daddy's from." Just needed to drop a little Austin Powers on you. Brugge is a famous medieval city with architecture that is much talked about. The tyrant Hitler visited before his plan for euro domination and told his generals to spare the city because he liked the beauty. I will be sure to take some fotos.

Ciao,
Matthew