Bread machines and racing

Belgium greetings...Today I raced in my 2nd kermesse, the Ramsal-Hersalt, 115k over a windy course with one tiny climb. 78 starters. Racing went off fast and I was able to find my legs in lap 3 and was up on the front group. I was feeling good and tried to follow the break. It crossed my mind briefly, "why do this?" Well, it proved to be the end for me. I caught the break, then a small gap started into the crosswind and I fell back. I tried really hard to keep up and made up some but the entire peloton was happy to sit on my wheel. The next turn led to a straightaway that was sickly fast all day, this lap no different. Fortunately it bunched up as we rode over a cobbled section. Super glad I got a new pair of Mavic Elites from Collin at Bike-RX. The roads here are wicked rough and you are riding through dirt, gravel, pave, and then asphalt. The next lap on a long straightaway I was spent trying to cover a gap, and had some belgians yelling stuff at me. Imagine going through an entire race at 50kph+ and not knowing what the hell is going on around you. I say, welcome to belgian racing. When I tried to pull off to let the group pull through I tried to pull behind the next few riders, well the next few riders ended up being the next 20 or so riders. When in Belgium you don't get the free spot in the paceline. Good lesson. My race ended on the next lap when a gap opened and I didn't have the legs to keep it going. Disappointing, but I know my legs are getting better and have to be patient and not go for the break so early on. Tomorrow is an "open" race which is a little shorter, 90k and outside Antwerp. "Open" races are open to everyone and are atypical to the usual UCI 1.12B races for elites and u23 riders that I will normally do. It should be a long day in the saddle with about 50k to the start. I was planning on riding a easy tomorrow so I will see how I feel tomorrow afternoon. Tuesday there is another 120k 1.12b race. What i don't want to do is race myself into the ground, but having only completed 9 laps in total, I feel i'm not too exhausted yet. From what I have heard it takes a few races to understand the racing here and finish. So I am taking each race one at a time and will be challenging for the finish very soon I expect.

On a funny note. I stayed around to watch the rest of the race. You are required to stay in case doping control shows up. Yes doping control for a non-pro race. If they show up and you are called and don't show up then you could get a 2yr ban from Flanders cycling, ouch! Like i said in my race report yesterday, its pretty serious here. Like Kip says, 'yeah its getting pretty serious, we chat for 3-4 hours a day online.'

My hollywood moment...For each race there is a list of starters printed on a program guide. The guide is used for betting purposes, etc. When I was rolling near the finish line the old crusty Belgian mumbled something to me. I said, "inglis" He asked if i was american b/c he was reading the start list. I said, "yes, I am from america, san francisco." Then he wavers his finger at me, turns his hat around and reaches into his coat pocket and pulls out a camera. Me motions me, and I take a pose on my bike. So I guess you could say that I am kind of a big American deal in Ramsal, BE. =)

Cool belgian moment today for me was purchasing a loaf of bread out of the bread machine at the bakery. Think soda machine, only that it contains fresh bread, 5 styles. 1,80 euro and you have fresh bread 24/7 =) Man we need some of these at home...

tot ziens!
Matthew