Twice in one week - Wow

Back again on weblog tip. Just thought I would continue my recap of the Christmas racing since there is no one here to kick me off the public computer yet.

December 28, Hofstade. World Cup.
My what a crappy day this was. Probably 2 degrees and spitting with rain/snow/etc. Long way from the relative warmth of the van to parcours, which sucks when it's cold out. I took my Kona out for a couple laps and what a fun time that was. probably only about 200m of pavement in each 2.5km lap, and 2 lovely 300m sections of soft, wet energy sapping sand. The rest was mud bog. Cool. Good thing Luc Assez from the Flanders team was there because I ended up changing bikes every lap. True to form I was off the back from the start and losing time on each sand section, although I felt that I was riding the mud really well. Here's how you do it- rest on the pavement then 10m before the mud starts grab two more gears and turn the power on, then keep pushing that gear and try to maintain speed all the way through. To paraphrase Yacov Smirnov "In Belgian Cyclocross, you don't steer bike, bike steers you!" Or something like that. I got to enjoy my second tubular rolling experience much to the delight of the drunken spectators. I have to idea how I finished.

December 29, Loenhout. 'A' Category race.
This was a cool race. It was my first time being this close (within 1km) of Holland and as far as I could see, there was ne discernible change in elevation. Great. Actually it was really great, the course was super compact with multiple overpass bridges and big piles of dirt to ride over and run up. As usual, lots of mud. today I actually got race some guys, which was a first, and I was really working the mud and ruts really well. Until I shoulder checked some spectators and then fell off the course and landed on them the next time around. Cool. I actually crashed numerous times and had several close calls, again much to the enjoyment of the crowds, but I kept my tires on and discovered that you have to line up the ruts really well or else you chucked like you're coming off a mechanical bull. I won a three-way sprint for like 35th spot (yeah, cool), but like I said it was the first A race where I had some guys to race with. Got lapped by Sven Nys, but no one else. Also a minor victory.

OK, the teenage girls are clamouring for the computer, so I'll check you later. Two races this weekend, pray for dry weather.

Peace Out,
GReain