Just a quick one, it is 12:45 and I need to go sleep.
I raced in the French part of Belgium today - Wallogne, in a town called Jauche some 40kms away. The Belgians I am discovering operate as 2 entities - the French and the Flemins. Different provinces, different government and even different cycling organisations - in the SAME country! I would like to quote Obelix and say "These Belgians are crazy".
The South of Belgium has a hilly landscape and today's 7km circuit did not have a single bit of flat road. We were ether going up on terrible roads or going down cobble stones. It was a stunning circuit though and made for some exciting racing. With the new province I raced in I didn't recognise anyone. After covering a few moves and initiating some in the first few laps the field decided to race against me. There we some stern exchanges of words during the race and some very close fist swings, but I made it out alive. With 800m to go I thought I was in it for a top 10 when, in the space of 10m, 50 riders moved from behind me to in front of me and formed an impenetrable wall. Argh. I didn't wait for positions - just handed my number back, but it was probably around 50th. I had a good race though and got some really good intensity work out of it.
Afterwards I played postman and dropped off a parcel at Meryl's host family near Jodoigne, about 12kms (or 20kms if you write the wrong directions down from GMaps) away. It was now 21:00 and I was well hungry having last eaten at home at 14:00. I think I made it obvious enough, as they offered me some bread, cheese and cold meats. I left there at 21:30 only to ride 30kms back home in the dark on poorly paved bikepaths in streets without lights. Got home at 22:40. Sjoe, not recommended! I normally follow the rule of only writing down directions to the races - I have to figure my own way back. Well, in the dark and with French names (as oppose to Flemish names!!!) for the same town and being in the dark, the trip was an adventurous one.
A long day out with 40kms to the race, 115km race and 50kms home. Race stats: 115km, 2hr50, 900m climbing, 27C ave.
Oh, on the supporting front - I saw cycling supporters taking it to the next level. Ok, it is already impressive having people watch cycling races and bringing cooler boxes with water for riders they don't know and their chairs. Yesterday there were some people with radios tapped into the commissaire's radio which meant they could follow the race as it was unfolding - who is in the break, who has been dropped, etc. etc. AMAZING!
Stef and Helen, the British couple from whom I am renting a room have made friends with a local Belgian couple in their late 50s: Harry and Emilia. Harry had a motorcycle accident at the age of 17 and could never ride but he absolutely loves cycling. Neither of his 2 sons (around 30) ride, but Harry and Emilia are at all the races handing out bottles, lending a helping hand and having some basic cycling tools and a useful foot pump. It is amazing to see how people can give so unsacrificially. Through them I also met Rudi - a local mid 40s guy who also goes to all the races. We now look for them at the races and they look after our bags, translate any information into English and hand us bottles during the races. AWESOME!
Tomorrow Luke and I are heading to the bikeshop, yippee. It is 40kms away though... Oh no, says the bank balance. Bike parts are about 1/2 the price here, so I am going to stock up on tires, chains, sprockets, cycling clothes and hopefully that is it.
after 1am again... Goodnight
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