I have been in Belgium now just shy of 2 months and since arriving I have been putting away a vast quantity of quality training miles along with a combination of specific speed, power and cadence work. Since I have not provided any updates since my arrival to Belgium I will give a rapid review of the past few races that I have taken part in and how I personally felt I preformed in them.
Saint Maria Lierde my home for 8 months in 2010 was the location of my first race in Belgium in 2012. With a large field just shy of 250 riders the racing was fast and dangerous, made no safer by the wet and muddy early season conditions. Having only the training race in Ireland behind me, I immediately felt the stress that the speed was placing on my legs. I battled hard to hold position as the number on the lap board drew closer to 1 to go, the distance proved no issue to me, especially having put together some long spins in the winter at a good tempo. I managed to finish in the 60's so all in all I was happy with my performance especially in the fact that I managed to slip away in a group on the last lap only to be reeled in with 5km to go.
Waasland a UCI 1.2 was my next stop. This was my first big team race with Terra Footwear - Bicycle Line. Hotly contested by a number of Belgian Pro Continental & Continental teams made for fast aggressive racing far above my calibre, but I weathered the wind and endless line outs brought about by the excessive speeds to finish comfortably in a small group with some of my team mates. My performance was nothing special but with a race distance of 190km against professionals that were well accustomed to such mileage, I was happy to finish at all.Esplechin was my third race in Belgium and was to be the first time I was to visit the Wallonian region of Belgium this year, the race boasted a strong field with a full line out from Joung Vlanderran which is a continental unit for feeding the Belgium Pro Conti Team TOP SPORT. Immediately as the race took off we went into the wind, lined out from front to back the speed was frantic only to slow when the peloton exited a large main road onto a narrow lane, the bottle neck compressed rider against rider and it was at this point that I was to take my first spill of the year. The screech of brakes and the smell of rubber was enough of an alert that danger lay ahead, I reacted by slamming my brakes only to be thrown from my bike miraculously landing on my feet, but by the time I retrieved my bike and remounted I was at the back. Once again the bunch went into the wind and anyone who knows cycling knows at this point you do not want to be in the back, soon after my race was over as I was tailed off in a small group as riders let wheels go as the pace was forced on by those in echelon at the front.
Boleil: In Boleil I began to see the first glimpses of my form coming through, for the first time in my cycling career in Belgium I managed to make an early season break. I was very aggressive in the initial few laps of the race, attacking and crossing to groups that looked likely to escape the clutches of the bunch. It was not until at least a quarter of the race had passed that a breakaway formed, having missed the initial move I was left to solo across on the only incline on the course, the effort took me into anaerobic but I had to push on and happily made contact with the break. Lap after lap I worked hard helping my break away companions push the pace but soon the intense heat of the day and the exhausting work load took its toll on me and with one lap to go I was tailed off and caught by a chase group with 3km left finishing 32nd on the day.
GP Nogent another UCI 1.2 was to be my second big team race of the season, Based in France in the Paris region, Nogent is a tough and challenging race boasting a lot of top professional outfits as well as many strong French domestic teams. It was at Nogent that I contracted a bad chest infection, more than likely from the poor air conditioning in the Hotel that the team stayed in prior to the race. Immediately when I woke I noticed my chest was not feeling good, heavy breathing, wheezing and coughing, all traits of a chest Infection. Having travelled the 300km from Oudenaarde and having stayed overnight I felt obliged to start the race, it was probably an unwise decision but not knowing the extent of the infection I decided to proceed and race. The race course was a rolling fast loop with a number of climbs and cross winds, initially I felt strong riding close to the front keeping out of danger and avoiding the wind at all cost, but when the extreme pressure came on it was obvious that my breathing was not at all functioning as it should be, gasping for air just past the 100km point I was forced to resign.
Rumes was again another Wallonian race in which I put in a solid ride to take 17th. I rode very aggressively in the initial laps attacking and bridging any gaps to groups ahead. This may have been to my downfall as I missed the main move of the day which left me chasing with 10 others for the remainder of the race. As the final closed our 10man group split leaving me in the rear, but with 1km to go I attacked those whom I was with to come in and take 17th.
Doing some Moto Pacing to develop speed!!
Photos are from www.fotosfranky.mijnalbum.be thanks!!
