The race I opted for today was the VWF race at Boom (pronounced bowm), which I think mean tree? I've always thought VWF races were harder and to my unraced legs this one certainly felt pretty hard, although I have to declare myself very happy with my first outing of the trip.
It was great to catch up with people today including the guys that run most of the races, they certainly work hard and they've always had time for me, helping out when I need it, very welcoming indeed. One of the first people I ran into was Andre,which was good, we had a good catchup, Andre speaks enough English for us to get by and at the sign on he introduced me to a few of the other guys, but as in the past not many of them have much English so its difficult, but he did point out a few extra guys for me to lok out for, other than the top guns I already new.
The weather was superb, 34c, a light breeze blowing down the course making the rising back straight more of a challenge but also making the finish straight pretty quick. The course was about 6km around, almost triangular in shape if a bit of an irregular one. From the start / finish there was along fast straight, into a 90 degree left, another 90 degree left after about 50m, then a long straight that meandered a bit, gradually climbing into a 90 degree left, down a fast not too steep downhill into another 90 degree left, through a small roundabout on the wrong side which led us onto the fast run back to the finish of the lap. So not too technical which was ideal for my first race.
So good field, oh did I mention that the reigning ICF world champion was kicking around, do love those rainbow stripes, I haven't been in a race with the reigning world champion since about 1979?, that was Gilbert Glaus from memory. Oh there were a couple of former World Champs around as well. Good course and great weather, so I was ready although to be honest it didn't exactly feel like it on the three warm up laps I did, but once up to race speed, a couple of cogs up it was fine.
My plan for the race was to do nothing, just get some good quality race K's in my legs. I stuck to the plan for 4 of the 10 laps, just staying on the wheels, but then the blood started to boil in my brain and I started mixing it up. The first time I didn't even mean it, I did a hard turn and as the next guy came through he was yelling for me to go, we were clear, well about 50m clear and fortunately that was short lived, I knew I wasn't ready for a two up break! It went on like that for a couple of laps, a break going then more and more people joining it up the road until it was the whole bunch again until it started again. Then there was quite a serious group forming off the front which seemed to have all the top guns in it so I thought go for it, so I did what I'm usually good at, launched across the gap as hard and fast as I could go, which was great except as I latched on they started swinging around having some sort of argument, I assumed somebody wasn't pulling their weight. Of course with the impetus gone the bunch came up pretty quickly so I had wasted my effort. To be honest I paid for it over the next couple of laps as the bunch stretched, broke and reformed continuously and at about two laps to go there were five guys up the road and I was wallowing a bit at the front as more and more guys pinged past to try and cross the gap, I didn't have it accelerate hard enough to latch on. I was starting to think, as more and more guys were firing by me, that that might be my race over, hoever my mate Andre saved my bacon by coming by me at a much more sensible rate of acceleration, saying come on Ray, so I managed to get on his wheel and back into the reforming bunch.
By this stage the break had gone and I for one didn't have it to get across, I think everybody else was in the same boat, so my new plan was to get on Andre's wheel for the sprint, he sprints well and is usually there or thereabouts and given clear air I think I'm faster. At the top of the finishing straight the roundabout saw me shuffled of his wheel but as we lined up for the straight run to the line I managed to move up nicely on the right into a good position and had clear air as the sprint started, I was moving up nicely, not yet full on when the whole bunch moved right blocking me then moved left giving me a run but too late, I was finishing so fast though, I came up behind Andre and another guy sprinting for the (bunch) win but there was nowhere for me to get through so I pushed my front wheel up between them as far as their chainsets, any further and they would likely have had my spokes! The things that you do in a sprint, you'd think at my age I have more sense than push myself into a spot like that to try and make an extra place! However I was in the money, something I consistently manage to do except when I fall off or puncture.
So all in all I was pretty happy with that.
Analysing my power file after the race I was frewheeling for 15 seconds in the last 30 seconds and still made money. I had to freewheel for 10 seconds midway through which would have been when the bunch moved right on me and I was also freewheeling for the last 5 seconds having nowhere to go to finsih off the sprint. I feel with a bit more race toughening and a bit of clear air I can win this trip, mind you talks cheap and there are lot of guys to get by first!
Two lessons to take from today: If I'm going to sit in and sprint I should stick to my plan and if I'm going to win a sprint I need to be in much better position when it kicks off.
Todays finishing straight just after the start finish.
Tomorrow will be a recovery day, a couple of hours enjoying the sun, forecast is 38c tomorrow. Then in the evening there is the first of the post tour criteriums in Aalst which is 5km's away, I've been before and it attracts 100,000 people, its free sponsored by the local brewery, with the hot remepratures I'm sure they will recoup their money from the beer stands! Top of the bill is allegedly Chris Froome and Nairo Quintana so it should attract a good crowd, all things being equal I will be going with our chef, so Belgian beer and frit's on the menu tomorrow.
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