ICF World Championships today, weather was perfect for our race, sunny, warming up with very little wind.
I am happy with my ride, more of that in a little bit but I never troubled the podium at the end. To say it came down to a bunch sprint would be an over simplification but with half a lap to go that was what it would have looked like. Any (slim) chance I had of being in the final mix was spoiled by being 'sandwiched' by two riders in the right/left chicane style corner about 3km from the line. Just one of those things, a lot of us where taking chances at this point of the race, all three of us spent a few metres concentrating on staying upright which effectively took us out of contention since we were going very fast at this point. To be fair I was five or six positions behind where I ideally would have liked to have been.
Anyway a very fast circuit but a lot of it was very scary in a fast moving bunch. 80% of the course was on concrete road, a lot of stretches had significant gaps between the slabs in the middle of the road, some of the gaps positively cavernous, with some big differences between the heights of the slabs. I didn't see or hear anybody fall but the lateral movements across this gap had to be quite radical, if you can imagine riders moving right and left by a metre or more in a tight fast moving bunch with no warning, definitely keeps one focussed I can tell you. Mind you the field was packed with former pro's, a number of multiple TDF finishers, plenty of experience out there so within reason there was no over reactions which do get dangerous. We only did six laps for the distance so a long lap, with plenty of straights, the trickiest section was probably the last two kilometres into the finish we had quite a few corners which if you were too far back got quite difficult as the bunch stretched out into a single line.
I timed the length of bunch in the next race, it was 27 seconds from the first rider to the last, so being that far back put you at a distinct disadvantage, I was never that far back.
I was not at my best I was definitely not fresh, my sprint/short distance power output was 300 watts down which gave me no options whatsoever in a sprint. However I am not really disappointed since I rode the whole race at only 5 watts below my threshold power, my best 20 minutes was nearly 20 watts over my threshold power, my best 10 minutes power output even higher so if I had been really serious about this event I wouldn't have raced on Friday, but I came to race and I had really hoped to get a win.
I think what suited me in the race was that it was high speed all the way, with very little in the way of attack and chase, attack and chase. I guess because it was a championship nobody was getting any leeway, so we just kept going fast and as one of the oldest out there I never saw any responsibility to do anything other than look after myself. We were averaging 44kph until the last two laps when it lifted on each of those laps, so given I was missing a bit of top end today the constant speed was much easier for me on the day.
The one contribution to the race I made was at about one and a half laps to go I saw the gold plated favourite to win, a chap named Van Rentegem, setting up for an attack and jumped on his wheel, six of us were clear for about 3km, maximun gap was no more than 200m. I struggled for a couple of kilometres after that effort and lost position at the wrong time since the last lap was full on but on one of the long straights made up a few places, then took a few chances on corners with some late breaking to steal a few more places (there is no protocol here that says you don't overtake on the inside of a corner here, I remember being 'squeaked' at for taking the inside line on the last corner of the last crit championships I rode in Oz, pathetic). However as I mentioned earlier I still wasn't where I really needed to be so I eventually came unstuck.
Van Rentegem did win, its the only result I'm sure of at this stage. To put his win into context, I haven't raced him because he's only just qualified for the over 60 race and as recently as last wednesday I saw him catch a break for a minute and leave them in the last lap of a 50 year old race, he's a bit special.
I watched one race but then left to see if I could track down Steve Snowling, I've been trying his mobile without success, so since the race today was within 5km of his house, I went to try and find his house. Well I found the street OK but the numbering system in this street was like nothing I've ever seen, I could not find number 38. I walked the street checking every house number, I stopped two lots of people, one group spoke some English, they didn't know but pointed me in a direction with vague suggestions that it might be in that direction, the other guy I spoke to acted like I was going to mug him! I should point out it was one of these 'new' style streets with lots of courtyard type layouts, anyway it had me beat and I'm pretty sure I checked every door, I susepct that there was one of these courtyards that I could'nt find.
My problem now is how to race out my last week or so. I was going to race on Monday, Wednesday, possibly Friday, then either Saturday or Sunday, the way I feel at the moment, I might miss tomorrow and try and come up fresh for Wednesday, then do Friday and Sunday. Decisions, decisions, I'll check the weather and maybe try and find about the courses
Sunday, August 4, 2013
Saturday, August 3, 2013
A day trying to recover a bit
I woke up today to a lovely cool breeze, when I rode this morning it was only 23c and the cool breeze was delicious after yesterdays humidity. I've finally stopped hydrating! I drank so much fluid last night I was up half the night!
Anyway just an hour or so today, just letting the legs turn over at a reasonable cadence to try and shift the crap out of my muscles. I must admit I'm not super confident of even finishing on Sunday but I'm doing everything I know to come up as fresh as I can so I'll do my best.
I have to get up at 6am to get there which I could have done without but they always put the oldies on first and work back through the age groups to set the under 40's off last, I think they do a 120km, we do half of that.
An interesting little fact when I examined my data files from the race yesterday was that whilst most of the measures I follow where good and what I am capable of doing in training, the last minute was the highest power ouput I've ever done for a minute, which I decided was pretty good considering how tough the race was and I guess it shows I was trying to win the darn thing!
The excitement today was the big womens race here in Erondegem, UCI 1.2 so pretty important, 22 teams, 6 girls to a team and a 22+ car convoy, lots of noise and excitement, no AIS team this year they have always been here in the past. The Swiss BIGLA team stayed in the hotel, Emma Pooley rides for them but she wasn't here today. 3.30pm start, finish about 7pm. The 160 VIP's using the hotel facilities had started drinking by the time I went out for my ride just after 10am, I'm pleased to report none of them lasted to the finish! The added attraction was helicopter rides for 35 Euro a head judging by the regularity of the noise they were getting a steady stream of takers.
Anyway just an hour or so today, just letting the legs turn over at a reasonable cadence to try and shift the crap out of my muscles. I must admit I'm not super confident of even finishing on Sunday but I'm doing everything I know to come up as fresh as I can so I'll do my best.
I have to get up at 6am to get there which I could have done without but they always put the oldies on first and work back through the age groups to set the under 40's off last, I think they do a 120km, we do half of that.
An interesting little fact when I examined my data files from the race yesterday was that whilst most of the measures I follow where good and what I am capable of doing in training, the last minute was the highest power ouput I've ever done for a minute, which I decided was pretty good considering how tough the race was and I guess it shows I was trying to win the darn thing!
The excitement today was the big womens race here in Erondegem, UCI 1.2 so pretty important, 22 teams, 6 girls to a team and a 22+ car convoy, lots of noise and excitement, no AIS team this year they have always been here in the past. The Swiss BIGLA team stayed in the hotel, Emma Pooley rides for them but she wasn't here today. 3.30pm start, finish about 7pm. The 160 VIP's using the hotel facilities had started drinking by the time I went out for my ride just after 10am, I'm pleased to report none of them lasted to the finish! The added attraction was helicopter rides for 35 Euro a head judging by the regularity of the noise they were getting a steady stream of takers.
Friday, August 2, 2013
That was very hard and very hot!
Today was a race with the WAOD at Beveren Waas which is north of Ghent near Antwerp, 4pm start.
According to the weather forecast it was 36c, according to my powermeter it was 45c! too bloody hot,
I was very lucky to find a nice shady parking spot up a side alley close to the race HQ, the ubiquitous village bar or pub. It certainly helped to keep the car a bit cooler since it got very hot very quick once I turned the aircon off.
Having signed on I went off to look at the circuit. From the finish line it meandered through the corn field for maybe 2k, then turned left through a 110 degree turn which led uphill for maybe 3k, the gradient was probably only about 2/3% but it was straight into the wind, the road twisted and turned a bit but without any shelter since it was predominately through fields. A 90 degree left turn onto a fast run back into town, watching out for the 'traffic calming' features! staying up the front important along this road, then into a fast 90 degree turn with 200m to the finish line.
One lap was enough of a warm up, the rest of my preparation consisted of finding a shady spot and staying there until start time, to be honest I was not feeling that special, a combination I think of still getting over Wednesday's race and the heat, I know I'm not good over 35c, today was 10 degrees warmer.
We started quite sedately, well nobody attacked off the line anyway. First time up the hill I went through and put the hammer down, I didn't think about it, it just sort of happened and I was away on my own hoping that some riders would come across, nobody did so I let myself get brought back in and wait for other opportunities. From there for the next three or four laps it was business as usual, attack chase, attack chase, my particular plan was to cross a gap on my own and for the break to go away. One thing I am very good at is crossing gaps quickly with nobody on my wheel, I'm pretty quick at that. But no joy in that department.
There was an interesting phenomena in this race, the attrition rate was particularly serious, every time I looked back we seemed to have lost another couple of riders, I think it was the heat, it was making the race a real grind. With three laps to go we were probably only a dozen riders left and it was getting very hard, two laps to go we were down to nine riders it got a bit serious then. I guess the guys know I can sprint a little and a section of the remaining bunch decide to work me over, attacking in turn, everybody else leaving the chasing to me, by now my heart rate is sitting on 172 bpm, my maximum being 175 bpm, it was really hurting now.
Coming round to the bell I think we were now at eight left, it was a bit like a 'miss and out' on the track. I got dropped three times on the last lap. I'd like to say I was trying to save energy but the truth was I just couldn't make those violent big power efforts at this point, so I was having to time trial my way back to the attacker(s), still not easy but I just about managed it, I managed to still be there as we came out onto the fast road into the finish, we were now down to seven. Then it got really exciting but I was trying to cover every move quickly rather than chase. I missed one, two guys slipped away and I was then on the front trying to chase hard enough to contain them but not hard enough to blow out my sprint, I attacked into the last corner not even going near the brakes and was hunting down the two guys out front. I ran out of road, I probably needed another 20 metres as it was I failed to get up by a wheel!
They at least bought me a couple beers after the race whilst telling their mates how they'd worked over the 'Englishman'. well almost right anyway.
I am now officially very stuffed, two hard races in a row plus a very hot day. It is forecast to cool,to the mid twenties over the weekend, I'm looking foward to that.
There is a big UCI 1.2 race in the village tomorrow, all the top teams riding. The BIGLA ladies team is in the hotel, mainly Swiss but Emma Pooley rides for them, but I don't know if she is here. My plan for tomorrow is a short ride, then to sit outside the hotel and watch a few laps of the race. What should be interesting is that the VIP centre with 160 guests is based at the hotel, could get quite noisy I suspect especially since they are running a helicopter out of the garden to take the VIP's up to show them the race from the air,
Sunday I need to get up at 6am to get to Ledegem and the ICF world championships.
According to the weather forecast it was 36c, according to my powermeter it was 45c! too bloody hot,
I was very lucky to find a nice shady parking spot up a side alley close to the race HQ, the ubiquitous village bar or pub. It certainly helped to keep the car a bit cooler since it got very hot very quick once I turned the aircon off.
Having signed on I went off to look at the circuit. From the finish line it meandered through the corn field for maybe 2k, then turned left through a 110 degree turn which led uphill for maybe 3k, the gradient was probably only about 2/3% but it was straight into the wind, the road twisted and turned a bit but without any shelter since it was predominately through fields. A 90 degree left turn onto a fast run back into town, watching out for the 'traffic calming' features! staying up the front important along this road, then into a fast 90 degree turn with 200m to the finish line.
One lap was enough of a warm up, the rest of my preparation consisted of finding a shady spot and staying there until start time, to be honest I was not feeling that special, a combination I think of still getting over Wednesday's race and the heat, I know I'm not good over 35c, today was 10 degrees warmer.
We started quite sedately, well nobody attacked off the line anyway. First time up the hill I went through and put the hammer down, I didn't think about it, it just sort of happened and I was away on my own hoping that some riders would come across, nobody did so I let myself get brought back in and wait for other opportunities. From there for the next three or four laps it was business as usual, attack chase, attack chase, my particular plan was to cross a gap on my own and for the break to go away. One thing I am very good at is crossing gaps quickly with nobody on my wheel, I'm pretty quick at that. But no joy in that department.
There was an interesting phenomena in this race, the attrition rate was particularly serious, every time I looked back we seemed to have lost another couple of riders, I think it was the heat, it was making the race a real grind. With three laps to go we were probably only a dozen riders left and it was getting very hard, two laps to go we were down to nine riders it got a bit serious then. I guess the guys know I can sprint a little and a section of the remaining bunch decide to work me over, attacking in turn, everybody else leaving the chasing to me, by now my heart rate is sitting on 172 bpm, my maximum being 175 bpm, it was really hurting now.
Coming round to the bell I think we were now at eight left, it was a bit like a 'miss and out' on the track. I got dropped three times on the last lap. I'd like to say I was trying to save energy but the truth was I just couldn't make those violent big power efforts at this point, so I was having to time trial my way back to the attacker(s), still not easy but I just about managed it, I managed to still be there as we came out onto the fast road into the finish, we were now down to seven. Then it got really exciting but I was trying to cover every move quickly rather than chase. I missed one, two guys slipped away and I was then on the front trying to chase hard enough to contain them but not hard enough to blow out my sprint, I attacked into the last corner not even going near the brakes and was hunting down the two guys out front. I ran out of road, I probably needed another 20 metres as it was I failed to get up by a wheel!
They at least bought me a couple beers after the race whilst telling their mates how they'd worked over the 'Englishman'. well almost right anyway.
I am now officially very stuffed, two hard races in a row plus a very hot day. It is forecast to cool,to the mid twenties over the weekend, I'm looking foward to that.
There is a big UCI 1.2 race in the village tomorrow, all the top teams riding. The BIGLA ladies team is in the hotel, mainly Swiss but Emma Pooley rides for them, but I don't know if she is here. My plan for tomorrow is a short ride, then to sit outside the hotel and watch a few laps of the race. What should be interesting is that the VIP centre with 160 guests is based at the hotel, could get quite noisy I suspect especially since they are running a helicopter out of the garden to take the VIP's up to show them the race from the air,
Sunday I need to get up at 6am to get to Ledegem and the ICF world championships.
Thursday, August 1, 2013
Another perfect day in cycling heaven
Perfect day today, 34 c with a pleasant light breeze blowing to add a bit of cooling. I rode for 90 minutes this morning, just a recovery ride, I had no sorenesss but I do feel pretty tired so an easy day should do me a power of good.
Racing tomorrow at Beveren with the WAOD, its going to be hot again, I'm told the course is flat so I'll see how I feel tomorrow. I know if I get it right and it goes right for me I can win one of these races, whether I will or not I'll have to see and to be honest if I was offered the placings I have so far before I came I would have taken them gladly. The training I have done has prepared me pretty well, with the knowledge of being here I might have done things a little different, but only a little, I would have to call my training plan this year a success.
Its a pity more Oz Vet riders don't come and try it here, I'm only aware that two riders have been here for more than a
an odd race. It would open the eyes of most riders I think.
Due to the pressure put on me I will be riding the ICF World Championships on Sunday but without any aspiration but I will do the best I can but I think that opportunity is out of my reach entirely on an age basis but it always a good day, usually entertaining and besides I want to visit my old friend that leaves nearby. The big problem will be I have to leave the hotel a 6.30 am! The old guys race is always the first one on the programme.
Racing tomorrow at Beveren with the WAOD, its going to be hot again, I'm told the course is flat so I'll see how I feel tomorrow. I know if I get it right and it goes right for me I can win one of these races, whether I will or not I'll have to see and to be honest if I was offered the placings I have so far before I came I would have taken them gladly. The training I have done has prepared me pretty well, with the knowledge of being here I might have done things a little different, but only a little, I would have to call my training plan this year a success.
Its a pity more Oz Vet riders don't come and try it here, I'm only aware that two riders have been here for more than a
an odd race. It would open the eyes of most riders I think.
Due to the pressure put on me I will be riding the ICF World Championships on Sunday but without any aspiration but I will do the best I can but I think that opportunity is out of my reach entirely on an age basis but it always a good day, usually entertaining and besides I want to visit my old friend that leaves nearby. The big problem will be I have to leave the hotel a 6.30 am! The old guys race is always the first one on the programme.
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Normal service is resumed
After dropping my daughter off at Ghent St Pieters station following her short but very enjoyable visit, well the hotel and resteraunt staff are still talking about it! I was back to racing today. Racing with the WAOD at St Laureins near Eeklo today, fortunately they started two separate races, which in the main was quite sensible but there were one or two 'incidents' but more of that later.
I was a bit concerned when I first drove onto the circuit when I saw that they were putting straw bales up on some of the corners, doesn't normally happen in Belgian races, so I wondered if it was especially dangerous, no problem it wasn't.
The course was dead flat, very open, the weather was good 26c and windy which was a bit of a challenge on some of the straights. From the start / finish the there was an immediate 90 degree left which was fast and safe, 200 metres to another fast safe 90 degree left which led onto a fast straight about one kilometre onto a 90 degree right which led onto a two kilometre straight that wandered back and forth a little, a 90 degree left which you had to get lined up correctly because we were coming off a fast wide straight onto a 3 metre wide concrete track with only one correct line. This straight was maybe 500 metres, we were usually in the right gutter, into a 90 degree left, another tight corner, leading onto another 3 metre wide concrete lane for maybe 2 kms, this was cross headwind off the right, very exposed and we were very definitely in the right hand gutter, swing left at the end before a 90 degree right onto the home straight with about one kilometre to the finish dead straight Total lap length between 7 and 8 kilometers.
I didn't really have a race plan other than not get carried away in the first couple of laps and just to see how the legs felt, I was happy that the sprint was dead straight and my feeling at the start was that with the wind or more the cross winds we wouldn't be a large group still at the finish so whilst last corner positioning is always important it also gave plenty of scope for re positioning and too far forward would almost certainly be a liability.
The first couple of laps went to plan, never in trouble but sitting on wheels the whole time with no problems matching the kicking out of corners and unusually there was no corner I wasn't taking perfectly which always saves the legs and of course energy. From there up until the bell I was feeling pretty good, jumping up to breaks, forcing breaks, pulling strongly, the legs feeling good. Its really good for the confidence when in the cross headwind riders are continually drifting off the wheel and I had absolutely no problem stepping out and powering across the gap, there was a continual attrition of riders as the group whittled down, mostly on this straight. In the second half of the race, each time along this straight I tried to form an echelon and ride away, I could get 4 riders to do one turn but then they wanted to hide and sit on allowing the bunch to come back, I even tried putting every body in the gutter and shredding the line which I did manage to do, but in little groups they would claw back, it was too tough a day for me to succeed on my own, not really my thing either.
About half way we began to pick up riders and small groups from the younger race ahead, it started off OK and we managed to keep separate but as time went on these guys were just hanging onto our bunch and really getting in the way. At three to go, almost exactly on the finish line one of these guys veered across to hit me on my left side, one of us had to go down, it wasn't me, I shrugged him off and he went down like a sack of ...., apperently his bike was trashed and he went off in the ambulance, fortunately he didn't bring anybody else down. I had noticed him a few K's before, he was wearing a really smart predominately all white uniform but I think he was really tired and trying very hard, all over the place. I guess he gets a bit of a rest now.
Coming into the bell, it was pretty clear there would be a sprint, there would be the inevitable attacks but I started thinking about how to run the sprint. There were maybe 20 in the group but it was confusing in we had maybe 6/8 from the other race that were probably going to get in the way but not feature in our result. There was one recognised sprinter in the group (apart from me of course) so I elected to ride his wheel on the basis that I thought I could roll him in a long straight sprint but he would also know who else was a potential danger and ride to cover any real threats.
Well that was the plan and coming out of the last corner both he and I were perfectly placed, he was about 6 back and I was on his wheel, then some pratt from the other race turned left, and I do mean turned left, and was taking us into the gutter, we both yelled, braked momentarily to cut back right and bugger me he then turned right and were heading for the barriers. Again we were yelling, mine was very choice, very personal I can confirm, my lead out man was actually alongside of him at this point and managed to fend him off long enough to slip by, I had to back out and go left again and spend some pennies to catch my lead out man, by this stage we are along way off but we still have 400 meters to travel. Basically we were closing all the time until we realised that we had run out of road and weren't going to make it and freewheeled in from about 50 meters out, very disappointing.
The one man chicane saw me waiting for him just beyond the finish and sensibly turned around and went back down the course!
Talking to my lead out man after the race, we were both convinced that without our difficulties we would both have won. I have no doubt that we would have been first and second, I can't obviously be sure which order of course. Oh I was 4th in that sprint!
I was a bit concerned when I first drove onto the circuit when I saw that they were putting straw bales up on some of the corners, doesn't normally happen in Belgian races, so I wondered if it was especially dangerous, no problem it wasn't.
The course was dead flat, very open, the weather was good 26c and windy which was a bit of a challenge on some of the straights. From the start / finish the there was an immediate 90 degree left which was fast and safe, 200 metres to another fast safe 90 degree left which led onto a fast straight about one kilometre onto a 90 degree right which led onto a two kilometre straight that wandered back and forth a little, a 90 degree left which you had to get lined up correctly because we were coming off a fast wide straight onto a 3 metre wide concrete track with only one correct line. This straight was maybe 500 metres, we were usually in the right gutter, into a 90 degree left, another tight corner, leading onto another 3 metre wide concrete lane for maybe 2 kms, this was cross headwind off the right, very exposed and we were very definitely in the right hand gutter, swing left at the end before a 90 degree right onto the home straight with about one kilometre to the finish dead straight Total lap length between 7 and 8 kilometers.
I didn't really have a race plan other than not get carried away in the first couple of laps and just to see how the legs felt, I was happy that the sprint was dead straight and my feeling at the start was that with the wind or more the cross winds we wouldn't be a large group still at the finish so whilst last corner positioning is always important it also gave plenty of scope for re positioning and too far forward would almost certainly be a liability.
The first couple of laps went to plan, never in trouble but sitting on wheels the whole time with no problems matching the kicking out of corners and unusually there was no corner I wasn't taking perfectly which always saves the legs and of course energy. From there up until the bell I was feeling pretty good, jumping up to breaks, forcing breaks, pulling strongly, the legs feeling good. Its really good for the confidence when in the cross headwind riders are continually drifting off the wheel and I had absolutely no problem stepping out and powering across the gap, there was a continual attrition of riders as the group whittled down, mostly on this straight. In the second half of the race, each time along this straight I tried to form an echelon and ride away, I could get 4 riders to do one turn but then they wanted to hide and sit on allowing the bunch to come back, I even tried putting every body in the gutter and shredding the line which I did manage to do, but in little groups they would claw back, it was too tough a day for me to succeed on my own, not really my thing either.
About half way we began to pick up riders and small groups from the younger race ahead, it started off OK and we managed to keep separate but as time went on these guys were just hanging onto our bunch and really getting in the way. At three to go, almost exactly on the finish line one of these guys veered across to hit me on my left side, one of us had to go down, it wasn't me, I shrugged him off and he went down like a sack of ...., apperently his bike was trashed and he went off in the ambulance, fortunately he didn't bring anybody else down. I had noticed him a few K's before, he was wearing a really smart predominately all white uniform but I think he was really tired and trying very hard, all over the place. I guess he gets a bit of a rest now.
Coming into the bell, it was pretty clear there would be a sprint, there would be the inevitable attacks but I started thinking about how to run the sprint. There were maybe 20 in the group but it was confusing in we had maybe 6/8 from the other race that were probably going to get in the way but not feature in our result. There was one recognised sprinter in the group (apart from me of course) so I elected to ride his wheel on the basis that I thought I could roll him in a long straight sprint but he would also know who else was a potential danger and ride to cover any real threats.
Well that was the plan and coming out of the last corner both he and I were perfectly placed, he was about 6 back and I was on his wheel, then some pratt from the other race turned left, and I do mean turned left, and was taking us into the gutter, we both yelled, braked momentarily to cut back right and bugger me he then turned right and were heading for the barriers. Again we were yelling, mine was very choice, very personal I can confirm, my lead out man was actually alongside of him at this point and managed to fend him off long enough to slip by, I had to back out and go left again and spend some pennies to catch my lead out man, by this stage we are along way off but we still have 400 meters to travel. Basically we were closing all the time until we realised that we had run out of road and weren't going to make it and freewheeled in from about 50 meters out, very disappointing.
The one man chicane saw me waiting for him just beyond the finish and sensibly turned around and went back down the course!
Talking to my lead out man after the race, we were both convinced that without our difficulties we would both have won. I have no doubt that we would have been first and second, I can't obviously be sure which order of course. Oh I was 4th in that sprint!
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
Whole day as tourist
No ride today, I spent the whole day as a tourist sightseeing around Ghent with my daughter. Well not actually the whole day, since I took advantage of the sale season to buy a new bike case to replace the one with smashed locks courtesy of Qatar Airways. I'd been in last week and thought they were an excellent price but today they were 50 Euros cheaper, so I was pretty happy with that.
Then we drove into Ghent to have look at the old town and get some lunch. The traffic was amazing light and the parking very easy which surprised me until I realised that Ghent festival main concert events finished over the weekend. So we got wander around the old town in relative tranquility although there were still a few party goers still drinking in groups from the weekend, they must have a lot more staying power than me!
The old town is packed with history and historical buildings which I always find fascinating but what was almost more fascinating was the activity in de constructing some of the amazing structures assembled for the various concert acts, VIP enclosures, bars, concession stands etc etc. Given that Ghent is a very very old town and the squares and open areas may have been adequate in the middle ages for markets and the like but there is an area for big sound stages and hundreds of thousands of people. Solution; erect them above the canal network, a lot of structures where placed over the canals on massive steel girders. The construction, the fitting out, the wiring, the sound systems, the generators etc etc must have been enormously expensive to ship in, assemble and now take apart, seeing it all without the distraction of thousands of people easily reveraled the complexity of what had been achieved. It was all pretty impressive that's for sure.
Back to the hotel for a pleasant dinner, it was pretty quiet actually, probably to do with the rain we were getting so we had a lot of time with the staff, loads of raucous laughing going, so all in all a very light hearted enjoyable day. Back to the serious stuff of racing tomorrow, near Eeklo which is Roger Devlaeminck territory for those old enough to remember "Mr Paris Roubaix'.
Then we drove into Ghent to have look at the old town and get some lunch. The traffic was amazing light and the parking very easy which surprised me until I realised that Ghent festival main concert events finished over the weekend. So we got wander around the old town in relative tranquility although there were still a few party goers still drinking in groups from the weekend, they must have a lot more staying power than me!
The old town is packed with history and historical buildings which I always find fascinating but what was almost more fascinating was the activity in de constructing some of the amazing structures assembled for the various concert acts, VIP enclosures, bars, concession stands etc etc. Given that Ghent is a very very old town and the squares and open areas may have been adequate in the middle ages for markets and the like but there is an area for big sound stages and hundreds of thousands of people. Solution; erect them above the canal network, a lot of structures where placed over the canals on massive steel girders. The construction, the fitting out, the wiring, the sound systems, the generators etc etc must have been enormously expensive to ship in, assemble and now take apart, seeing it all without the distraction of thousands of people easily reveraled the complexity of what had been achieved. It was all pretty impressive that's for sure.
Back to the hotel for a pleasant dinner, it was pretty quiet actually, probably to do with the rain we were getting so we had a lot of time with the staff, loads of raucous laughing going, so all in all a very light hearted enjoyable day. Back to the serious stuff of racing tomorrow, near Eeklo which is Roger Devlaeminck territory for those old enough to remember "Mr Paris Roubaix'.
Monday, July 29, 2013
Slight hiccup in the procceedings
Todays race was with the VWF in Borchtlombeek, a bit cooler and fresher today but still warm with a bit of a breeze.
I've had a third place here in the past but todays course was subtly changed from previous years to include a nasty section of cobbles, maybe 500m which included nasty challenging climb.
The course ran along a flattish straight concrete road for about a kilometre before a 90 degree right onto the first climb of the circuit, about 500m of concrete road, swing right at the top and effectively drop down again to a roundabout where we turned left up a fast bit of new tarmac to turn 90 degree right onto the cobbled climb, over the top still on cobbles to a 90 degree left along another fast tarmac road to a 90 degree right, another fast level road into a 90 degree left along a narrow lane that started fast downill, then soon became a long uphill for about 1500m, turning 90 degree right at the top, a fast downhill into a 90 degree right, short fast straight down to a 90 dgree left, another fast level straight, into a 90 degree left back into the home straight which started fast downhill but finished kicking up through the finish line.
Good field today everybody was there, so it was going to be a fast race, I thought it would kick off on the first climb where riders wanted to be in place for the cobbled climb where it was certain to open up each lap. I was proved right as we started fairly sedately but the further up the first climb we went the faster it got. I surprised myself by being really comfortable and moving up the left to turn the top corner as second wheel, lost a few positions on the fast downhill hitting the cobbled climb in maybe 15th place, surprised myself by really powering up the cobbled climb with my bike bouncing and the carbon wheels sounding like they might explode any minute, but I was third wheel at the top and feeling comfortable. Held position in the top ten along and over the longest climb and down the other side, felt good enough to put in a strong acceleration out of the last corner to open up a few gaps down the home straight but we were pretty much together I think going through the finish the first time.
Lap two was pretty much a repeat except there were more efforts to force a gap and the hills were taken even faster with no let up in between, I was over the moon about my climbing, particularly on the cobbled climb and was feeling quite confident about having a real go on that climb before the end.
Third time (of 5) up the cobbled climb I was holding excellent position at the front, but going acoss the flat cobbled section at the top before the left hander along the fast tarmac my chain dropped and even though I have a chain catcher it took too long to get back on. A 100 metres off the back, I chased and was edging back until the longest climb where I had been strong, but somebody must have really opened up over the top and I knew that was race over for me!
So that was that, with my daughter coming for a two day visit it was back to the hotel to greet her as a consolation and another race on Wednesday. Shame about today although I always think I can't climb I know I'm not that bad so I had been thinking pretty confidently about being in the 'money'. I run Osymetric chain rings but the set up is pretty well perfect at the moment so I don't point any blame there, just the luck of the bounce, chain bounce that is!
I've had a third place here in the past but todays course was subtly changed from previous years to include a nasty section of cobbles, maybe 500m which included nasty challenging climb.
The course ran along a flattish straight concrete road for about a kilometre before a 90 degree right onto the first climb of the circuit, about 500m of concrete road, swing right at the top and effectively drop down again to a roundabout where we turned left up a fast bit of new tarmac to turn 90 degree right onto the cobbled climb, over the top still on cobbles to a 90 degree left along another fast tarmac road to a 90 degree right, another fast level road into a 90 degree left along a narrow lane that started fast downill, then soon became a long uphill for about 1500m, turning 90 degree right at the top, a fast downhill into a 90 degree right, short fast straight down to a 90 dgree left, another fast level straight, into a 90 degree left back into the home straight which started fast downhill but finished kicking up through the finish line.
Good field today everybody was there, so it was going to be a fast race, I thought it would kick off on the first climb where riders wanted to be in place for the cobbled climb where it was certain to open up each lap. I was proved right as we started fairly sedately but the further up the first climb we went the faster it got. I surprised myself by being really comfortable and moving up the left to turn the top corner as second wheel, lost a few positions on the fast downhill hitting the cobbled climb in maybe 15th place, surprised myself by really powering up the cobbled climb with my bike bouncing and the carbon wheels sounding like they might explode any minute, but I was third wheel at the top and feeling comfortable. Held position in the top ten along and over the longest climb and down the other side, felt good enough to put in a strong acceleration out of the last corner to open up a few gaps down the home straight but we were pretty much together I think going through the finish the first time.
Lap two was pretty much a repeat except there were more efforts to force a gap and the hills were taken even faster with no let up in between, I was over the moon about my climbing, particularly on the cobbled climb and was feeling quite confident about having a real go on that climb before the end.
Third time (of 5) up the cobbled climb I was holding excellent position at the front, but going acoss the flat cobbled section at the top before the left hander along the fast tarmac my chain dropped and even though I have a chain catcher it took too long to get back on. A 100 metres off the back, I chased and was edging back until the longest climb where I had been strong, but somebody must have really opened up over the top and I knew that was race over for me!
So that was that, with my daughter coming for a two day visit it was back to the hotel to greet her as a consolation and another race on Wednesday. Shame about today although I always think I can't climb I know I'm not that bad so I had been thinking pretty confidently about being in the 'money'. I run Osymetric chain rings but the set up is pretty well perfect at the moment so I don't point any blame there, just the luck of the bounce, chain bounce that is!
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