I had a real race Friday.

So I finally took Todder's advice. He said if you keep on attacking and attacking that sooner or later you’ll be in the front group or they will get to you. It took me a couple of laps to get to the front on the 7.4km course. The roads are small so I moved up on the few hills (It was like I was floating up them) that were in the race. Once to the front I started to pin it. Attacking off the front with small groups, then we would get caught. I would attack again I did this for 2 laps. Soon there was a group of 10 fast dudes that broke away from the field. So after resting up I bridged across. That was h a r d and once in the break I did a few pulls but it was obvious I was slowing the group down. So they started to yell... Really if you’re not pushing a 11/13/14 they start to yell and complain. The peloton started to get near, so me and another dude slipped back. After we did they opened up the gap again… Bummer. I had a friend that was watching and he said I easily got in the top 30, 83 dudes started. But when I went to the results I wasn’t even on them… I couldn’t deal with it at the time because I need to head home.

I was able to change in a pub. When I went in after the race it was packed and really loud. After I walked in it was as quiet as a church. I said “Hello can I please have a Jupiler.”(I said that all in Dutch) Then everybody started to laugh and the conversations picked back up. I think the Pub dude told everyone that an American racer is racing and changed in his pub. I was like a race dog that everyone was staring at! I got back a little after 10pm. The race started at 6pm. It was a long day in the saddle.

I think I’ll take the weekend off and go watch a Derny race today and maybe a little of the Rally that is going on. Next race will be Tuesday were there is a cobbled climb of about 500 meters and Nico told me last race they had 180 dudes. I think this time I will just “chill” for awhile on the back of the break and rest be for I take my pulls.

This race was also my first full distance racing(110km.) The lead break was never that far up the road.