GODELIEVE PRIJS - PITTEM

I was going to write a report but there is no way I can describe what I went through today. So here is my Facebook update:

"Well, I made it up the famous Tour de Flanders cobbled climbs with the front main pack in the rain. Hit the local circuits with the highly reduced peloton about 50 dudes and lasted two laps. Next week I'll be doing a 5 day tour. Time to get some beer."

I guess the tour is "Tour de Liege." (edit) I think it's but am not sure all I know it's 5 days long.

I am beat to hell right now.

Here are some photos.
Nice eh?
This team was a Continental Team last year and lost some funds. So they are at most of the races I do. Even the local ones.
Some of their team cars... I think they had one more car there. They also have the current Belgium Elite National Champion and he was there.
Here's how we roll... Our Sprinter Van was at a Topsport race with our fast guys.
Me warming up for the 166km race looking forward to all the cobbled climbs, closed highways, super small roads and a lots of cow poop!

SCHAAL SCHOETERS - BEVEREN-WAAS

This race was in interclub race. So it was bigger with stronger riders. After our warm up massage by the team massage dude we all went to sign in. I think around 200 guys were at the start line. The race started with a neutral roll out of town then it was game on. I started towards the front because I didn't stage with the other riders. So I had a front row seat for a while. There was attack after attacks and we had guys in every move but mostly it was Tom (who got 13th) and me. After one of our riders got brought back maybe 70km in I took a dig off the front solo for awhile for some camera time. I was joined by 4 or so dudes and we stayed away for a bit. I then went in another move bridging across with a dude who jumped me... so I got on his wheel after my super hard pull... then jumped him to make the front group my HR it seemed never went below 180bpm for a long time. After 100km it was still together when we hit the local laps. I was sitting pretty in the top 10 for 4 of the laps. With 4 to go the attacks came and I found my self in the front group with 3 teammates. But I couldn't stay in it. I did a lot of racing earlier and was starting to feel it after 150km. I went back to the peloton and then was whipped off the back. I stayed in the caravan for a little then made it back up to finish in the peloton.

I almost died about 4 times... I put my front wheel in some dudes derailleur. Some how I unclipped one foot and jumped up the curb to save it. Man was he yelling... something.

Our team took 5th, 13th and a solo effort for a top 20. We had a sponsor there and he was happy. The guy who took 5th then was motor paced home.

It’s an amazing sight to see 150+ dudes single file. It takes like 30 min just to move up towards the front. Then when the road narrows there is no way to move up unless you attack on the side walks, cut corners through yards, stores or jumping up on the round about. I also saw two riders who had to be pulled from each other at the finish. I like racing here.

Next race GODELIEVE PRIJS - PITTEM. This race will be hard.

4th of July.

The race went ok today. My “easy time” was good and the legs are fresh. I was with the lead group when I hit the wall with 3 laps to go. I was in a break about half way through for a lap.

I should be good for the interclub race next week.

FYI I am not ready for this heat.

It'll grow back right?

I got lost today.

Todd, Bruno and I are going for a ride next week. He asked if you were coming back?

I like it here.

Why does it cost around $30-35.00 and sometimes a lot more to race in the U.S. When here it only cost 3 Euro no matter what and doing interclub races they pay YOU!?! Over here I can easily pay for races almost every other day. But if I had to pay for races in the states...? I wouldn't race that much. Thank you MSU/Hotter 'N Hell for your support!

So...

which one of you turned on my suck mode? I had a great race last Friday, now the last two races have been HORRIBLE! I need a Jupiler.

Jason remember these buildings? They just started to rebuild them. I like the gray on in the middle. It's right next to the pub and canal. I don't think it would cost that much either.

Kemmelberg ride.

Up the short steep way.
On top.
Your wheels would go inbetween these things I could hear my rim hitting them from the sides.
Looking down the steep side.
Where they claimed they don't have any nukes hidden.
Looking up at the start of the long way. I went down this part too. It was not fun and at race speed would be crazy.
From far.
Belgium dark magic.
Todd you know this girl? She knows you and your Belgium family. I think her bro races on the Molenspeeters. (SP)

Thank you TXBRA!!!

TXBRA also helped all the Texas riders that went to Collegiate Nationals!

I Race.

In today’s race I had high expatiations. The legs felt good after doing that pro race and I was going well. I wanted to do well today. The race started with well over 80 dudes and was fast of course. After a few laps a small group establish it self off the front about 500 meters. I bridge up all by my self and a couple more dudes came after. We had a HUGE gap. So our group was about 12 strong and flying. I thought this was it. We stayed away about 7 laps but I think our group may have been too big and it came back together. The race stayed together for the most part till around lap 12 to go. A group of 10 got off the front. I saw it go... It was right after I closed a huge gap, which I did WAY to many times in this race. It just left me dead. The last 10 laps were a blur I can't even remember pedaling. They were the hardest laps in the race. With one to go I was setting my self up for the sprint but yet again there were many jumps which left me dead and I got almost last in our group. But really I had no clue what was going on... I couldn’t feel any pain it was so bad and I couldn't see... I had thoughts of making it easier on myself by going into a brick wall at 50kph.

I grabbed a Jupiler (it was less then a Coke) from a road side vending machine for my ride home on the path. Next race is tomorrow. Legs still feel ok maybe.

The cool part? 1hr 40min Avg. Hr 171 Max was 183 I could just go and go and go then not… I have been doing these damn races with just 2 bottles and no race food… I have to get to the bike shop.

Would...

anyone out there want to trade a set of newer Hed Jet6/Stinger6-C2s (or maybe some other cool carbon wheels) for my awesome Mt. Bike/little cash? Or maybe you want to dump some older carbon wheels for cheap? You can email me at lallamike@hotmail.com

Thanks

Another good write up by Steve.

Can be found here. I have only seen one time here a rider take his hand off the bars to push someone over or said "on your inside." It was a Waste Management dude and he did it for no reason. Mostly if a Belgium rider is taking his hand off the bars it's usually to hand sling you forward or flip you off. When someone says "on your inside" I just ride normal... It's not my fault they are riding stupid so why do I have to change my line? And when people push me I usually just go back into that same spot anyways. Touch some one here in a way that's not moving them forward... I think you may end up in a ditch for that.

Pro race today 162km

Not really much to talk about. I had a flat right at the start got a neutral wheel that by the time the race was over the hub was loose as heck, the gears were coming off, I sounded like Santa and I had to spin like mad because it only had a 12 tooth big gear. Thanks Mavic Neural Support.

The race was really boring, but fast. I ended up in a break with about 15 dudes but it didn’t stay away. A Liguass rider wouldn’t pull through and every one was yelling at him. I heard a guy call him a “Dirty English Pig.” That was kind of funny.

I rode over two water bottles… One in a corner which was not cool. And avoided a crash. Finished somewhere towards the front of the peloton.

All the big teams were there with trucks rv’s and support cars. And about 20km away a big interclub races was going on. Like Todd says... 2 races that are way bigger then NRC races on the same day 20km away from each other. And they start at 1pm and thousands of fans were there. WTF?

One of those days.

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.

Typical race day.

8:30am Wake up and stumble down stairs where plates of food are already out for me.
Coffee
9:00am Get done with eating and sit on the computer for a little bit to check emails and facebook stuff while drinking coffee.
Coffee
9:30am Still drinking coffee on the computer.
Coffee
10:00am Go for a small hour ride down by the canal.
Coffee
11:30am Get back and getting ready for lunch.
Coffee
12-1pm Eat lunch and packing my stuff to go to the race.
Coffee
1:15pm Leave for a race. If it’s not far I’ll ride my bike. But I have friends here who love to drive and go to the races so I usually always have a ride.

1:30 or 45pm Get to the race to sign in. Remember all the races cost 3 euro. Even the super big ones. And get dressed for the race. Last week I got dressed in a bakery that I stop at all the time or when a locker room is opened up we use that. It always takes some time to do this for some reason though.

3:00pm Race

5-6:00pm Get done with race and shower up at the locker rooms. Then I have to wait for the end of the races to see if doping control will show or wait and collect some money.

7:00pm Get home and eat dinner

8:00pm Chill on the computer or watch some TV about Tom Boonen.

9:00pm Start going to bed. First a massage with the stick and then stretching.

9:30-Whenever pm Usually on Skype with some one who should be working… Bad girl! When I get back I’ll have to see you in my office.

Then I go to sleep. I am trying to race about every other day. Not counting the weekends. My easy days are real easy. But the day looks about the same.

My favorite town (Jason knows why :)) Roeselare is getting a Velodrome!

Looks like I'll be doing a race in this town soon.

Another...

screw job races down. I don't know were I finished because they don't use chip timing here, but it was only a few laps before the leaders. I saw tons of dudes on the side of the road out of the race. So I think I did ok. 94 people started. My legs are good but my racing skills need some tuning.

Officially…

under contract. I would have a bike (MBK) too but since mine has no label on it they’re not really willing to give one up just for the summer. Maybe I work on it eh? I am also scheduled to go to more big races like Pittem later in the summer. So that’s cool.

I Raced Today

It started fast thanks to me. I made the first front group but unfortunately the real fast dudes were not there. Right when we got caught they countered and I was sent to the "screw each other" group. We worked together about as well as oil and water to bring the leaders back. At some point 4 riders went up the road about 200 meters. I took a chance when our group lulled and tried to bridge. I almost made it... By like 5 meters... but I had a dude on my wheel! So sweet right? But he pulled through about as well as Matt F. does at TNW. So we both went back and that was about it. Me and this Topsport dude did most of the work and were getting a good work out in... On the last lap he told me to take a flyer and I did like a retard... I was about 400 meters to short and got 28th. I think we were sprinting for 15th.

Avoncriterium 39ste Trofee J.P. Monsere

Well that was the weirdest "crit" I have ever done. It strung out very quickly and soon gaps were all over the place. After bridging up to a few I found myself off the back in a small group. Our gap to the main peloton was about 30second for an hour. With me and couple other dudes working, we caught them! Then the attacks came and the break went clear sending me backwards again... this racing is mest up. I am still getting gaped going in AND out of corners. The only corner I didn't get gaped on was the one I could pedal. I got 31st. they paid out to 30th. My director was happy with me always being at the front of my group pulling and saw that I was strong enough to do a big race (interclub) on July 11th in Pittem. This was a good physical race for me but a horrible mental race… I just didn’t bridge gaps like I should have. I have a race today, Sunday and Monday.
My support group.

Product review!

This is really a two product review, but they go hand and hand. First up Cinelli “Carbo Ribbon” bar tape. As most of you know I am a big fan of the white cork bar tape. I have been using it for years and wouldn’t try anything else. But I hated cleaning it. It just sucked. The white when it’s white looks pro, but when it’s dirty… I mean come on. So I gave in. I installed this tape about a week before Collegiate National and look at it. It still looks great. It wraps better then cork, keeps white longer and just looks better. But you do have to wear gloves during racing. It tends to get a little slippery when wet. But I didn’t have any problems the other day. I give the Carbo tap two thumbs up!

It has taking me forever to find something to clean my white Hodz. Found it "Cif." It’s like wax on wax of. It’s so easy to do. I always have white hoods now. I am bringing a bottle of this stuff back.

MBK-Bicycle Line

I think this maybe will be my team here. I still haven’t figured out how it all works... But this is a letter from the Belgium Federation stating it's ok for me to be on that team till I leave. I think they travel quite a bit so maybe I'll be able to do some races in different countries or something... but I really have no clue.

---

In other news that darn crit is full. But all is not lost. I am on a waiting list and if I show up they'll give me some money for NOT letting me race. That's right.

This photo is for you Grandma!

Fancy, these goats were having a "King of the Trampoline Battle Royal" when I rode by. I tried to take a photo but the all saw me at the same time, paused and then all in unison bahhhhhhed and came running. Good stuff. I am thinking about getting a goat for the Complex…

I love the rain... just not in crits.

The race started as usual being single file with many gaps. I bridged up to the lead group with some other dude. Went around a few turns and got shot back to the second group. Then is started to rain like hell with lighting/loud thunder and straight line winds. I couldn’t see crap and felt my front wheel coming out just going straight. Our group caught a dropped group from the front. I did way too much work to bring it back but you know... The sprint was a single file sprint that was started way early. I was felling my earlier efforts and tried but couldn't muster anything. I ended up sprinting for 17th and I got 28th.

I also met some dude that goes to University of Vermont. I think his name was Nick, sounded like he was out here on his own also.

Matt Hearts His Griffen

NVGP

For those watching NVGP in a few days. Please cheer on my good friends and teammates. Jason S., Todd E. and Colt T.. I think these dudes will be sticking there noses out there trying to do shit and get notice. Any support you can give will make them go harder. I think they'll be racing under blue RBM Richardson Bike Mark kits. If you don’t know them just follow Leslie around. I think she’s doing the leg massages.

Thanks

Who knows maybe next year we’ll have a full collegiate team strong enough to come out and play.

Cow Poop.

I showed up and got my Duvel.

I guess more then 20 dudes were pulled after one lap. Like they were told it was over before they got to the line. I lasted 4 laps, some with the main group, dropped group and off the back. I was told that this race was not at a normal speed.

I guess the race tomorrow has a cobbled climb and will be raining. Yippy.

"Pimp A$$ Race Car"

For those who knew him as "The Wookie."

I don't think he'll lose the name, but Andrew is losing the hair! I think this is by far the best article The Racing Post has ever had! Read about it here. Page 12.

"Old Timer" Drive

Get'in it. This was just good timing eh?
One of my Belgium sisters.
Todd this climb is for you. I will go ride it easy next week.
Peter you only get this one photo to work with.
Thanks for the hat Alex.

Belgium Racing Fun Fact #1

When 200 or so dudes are single file and your bike is making a weird “clunking” noise and you can't tell what it is but the dude behind you is trying to yell at you in English your front wheel is coming off and has been for the last mile... do not keep pulling up on your bars. Every time he would do this his damn front wheel would go in and out of the dropouts. It was...Stupid.

You ask why I was on his wheel for so long? I couldn’t go around him.

30k fans showed up...

and 230 starters. Well I didn't crash Tom but was on his wheel a few times in the race. I stayed in this one a lot longer then my last two and I feel my legs are starting to come around. I saw racers even real pros going backwards faster then I have ever seen. Maybe in a few weeks I’ll be able to throw in a few “Nice Attacks.”

I was yelled at in this race a few times and even got into a Dutch English yelling match, then smiled. I think that made it worse. It would seem every time I touch anyone while going 35mph or go around corners with my bars on their thighs they all freak out. What the hell? Haha

My friends here took a lot of photos so when I get some I'll post.

I am going to go watch the race now on TV.

"Ahh the American"

This is what the beer drinking official said to me when I picked up my Euro. Today went a lot better. The dudes here go really fast out of corners and today the course had...easily around 30 turns on a 6.5 km course. We raced in the city so the roads were all types. They also push big gears here and I was told to do the same by my Belgium "advisors." Only 3 people finished the whole thing. And you’re right Todd. The lead group was only 10-15 yards up the road and we could never catch them. Crazy shit…

H-Wood my “advisors” here also looked at the position you gave me long ago. I think they wanted to push me back and lower haha. But they also said if I can hold it like I have it I’ll be fine. But I could tell they wanted to move it.

And dudes I don't think it would be wise when everyone is going slow tomorrow to throw in a "Nice Attack." it's a 178km race with more turns then today... You all should take bets to see how long I last.

I am also meeting some super cool people. Peter, Wednesday I will show you a car that will blow you mind. If you have ever seen this car I would be AmaZed.

Next Race

01/06/2009- OOSTROZEBEKE (W)
1.12B - ind.reg.wedstr.(100-120 km) Elite z.c./U23

Technische gegevens:

107,2 km - 670 EUR. - I: Café Vrij Polen, Hoogstraat 39, 8780 Oostrozebeke (056/668721). - U: 13:00/14:00/14:30 - K: Café Vrij Polen, Hoogstraat 39, 8780 Oostrozebeke - Contact: Vandermeulen Jacques, Kalbergstraat 3, 8780 Oostrozebeke (Tel.: 056/666779) (vandermeulen.jacques@skynet.be) - Extra info: 16 ronden van 6,7 km