MASSAGES

Since I have been doing kinda crappy in most of the races I have been doing im going to talk about something else, the last race that I did was fun, but for some reason it was fast and you had to really fight hard to stay at the front.  the first two or three laps where fine, I could hold my position no problem, but at lap two we went onto smaller roads which strung out the group to the max. After a lap of this I was near the back and playing a game of catch up with a 2km long line, that sucked and I eventually just got bungeed off the back at about 6 laps in.  

Back to massages, when you get a massage it is great for everything, recovery, mental recuperation and muscle recuperation.  massages two days before a big race or a race weekend always help you race better, and my situation is golden, I have a masseur in my house he is also one of the cyclists.  I get a massage once a week and that usually holds me over for a while, but by the time that week is up I am in need of my next massage.  Massage is also like a chore however, because after the massage the stretching and hydration are the most important parts and that is usually not something you want to do after your massage, but its all good because as long as I give it a day before racing to get the crap out of my legs, then I am flying when it comes race time. 

COMING TO FORM

It has taken long enough, but I feel like I am finally coming to form in Belgium.  my first few races in this new rigid land have not been the best for my confidence and for my legs, but finally on Tues at an Interclub Race with the PRO's my legs felt strong.  My form is also starting to come around, by this I mean that I am starting to get used to the racing style and intensity that is consistent with Belgium.  Now that I have found some form and finished my first 160+ km race the hard part is over and now I can attempt to get some results. 

The race this weekend was really good for me, the course was flat with 4 pave sectors, not only that me finishing a race has really done wonders for my head now I can focus on my racing.  the course being flat and cobbled was right up my alley, when the sounier said that it was a long course that was flat and cobbles I started to get excited about the race and rejected any of the thoughts about what a sufferfest it actually was going to be.  

By the way our sounier is the coolest guy ever, and we appreciate everything Roland you are the best.  

The start of the race was not all that hard I spent some time at the front for the first four laps, after that I started to creep backwards and remained there for the rest of the race petty much.  There where a few times that I came back up to the front, but mostly stayed mid-pack and just hung on, because my goal for this race was to finish.  At about six laps to go I ran into some trouble, is tarted to get cramps in the legs, so I drank the two bottles that I had a fast as I could, and grabbed another in the feed zone.  the next four laps I grabbed a bottle in the feed zone, this subdued the cramps for one lap.  then on two laps to go the break away and another group of 30 was established so one of the boys from a rival team got on the front and slowed  down the race as to say don't even try for the next few laps.  So about six of us got on the front and started to drive it, since the impetus was not so high from the group I sat on the front driving it for about half a lap.  After this pull I was completely nuckered, so I sat on to the back of the pack for the remaining minutes of the race.  When I came across the line I felt like raising my arms in the air in victory, but I figured as pretty much the last person on the road that might look kinda stupid so I just celebrated in my mind.

CRASHES

It is commonly  know that bad things come in three's, well I have had three meetings with the pavement in this new country, so hopefully that is all out of the system.  the first crash was in the wet, at a kermess and I took a corner too fast.  the second was at a dry kermess, and the guy in front of slammed on his brakes to go into a 90deg corner and I hit the back of him then kinda ran off my bike, third was the worst. 

The third crash happened yesterday, I decided to do a kermess yesterday over by brussels.  The race was a long 15 laps on a very hilly circuit, as I do at any other kermess i grabbed my number and went out in front of the bar to put it on.  Sitting on the curb having a bit of a nap was none other than a Helens Cycles rider from LA, he is racing for a team in paris.  After talking to this guy for a while I went searching around with my South African teammate to find some fellow  South Africans that where also at the race, we sat and talked to them for about 15min and before long it was time to start.  Lining up was more intense than at any of the previous races because there where several PRO's there, topsport, and beveren 2000 which is the Quickstep development team, but it wasn't as bad as I thought.  The race was tame for the first lap then the next 3 or 4 laps where balls to the wall, then it settled down a little but not much.  This was the first race that I actually did decent in, even though I didn't finish I lasted the longest I have so far and felt pretty good.

The deadly ride home, everything was ok on the ride home until we went through Ninove.  After Ninove it started to rain, so we naturally started to go faster.  With the rain coming down a little bit harder I was following my teammates wheel, and he didn't see a brick in the road until the last minute, so naturally I didn't see it at all.  my front wheel missed it oddly enough but I nailed it with my back wheel and went ass over kettle ended up about a meter off the road in a muddy ditch.  what a way to have the third crash eh? luckily I was not hurt to bad just plenty of road rash and some bruises, nothing broken or re-broken.  Let's just hope i can be well enough to race this weekend, some big races coming up including a mountain bike race which is going to be fun as hell!

RIDING IN BELGIUM

Riding in Belgium, is so much fun, maybe its because its a new place to explore for the moment or maybe because it is actually that good, but the other day i was actually excited to ride my bike which has not happened for a while. usually riding is a chore, or known as going into the office, but my riding here is so enjoyable.  Most of the big roads that you have in Belgium have large bike lanes or separate bike paths, but most of the rides that i have been doing lately, i haven't hit a main road for more than a kilometer.  most of this country road riding consists of me going out for long rides and getting lost then trying new roads to find out how to get home.  Sometimes however these rides actually have a plan and a direction, which if you know which direction your destination is then these roads are faster than the main roads.  The cities are places to stay away from, after riding and driving through the cities i have finally figured out that its best to stick to the small villages, it took me a week too long.  

We had a big race this weekend past it was an interclub, which is just a few steps below pro racing over here.  I did not finnish, but i did feel a lot better than in the first two races that i have done so far, there was a 400 meter cobble climb and that didn't fair to well with a broken finger, but thats life, GRAB A CUP!