A Kermis Weekend with the Canucks

So from I am now writing my blogs out of Tielt Winge, where I am living with the Canadian team. Saturday's race went fairly well. We were all agressive and once the opportunities came together well we had 4 riders in the lead group of 17. Once we established a comfy gap we started to try to improve our odds by sending guys up the road. First I went up with another rider who is supposedly doing worlds for the Dutch National team. He complained about stuff and tried not to pull but I showed him I wasn't afraid to sit up and let us fall back into the break, where I had 3 teammates and he had none. We stayed off the front for a few laps and were eventually pulled back. Nigel attacked as a counter and brought one guy with him. Two people soon followed as Chris and I hesitated to chase, thinking it was the other guy's turn to follow. We blocked and didn't help the chase. Eventually the two later guys to attack caught Nigel's group and Nigel finished 3rd. I was 10th overall and won a preme at some point. Sunday playing the team game ended up giving me the opportunity to finish a race off. I went early with a move first lap and Chris and Yohan soon joined and we were 3 of 8. Quinten also was there and I felt almost like I was riding a TTT with all my buddies! With some time and whitling of riders on a small power section on the course only Chris and I were left with a massive thighed Crabbe rider and Quinten. I knew, judging by his thighs, the Crabbe would be a problem in the gallop so the next time I had a chance, and there was a lull, I would launch. This attack lasted 6 km and I was caught with 9km to go. It also allowed Chris to sit in and catch his breath so when/if I come back he can attack. Chris didn't have much of a jump at this point of the race and couldn't do much to hurt the Crabbe rider. Coming into the last corner I accidently let a 5m gap open between me and the Crabbe rider who was behind Chris, who had started to lead him out. I quickly came across the gap and he looked back to see and then started his sprint as soon as I was there. He opened a gap quickly and over the last 250m (a long one) I brought my 3m deficit to become a .50m deficit. Losing by half a wheel, again, is a bummer. It's bike racing, you can't win em all. Next week we race 2 big interclub races where I hope for a really good result. I'm going to bed.

Also I have been officially selected to race the ITT at Worlds in Valkenburg 2 weeks from today!