I had quite a relaxed few days in terms of mental pressure this weekend. There were no big races on so I did a couple of Kermisses with a bit of extra training beforehand. The plan was to sit in and get some ‘speed miles’ in but I have an allergic reaction to sitting on wheels for the duration of races, so I naturally ended up doing more work than I should have.
Saturday was a 110k Kermis in Koekelare and I got there early so I could do ninety minutes steady before the start. It was nice to meet up with Neil Reeder and the GWR boys too, as four of them had come over to smash up the foreign circuit. The start was characteristically fast and twisty, with a lovely smattering of cobbles and crosswinds, and the bunch shredded. I bullied my way to the front and stayed there or thereabouts throughout which was lucky, because it was carnage behind.
I got in the break, then I clung on for dear life. I'm still looking quite comfortable here.
Nearing the end there was a group of about forty riders away and I was cruising along with them, mostly at the back with sore legs. One guy clipped away and no-one else chased him so I waited for my moment and then attacked about 1.5k from the end, in a nasty headwind section. I felt like I was barely moving and thankfully a bloke came across to me from the bunch. I did one turn and then sat on him, before doing the age old trick of jumping him (like the big meanie I am) 300m from the line. The bunch were right on our bums by this point and one guy came round me, but I just managed to hold onto 3rd by doing a rather comical bike throw (and spraining my arm in the process).
When the legs say no and you just can't go, follow wheels. Sitting on like a boss!
This is me pretending to be at the front of a bunch sprint, when in fact I'd been off the front for over a kilometre; got ya!
On Sunday, me and da boyz rode 20k out to Merelbeke for another jolly Kermis. It was quite a big field and the fast course made it very difficult to get away in a break. After several semi-suicidal attacks (easy for me to say) there was finally a split near the end with 10k to go, and as it had four of us Terra boyz in it I drove it.
One of many doomed breakaways I was in. This 10k escape earned us one 10 euro prime. I'm not sure it was worth it: if you look closely at my face you'll probably agree.
I put in a little attack 3k out but wasn’t feeling it and when I came back my Belgian amigo Bjorn De D went over the top and took a friend with him. He was looking super strong so we massed at the front and covered any chasers. From there myself and Josh Hunt did a textbook lead out train for Llewellyn Kinch who just got pipped for third and was fourth. It was a good day for the team and a pretty convincing show of dominance.
Mythical: enjoying the view from the top of the Muur yesterday.
Today I enjoyed a coffee in the sun, riding up the Muur Van Geraardsbergen and getting a team issue hair cut. This weekend is the Tryptique des Monts et Chateaux stage race in Belgium so I’m looking forward to seeing how I go over a few days racing.
Hair cutting is the new spectator sport. It's like a live reality show. Here's Josh Yetman getting the snip.
Team issue haircut. Well I like it (and it was free). This is also the photo on my application to be a boyband member.
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