Belgium Waffles and Kermesses
Belgium Waffles and Kermesses:
One year later and I’m back chipping around the same kermesses, drinking the same chocolate milk and eating the same waffles. Good stuff. After finishing my work placement I came out to Belgium around 3 weeks ago. The season at home is as good as over and I still feel fairly motivated so I might as well come out here and continue racing. My form and focus dipped after the ras and I’ve struggled to lift it back to where it should be, but I’m out here and just focusing on cycling - I feel it’s coming back. I’ve been out here 23 days so far and I’ve raced 9 races (I think; may have missed one or two) consisting of 5 kermesses, 2 stage races, and 2 interclubs. 9 races believe it or not have been keeping it fairly reserved. You could race every day out here so it could be easy to cook yourself. The stage races and interclubs are like 160kms plus, so that’s a good hour longer than kermesses, they take a lot out of you. They're fairly hard so getting round them is a positive. I’ve had no luck at kermesses either. Crashed, punctured and ripped a gear cable out in another. It’s frustrating because your time out here is limited. But I’m starting to feel good in them and lifted a prime in my last race (wooow cash dolla) with 6 laps to go and actually soloed of the front for about 6kms until getting caught and missing the move that stuck about 2kms later. Ahhhh what a classic shoulda, woulda, coulda.
I’m out here riding for an amateur club team, shout out to the mullenspurter Muelebeke holding it down. Why? Sure I could just race in my club kit from back home, that’s true, but riding for local teams gains you access to bigger races, plus the benefit of having a team that can look after you. Fair play to them, for such a small team they really have helped me massively. Through the team I’ve been able to ride Belgium Interclubs, Pro Kermesses and also got the chance to ride a 5 day stage race. (I rode 2 stages and had a fairly decent head over bars into mud bath spill on stage 2 which put an end to my race) It’s a brutal race, luckily I got to ride and finish it last year so I'm not too bothered about crashing out this year. Any U23/Junior with a big ego send them out to that for a reality check. Basically 5 days in a row on some of the hardest classic roads. You feel like a hero for 5 days riding over cobbles, things falling off your bike etc. Complete beaches of Normandy spec stuff.
I’m also going to the Netherlands on the 16th of September to ride for UCI race. I’m told there are for example continental teams so that’ll be an experience anyway.
I’m living with this dude Hein, (that’s the best way to describe him, he’s a cool dude) Dany Blondeel hooked me up with him last year. Taking a stranger into his house for the past two summers and expecting nothing in return. Absolute top bloke! I’m not a sponge for anyone wondering, I often buy the food, fill his car up and do whatever I can around the house. I took him out for a meal last year, he definitely got me in the end haha, it costed 247€! He lets me live in his house, drive his car and I have nothing to worry about other than riding my bike. I do know how lucky I am and a lot of other people would love to have the same opportunity. Hein has a passion for racing like every other Belgian. He knows everything about racing and could tell you step by step how to win races or how I continually lose them... - yeah Hein you know everything bro ha!
Here’s an interesting aspect to racing in Belgium, I’m based in Tielt, West Flanders. Flanders is basically the ultimate hotspot for racing. So seven days a week you will get a race within an hour’s drive max. Often they are that close you can cycle to them, a race 30kms away is considered too far.
Whereas back home you pay a minimum of 15€ to race, you only pay 10€ out here, get 5€ back after the race and prizes go down to 30th place. For a few of the bigger races you get money for signing on.
My main goal this year is to get a top 10, I feel I’m strong enough and it suits me out here. I got taken out in a winning break last week, whole arse burnt off me. I’ve been using Primal Europe Mits racing out here, they are fairly slick and have remained in one piece despite sliding down the road. I’ll keep rolling the dice and hope for some better luck.
Hein’s wife past away earlier this year and every race last year she’d ask me to bring her back flowers. If I could do that for Hein this year I know it would make his world, I’m so grateful for him taking me in again this year.
It’s a fairly positive environment over here, there’s a number of other Irish riders at the minute too and we all live within a good distance. So meeting for coffees and having the crack happens on a regular basis. Good vibes only. Shout out to the boys holding it down at the coffee stops. You know who you are. I’ve been wearing my Primal Kit on coffee runs, also nice to get out of the race kit and wear some casual cycling apparel.
The weather has also been fairly great. Maybe I’ll do another blog when I return home. Then I’ll be heading into my final year of University. It’s been a long season and I’ve enjoyed every minute of it.
We on highs not lows.
Sound out.