This weekend saw the start of the first Gazette Van Antwerp series race in the Citadel in Namen, Belgium. Last year the ‘big boys’ complained about how hard the course was so this year they changed it to make it easier. I think they failed! That was by far the hardest cross course I have ever ridden, with practically no recovery and hills so steep that even the top pro-men couldn’t ride more than once during the race. Having said that it really was a very fun course and despite the constant lack of oxygen I genuinely loved every minute of it.
The race was good although not entirely without incident. There was a little section on the course with a really steep run up followed by an immediate steep short descent on the first lap over this section I didn’t get my feet clipped in in time and rode down the hill floundering like bambi but fortunately stayed upright. Having only lost a few metres I was straight back to the group into the off camber section which quickly followed. Unfortunately I slipped just at the end of it and lost the wheel, leaving me in ‘no-mans’ land for the rest of the race. Ian later reminded me that ‘just because you’re a bit puffed out doesn’t mean you can have a lie down during the race’. My housemate is full of useful advice.
It was great to catch up with old friends and housemates who I hadn’t seen in a few months like Britt and Gabby although it’s always a bit short lived before races. Unfortunately poor Gabby crashed out of the race half way through and had to be taken to the hospital for a check out, so I didn’t get to see her after but we are all wishing her a speedy recovery.
Here in Oudenaarde we are like a little family, a slightly strange family, but one all the same. Me and Stef are mum and dad and Ian is our 24 year old son, we have had other children during the last few years but currently they have all flown the nest. So as Ian is our surrogate son we do everything together (even my parents ask how he is) including the races. For me this is a good thing as you can learn so much by watching the top guys ride the course at the race after you have to see how things change and how their lines differ to yours. Plus by going to get Ian’s jersey at the line I get to have a little perv on the top pros (did I say that out loud?). Normally this just involves the people but this weekend I was seriously impressed with the Rabobank boys brakes. They had anodised orange brake arms with anodised deep blue brake pad holders and looked particularly shiny.
Living in Belgium you will always find people keen to help and for the past 5 years we have had our good friend Jurgen, however due to family commitments this year he has had to reduce his help somewhat. So this weekend our friend Ronny came with us to the race to help with Ian. Barney Storey once described him as the funniest man he has ever met and as always he lives up to this reputation. I’m tempted at this point to you tube the video of his rendition of ACDC however I don’t think he would forgive us so if your ever at a race just ask him for a personal performance. He is threatening to make his girlfriend Claire Thomas race cross nationals so there is your chance!
So Stef and Ronny are in the pits, I’ve got Ian’s jersey and bottle, refilled his bottle for after the race with the most expensive coke in the world, I think it was lined with gold, and Ian is racing his little socks off on the course. Normally at this point it’s just a simple case of watching the race but as it was so hot I couldn’t forget my boys in the pits so returned to the drinks stand, remortgaged my parent’s house and got them a glass of coke each. By the time I got to watch the race again they were into the 3rd or 4th lap. I have never been to a race where firstly everyone was feeding every lap (it was over 20oc) or where the pro riders actually looked human. The first few laps they looked like they normally do totally in control supper fast and technically brilliant. By the 5th lap they were racing slower than most local league races, sweat was pouring off them, and they all looked totally screwed. It was amazing and unbelievable to see. Having said Sty bar’s last lap was the fastest lap of the entire race so I guess they sped up a little at the end. Ian took an incredible 13th place in a sprint with Sven Vanthournhout and I finished 5th in my race so it was a good day for the family.
This week me and Stef are back in England for the Bike show and to ride the first round of the national trophy series in Abergavenny. So if you are about on Saturday at the show I will be hanging around somewhere near the Kona guys on the Paligap stand and on the interview stage to talk about women’s cycling from lunch time. So till then.
This weekend I took place in my first Urban Downhill race and came 5th, in fact it was my first ever Downhill race. The race course was set up through Plymouth University and had 6 different sets of steps in it. 
