Clear Eyes. Full Hearts. Can't Lose!

Clear Eyes. Full Hearts. Can't Lose!

Monday, March 22, 2010

Coming close in Merelbeke

Best part of 200 riders, good crowds, the music playing, the beer flowing and the kermesse burgers cooking.....all the elements of a typical kermesse here in Belgium. I made the point of being on the front from the start here, knowing like usual it would explode from the off and not wanting to be caught too far back when it did. Not long into the frist lap and I found myself in the first move off the front but this was to be pulled back only a few kms later. After a few laps in the bunch I thought it was time to try again. Making good use of the bike path and the cobbles dividing the path from the road, again typical of racing in Belgium I was back at the front. After getting off the front numerous times over the next few laps, the elastic finally split and I was away. A group of 13 formed at the front and we worked well. There was never really any let up in the speed.....everyone was eager to make it work. Primes come and went without too much disruption....most being more focused on staying out to the finish. Maybe in England, a group of this size, working aswell as it did and building up a gap as it did would have been home and dry, however in Belgium its never over, especially when ‘kermesse kings’ Patrick Cocquyt, Tony Bracke and co are chasing. Still working well I began to think about how i would play this one going into the last couple of laps....when would the right time to launch an attack be or to save it for the finale? With everyone working well I knew going too early could be a mistake as it would be pulled back. As with many races here the break looked like it would go to the finish in one piece and the winner decided right at the death. At that point everyone is tired having worked hard from start to finish and so it comes down to who plays it right and who has that extra bit when it matters. Going into the last few kms we were still working hard and there was a lot more shouting....both signs that we were being hunted. A little look behind and a group of 20 was on our heels. I jumped, hoping that there would be a slight relax in the groups as they formed into one but a few hundred meters later I was back. This was going down to a sprint...32 riders going for the win. I got myself towards the head of the pack within the last km but the race moved right and I found myself too boxed in when the sprint really opened up. There was no way through with the group spreading across the road. Cocquyt would take the win, I placed 23rd. Maybe a little disappointed with the end position given the race I had, but content with the performance I gave in what was a real exciting race to be part of, so hard to be too disappointed. The big result is definately coming...if im constantly putting myself into these sorts of postitions its only a matter of time before it comes off...watch this space!


21/03/2010- MERELBEKE (O)

1.12B - ind.reg.wedstr.(100-120 km) Elite z.c./U23

()

1. COCQUYT Patrick

JOHN SAEY CYCLING TEAM

02:39:00

2. PIETERS Andres

FUJI TEST TEAM

3. DE REKENEIRE Kim

FEEST & SPORTCOMITE KWENENBOS

4. WAUTERS Willem

DAVO - LOTTO - DAVITAMON

5. VANHUFFEL Nic

BCV WORKS CT INGELMUNSTER

6. VAN HOLEN Kim

TEAM-THIELEMANS & CO

7. DE KEULENAER Reno

DAVO - LOTTO - DAVITAMON

8. BRACKE Tony

JOHN SAEY CYCLING TEAM

9. PENNE Frederik

SDC - ROGELLI CYCLING TEAM

10. BROEDERS Garrit

JONG VLAANDEREN-BAUKNECHT

11. VERHAEGEN Christophe

FLEMISH CYCLING PROJECTS

12. DHAENE Brecht

DAVO - LOTTO - DAVITAMON

13. VERVERKEN Gerdy

CT FORCE - WERVIK VZW

14. GRASHEV Martin

NESSEBAR

15. GYUROV Spas

NESSEBAR

16. POPPE Rutger

WK NOORD WEST BRABANT

17. DE SCHAMPHELAIRE Bjorn

ASFRA RACING TEAM

18. EECKHOUT Kurt

WETTERSE DAKWERKEN-AUTOGLAS WETTEREN CT

19. VERSCHRAEGEN Krijn

CUBE-FINTRO CT

20. SABO Pedro

DMC- CYCLING TEAM

21. DE WINNE Jurgen

WETTERSE DAKWERKEN-AUTOGLAS WETTEREN CT

22. DE ROOS Robby

WIELERSPORTVER. ARTEVELDE VZW GENT

23. PATTEN Daniel

ASFRA RACING TEAM

24. TESSEUR Kim

ROCK WERCHTER-CHOCOLADE JACQUES C.T.

25. THYS Steven

C.T. KEUKENS BUYSSE KNESSELARE

26. VAN MINGEROET Jarno

PROFEL CYCLING TEAM

27. ALMHEIM OLE MARTIN

SANDNES SK

28. POELMAN Laurens

BCV WORKS CT INGELMUNSTER

29. MARTYNAS Maniusis

UTENOS KKSC

30. VAN CLEEMPUTTE Timmy

SDC - ROGELLI CYCLING TEAM

31. STANDAERT Hansjorg

DIRK VERSTUYFT CYCLING TEAM

32. DE COSTER Matthieu

ROYAL CUREGHEM SPORTIF - BRUSSEL

33. HAERS Joris

BIANCHI NIEUWE HOOP TIELEN VZW

:01:48

No comments:

Post a Comment