June 2012 Belgium Kermess race reports

Departure

And so to Belgium, leaving Oxford at 0600 on the 28th May Tuesday, to make the 1000am ferry,  darting around the M40 as the traffic was mega bad. Made it in time for picking up a few euros and a top up of diesel, for the 2hr drive from dunkerk to Ronse, Belgium to stay for two weeks with the zappis pro team on their sofa.

The Races 

The particular races I am competing in are called Kermesses,  they are anything from 90-130km and are usually fairly flat. The races are held on public roads which are closed completely for the duration of the races, The courses generally involve technical fast and swooping corners and screaming pace through the town where the curbs are covered with over two thousand spectators.  These high paced races (around 27-30mph average speed) is very much part of Flemish culture and can be seen by the bookies and their chalk boards with local race results from the racers present on the day,  Phenonenal ques of locals waiting to place their bets on the riders with the best odds also raises the level of excitement as well as large fairs and games stands.

The front bunch is preceeded by a car with a large dispaly showing the time or gap on the peleton and also playing very loud music to rouse the crowd every time the pack come back round.  The next car carries the officials and scoots round all the corners the bikes are flying through, behind that is an police car and then ambulance,  followed finally by the broom wagon which sweeps up any riders that have dropped off the back of the pack/crashed and need returning to start line.

Race 1 (31st may) 120km: Today's race was real fast and hot, was in the top 30 out of 200 until last 2 laps of 16 where I got real bad inc stomach cramps (probably from caffeine, although others zappis riders had the same) and felt unwell, pulled out on the last lap to save myself for tomorrow! I did however nail the corners,  made up places where others were slower,  12km per lap too! All of the zappis guys stopped bar one, tired, ill, and punctures! Drank 4 bottles of water and 6 gels!

Result: 45/200

Avg Speed: 29 MPH

Race 2 (1st June): felt on form, unlike the day before where tummy went boom in the last 2 laps. Was in the mix a lot more, group got away with Nick in it and held main peleton off for the whole race. I followed a few moves that didn't pull through and lost out on the last group split, then Sam Parker (zappis rider) came past and pushed off me!! Ha! Last lap almost a warm down as pace slowed right up. I finished a few places behind another zappis rider...but should try to be smarter. I came 50th out of 130ish. If I was smart could have made top 30 and should have been in the top 10.

Result: 50/139

Avg Speed: 28 MPH

Day 3, day off: today has been a light 2 hour ride with a cafe stop.to.use the internet. when we get back some stretching, and foam rolling to loosen up the muscles. BBQ tonight too, will update soon.

Tomorrow I'm preparing for race 3: where I will spend my energy more wisely, and try to stick with Sam to follow his interpretation of the peleton's actions.

Ps races are all between 100-130km

So far both have been 130km average yesterday was 28mph! I was riding hard for few minutes at 35mph chasing down an attacking group,  felt like an eternity!

Avg Speed: 20 MPH

Race 3 - wet and windy, hilly and gritty ( Monday - 05/06/2012) 130km-15 laps. Race lead out of the town starting at the bottom of the hill leading up and through at approx 2-5-8% incline-3km. Once hitting the top of the hill leaving town, a large (increasing throughout) headwind, exiting the road in to town via a right onto a wide main road with a savage side wind (left –right) . This continued for 1km then snaked left onto a farm lanes that wound upwards towards the church on a small rural village, this section was particularly hard and I was pushed into a grassy ditch at one point, came back alongside the Belgium rider who consciously pushed me off and eyeballed him then dropped squeezed into his breaking space into a corner (which I didn't brake and hung on as I skirted the apex).

I was able to make up time and places on the next gradual climb which had a good tail wind. This climb peaked and descended into technical windy gritty roads, these followed into a slight downhill, where all riders sprinted especially further toward the rear of the peleton. 

The down hill leaving the town provided good opportunity to make up places before another sharp left which caused some riders to ride wide….into the gutter (mongs). This was followed by many windy and open with much cross wind sections, overtake opportunities were available on corners (taking the inside line- a little a rougher-but faster line). One of the hardest parts was the sprints and attacks that lead back into town- massive headwind forcing riders to ride as close to the RHS as possible towards the back on the peleton tapering from the front.
I attacked on the climb leading up into town and made up places surprisingly-most likely as they were the legs that had put down the big watts on the main road on route to town. 

Summary: The race was very hard and difficult to get consistent flow and maintain speed as riders were bricking it and braking massively into corners, moving past and taking the lead aided a smoother average speed per lap but massive cross winds made this fatiguing. Food consumed was inadequate- half a 600ml bottle of Zipvit CHO drink and chewy bar- the rain and grit in my mouth and everywhere made general consumption unappealing, however smashing a few caffeine gels would have probably helped stay with the peleton longer (possibly dropping a bottle as weight increased due to the wet kit approx 3-4kg). 

I was level with a Terra team conti rider when I was swept up by the broom bus having completed only 50miles and was placed 23rd (10 Euros prize money).

 Sam (zappis rider who is the best climber in the team) placed 34th, Chris 38th and Adam finishing 41st after attacking early and leading a potential preem attempt but getting spat out the back after 3 laps. The race worked better for me I think because in areas allowed for personal beasting where I felt ok in for this race, although felt gradually more and more tired throughout race and putting in less competitive efforts to close gaps and sprint with the group leaving the particularly savage open sections. Best result so far, although least suited to my strengths (as there was a fair amount of climbing where I feel I am stronger on the flats was able to hang in and make good moves even on climbs), excluding corners and tight turns on the rough surfaces in the wet. Used 50% of brake pads due to grit.

I was quick to change out of my wet kit,  Sam and I shared a blanket and shivered the whole way home.  I think this is where my poor recovery accelerated getting the cold I've had for a few days now.

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Result: 23/140

Avg Speed: 30 MPH

Race 5 108km-15 laps. (06/06/2012- Tuesday)-17 -20 degrees/dry and windy. Hard as nails from lap 2 after riders had settled into pinning corners (or not for some riders). Course involved many tight turns off fast roads, which instigated horribly big effort sprinting out of the corners.

I felt pretty tired and woke feeling beaten up with a sore throat,  like someone had force fed me a pineapple in my sleep.  The race went ok although switched off a little and ended riding harder than needed to to maintain position in top 20.  I closed gaps solo on some occasions only to catch the group in front as they braked into a corner, then the battered the riders behind would catch me and the group and push through whilst I recovered, on some occasions I would kick Down and jump on the back,  the moves I followed didn't really pay off and I used my energy to generously.

In summary I got mad and pushed too much to close gaps that would close themselves with the dynamic of the course and braking. Using the speedometer beyond 34miles I felt fairly fatigued and decided to consume a cola caffeine gel, this helped but wary of stomach cramps I was reluctant to eat any more- I probably should have eaten earlier around the 25mile mark. I did eat one large CHO hydrating gel 4 laps in, need to get back on the caffeine bus!

 Two riders pushed off me when I was trying to close two separate gaps- although probably looked baked and was in the way of riders with fresher legs getting through. I told them to go funk* themselves on both occasions, one responded with the middle finger, it was my error as I was hanging my self out to dry and slowing passage up through the peloton up although pretty much a single file line due to the cross wind. I only realized this 4 hours later when writing up the race.

 This race reinforced the importance of knowing my limits although tired from yesterdays rainy race, I could and should have used my energy more sensibly,  I began winding up way too far from the finish which was into a head wind, several riders also tried this once I was on the front decided that this was a bad idea but my legs were already at what felt like 90% and any more felt a big ask and upon trying this, was not sustainable.

The take home message was not to sprint early 1km into a headwind just as with Castle Coombe 2nd place race (where I sprinted 1 km to the finish and lost by half a wheel). I was also unable to close some gaps coming out of corners and needed to be right on the wheel of the rider in front and pedaling just before reaching exit, I only started to do this as I became tired out of necessity. 

Result: 38/170

Avg Speed: 30 MPH

Tomorrows’ (07/06-Wed) race is hilly but at 6pm so I may race and rest Thursday, then put out on Fridays flat race. For now, I need to buy some new brake pads.

Dexter from Zappi's Pro Cycling has given me his spare set of pads and all is running sweet,  but have a cold and will need a few days off I think

I'm afraid I've written up the remaining race reports on paper as I'm writing these upon my smart phone which takes hours.

Thanks to Beeline Bikes for helping me get out here and experience such awesome racing at this high level.

Ciao for now.