I decided to race today despite preferring to race every third day, I found my recovery just isn't complete if I race too often, especially at the moment when I don't think my body is 'race hardened' but I'm getting there.
Today was nice and warm, 25c, much less wind, but its never not windy in flat flanders, a bit like Gippsland in that respect but very unlike it in every other respect. For instance when I was driving to the race today I passed through the heavy industry area on the outskirts of Ghent pretty ugly but every country has one of these sectors. If you understand where Ghent sits in the country, the site of ocean going ships docked makes you look twice even though I've seen often enough before, the waterway sysem is just so impressive.
I've raced at Mendonk before, winning the bunch sprint for third in 2009, to be honest there are courses I much prefer but the finish does suit me to a T. The course is so complex its difficult to describe but the first two thirds snakes across narrow concrete farm roads before coming onto the finish straight with maybe 2km to the line. There are so many changes of direction with most of the straight bits being between 200m and 500m, some of the corners are pretty difficult with the washed out gulley's on the side. I nearly lost it on one of these with two laps to go when a particularly tall chap caused me to change my line at the last minute so missed the turning in point, and there was only one!, consequently I was running out of road on the way out and had to stand my bike on its nose to avoid the drop off! There were a few 'comments' from behind, of course I had to apologise and do the right thing by closing the gap I had left.
That's why I ride the smallest bike I can get away with, with the longest stem that I can buy, small bikes are more nimble than big ones.
I started the race thinking that my legs weren't great and I would go to half way (8 lap race) before I got involved, do what I have to, but remain calm, save my legs. A factor in all my races so far has been the presence of a particularly strong team with 5/6 of the strongest riders, they have dictated the racing loading up the breaks, then defending their team mates, consequently it seemed prudent to only expend my efforts in response to break groups that had 2/3 of these guys in it.
I jumped across to two breaks in the first laps! so much for my plan. But I felt good there were some spots on the course where my speed was a real asset, what I lacked was the ability to sustain it for too long. I knew my FTP (threshold) wasn't where it could be but I am able to arc it up for 60/90 seconds to bridge gaps very well. So I concentrated my efforts in bridging gaps to everything that looked promising, but nothing stuck even though there were 10 attempts each lap.
Consequently we were all together starting the last lap. Unfortunately we didn't get a last lap call, unusually for me I didn't have a grip on where we were in the race. Others were in the same boat but the lap was full on and I was definitely getting a bit jaded jumping out of those tricky corners, thinking we were coming round to the bell I was trying to save my legs as much as possible.
We came onto the home straight in three groups still in the hunt with a single guy about 100m off the front, I was in the third group saving my legs, we all came together, apart from the one guy, at 750m to go so I was on the back, I should point out there were 12/15? in the group. At 600m I'm thinking these guys are setting up for a sprint, at 500m to go I'm looking to move up but just like Saturday, I was going fast but not yet sprinting, at 350m I committed down the right overtaking many, at 200m to go I knew I was blocked there, cut back into the middle, found a gap, moved through one guy still in front of me, I had to cut right (or left) to take him. As I moved up on him he moved across me to the barriers to block me, so second again!!! third in the race.
I had to hang about to get my prize money in the biggest tent I have ever been in, the 'Festent', wher they party big time. This tent seated over 600 people, I was there far too long and counted the seats! had a stage, a dance area, a big bar with seperate seating and an indoor archery butt! Yep archery and it was incredibly popular, people turning up with their own bows and all the kit, amazing stuff. But it was incredibly hot in there and to be honest, I had enjoyed the race, well almost, and should have just left the money for the WAOD funds, it wasn't worth waiting an hour for I can tell you.
One of the up points is that more and more of the guy are at least saying hello now, but English is a problem for most of them.
Before the race I bumped into a brit, he's 81, looks great and races in the over 70's. I coached his son at one stage in the 80's good bike rider but never went on with it, apparently he's a swim coach now.
I'm ready for another rest day tomorrow.
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