First elite race in the books

73. That was my number today for my first Elite without contract race. Hosted by the stad of Overmere and was for the most part a very nice course. Getting there however proved difficult. My host mom drove me and while we were following the GPS we were greeted with a few signs for "omlegging" a.k.a. detours. This delayed our arrival to inschrijven or sign in. I thought for sure I was going to learn some more Dutch swear words but I didn't. We eventually asked a few people and found our way. I jumped out of the car and ran to the cafe with my bike. All I needed was a number and I was good to go. The officials had actually closed sign up but they didn't hesitate for a moment re-open it for me. They fired up the laptop, took my info, assigned me a number, I paid 10 euro (I would get back 5 when I returned my number) and it was official. My first elite race was about to begin. Not before I take a nature break though. I quickly found my way down a road and noticed a great place to semi-casually do my thing. Then there I was, lying on the ground with my bike some 10 meters behind me. I couldn't believe it! Had I really just crashed? There was NOBODY around. I was just changing my gears in my big chain ring (53 teeth) and after the third or fourth pedal stroke the chain slipped off and I went over the bars. I had a full water bottle in my rear jersey pocket witch was now all over me and the road. Nothing like a bath of cola and water. Cola and water? I didn't have any sports drink so I improvised.

I actually just laid there for a moment. Looking up at the sky I had nothing going through my mind. Really, nothing. Then I got up, threw a leg over my bike and continued to my spot. Taking a piss in Belgium (especially at bike races) is not really a big deal. I probably could have gone along side any road but I try and be a little discreet. Professionalism or something. I remounted my bike and began riding back the start. Which at this point was no longer the start but the finish. I looked up to see the entire peloton leaving me behind! No way I thought and I sprinted to the end of the road, banged a hard right and caught the tail end of the bunch. Today was going to be a long day. I could already hear people talking about my fall. Someone asked me if I crashed and my only reply was "c'est la vie." To which I received a big laugh. Ok, now just 110km to go and I can take a shower and clean myself up. Well it was nearly the longest 2 hours and 30 minutes I've had in a while.

After the first few laps a break got away and I was very content to just sit in the peloton. However when I say "sit" I don't really mean relax. Towards the end of the third ronden I was getting dropped coming out of the corners constantly. Don't ask me how but how I rode three or four kilometers 30 meters behind the entire bunch just to catch them at the next turn and do it again. I really thought at one point the official would come around me and my race is over. Never happened. I would look back and look forward. Thinking, I've been here before, don't panic, its just the elites, geen probleem! Really though, I don't how I did it. It was probably the biggest mental game I've had in awhile. I created an ideal mindset and rode accordingly. I kept thinking relax, smooth, you can do this. Ok, you need to spin a bit more there is still 40k to go. You don't want to be last wheel, follow that guy closer to the front. Ok, I'm here out of the wind, much better. This is easy! Then I found myself at the front with guys wanting me to pull through. My first thought was "I don't belong here" and my second was "if I pull through one more time my race is done." I don't have the legs for this. I bailed out and was again last wheel. Whatever I thought, I'm going to finish. On the last lap I kept thinking to myself "man, I should have brought some food and some more water!" Mostly food though! I was starving! 110km of racing and all I drank was two bidons of half water and half cola. I must be a stud eh? With bloody elbows, ripped shorts and dirt all over me from the crash. Not so much.

Nothing could stop me from smiling though when I crossed the line number 44 of 73, I think. I have to double check the results as soon as I figured out some more Nederlands.

The end of the race and I'm happy to have completed my first Elite race.








Ruined my racing shorts today. I usually keep one pair for just racing and the others are for training. I think this one is going to get retired a bit prematurely.


















I was starving for something to eat and found a pre-packaged sucre waffle in my duffel bag, SCORE! Alles goed! I later found a Citron Fanta to wash down the waffle. Picked up my five euro for returning the now very beat up looking number and it was off to the Apoteek for some stuff to clean up with.

I ended up at my teammates house, who also crashed this weekend, but much worse than I. We sat around and tended to our road rash and shared some laughs. La dolce vita.










I'm drinking a beer so I can sleep a little better and because it is Belgium and the water here is poison. Ok, the water is not poison but dark beers are suppose to be good for cyclist remember! Something about a higher iron content? This is probably a myth but I'm sticking to it!


I also have this song in my head Haus am see. I also need to add value to my prepaid phone and sign up for Nederlands lessons tomorrow. And check out the damage to my bike, I think now is a good time for a tune up.

Also a quick thanks to all those that helped and supported me along the way. I never really thought I could finish and elite race but I did and I'm thrilled. We'll see how the rest go!