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| Taken on one of my favorite rides in Belgium. In Huy, Belgium. |
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| One of the most famous climbs in all of cycling, the Mur du Huy averages 18% for over 1KM. The picture doesn't do justice for how steep it actually is. It is the finishing climb in the Classic Fleche-Wallonne |
I had one race on Tuesday which for the most part, was pretty mellow. Very flat, but wide roads and only a couple of turns made for a fast race but not too technical. That is, until the last 3 kilometers. The course had only two hiccups, but of course, they were placed strategically near the finish. I was feeling pretty decent for the most part and the mood was relaxed, given that it's pretty close to the end of the season. A small group of riders got away on the last lap but we were closing down on them fast in the finale.
Remember those hiccups? Well, in the last kilometer, there were two turns, each with road "furniture" right dead smack in the middle. The result: 100+ riders turning at 30mph and then suddenly splitting off into two directions to avoid hitting a road island. I knew this was there, but so did everyone else. Going down the home straight leading up to that turn, I was stuck on the outside. Oh shit. I knew I was in a bad spot and was hoping that the other side of the pelaton would slow down just a tiny fraction so a couple of other riders and I could "slide" ahead. That didn't happen. We made the turn, and because it was the last lap, the animated pelaton decided to throw caution to the wind, swerving left, right, sideways in an everyman for himself fashion. My peripheral vision sent my brain a message: "closing space, closing space". The road got smaller and smaller and smaller. Dark objects suddenly appeared out of nowhere. And suddenly, I had nowhere to go except onto the sidewalk. Oh shit, again. As I bunny hopped onto the sidewalk, I noticed an old man sitting on a lawn chair, except not on the lawn. On the sidewalk. Impact, impact, impact....and suddenly he pushed off the ground with his feet and slid backwards right as I passed by.
Good, but as this was happening, I was losing major ground in the group. I calculated I probably lost around 30-40 places in a matter of seconds. By the time I made it back onto to the road, I was stuck in the middle and it was a bit too late to move or do anything.
Anyways, I finished, again just outside of the money. But what was pretty frustrating about the whole day was that I wasn't even that tired at the end. I might have felt a bit different if I completely emptied the tank but my plan was to save it for the end, and instead, I used it all on a bunny hop. The next race, and last race of the year, it was all in.
And the last race, I can say I left it all out there, which in the end, is all I can ask for. My legs were not feeling 100% after having to run over 1.5 kilometers in 6 minutes to make my train in Ghent two nights before. But regardless, I was dead tired at the end, which was actually a good feeling.
The race was in a very beautiful area in southern Belgium, close to the Ardennes. It features several hills but was only 80km so a bit shorter than usual. Regardless of what place I got, I wanted to make sure I didn't hold anything back. It was the last race of the year and I had nothing to lose.
Luc told me to watch one rider before the race who always managed to make the front group. And I did. The first lap, I sat second wheel, while the rider I was told to mark, pulled the entire field for 10 kilometers. Then, I think he got tired because he sat up and started to drift back. I stayed on his wheel and too drifted back. Riders continued to pass on both sides until I looked around and realized we were at the back of the 80+ rider pelaton. OK. Well, I figured this was a rather precarious place to be so I decided to follow my teammate, also named Julien, with an "e", around for the next couple of laps. This was actually pretty reassuring. I trusted Julien's instincts and decided when he goes, I go. Well, I was doing a perfect job of following him around for 99% of the time, until there was one moment when he was on one side, and I was 1-2 riders apart. And that's when the move went. God Verdomme.
I realized this, and gave 110% to get on the move. From the moment it went to the next 4 laps, it seemed like an eternity of cat and mouse, not only in the chase but in the actual distance to the break. At one point, we got agonizingly close, ~ 6-7 seconds. But, the gap stayed and stayed and stayed. And then, it got even more complicated when our group passed lapped riders. At one point, our chase group caught a lapped pelaton of 40+ riders. Nice. Passing on the single lane road, it was a bit nervous. I don't think they understood "on your left".
I found myself in a 6 rider chase group and we ended up staying off until the end. It was good for 23rd out of a pretty big field. Moreover, I was pretty beat at the end and even though from my armchair perspective I would have done some things differently( as is the case whenever you don't come in first), I learned a lot from this race. I left it all out there and in the end, that's all that matters.
Earlier this week, I visited Antwerpen and met a friend in Ghent, now two of my favorite cities in all of Belgium. Beautiful weather, people and food. I can't really describe how awesome, new, and different it is here but I was taken back by just another Thursday evening in Ghent. So relaxed, casual, serene and happy. People, young and old, with picnic blankets, enjoying wine, beer, and food by the canal while violins serenaded sweet fall and classical music. I think on this night, I fell for Belgium.
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| Ghent. |
I met a Bieke for a drink, which turned into two, and then before I knew it, I had 15 minutes to make the train. We ran over to the tram stop just in time to see the tram going in a different direction. Time quickly ticked by and I now had less than 10 minutes to make the last train to Ottignies. With a full backpack, I clocked probably the fastest run I've done since high school track of Freshmen year. I made the train with less than 1 minute to go. My legs were a little fried, after all, different muscles than cycling:) I just remember the poor guy sitting across from me when I asked if it was ok to sit down in the seat. Covered in sweat and looking like I just came out of a shower, I got his approval, and sat down, all while trying to comprehend how I made that F$**##*$# train. I was still laughing 10 minutes later.
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| Here's to the Off Season |
Now, it's off to discover what else is new in this monde. I can't believe how fast the last couple of months have gone. It seemed just like yesterday when I was boarding the Air Canada flight in SF. So many ups and downs, but I realize now, that's what made this whole part of the season, this whole summer, this whole trip such a memorable experience. Because without all the adversity, the unprecedented moments, the disappointment, the frustrations, it would have been a pretty bland and somewhat banal time. Of course, the ups are much better than the downs. And with every low point I've witnessed, there has been a high point to counter and almost immediately replace it. I've learned so much about not only cycling, but the culture, the people and the country, that it is almost too hard to comprehend or convey. I never imagined before I left how much my life and own perspective would change after immersing myself into what initially was the unknown. Now, I call it my second home.
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| Time to Explore! Taken at Central Station, Antwerp. |
I can't thank enough all of the people who have supported me here in Belgium and back in the U.S. Bike races come and go but I will keep the friends for life. It's been a wild ride and I'm looking forward to more new adventures, whatever they may be, in Belgium and Beyond.
