Picture from Merelbeke:
http://www.wielerseizoenfotos.be/page13.php?view=preview&category=32&q=&ImageGalleryPage=2&image=3334
For the 4-th week in a row; it's race time. This time near Leuven in Linden. The weather is perfect for me; there is a lot of wind; the loop is 9 km and there is a 1km uphill stretch in the loop. I already love this race.
The number of riders is 130 and some people I know from my past in the peleton. Tom de Feyter and Yves van Gorp are present in the race. It's nice to know some people in the peleton. I just started the race and Cedric Van Lommel is standing next to the road. A good rider and ex-professional and good friend of my brother. Nice to see familiar faces next to the road. The race itself is going pretty good for me for the first 6 laps. Then I get thirsty and luckily Jef Wuyts is there to fill my water bottle :) Thanks alot Jef. However, this did not help me in staying with the pack. After 1 hour and 45 minutes my body suddenly decides to stop performing on a recup stretch even. I already felt that each time we had to climb the hill, my heart rate went to about 185. This makes this race more exceptional than the other races before. This 7 times going so deep has the effect on my body that it stopped immediately. I tried to bridge the gap to the peleton for about 2 km; but it was no use; I had to surrender and be a little bit disappointed. I performed better than last Wednesday; but I did not expect the regression in my results; however; I am giving myself time and overall I am happy with how I am feeling on the bike so far.
Euer,
Joris
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Kluisbergen - Ruien
I really looked forward to this race; since I was expecting a selective course with some uphill and a nice loop. However; nothing of that: 160 riders; a 5 km loop; a lot of cornering and as flat as a pool table.
Immediately after the start I feel this is going to be a very hard, hard race for me since I just entered competition; all the cornering and the small roads get my hart rate at around 180; constant. I keep this up for about 1 hour and 5 minutes. Then I completely disappointed in myself and this shitty day leave the race. Unfortunately for my nice fans Ruben and Lien next to the road. They were lucky they saw me once. Rationally I know why this race was bad; and I just need more patience; more interval training in races and more competition; however; mentally getting dropped in a race is never easy and very difficult to cope with for me.
Euer,
Joris
Immediately after the start I feel this is going to be a very hard, hard race for me since I just entered competition; all the cornering and the small roads get my hart rate at around 180; constant. I keep this up for about 1 hour and 5 minutes. Then I completely disappointed in myself and this shitty day leave the race. Unfortunately for my nice fans Ruben and Lien next to the road. They were lucky they saw me once. Rationally I know why this race was bad; and I just need more patience; more interval training in races and more competition; however; mentally getting dropped in a race is never easy and very difficult to cope with for me.
Euer,
Joris
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Merelbeke
Third race of the year, very close to home in Merelbeke this time. At the start about 130 riders; the same as last week. The loop we have to do is pretty nice. It does not have sharp corners; and it has an uphill stretch of 1km towards the finish line. I really like this loop a lot. It is a loop for riders that can sustain a lot of power over a time period of 2,5 hours. When we do the uphill stretch (around 3%) we get a speed of 47 km/h. This is hard; however for the rest of the first half of the race the pace is a little lower than last week in Oordegem; and I feel really comfortable the first 50-60 % of the race. I think to myself that this is more a walk in a park rather than a race. However, I still don't want to join attacks because the risk to get dropped afterwards is still there I believe; or fear :)
However; after 10 of the 16 laps are done; the overall pace starts to go up instead of down. The opposite effect of last week. We will average (at least the front group) 44 km/h. Pretty high AVG; and indeed since I always stay in the back of the peleton; many riders start to leave gaps. It's with closing these gaps easily that I notice that I have some extra power in comparison with many colleague riders next to me; and this makes me feel optimistic.
This race is for the rest pretty uneventful; and I finish in the tail of the big group. I am more exhausted than I was the last 2 races; so this was an excellent training once again. This Wednesday I will ride in Kluisbergen; where the terrain will force me to go a 100% and see what I already can deliver when it comes to power. After all the investments in improving pure athletic power; I look forward to this event; since it will tell me more about my potential.
Euer,
Joris
However; after 10 of the 16 laps are done; the overall pace starts to go up instead of down. The opposite effect of last week. We will average (at least the front group) 44 km/h. Pretty high AVG; and indeed since I always stay in the back of the peleton; many riders start to leave gaps. It's with closing these gaps easily that I notice that I have some extra power in comparison with many colleague riders next to me; and this makes me feel optimistic.
This race is for the rest pretty uneventful; and I finish in the tail of the big group. I am more exhausted than I was the last 2 races; so this was an excellent training once again. This Wednesday I will ride in Kluisbergen; where the terrain will force me to go a 100% and see what I already can deliver when it comes to power. After all the investments in improving pure athletic power; I look forward to this event; since it will tell me more about my potential.
Euer,
Joris
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Oordegem
Second race of the season this weekend in Oordegem. Only 20 km's from Gent. So almost in my backyard ;) For the first time this year I have a whole crowd of people which I call my fan-base :) It consists of 6 people. My friends Dimitri, Tatjana and Wouter were there to cheer for me; and also my parents and my niece Julie. A whole crowd; so I cannot disappoint them today :)
The number of riders is again 130. A lot of riders; but you get used to it. The loop we are doing has an uphill cobblestone stretch; which I really like and for the rest not too many bad turns. So the pace is a little higher than last week. The first 5 laps I really have problems with getting used to this pace; and my hart rate goes to alarming heights. However the same as last week after the first hour of racing; I get better and better. I nearly got involved in 2 crashes where I was lucky I could just avoid them. After 11 of the 22 laps; I feel like there is a good chance I will be able to finish the race today; and I plan to move to the front and attack. However; I decided this was a bad plan; and just stay in the peleton today. This was a good race to learn how to maneuver in a big group. I feel that I succeed in riding through the peleton better and better; without wasting too much energy. The last 2 or 3 laps; I feel I am getting in almost a trance; so it is time the race is going to be over soon. However with only base/endurance/resistance training I am able to ride with the group; while the group of riders is split from 130 to only around 60 that finish the race, so I already am with the better half of the group at this point after 2 races. This is good for the rest of the season's potential. I feel really happy with my first race that I completely finish right in the peleton; and look forward to the next race in Merelbeke next Saturday.
The stats: 42.5 AVG. Race time: 2h30. AVGHR: 150. MAXHR: 182. 110km.
Euer,
Joris
The number of riders is again 130. A lot of riders; but you get used to it. The loop we are doing has an uphill cobblestone stretch; which I really like and for the rest not too many bad turns. So the pace is a little higher than last week. The first 5 laps I really have problems with getting used to this pace; and my hart rate goes to alarming heights. However the same as last week after the first hour of racing; I get better and better. I nearly got involved in 2 crashes where I was lucky I could just avoid them. After 11 of the 22 laps; I feel like there is a good chance I will be able to finish the race today; and I plan to move to the front and attack. However; I decided this was a bad plan; and just stay in the peleton today. This was a good race to learn how to maneuver in a big group. I feel that I succeed in riding through the peleton better and better; without wasting too much energy. The last 2 or 3 laps; I feel I am getting in almost a trance; so it is time the race is going to be over soon. However with only base/endurance/resistance training I am able to ride with the group; while the group of riders is split from 130 to only around 60 that finish the race, so I already am with the better half of the group at this point after 2 races. This is good for the rest of the season's potential. I feel really happy with my first race that I completely finish right in the peleton; and look forward to the next race in Merelbeke next Saturday.
The stats: 42.5 AVG. Race time: 2h30. AVGHR: 150. MAXHR: 182. 110km.
Euer,
Joris
Sunday, May 6, 2012
Meigem
After 4 months of training; it was time that I kind of knew were I was in regards to my colleagues of the Elite category in Belgium. I decided to start racing a little ahead of schedule, so I went to Meigem today close to Ghent to participate in the first race of the season for me. It promises to be a pretty hard race with the wind and the number of participants: 131. I get chased by a guy making a documentary when I get dressed before the race; I get media attention right away :) Cool!
In the race itself; it's pretty nerve racking and dangerous with 131 people on very narrow streets. I tried staying in the head of the group but the pushing and pulling of people get's my heart rate up to the 170 zone and I decide to make use of my pretty extensive developed skills; riding in the back of the group. This gets my hart rate down to about 145 in some zone's. After 4 minutes race I look down and my speedometer says 60. Welcome in Belgium! After 25% of the race is done; I need a miracle it seems to be able to finish today. All these 40 minutes my heart rate does not drop under 170; and science is never wrong. I have only a limited amount of time left with this heart rate. Luckily for me the pace seems to have dropped just that little but; so I can recuperate on some zones of the loop we are doing. The rest of the race is pretty uneventful, although; for countless times I had to touch other people and push them; yell at people; bridge gaps that people could not bridge anymore; I lost a drinking bottle on the 300m cobble stone stretch that was in the race today. So only with 1 bottle I started to get dehydrated. Around half race I nearly got involved in a super crash with around 15 people, but I manage to lean against some riders and to jump over a wheel and whoofff...my tires are still down. Close call again. The loop has a tailwind stretch where we always make around 55 km/h; and right after that a sharp right turn. This corner was really bad!
Anyway; with 2 laps to go and from the 131 riders we are left with around 60 I believe. After having spend all this time in the peleton; I decide it's time to break away. Bad Idea! I get in a short brake away of 15 in the tailwind stretch and a little later with around 10 people. However; It is unclear to me how people can break away when the peleton always keeps averages of 44 km/h.
Having said all this; At this point in the race I feel really satisfied about my performance; after 10 years of no Belgian competition; with my first race; this proves that my base shape is really huge. However; with a little more than 1 lap to go; I pay cash for my breakaway attempt. On a side wind stretch I look over my shoulder...nobody. Before me a line of riders going 47 km/h with a side wind. I have to let the peleton go; and decide to not ride the last lap anymore. After all, I am satisfied. Racing for a few months will have to get my to the level I have in mind.
Euer,
Joris
In the race itself; it's pretty nerve racking and dangerous with 131 people on very narrow streets. I tried staying in the head of the group but the pushing and pulling of people get's my heart rate up to the 170 zone and I decide to make use of my pretty extensive developed skills; riding in the back of the group. This gets my hart rate down to about 145 in some zone's. After 4 minutes race I look down and my speedometer says 60. Welcome in Belgium! After 25% of the race is done; I need a miracle it seems to be able to finish today. All these 40 minutes my heart rate does not drop under 170; and science is never wrong. I have only a limited amount of time left with this heart rate. Luckily for me the pace seems to have dropped just that little but; so I can recuperate on some zones of the loop we are doing. The rest of the race is pretty uneventful, although; for countless times I had to touch other people and push them; yell at people; bridge gaps that people could not bridge anymore; I lost a drinking bottle on the 300m cobble stone stretch that was in the race today. So only with 1 bottle I started to get dehydrated. Around half race I nearly got involved in a super crash with around 15 people, but I manage to lean against some riders and to jump over a wheel and whoofff...my tires are still down. Close call again. The loop has a tailwind stretch where we always make around 55 km/h; and right after that a sharp right turn. This corner was really bad!
Anyway; with 2 laps to go and from the 131 riders we are left with around 60 I believe. After having spend all this time in the peleton; I decide it's time to break away. Bad Idea! I get in a short brake away of 15 in the tailwind stretch and a little later with around 10 people. However; It is unclear to me how people can break away when the peleton always keeps averages of 44 km/h.
Having said all this; At this point in the race I feel really satisfied about my performance; after 10 years of no Belgian competition; with my first race; this proves that my base shape is really huge. However; with a little more than 1 lap to go; I pay cash for my breakaway attempt. On a side wind stretch I look over my shoulder...nobody. Before me a line of riders going 47 km/h with a side wind. I have to let the peleton go; and decide to not ride the last lap anymore. After all, I am satisfied. Racing for a few months will have to get my to the level I have in mind.
Euer,
Joris
Monday, September 12, 2011
Cleghorn , Wisconsin, September 11th
The last race of the year is coming up. The whole week my legs were completely sour from biking too much during this whole week. Some massages and other care and voodoo did not seem to have helped since, when the race starts and the pace goes up to around 35 mph, all I can think of is Aauw, these legs still hurt like in the good old days when I used to ride the Tour of Antwerp and I climbed on my bike for the 3rd day in a row.
Before this race I told myself over and over and over not to race differently just because I am wearing a state Jersey.
It seems that as soon as I have put on my state jersey I became a famous/infamous person. Suddenly I see the number 2 of the championship giving me a hard time I should be riding PRO in Europe instead of slaugthering innocent Cat 3's in Minnesota. I think it was really funny. He could not believe he lost the state championship against somebody from Belgium. :)
Also, unfortunately I can no longer race anonymous in any pack anymore, which will make things a little harder.
Well...not racing different with the Jersey on seems to be easier said then done, first off all I tried to break away about 15 times at least; and always there was somebody in the peleton bridging up to me as soon as I attacked. However that cannot be an excuse since after a few miles of racing I knew the exact plan for this race; and it was simple, so simple, it just needed to be executed step by step. This race clearly showed there was no one able to break away, since the peleton was missing a few "real better" riders to make a difference, so the preferred tactics would be to do absolutely nothing the whole race and attack with 2 miles to go on the final climb, but that was way to simple and too easy :)
Wearing the jersey for the first time, made me really do very stupid things during the whole race and I payed a huge price for that; when I attacked with around 7 miles to go. I completely blew myself up on an uphill stretch and the peleton just went over me and I just could not follow the pack anymore ( which was about 20 riders strong at that point) It was a good lesson in how not to think you can do all this crazy stuff in the race and still win the race. Anyway, I had a very good workout today, and learned a few new lessons.
Euer,
Joris
Before this race I told myself over and over and over not to race differently just because I am wearing a state Jersey.
It seems that as soon as I have put on my state jersey I became a famous/infamous person. Suddenly I see the number 2 of the championship giving me a hard time I should be riding PRO in Europe instead of slaugthering innocent Cat 3's in Minnesota. I think it was really funny. He could not believe he lost the state championship against somebody from Belgium. :)
Also, unfortunately I can no longer race anonymous in any pack anymore, which will make things a little harder.
Well...not racing different with the Jersey on seems to be easier said then done, first off all I tried to break away about 15 times at least; and always there was somebody in the peleton bridging up to me as soon as I attacked. However that cannot be an excuse since after a few miles of racing I knew the exact plan for this race; and it was simple, so simple, it just needed to be executed step by step. This race clearly showed there was no one able to break away, since the peleton was missing a few "real better" riders to make a difference, so the preferred tactics would be to do absolutely nothing the whole race and attack with 2 miles to go on the final climb, but that was way to simple and too easy :)
Wearing the jersey for the first time, made me really do very stupid things during the whole race and I payed a huge price for that; when I attacked with around 7 miles to go. I completely blew myself up on an uphill stretch and the peleton just went over me and I just could not follow the pack anymore ( which was about 20 riders strong at that point) It was a good lesson in how not to think you can do all this crazy stuff in the race and still win the race. Anyway, I had a very good workout today, and learned a few new lessons.
Euer,
Joris
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
The last Race of the Year coming up
The month of September is always a hard month for cyclist racers. As the leafs on the trees start to fall, and the season has already been there for over 8 months, cyclists and especially me want to do some other sports. I really long for going out to play tennis, go for a swim or a run; and leave the bike aside for a few weeks or months. The last couple of weeks though I have stayed focused and kept on training like I did before the state championship. I have 1 more upcoming race to go; which is a WISport race in Wisconsin. The race itself is an Open Category race; which makes it especially interesting for me to measure myself against the regional top riders. The race will be this sunday in Cleghorn, WI.
With the last races of the year being there and a long Minnesota winter to look forward to, I am also going to look more at improving my bike effieciency through more excercises for my core body. It is quite remarkable how big of an impact these excersises already had for me up until this point. And I strongly believe that they can be of alot more help when I would do them a whole winter with off course eye for detail and discipline.
Till Sunday for the race report,
Joris
With the last races of the year being there and a long Minnesota winter to look forward to, I am also going to look more at improving my bike effieciency through more excercises for my core body. It is quite remarkable how big of an impact these excersises already had for me up until this point. And I strongly believe that they can be of alot more help when I would do them a whole winter with off course eye for detail and discipline.
Till Sunday for the race report,
Joris
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