THIS WEEK IN PRO CYCLING
Chocolate, Waffles and ‘Cross - Ripe Belgian mud
Right now I’m in the car on my way back from the Hooglede World Cup and I still have mud caked to my legs and butt.
Today was one of those days when you would give someone a hundred bucks for a long, hot shower just after finishing. Yes, it was another epic race in Belgium.
It snowed last night, but today it warmed to a few degrees above freezing so the Belgian mud was very, very ripe. While loading up the car this morning I asked Michel, “How’s the weather out there?”
He replied in a thick Belgian accent, “ It eez rain. It eez snow. It eez wind. It eez shit!”
How’s that for a pep talk?
The course had watery mud that was easy to ride through, peanut butter-like mud that was nearly impossible to ride through and some mud mixed with roots and ruts that felt like a cycling version of Russian roulette. Sometimes I never knew if I was going to come out alive. One unique section of the course features two steep run ups with two short, be very steep descents. Fans hung out there all day, not only to see riders crash through the mud on the gnarly drop but to watch the entire race on a huge “jumbo-tron” that had been trucked in.
While doing a few practice laps before the women’s event, I got to follow Sven Nys around for a lap. It was interesting to see him scan the course for different lines and cornering angles. He seemed very focused, but I guess you need to be when you’re the World Champ. When we reached the finish line a few Rabobank mechanics were waiting for him with a quiver of wheel sets. He exchanged a few words with his mechanics, a new set of wheels with a different tread pattern and likely a different tire pressure were thrown on his bike and he was off for another lap. I wonder if you need that kind of support to be the best, or that is the kind of support you get when you are the best? Probably a little of both.
There was a false start today in our race. We actually rode a quarter of a lap and the UCI officials stopped the race and made us restart. It was actually quite funny. We were already breathing hard, covered in mud and had to come to a complete stop in the pouring rain and line up again. There were mechanics and soignuers running around like mad, trying to get clean bikes and warm clothes to riders. I just stood there laughing and shivering in the rain.
I got to ride behind Sven again later on in the race when he lapped me with one to go. That guy is a machine.
Speaking of machines, it looks like Belgian FilipMeirhaeghe will be getting paid to race a bike next year. That’s all I have to say about that topic.
After warming up, I washed off my bike and struck up a conversation with one of the Belgian race volunteers. After he I told him I was from the U.S. he asked, “Are you Jonathon Page?” Of course, I replied, “No”, but this is the fourth time I have been asked if I am Jonathan since I have been here. Apparently, Page has become quite a celebrity over here. I heard he injured himself in his last race, but I hope he is okay since he seems to be coming back on to form.
It was interesting to witness the pre-mud race rituals for many of the riders. Most inspect the course two hours before the start by doing several hot laps. They get their bikes and themselves completely covered in mud then drop their bike off to the mechanic and head to the athlete shower area for a clean up. Then they suit up in a fresh, clean team kit and continue warming up on the stationary trainer.
Congrats go out to Lyne Bessette on here first cyclo-cross World Cup podium finish! She ate some Belgium chocolate before the race, kept it upright and rode like a champ. Lyne received a trophy and a couple bottles of beer for her third place finish. She accidentally broke the trophy, but the beer made it home with me! Thanks to Lyne’s fine performance, here is the next beer review.
Tongerlo Tripel Blond beer looks like one of an American Pilsner with has a clear golden color, but it offers a much stronger and satisfying taste. It’s not so good for cleaning mud from dirty 'cross bikes, but it’s damn good for dirty 'cross racers.
It’s not midnight here, but it is somewhere in the world. We are off to Luxembourg tomorrow. Yea! A new country!
Happy New Year everyone!
Did you know?
Trappist beers are abbey beers and they are produced under protected copyright names that belong to the Cistercian Order. With this legal protection comes certain rules. This type of beer must be brewed in a Cistercian abbey under the supervision of monks belonging to the Trappist Order. Each of the abbeys has its secret recipes and creates its own unique brews. I wish I had time to try them all!
Brandon Dwight lives in Boulder, Colorado and is part owner of Boulder Cycle Sport as well as a member of the TIAA-CREF/Clif Bar Cyclocross Team. He is also the founder of Doperssuck.com.
