The team at La Boucle se l'Artois
Far out the last few weeks have flew past so fast I can’t even think of how to start out explaining the last 4 or 5 races I have done. I’ll give you a few details of what I can remember.
La Boucle de l'Artois a tour in France, two days, three stages. We stayed in an old convent, amazing rooms, plasma TV’s, king size beds, spa bath, mini bar, and room service where all NOT include. Stage one and the team was represented in every move, I was in the early move of the day, being up the road until just before the finishing circuits, then VDB got away in the final, he finished in a small group, a few seconds up on the peleton. A time trial was first up on the second day, I pulled a below par time but our other two hit men Bert and VDB mustered up third and first in the stage and VDB was in yellow, leading the tour, instead of a black NZ skinsuit.The team was on the front for the afternoon stage, we dodged the crashes and rode well to stay out of trouble, we did a good job but we lost the lead by 20 seconds.
The ronde van Drenthe - it was just rubbish, that is putting it nicely. I managed 5 wheel changes, great wee treat when your racing over cobble stones.Had a few laughs the night before with the other guys and that was the most positive thing that came out of that race. Oh and all the chocolate I sneakily consumed.
My first Coupe de France was G.P de Denain, fellow kiwi Tim Gudsell was also on the start line and we had a chat and catch up during the race. A group of three riders when clear after 20mins and the race ended up being a bunch sprint, the guys pulled our sprinter, for the race up to the front so he gave it a shot but it was not to be today.
Had my first race in Germany on the 19th, “Rund um Duren” it’s a one day race just over the boarder of Holland. It had some climbs, flat sections, corners, descents then it finished with finishing circuits, five of them. We had a rider in the front group so the rest of the team and I sat in the bunch waiting to see if it would come back. It did, just before we arrived at the finishing circuits, so once again it was a bunch sprint of 90 guys. Not reall my thing but gave it a go. Pulled up 23rd in the sprint so watch out next time I’ll pull something better.
