For those who care about my Holland/Belgium stint.

[csfive]

Actually doing something in the bunch these days instead of just hanging on.

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[PeZulu]

Fanbloodytastic, new & improved race report with pics. Can't wait for the live commentary & video streaming. 

[csfive]

2 club crits in the past 3 days and shaping up for cobbled classic tomoz!

Since last update i have gained selection on the top squad for the classic in Belgium tomorrow. Team gave me some alloy wheels. Heavy, strong and 32spoke count front and back and said "you will need these on Sunday, btw do you enjoy the cobbles?"

Anyway,

Crit 1: Thursday 15th July. 1hr30min+2laps. Wind, wind + more wind 

- Felt the strongest i've felt whilst over here.
- Found myself in peloton with break of 6 up the road @1min. Did not panic because top 3 riders were still with me.
- Ended up chasing across gap with said 3 riders and 2 others to form 11. 11 was ripped apart by strong efforts in the gutter.
- Ended up being me and said 3 strong riders. 1 was my Team mate the other 2 were continental riders from separate teams.
- Team mate went with 2km to go. Plan A = If other 2 didn't react he would win. Plan B = if they did I would be on their wheel and roll them on the line.
- The other 2 played into our hands and chased therefore dragging me within striking distance. I jumped leaving the other 2 for the win, team mate hung on for 2nd 


Crit 2: Saturday 17th July. 1hour+2laps. Wet, windy not fun.

- unlike 'Super Thursday' the standard of riders was not great. One of my team mates was there but most were resting for one of the 2 races tomoz or the 2 races today our team was contending.
- team mate and I decided to attack one at a time and when caught the other would counter. He went first, peloton caught him, I countered. Peloton caught me, he countered. Peloton caught him,  I countered.  Peloton caught me, he countered and that was it. Peloton gave up.
- 10mins to go I hit peloton with no chance of catching team mate.
- as expected I didn't catch him and finished alone 1min behind team mate but 30sec up on peloton.

Great few days in the saddle and looking forward to Classic in Belgium tomorrow. Eating now, sleeping then more eating till the team car picks me up and heads south. Fingers crossed my legs are still feeling good for the 160km of cobbles and wind. 

[Matt]

Sensational Mick - breathless for news of the cobbled classic

[csfive]

Team headed to Belgium on Sunday to compete in the 58th Edition of the Drie Zustersteden!

I was a kid in a candy store today. Sitting on the line ready to start the 160km classic in the north of Belgium i was rubbing shoulders with Davitamon Lotto squad, USA Nation squad, Fuji Test Team squad along with many other pro-conti teams......then, lil' ol' me! 

Team plan was to be present in Early Break and hope it stayed away  failing that, get Arjan Dekker up for a top 10 finish.

Starters = 200. 24deg medium wind. Sunny.

First 800mts was neutral, 200riders behind a red car itching to go. My nerves could not handle this s@#t fight again so lined up early (top 30) and bullied my way to the referee car via the footpath  and gaps that were not there 

Plan worked, flag dropped and I went. Before i knew it i was at the 159km to go mark and in a break of 10 with 190 guys chasing. The blackboard told me that the bunch was continuing to chase and gap never blew out over 1min.

0-40km = early break of 10. (plenty of tv time so it was all worth it  ) Break did not have USA National team or Lotto represented so it was a formality really that we were caught but fun while it lasted.

40km-80km = legs felt great, stayed in front 20 and chilled (if you can chill at 50km/h)

We covered 48km in the first hour 

80km = legs quit. not sure why but felt terrible. Sat up and went from top 20 to 120 in no time. Advantage of sitting up the front is that when i did crack i had 180 riders behind me to recover. if i was at the back i would have been out.

80-120km = cant remember a thing during this bit. Every km i said to myself that it would ease up in a few seconds.....it never did.

120km = entered the finishing town for 5 laps totalling 40km around town. By now i had come good and was alive again and moved up towards the front.

120-155km= rode near Arjan keeping him at front.

155km = got Arjan to front. First wheel. me in second. Was super stoked by that but was fried mentally and physically.

160km = bunch gallop, Arjan 13th. me same time as winner and 36th. Pleased to announce that no loud mouth USA rider beat me which was a secret ambition. 

Average for the day = 46km/h  and am feeling every individual km/h of them today.

[Patto]

Awsome mate

well 46 Average makes u a WORTHY CCCC Member;).. we started to doubt ur ability there for a while but that AVERAGE just puts it to rest 

Seriously well done mate;)

[Bex37]

Thanks again for the update. Nice job!

[rusty1972]

Thats great Mick give it to those Yankees

[csfive]

Crit in Monster (Westland) Part of a 7 race series over the next 6 weeks. Big $$ = top notch of the Dutch riders including 2010 Dutch National Crit Champ  

1.2km circuit, 1km of cobbles. 115starters (most in crit so far) 50 finishers.

I will not even attempt to explain how fast and hard this race was. Avg was well above 46km/h but not sure of exact number due to cobbles shaking polar mount loose.

66laps = 80km.

Cannot give a detailed report because it will be too boring and the only thing i saw for 78km of the 80km was the whe el in front of me. My start position was determined by my sign on number, so i lined up in 103rd place.  

* It took me 15km before i even saw the lead rider   only saw him from 50th wheel at this stage but at least i could see him on the same straight as me.

* I knew a break could not get away at this pace so was not worried.

* 2 main straights - both cobbled - sitting at 55km/h + lap after lap after lap.

* Continued to pick off some of the 60 DNF riders.

* Took until 40th km before i hit the front. (photo attached) I kid you not, this was THE hardest ever. Almost impossible to move up.

* Stayed in top 30 until the final.

* Sprint was only marginally faster than the finishing straight the 66 times previous.  

* rolled in picking off a few in the sprint to finish 27th. Top 30 again so stoked to be in the $$. Only 2 of our team finished. Me and a dude in 24th.

Legs were fried but nothing out of the norm but what was out of the norm is how sore my hands and wrists are from the cobbles. While im on the that topic I would thank Artson for his valuable tips on riding in HUGE bunches and on the cobbles. I have been putting everything you say into action and it works a treat. (especially the line through the corner tip. Don't take the shortest line, take the line the wheel in front is taking. It may be longer but is ALWAYS quicker & easier)

Having 4 days off the bike now and heading to the final stage of the tour. Just did 800km week with 400km of that in races. Speak soon when i rested. Keep the PM's coming, I am interested in whats happening back home and always appreciate something to read.

Cheers

Mick


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[Matt]

Would you look at the arms on that guy! Should be playing Rugby.

[jock]

Would you look at the arms on that guy! Should be playing Rugby.

I thought Mick's arms looked a bit puny compared to the guy out in front...

[Big Al]

You guys must be gay. Whose lookin at the guys arms when in the background there's a sort with the best set I've seen in ages.

[Yoni C]

You guys must be gay. Whose lookin at the guys arms when in the background there's a sort with the best set I've seen in ages.

Crack up Al... since your reply the number of times that photo has been viewed went from 15 to 46!!!

[Big Al]

And still growing

[Bex37]

And it's false hope