![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiivIdo23IN_O-ZYPsGQoviayUXBzwoN7sd3GQxhpRXsZriL9tGSNAQ3jzDTQ6eQ_SAcwRHQRc7aqyGWAcvRSePyO3z_XFczHErZb7yWtSwubyfG6PJsIH4HhQ8YTcJznpEAD37pyE9sNA/s200/vdk+mobilehome+chillin+at+koksijde+world+cup.jpg)
The trip began quite pleasantly with a pre-ride on the Koksijde course. This was definitely the best part of the weekend! The course started off on a paved straightaway, as most courses do, then onto a twisty wet grass section. Once past the pits, the fun began - two extended sand sections that dump you off at the bottom of a steep, deep sand runup. Most of the gals ran part of the first sand pit before they got off and ran for another couple of minutes to and through the
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzyPpNhklLThlzCic7acOx6qE9yeGwZfYUlEkA8JX3It33al6QNtWIsO8zSmMemSaMIXaPV9YiMvPP9gwxV5TQ5obhksjWuX7XHYkuzDIPPr62rCu2268f58cmMpOLXoZnfc_mig4j62Y/s200/koksijde-vrouwenwielrennenbelgie-1.png)
The last runup on the course was my favorite - well, actually it was the steep sandy descent at the top i most enjoyed. Similar to the first sand descent, if you got enough speed in the deep sand, it was rideable. But based on the oohs and aahs of the crowd at that section, i suppose not everyone got enough speed. I always make fun of those people who congregate at the most technical sections of a course in hopes that they will witness a boatload of carnage, but i must admit it's a lot more fun to watch than a pavement straightaway!
What put my preride experience over the top was the people interaction i had during the ride. I spent most of the pre-ride with my former Prune teammate Christelle Ferrier-Bruneau and her
(photo to left is of the Koksijde boardwalk along the sea)
And if that wasn't exciting enough, midway through the ride I got advice on how to tackle a section of the course from Christian Heule of Stevens Racing. And when I found myself gapped from the French gals while talking to Christian, I caught a draft from Erwin Vervecken who just happened to pass by and easily bridged the gap. Only in a European race!
Race day began with an excellent parking spot
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIdR6QlWpwEf9AnKsGWLHZKK_8ASdY4bru0eYQ3R9NBG2XNez7kxWoFY901Bk0t0jmN_O2SR7Xp7XtEqk_0J0DaHUArQGvcoJh9c5gE6Kw7J6X2sH_ps-W7cGhF213G_wOZiKW4LBbL0k/s200/vdk+head+first+in+line+at+main+entrance+to+koksijde+WC.jpg)
Needless to say, the start of the race was less than ideal. My decent third row callup was
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEircpqZ4KyG-8tpNJNLui0wJBHtXch6huQgKmYX0uHPJmofNd-pFOWbWfcvqp5ZfaioSgH_Jnh9-89pfqahbfqR5194dNlwX-rp5Mwk9CRC5hZh9hB7HY5B_QuGhK37CewCjw9SRM5j168/s200/koksijde-vrouwenwielrennenbelgie-2.png)
For the remaining minutes, I passed a few people but not enough to make it a heroic effort by any means. After the race, I went back to the mobilehome, unwound for about ten minutes then headed out for the ten hour drive to France.
Most of the drive to Britannia was in the dark but what little we did see reminded me of just how beautiful that country is! The rustic little towns, spectacular castles that date back a trillion years, and the perfectly undulating countryside is enough to get me to visit France - even though its residents only speak three languages - french, french, and french.
Aside from the views, another benefit of cyclo-cross courses located in France is that you can usually count on hills! With a somewhat fixed upper limit on my effort level, i really enjoyed the few opportunities the course went uphill. Uphill riding means no sprints out of turns so i can be more effective at moderate output.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi14IPUIbfnq8I9FhalwuFhfBvzqEWsexCLhxkH7WrXnu5_PR1QT169QqwOgBfPymzAUOVJ3NEVJf-YTkYfNSyBb3t56OGS0ntFRkoO1TBmnyJjBf4_9MAc0BFStPtvA-2VsS1FNWUy-IM/s200/quelnec+-+bottom+runup+-+myspace+guy.jpg)
Again, my start was crap. I had a great callup - even had the highly coveted #1 race plate! But again within the first few seconds, I had to back off the pedals for fear of passing out. But i stayed tough while carefully minding my effort limit. And by the end of the race i even passed over ten riders.
The crowds were great! I even had groups of kids cheering for the "cat head", while others cheered for me because they remembered me from road season earlier in the year when i raced for a French Team. One of my former teammates, Celine, was also out
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaZ5yWQ6saWspkHJoU5HirE-5_jzRK8ikIUu8jGh7X19qtdb_4_u0u6vPKZ87DJ2atVrYwaMnnSql7p8ugjjvkISX1XkAK4EOnFLbxNu3IG_59Ki7G2mYR0RRbozglLdkocGWAOpLyg-w/s200/quelnec+crowds.jpg)
Mo Bruno, one of my favorite cross riders, was also out there for a weekend of racing. She rode like a superstar! It was great to watch her fe-malehandle (there had to be a better word for this) the other riders!!
Oddly enough, a myspace friend of Vanderkitten saw me racing there and took photos which he
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN9NRq9UMqQqvUWo9dg7dUfUdTmY1dxxmaRNt69JSbOO8TO2A3snIB09opZpW5QuroZRsXL_A4kjHssqxIXP8ws5sNIdfr2ZHATbqZvjm2GvopeL5jl7QMmcLzkcqLCFrLjCn_Dw0MayM/s200/quelnec+-+backside+-+myspace+guy.jpg)
After another ten hour drive, I finally arrived home. That was a hard weekend of driving - even as a passenger. I don't know how Jonas did it. I go crazy if i have to drive a car for more than ten minutes!
Lucky for me, my next races aren't until 8-9 December (World Cup and Superprestige) so I (better) have plenty of time to recover from the knocks on my head. This trip will also be driving heavy. I think it's about twelve hours to Italy, then another fourteen to Veghel, Holland the following day! But at least my head will be into it this time around - literally.
Thanks for reading!
12 comments:
RAWK!
Great reports, good luck at World Cup!
Hey Peanut! Way to hang in there under tough conditions. Glad to hear you have some time to recover. Be careful with the brain - you'll need it to work properly long after the race season ends!
Get well so you can go out and wo-manhandle the field! :-)
Ken
how about wo-manhandle?
hope you were wearing your helmet both times.
you'll be your normal bad self soon enough, I'm sure. Get well soon and please keep up the great race reports!
Thanks all! Headache is getting better - yippee!! And my disorientation is minimal as well. I am no longer handing people spoons to eat spaghetti.
yes, wo-manhandle is a good one.
...hang in there peanut n' are you sayin' somethings wrong w/ eatin' spaghetti w/ a spoon...
...cuz here at the home, they tell me i won't hurt myself or others when i eat spaghetti w/ a spoon, and i guess it's not nice to eat it w/ my bare hands...
..waha, just tryin'ta keep ya loose...stay strong, ride smooth...
hey bikesgonewild:
Often i eat pasta with my hands so i see nothing wrong with it! it can get a bit messy, though.
By the way, I met your friend at Koksijde. Thanks for the greetz!
I have mixed feelings about this. At the one hand I admire your perseverance to race with what looks to be a concussion but otoh I think it would be a lot wiser if you just allowed your body to heal.
yeah, well...
Post a Comment