Steenhuffel

Another day, another race. After the fiasco in Pepingen I was ready to get the good vibes back and ride a solid race. With a big weekend coming up with races on Saturday and Monday yesterdays race was perfect to get some confidence back and tune the legs for the weekend. Just over 120 riders took the start in the quaint town of Steenhuffel. The 120 km race started at 17:00 so the local population was out in force to witness the spectacle and with only two races on the Belgian calender yesterday so were some of the top riders in the country. The field was once again international with a Russian squad, a lone Murphy-Gunn Irishman (must have been left at home while his mates are at the RAS), a couple of English speakers on random teams and a pile of Dutchies.
The course was ripping fast, half on normal roads and half on one lane field roads. With 14 laps of 8.5 km and a tail wind on most of the twisting field roads it was almost like racing in a video game. The small roads were mostly single file at high speed, but I felt really comfortable and railing the corners felt incredible.
As for the outcome of the race. Everything stayed together with small breaks being brought back until the last lap when a group of 11 drove clear. I focussed on staying top 20 in the bunch going into the field roads and then maintaining that position for the final sprint 5 km down the road. My plan worked well and until the final corner I was in prim position to get in the money. Then on the final corner as I was getting set to dive inside as I had the entire race a couple of guys closed the door as the field drifted inside and I lost valuable speed and had to re accelerate out of the corner and lost a few spots. If I am to do well in a bunch sprint I need to maintain as much speed as I can and grab a strong wheel and hope they deliver me in good position to the line. As long as you are far enough up the field then you can be sure that everyone is actually going to sprint. The opposite happens if you aren't aggressive enough in the final km and end up coming into the final 500m too far back, because then half the guys sit up and you go nowhere.
So, hindsight tells me I should have fought harder to be top ten going into that corner, but that is easier to say than actually do around here, but I will do it yet. I rolled in to 46th. Nothing special, but I felt strong and I mentally I am back in action.
The weather has dramatically improved in the last 24 hours as well so I am trying to get some pigment in my legs and look the part.