Hekelgem

On Saturday I lined up for another race in the Flemish heartland. This time it was 11 laps of 10 km on lots of cobbles and broken pavement on a hilly circuit around the famed Affligem Abbey (where the beer originally came from). Before the start I actually ran into two Canadians who would also be racing. One had just arrived after a stint with a Spanish team that didn't go as planned and the other is riding for the US Cycling Center team and lives in Brussels.
From the start I felt very rough around the edges, but I knew that I could ride the race out in the bunch so that is what I focussed on doing. After 3 laps I almost had to call it quits when one of my contact lenses popped out leaving me half blind followed promptly by three spokes coming loose in my front wheel and the rim starting to rub my brakes. So with blurred vision and a mechanical handicap I rolled in to 27th place after missing the break, but content with the fact that 42 riders were still behind me.
I am starting to wind down the racing here as I only have about 3 weeks left of my stay. I am feeling the need to take my mind off my bike after living for that two wheeled contraption for the last 8.5 months. The longest break from training and racing I have had since late November is 5 days and although I am not going to see a break longer than that until I get home I plan to take the intensity level down a few notches for the last few weeks of my stay.
Don't worry, the Aalst experience will be brought to you in full shortly.