Belgium

We got to Belgium early. The flight was scheduled for 9:20 but it arrived at 8:55. The skies were overcast and the temperature 7C/45F. In Chicago we met several National Team and Hot Tubes juniors. The National Team were going to Belgium to take part in the Ster, the Hot Tubes were going to do a stage race in France. If the plane had gone down, the future of American cycling would have changed forever.

Juniors at O'Hare waiting for the United 972 flight

Gregg picked us up at the airport and after a short drive we were in Oudenaarde. The boys were hungry so we went shopping first. Then we headed out on a ride. We rode part of the Blue Loop, over Nokereberg, through Wannegem, over the Huisepontweg to Lede and the over the Doorn section of cobbles. After that we took the highway back to Oudenaarde and then rode along the Schelde to Kluisbergen.

John, Alex and Addison arrive at the Chainstay

Here everyone started to feel tired and they all wanted to go back home. We skipped the Oude Kwaremont and the Paterberg, and took the bike path. Then we headed over the Koppenberg and down the other side to the Ronse highway and back home. Afterwards everyone ate, took a shower and fell asleep.

All in a day's work--on the couch at the Chainstay

Catching ZZ's

Alex stayed awake and played with his Mac, trying to catch up to Belgian time.

Another brick in the wall

Or at the very least another cobblestone in the window. That is what Nick Nuyens meant when he said winning the Ronde is for life. And I am sure that if you go the Ronde van Vlaanderen Centrum in Oudenaarde, you will see another cobblestone to the left of that big Swiss one that reads Nick Nuyens 2011.

Winners immortalized in cobblestone

Of course if you were to win more than once, you won't get a second cobble. They will just add your second (or third) victory year to your existing monument, as seen below:

One stone is all you get, no matter how often you win!

Meanwhile the Ronde 2011 is history and all eyes are now focused on the Queen of the Classics, aka Paris-Roubaix. Although the emphasis shifts to France, it is a part of France known as French Flanders that historically belonged to the County of Flanders, and where many names still betray its Flemish roots.

But before that happens, all eyes will turn to the Scheldeprijs Vlaanderen, aka De Grote Scheldeprijs on Wednesday, where Quick-Step will be seeking revenge by bringing out all their sprinters. The line-up includes Tom, Chicci, Ciolek, Keisse, Robert, Stauff, Steegmans, and Kevin Van Impe. The last time Quick-Step won the race was in 2006, when Tom was wearing the world champion jersey. Since then Mark "the missile" Cavendish has won it twice, Petacchi once, and last year's race was won by Tyler Farrar.

Belgian classics legend Johan Museeuw retired after finishing the 2004 edition of the Scheldeprijs, (then held after Paris-Roubaix), that was won by Tom Boonen. Museeuw is the only major classics star who never won the event, finishing second twice in 1992 and 1997.

Post mortem

One thing you learn when you go to Belgium is that everyone, from the grocery store clerk to the bank teller to the local doctor and village priest, has a (rather strong) opinion about bike races and how to win these races. Everyone has a magic formula and everyone is quick to point out what so and so did wrong and why and when they won or lost the race.

Swiss cheese

To be fair, I have to admit that most Belgians, even those who don't care much for the sport of cycling, do know a lot about bicycle riding and racing, especially when it comes to racing in the conditions that are prevalent in the Ronde.

When you grow up in Belgium it is simply impossible not to know about cycling. Unlike soccer, which may well be a more popular sport, cycling is in your face. It takes place on public roads and everyone at one time or another has run into a race or been inconvenienced by one. As a matter of fact, you can't go anywhere in Belgium during the season without bumping into bike races left and right. At times, even freeways are blocked by races.

Furthermore, every Belgian has ridden a bicycle as a kid, and most have continued to do so through adolescence and adulthood. Every Belgian has ridden on cobblestones, in wind and rain, and even the most disinterested Belgian knows how to draft or ride an echelon (een waaier) in crosswinds. It is a skill many US Cat 1 racers struggle with, but your Belgian grandmother can explain it to you and give you a demo if requested. Every Belgian has raced his or her friends and found out the hard way what works and what doesn't.

Cat 1

So it is not surprising that after a Ronde like the one we witnessed on Sunday, sentiment is running high. Everyone agreed the big Swiss cracked, but the real question is why. Many fault him for being impulsive and for being foolhardy. Some pointed out that 40 Km solo just can't be done in the Ronde. They are quick to point out Fabian made the same mistake in 2007. Then he died before the muur. But he was not as well known back then.

Then there is Husovd, the world champion. Lighting a fire but burning out quick as a match. Haussler, a favorite who was nowhere to be seen, and Tyler Farrar who had to settle in a sprint for 13th.

Most of the criticism is going to Quick-Step and Garmin-Cervelo however. The latter because many saw them as the team to beat in 2011. They had retained Peter van Petegem, a colossal force in the classics, and a man who promptly called Garmin the best team around. The result wasn't just bad, it was awful, according to the Belgian press.

And Tommeke, who decided to bridge the gap to Chavanel on the Haaghoek, a move many call reckless and a sign of overconfidence.

And then there is Quick-Step and what many call its profound lack of strategy. Despite being in car 5 and having access to the latest technology, Quick-Step waffled.

Tom could not match Cancellara, but did he wait too long in the end? Chavanel was out there and it took the Swiss rider almost 10Km to make up 24s. The consensus is that Quick-Step should have supported Chavanel, whom most now see as the strongest rider in the race.

Finally there is Nuyens. Although he did not win with bravado, a closer look at his ordeal reveals a man of strength befitting the Ronde. He was in trouble on the Knokteberg, crashed on the Kwaremont descent, had trouble with his clipless pedal and had a loose cleat. He rode with that cleat for two hours not knowing if it would come off or not. He gambled, worked hard and won. Granted it looked opportunistic, but given what he was faced with, it was deserving.

Opening weekend

This upcoming weekend is opening weekend for the cycling season. It is marked by two races, the first, Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, formerly known as Omloop Het Volk (both are newspapers and Het Nieuwsblad bought Het Volk recently and renamed the race), and Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne.

Unfortunately, although I will be in Belgium, I probably won't be able to see either one of these. The reason for my visit is the somber task of attending the funeral of my brother in law, who recently died of cancer.

I read today that two teams, Het Landbouwkrediet and Quickstep were out on the course of the Omloop to see what conditions were like. Belgium suffered through a long harsh winter and the roads are in poor shape. Het Landbouwkrediet team apparently suffered 11 flats, although Quickstep -a more experienced team one could say- suffered none.

Quickstep's big guns were not present, preferring to stay in Spain until the weekend, something management did not object too. Clearly Tom Boonen is familiar with the course and even though there were minor changes, and lots of new potholes, Boonen will have the support of his team to take care of that.

Meanwhile here in Northern California, it is raining too, albeit a bit warmer than in Belgium. Thursday I rode on rollers for 45 minutes. Friday I ran 9.5 miles in the hills. Saturday I again rode on rollers for 45 minutes, going quite hard for about 30, and on Sunday I drove Alistair to the Ronde van Brisbeen crit, where he rode in the rain. Afterwards I went running in the rain. I ran a 10K and I was soaked. Yesterday was sunny and warm and I rode 31 miles on Alistair's new bike, just to check it out. It feels great although I need to become more familiar with the SRAM shifting.

Today I rode 1:03 minutes on rollers. Now I have to get ready for my trip to the home country and the sad task of burying my sister's husband.