More results...

All our results are available at Westvlaamse Wielerbond -- just click on "Weg-Piste-Veld" at the left, then "Uitslagen Weg." Here's July so far... check out Ryan's top 10 at the criterium in Poperinge Thursday night, and my 29th place (you get euros for places 1-30) with an attack over the cobbles to beat the rest of the guys in my group.

05/07/2008- POELKAPELLE (W)
1.12B - ind.reg.wedstr.(100-120 km) Elite z.c./U23
(115,7 km - 9 x 6,3 km + 10 x 5,9 km)
Aantal deelnemers: 69
1. SMET Guy WIMI-GAMES - ST MARTINUS CT - KERKSKEN 02:47:00
2. TOORTELBOOM Frederik TEAM BOUWKANTOOR LIPPENS-DESCHUYTTER :15
3. VANDROMME Werner KENTUCKY CT MIDDELKERKE
4. VERVERKEN Gerdy MEZ TEAM BELGIUM SNELLEGEM :38
5. VANBECELAERE Tom WIELERTEAM DECOCK-CAPINO MOORSELE
6. VER EECKE Dimitri C.T. KEUKENS BUYSSE KNESSELARE
7. BRACKE Tony WC SOENENS-GERMOND INGELMUNSTER :49
8. MALFAIT Steve KENTUCKY CT MIDDELKERKE
9. DUMOULIN Mirando KONINKLIJKE SPORTCLUB GISTEL VZW
10. ALLEGAERT Matthias PWS EIJSSEN KEMPISCH CYCLING TEAM OVERP.
25. PARNES RYAN USA UNIVERSITY
25. VAN SICKLE JUDD USA UNIVERSITY
25. JASON KING USA UNIVERSITY

06/07/2008- MOORSLEDE - SLYPSKAPELLE (W)
1.12B - ind.reg.wedstr.(100-120 km) Elite z.c./U23
(113,4 km - 21 x 5,4 km)
Aantal deelnemers: 44
1. AVERY CLINTON SOENENS GERMOND 02:41:00
2. CALLEEUW Joeri TEAM BOUWKANTOOR LIPPENS-DESCHUYTTER
3. VANDENBROUCKE JEAN-DENIS VERANDAS WILLEMS BOYS
4. SCHOONACKER Jehudi SUNWEB PROJOB Cycling Team :04
5. DEBUSSCHERE Jens PWS EIJSSEN KEMPISCH CYCLING TEAM OVERP. 1:50
6. COMMEYNE Steffen C.T.- DJ.MATIC-KORTRIJK 3:45
7. DEMEULEMEESTER Wouter WIELERCLUB MARKE VERANDA´S CLOCHET VZW
8. HUYGHE Benny MBK - DELSOL TEAM
9. KERKHOF Stefaan KENTUCKY CT MIDDELKERKE
10. ROBBERECHTS Frederik POORTEN FERYN TEAM
11. VANHILLE Xavier WC SOENENS-GERMOND INGELMUNSTER 5:06
12. FARNES RYAN USA UNIVERSITY 6:01
30. VAN SICKLE JUDD USA UNIVERSITY 7:35

08/07/2008- BEITEM - RUMBEKE (W)
1.12B - ind.reg.wedstr.(100-120 km) Elite z.c./U23
(114 km - 13 x 8,7 km)
Aantal deelnemers: 55
1. DE BACKER Bert WIELERGROEP BEVEREN 2000 VZW 02:55:00
2. DECLERCQ Thierry WIELERTEAM DECOCK-CAPINO MOORSELE :02
3. CHAMON Thomas PWS EIJSSEN KEMPISCH CYCLING TEAM OVERP. :03
4. SALOMEIN Jarl WIELERGROEP BEVEREN 2000 VZW 1:10
5. VERMEERSCH Tim NEW HEEBRA-LOMBARDEN
6. MAES Olivier WIELERGROEP BEVEREN 2000 VZW 1:30
7. JODTS Sven WIELERGROEP BEVEREN 2000 VZW 1:40
8. NOOYTENS Sven WIELERGROEP BEVEREN 2000 VZW 1:45
9. JOSEPH Stijn WIELERGROEP BEVEREN 2000 VZW
10. MALFAIT Steve KENTUCKY CT MIDDELKERKE 1:55
29. NIEPORT Brian USA UNIVERSITY 4:00
31. VAN SICKLE JUDD USA UNIVERSITY
34. PICKETT EVAN USA UNIVERSITY
37. HOLLAND ELLIOT USA UNIVERSITY
38. MELLY Gavin USA UNIVERSITY
41. RACKERS KYLE USA UNIVERSITY
43. TRUX Mitchell USA UNIVERSITY

10/07/2008- POPERINGE (W)
1.12 - Elite z.c./U23 - Gesloten omloop
(68 km - 40 x 1,7 km)
Aantal deelnemers: 44
1. VAN SPEYBROEK Bart SPORTING CLUB MEERSE - KLUISBERGEN 01:40:00
2. VANDOUSSELAERE Sven DAVITAMON-LOTTO-JONG VLAANDEREN
3. DEMEYERE Geoffrey CYCLING TEAM LISPANNE DE HAAN VZW
4. LANGEDOCK Mathieu WIELERTEAM DECOCK-CAPINO MOORSELE
5. DIEPENDAELE Jürgen WIELERTEAM DECOCK-CAPINO MOORSELE 1:10
6. MAES Jo WC SOENENS-GERMOND INGELMUNSTER
7. CALLEWAERT Rodric NEW HEEBRA-LOMBARDEN
8. WALLAYS Jelle WIELERGROEP BEVEREN 2000 VZW
9. COMMEYNE Steffen C.T.- DJ.MATIC-KORTRIJK 2:25
10. PARNES RYAN USA UNIVERSITY

10/07/2008- GISTEL (W)
1.12B - ind.reg.wedstr.(100-120 km) Elite z.c./U23
(116 km - 17 x 6,850 km)
Aantal deelnemers: 70
1. VANDROMME Werner KENTUCKY CT MIDDELKERKE 02:44:00
2. DEPOORTER Dries NEW HEEBRA-LOMBARDEN :23
3. MAENE Kevin CYCLING TEAM LISPANNE DE HAAN VZW
4. TOORTELBOOM Frederik TEAM BOUWKANTOOR LIPPENS-DESCHUYTTER :49
5. CHAMON Thomas PWS EIJSSEN KEMPISCH CYCLING TEAM OVERP. :56
6. HAYNES HAMISH TEAM YAWADOO 1:06
7. DEREEPER Kristof KONINKLIJKE SPORTCLUB GISTEL VZW 1:22
8. VAN DE VELDE Koen WIMI-GAMES - ST MARTINUS CT - KERKSKEN
9. LANNOO Andy NEW HEEBRA-LOMBARDEN
10. BERNATONIS Marius LITUBEL FORTE D´ORO TEAM
29. HOLLAND ELLIOT USA UNIVERSITY 3:11

Results

All our results are available at Westvlaamse Wielerbond -- just click on "Weg-Piste-Veld" at the left, then "Uitslagen Weg." But here's our finishes for June. "Aantal deelnemers" means field size, that is, the number of starters.

22/06/2008- OOSTROZEBEKE (W)
1.12B - ind.reg.wedstr.(100-120 km) Elite z.c./U23
(114 km - 17 x 6,7 km)
Aantal deelnemers: 122
1. CLAUWAERT Joeri WC SOENENS-GERMOND INGELMUNSTER 02:47:00
2. DEGEZELLE Kevin WIELERCLUB MARKE VERANDA´S CLOCHET VZW
3. MINNE Stijn SPORTING CLUB MEERSE - KLUISBERGEN
4. BERNATONIS Marius LITUBEL FORTE D´ORO TEAM
5. GONCARAS Mindaugas LITUBEL
6. CHAMON Alexander WC SOENENS-GERMOND INGELMUNSTER :10
7. DEMEULEMEESTER Wouter WIELERCLUB MARKE VERANDA´S CLOCHET VZW
8. CHAMON Thomas PWS EIJSSEN KEMPISCH CYCLING TEAM OVERP.
9. WILLEMS Mario JOHN SAEY CYCLING TEAM
10. LINKUS Zilvinas LITUBEL FORTE D´ORO TEAM 1:14
55. MELLY Gavin USA UNIVERSITY 6:50

24/06/2008- STADEN (W)
1.12 - Elite z.c./U23 - Gesloten omloop
(70 km - 50 x 1,4 km)
Aantal deelnemers: 45
1. DIEPENDAELE Jürgen WIELERTEAM DECOCK-CAPINO MOORSELE 01:44:00
2. WALLAYS Jelle WIELERGROEP BEVEREN 2000 VZW :02
3. GELDHOF David SPORTING CLUB MEERSE - KLUISBERGEN
4. VERMOOTE Geert SPORTING CLUB MEERSE - KLUISBERGEN :42
5. TOORTELBOOM Frederik TEAM BOUWKANTOOR LIPPENS-DESCHUYTTER
6. LANGEDOCK Mathieu WIELERTEAM DECOCK-CAPINO MOORSELE
7. VANTOMME Davy KONINKLIJKE BRUGSE VELOSPORT VZW 1:20
8. VANDER MEIREN Ward TEAM BOUWKANTOOR LIPPENS-DESCHUYTTER
9. TRUX Mitchell USA UNIVERSITY
10. BRACKE Tony WC SOENENS-GERMOND INGELMUNSTER 1:44
27. PARNES RYAN METROMINT
29. MELLY Gavin USA UNIVERSITY
31. HOLLAND ELLIOT USA UNIVERSITY
32. NIEPORT Brian USA UNIVERSITY 1:56

26/06/2008- JONKERSHOVE-HOUTHULST (W)
1.12B - ind.reg.wedstr.(100-120 km) Elite z.c./U23
(120 km - 20 x 6 km)
Aantal deelnemers: 40
1. DE BRUYNE Giovanni SPORTING CLUB MEERSE - KLUISBERGEN 02:51:00
2. OOGHE YOHAN
3. THYS Steven C.T. KEUKENS BUYSSE KNESSELARE
4. DE WITTE Jonathan VERANDAS WILLEMS BOYS - VC HAUT PAYS
5. DUYNSLAEGER Vic NEW HEEBRA-LOMBARDEN
6. DEBRABANT FABRICE REISMES
7. DUMOULIN Mirando KONINKLIJKE SPORTCLUB GISTEL VZW
8. VANDENBROUCKE JEAN VERANDAS WILLEMS BOYS
9. STEYVERS Sim NEW HEEBRA-LOMBARDEN
10. HUYGHE Benny MBK - DELSOL TEAM
11. TRUX Mitchell USA UNIVERSITY
13. PARNES RYAN USA UNIVERSITY
24. VAN SICKLE Judd USA UNIVERSITY
25. RACKERS KYLE USA UNIVERSITY
28. NIEPORT Brian USA UNIVERSITY
29. MELLY Gavin USA UNIVERSITY
30. SCOTT RADAMAKER WEBCOR

27/06/2008- BEVEREN-LEIE (W)
1.12B - ind.reg.wedstr.(100-120 km) Elite z.c./U23
(112 km - 25 x 4,5 km)
Aantal deelnemers: 64
1. DEGEZELLE Kevin WIELERCLUB MARKE VERANDA´S CLOCHET VZW 02:44:00
2. GELDHOF David SPORTING CLUB MEERSE - KLUISBERGEN :02
3. LANGEDOCK Mathieu WIELERTEAM DECOCK-CAPINO MOORSELE 1:06
4. JODTS Sven WIELERGROEP BEVEREN 2000 VZW 1:26
5. HUTCHINGS Logan BEVEREN 2000
6. PATTYN Karel DUNKERQUE LITTORAL CYCLISME
7. DEMEULEMEESTER Wouter WIELERCLUB MARKE VERANDA´S CLOCHET VZW 1:48
8. ROLET Sylvain WIELERCLUB MARKE VERANDA´S CLOCHET VZW 1:54
9. DEVOLDERE Niki WIELERTEAM DECOCK-CAPINO MOORSELE 1:56
10. GLORIE Kevin PROV. AFD. WEST-VLAANDEREN WBV 2:04
15. TRUX Mitchell USA UNIVERSITY 3:35
20. HOLLAND ELIOT USA UNIVERSITY 4:45


29/06/2008- KUURNE (W)
1.12B - ind.reg.wedstr.(100-120 km) Elite z.c./U23
(69 km - 43 x 1,6 km)
Aantal deelnemers: 45
1. VAN SPEYBROEK Bart SPORTING CLUB MEERSE - KLUISBERGEN 01:34:00
2. DECLERCQ Thierry WIELERTEAM DECOCK-CAPINO MOORSELE
3. SCHOONACKER Jehudi SUNWEB PROJOB Cycling Team
4. CALLEEUW Joeri TEAM BOUWKANTOOR LIPPENS-DESCHUYTTER :06
5. DEMEYERE Geoffrey CYCLING TEAM LISPANNE DE HAAN VZW
6. GELDHOF David SPORTING CLUB MEERSE - KLUISBERGEN
7. MAENE Kevin CYCLING TEAM LISPANNE DE HAAN VZW
8. MALFAIT Steve KENTUCKY CT MIDDELKERKE 1:44
9. VANDER MEIREN Ward TEAM BOUWKANTOOR LIPPENS-DESCHUYTTER
10. LIEFOOGHE Bert FORONEX CT / WIELERPROMOTIE Z-W
14. FARNES RYAN USA UNIVERSITY
23. TRUX Mitchell USA UNIVERSITY 1:50
26. HOLLAND ELLIOT USA UNIVERSITY
30. KING JASON USA UNIVERSITY
31. MELLY Gavin USA UNIVERSITY

Belgian Television

Most people know that TV in Europe isn’t quite what it is in the U.S. Instead of seven hundred channels, there are roughly seven.

However, Europe does a good job of tricking you into thinking that there are more – for example, our TV gets 32 channels. But 6 of those don’t actually have a signal – they just show a blue screen and say “CNN” in the corner. A dozen more are repeats of other channels. Not “repeat” as in “syndicated shows,” but literally identical in every way to another channel. There are also two channels that are SMS text messaging dating sites during the day, and SMS porn-messaging sites after around 7 p.m. You know, once the kids are asleep.

Of course, July is the time for Le Tour, which means Tour coverage. Of course, we get that on a few channels – one in French (Le Deux!) and one in Flemish (Sporza!). And instead of a swank SportsCenter-style set, the Flemish highlights consist of two anchors and a daily guest at a huge, unpolished wooden table in a chateau drinking wine. Since each Tour stage is about five hours long, the guest is usually completely hammered on free wine once the time for actual commentary rolls around.

Then there’s MTV. While American MTV has room for The Real World, Road Rules, and about one music video per week, European MTV is still just music videos. That would be great, but Europe can only handle about five popular songs at any one time. Right now, those songs are Violet Hill (Coldplay), American Boy (Kanye West and someone else), Are You Ready (Kat Morgan and Busta Rhymes), I’m Not That Sweet (by someone different), and whatever Madonna is doing right now. It’s not yet clear if they rotate new songs in one at a time, or if they replace all five at once.

The first kermesse - for me

My first kermesse was pretty standard – a flat, rainy, 6k circuit through farm roads and the “downtown” area of Poelkapelle, a few k west of Westrozebeke, where we’re staying. Technically, the race was 10x7k and then 10x5k, or something like that – yes, they changed the course in the middle of the race. This actually makes some sense, because it means the Belgian tifosi (or whatever you call our beer-drinking fans) see more of the race as it gets closer to the finish.

Ryan told me to burn matches early to get to the front, but I may have taken him too literally. At any rate, “near the front” became “off the front” within about 2k of the start, where me and a pair of huge Belgians going as hard as we could to maintain a one second gap on the field. Oops. Most notable was the Belgian-style cornering: hammerfest until you can see the turn, then coast, then brake to 5 mph, then go through the corner one at a time, then hammer until you’re back at full gas.

Each lap has a 12 Euro prime, which meant the pace was really cracking through the town each time. I was near the front for the first 8 or so laps, at which point the elastic finally broke, and I drifted farther and farther back… man there’s still a lot of people here… and eventually was off the back. The race officials’ car took a long time to determine if I was just getting dropped or if I was having a heart attack before passing me. (I did not take the more Euro route of feigning illness. Maybe I need to apply morel leg oil before the races.)

As I was going backwards, Ryan bridged up to the winning breakaway. Unfortunately, the gigawatts he put out to do so took their toll on his bike, and he essentially ripped his pedal out of his left crankarm. That’s some power. Jason and Judd held on for the rest of the race, so they can now say they’ve raced an entire kermesse. Finishing took its toll on Jason’s bike, so he’s off to France to get it fixed. That’s what you get for riding a French frame!

The competition

While almost all our competition at the races are really solid, fast riders, there are a few things to note about them:

1) Arrival at the race is the most critical fashion statement, and the area where Euro cyclists really separate themselves in terms of style. The critical items are a velour or nylon tracksuit from a prominent Euro fashion house, a Euro-mullet or fauxhawk hairdo, jewelery, and a little rolly-wheeled airport suitcase from a prominent Euro fashion house. Of course, many of these items look somewhat suspect because the typically emerge from an aging Fiat obviously purchased by the rider's parents in 1994.

2) Very few people arrive at the race by themselves or with teammates. Instead, there is always the "entourage" surrounding each rider. This must include: dad, grandpa, grandma, various aunts and uncles, and the girlfriend. Dad pins the numbers on the jersey, grandpa and grandma stand around, uncle pumps the tires and checks the bike, and the girlfriend talks on her mobile. While this is going on, the racer sits in a little folding chair and tries not to let the breeze disturb his euro-mullet.

3) Leg lacquer is a critical component of race-day preparation. Every bike shop has 3-10 different kinds of oils, butters, and creams to apply to your legs to make them shed rain, shine, and look tanned. This is applied just before the race either by the rider or the girlfriend while the rider is sitting in the little folding chair.

4) While we can't even match our jerseys and shorts because it was too expensive to have matching bib shorts printed for only 1 month over here, literally every rider that you see has matching: jersey, shorts, socks, gloves, arm warmers, leg warmers, warm-up long sleeve, and most importantly, little wool beanie to wear before and after the race instead of a helmet.

5) After the race, riders always proceed immediately to the showers (which every race has, amazingly enough), and get cleaned up (i.e., re-style the fauxhawk). Then they re-emerge to pick up their race winnings and be fawned over by the entourage.

Paris-Roubaix (as posted by Mitch)

No one in their right mind would do this, but the day after riding the Tour of Flanders route six of us (Elliot, Brian, Rob, Judd, Gavin and myself) headed south into France to ride the last 87 miles of Paris-Roubaix. This is touted as the hardest single day bike race. We skipped the first 100 miles of the race and about 6km of the famous cobble stone sections that give this race it’s grit, and I am here to tell you that this is not only the hardest single day bike race. I believe Paris-Roubaix must be the hardest single day sporting event period. Unbelievable!!!

A quick explanation is that the French cobbles make the Belgian cobbles feel like silk. In more detail, while the forest of Arrenburg is beautiful it is traversed by a section of cobblestones that are demonic. Continue along the race route and the cobblestone sectors that follow are said to be a little bit easier—not the case. As each kilometer of cobbled and/or paved roads breaks you down the stones begin to beat you up more and more. The last section of cobbles in Roubaix are practically flat and seamless, but by that point you the rider are so broken it feels like someone is hitting your bike with a jack hammer.

Here’s the deal with riding a road bike on cobblestones. The wheels need to be really strong, the tires need to be fatter and the bike needs to be adjusted to move the riders weight further over the rear wheel. While pedaling over the stones, the technique is to push a larger gear than you typically would given the speed or incline—and then you have to push with all your might. The faster you can go across the cobbles the better off you are. If you get tired and cant go fast anymore—simply put, you’re fucked!!! Speeds in excess of 30mph help you float from one stone to the next, if you slow down to something like 20mph it won’t be long before you’re only doing 10mph. 10mph will leads to any combination of cussing, whimpering, stopping and or throwing your bike into the farmers field beside the course and deciding to walk the rest of the way to Roubaix.

The six of us all made it to Roubaix on our bikes and with smiles on our face. Getting there we had to negotiate a broken spoke, a broken bottle cage, a shredded tire and three pinch flats. We also stopped four times for various combinations of espresso, Coca-Cola and French pastry which we could not have survived with out. Every section that was paved was rolled at a casual 10mph—needles to say if we were racing we’d never have made it to the velodrome and the finish line in Roubaix. But, since we weren’t racing we did make it—and to our surprise the velodrome was not locked up as we were expecting it to be coming from ‘liability crazy’ America. So, we each got to complete the race course as the races leaders do with a lap and a half on the famous track. For a cyclist this nostalgia was priceless and helped us forget how beaten our bodies were. The worst damage by the way was on our hands. Each of us spent the following two days with inflamed sausage fingers--completely swollen from our knuckles ratling against each other for hours on end. Not to mention the blisters on our palms. Yikes!!

Paris

I finally made it to Paris, and while some of us spent the day having dessert at each cafe we walked past, others took the Metro down to the Louvre, Notre Dame, and other parts of the city. Today's itinerary mostly consists of a visit to the Louvre and the drive back to Flanders. Fortunately, the sun stays up until 11 p.m. in Belgium in the summer, so we can ride until pretty late at night.

Whit and Madika (my roommates) actually flew to Paris with me; we just happened to choose the same flights. They met up with us for dinner at a local restaurant. Mitch and Elliot rocked the Tartar, while others went with the Duck Confit. Afterwards, our server gave us all free beer. After dinner, we each picked up bottles of wine - 3 euro for a good Bordeaux at Le Champion supermarket - and drank it on the steps overlooking Montmartre. A Spanish drug dealer tried to start a fight with Rob but turned tail when he realized there were 8 of us.

Hopefully we'll get some pictures of the excursion to Paris up soon. The internet costs money in Europe (I'm not sure who made that decision), so it's hard to make blog posts. Who knew?