Back Racing again

Hi Everybody

Back racing again, last week had my first race back on Wednesday a 170k Interclub in Oudenburg which is sort of towards the coast to the left of Brugge. This race was a bit longer than the usual kermesse (Race).
So wasn't to bad apart from the rain towards the end an been a big bunch maybe around 170 riders making it very fast, on the last lap got caught behind a crash which made the bunch split up as for wrist seamed to of copped alright, was a little sore for the last 2laps an grabing bottles out of the feed station.
Ended up 55th about 20sec behind winner an was pretty happy just to finish an get that one behind me as needed to find out how I was going.
Took it easy on Thursday just went for a little spin in the morning then went an watched the Japanese Juniors do there final Kermesse.
On Friday packed up for the day an headed off across the border into Holland for a Criterium in Zierikzee which didn't go so well as had cobbles so pulled out after a few laps as didn't want to upset wrist. Got a nice Ice-Cream tough.
Spent the night in Gent then went for an easy spin back down the canal home on Saturday.
Sunday race was alot better as wrist is now strong enough to change gears from the hoods now the race was in Maria Aalter it was held in rather nasty conditions which was definately to my favour windy an hail/rain which split the race up quite nicely me ending up 3rd so pretty happy to be starting to get back to where I was before I crashed.
Monday had another race in Ooigem which didn't go so well as legs were cramping from about half way but still managed to sprint and get 10th.
Today just chilled out and had a nice well deserved rest day.

God Bless
Chris
Me just before the crit in Holland as you can see only got a little bit of road rash left on my leg.
An eye has healed up quite nicely.
Have still got wisdom tooth nudging its way through.

Making good Recovery!!!

Zwevegem Windmill

Hi Everybody

This week has been takening it easy altough managed to get on bike pretty soon after getting out of hospital which has made it go alot faster.
Report from training this last week goes like this:
Wed rollers 30min day after getting out of hospital.
Thu rollers 1.5hours very fun stearing at the wall.
Fri got out on the road for 2.5hours nice an easy.
Sat nice long ride on the canaals then some hills for the last few nice scenery.
Sunday was similar
And as for today just chilled an went into the Centre of Kortrijk had a look round which was interesting.
As for the wounds they have mostly scabed over an a healing up nicely.
Today also had fun pulling the stitches out of my eyebrow as definately time for them to come out. Just got a little bit of bruising still an slight scab there. As you can see in picture

As for the wrist is recovering as well can do most stuff now ie opening jars, doors.

Pic from main Square Kortrijk

Hopefully be back doing some racing this week.

God Bless
Chris

Kerb always wins

Me at start of first race for new team Eurasia.

Hi Everybody

This last week I haven't had much good luck altough did win a bike for sprint comp in Kermesse only bonus.

On the 13th didn't get up to much just went for a 2hour ride with the U19 guys

14th was race in Muelbeke unfortunately it decided to rain again as this was my first race with the new team was wanting it to go well so was conserving myself and then with 3laps to go some guy swung over and hook his rear skewer in my front wheel ripping 3 spokes out and ending my race the only bonus was that I didn't crash.
15th just took it easy an went for another 2hour spin.

16th Had a criterium in Moorslede, a short race on a 1.3k circuit which we did 51 times so as it was raining thought since my legs have been alright I would ride off by myself for the first 10laps before getting joinned by 4 other, which 1 only lasted 2laps with us then there was 4 an we worked well together staying at around 1min ahead of the main bunch most of the race I didn't know but there was a points comp which I happened to win, scoring myself a nice towny as you would call it over here. But the end of race wasn't so merry last lap I was on front an coming out of the second to last corner acelerated at maximum going for the win which didn't work out to well going into the last corner at just under 60ks which was 10ks faster than the other laps where hit the Zebra crossing an slid across the road then must of face planted the kerb. Which KO me for maybe 10min cause the next thing I remember was opening 1 eye again a been in an Ambulance heading for the Hospital.

Where they proceed to go through the medical proceedures, x rays an scans, cleaning out wounds on my legs an arms but not to bad have had alot worse very lucky indeed.
Which I must say were alot smoother than back in NZ. So once 8stitches were in my eyebrow I asked how many more an he said 2. Cause it was going into my right eye that had already had surgery to before could hardly feel the needle go in for the Local so when he was finished I said good job now hi Five, which he enjoyed the sense of humour. So spent the night in hospital an was cleared in the morning to go back home by this time I was starving luckly had a waffle an a bannana in my bag to save me.
So just takening it easy for the next few days until I start riding back on the road.
Here the pic of me happy enough 2days later.

God Bless
Chris

The Shift

Picture of U19 Eurasia guys yesterday just before race.

Hi Everyone

The last few weeks since the 3rd its been a bit of kaose as with mechanical problems with bike parts not been strong enough then punctured. Made a move to Kortrijk Zwavegem yesterday, where I am based for the next few months racing for eurasia.

Whats been happening since the 3rd of August

4th August, was Race at Lockeren which had a few stretches of Cobbles, but didn't go so well as big chainring bent on the first lap, so was on left with one gear that wouldn't jump off. Lucky it was a 12 sprocket not an 11 so made good use of the race still continued in that gear for another lap as they were paying big Primes every lap from the second lap so got my 50euro prime then pulled out.

5th was not a bad day, managed to dodge the rain on 3hour ride out to bike shop to buy myself a late birthday present a new cycle computer.

6th Not to much easy spin.

7th Nice easy 4hour ride with team mate round the roads of Ouudenaade.

8th Finally another Race at Bottlelare this time didn't go so well either, punctured this time on the first lap so just rode home. As couldn't do much about that.

9th Raced in Erondegem which was a hilly race for Belgium 1000m climbing an cause it was hot an no wind lots of people were suffering from cramp including me by the last laps. Yippee this time made it past the 1st lap with out many problems. I ended 3rd as cramp got the better of me. So went for a nice Ride back home with Luke who took me on a scenic detour which involved catching a canaal boat across to the otherside of the Canaal to get on the bike path.





10th Raced in Lovendegem which was on a Small 5k circuit which we had a 1k stretch of cobbles down the finishing strait so made for an interesting race as it was windy an started to rain halfway through the race. To cut it short I won 5 primes and finish 7th.




1th The big move packed up all my stuff in the morning an Ken Hashikawa the manager of eurasia came an picked me up an dropped me off to where I will be staying for the next few months in Zwevegem, which is pretty close to Kortrijk. After unpack an getting introduced to the U19 Japanese guys im staying with went an watched them race which they didn't go so bad for the first race im sure they will improve been over here. Just before I went to bed the fulla's gave me a cool little gift an a Japanese lollipop which tasted a bit like a Mactintosh origanal flavour would be the closest to it in NZ.




Keep you posted
God Bless

Chris

What a week!!!!

Hi Everybody

What a week 5 races in the last 7days an my birthday. Here's a pic of me up the road yesterday chucking a bottle off.


Start off with last wednesday the last race of the series at Dienze I was leading into this race but all turned to custard on me as legs were good but wheel wasn't so lets just leave it at that.
Thursday was slightly better with a 15th place in a race in Deerlijk.
Friday and Saturday just did some nice easy rides.

Sunday was my Birthday so of course had to have a pre race meal from the bakery today man it was delicous.
Race was at Knesselare which was a good 1hour ride up the cannal to get there.
I had a bad start to the race puncturing with in the 2nd lap so managed to get a wheel change and time trial back on which lucky for me was the peleton slowest lap of the race but in saying that there is no convoy so it was a solid effort.
Spent the next lap at the back, started moving through up to the front as saw it was starting to split up so got to the front and started to roll with team mate Mario to break the field up an sure enough that happen caught the front of the race.
Kept the pace on then that pack split down to 6 of us with 4laps to go so that stayed away 2 more went off the back so there was only down to 4 of us where they sort of Tag teamed me as 1 of the dirty belgies had paid the others out and I didn't know as they weren't racing like they usually would if they had done that.
So basically 2 of them went up the road an 1 just sat on me so I tried making him roll by letting the gap go out to maybe 300m with 2k to go but he just sat there so pulled it down to 50m with 750m to go then swung over he still would roll through. So left it to 500m where I went as fast a possible flying past the 2 guys with 20m to the line unfortunately the other guy who had a free ride rolled me by few cm.
So close yet so far away.
Tom sorry about the wheel that I borrowed after I punctured spoke loosened up during the race lucky it was only just hitting the brakes a real little bit unlike the other day.
Not to bad of a way to celebrate your birthday.
Had a nice we dinner that night to celebrate as well.

Now Monday was pretty good race as well ended up getting up the road at the start of lap 2 with a group of 4 of us but shortly was down to 3 then he punctured an I was just down to 2 where we were caught mid race by a group with 6 so there was 8 of us then that end up only been 5 going into the final lap so after going into the sprint led it out for team mate Mario as had arrangement with him. He Won I finished 5th and got 4 primes so was nice day at the office once again.

Well deserved rest day today.

God Bless

Chris