Le cantal, the Oxygen Challenge and a fine performance

I'm riding through what seem deserted villages as soon as I leave the motorway on my way to Le Lioran, a ski station in the centre of France. On my way in I've already passed le Puy de Dome, a peak of 1800 meters but this was on the motorway and I've stayed overnight in Orleans because of major jams in Antwerp and Paris.

My sentiments and emotions are the same as ever when I'm driving through this country….I don't belong in Holland. It's these vast and varied spaces and emptiness that I need….this is the place I wish to be. Anyway, I was talking about the empty villages. It really felt unreal that there was literally not a soul on the main road, the shops were closed, the traffic lights out of order and the shutters of the houses shut. Where have I landed I wondered? How is this still possible, in this time and age, that I truly am traversing through ghost towns between 12.00 and 14.00? Is this really the area where this major event, the Oxygen Challenge will be held? Arriving at the scene I can hear the speaker from afar and fair enough, there are cars parked….but a sense of being hopelessly out of place creeps up again….have I done the right thing in driving 1000 km for an event without character?

I pick up my number "mon dossard" and am being welcomed in a very nice way. Although there are not that many people around, it looks well organized..but then this is an A. S.O. event. A couple of guys ask me to take their picture and after a short hour, I decide to check-out the campground. Again, an empty street and village, but the campground looks nice and the welcome is warm. During the rest of the day and evening the campsite fills up with mountain bikers and contact is soon established. Even now, I feel at home and at ease, and I haven't even raced…..my race starts at 11.00 tomorrow and my only goal is to stay in one piece and to enjoy myself. This is my first event after surgery and I'm nervous and excited. The weather seems to hold….the sun is shining and it's going to be hot.

Saturday 23 May 2009

I survived and I even did it in a very good way. I was glad I had changed my race from 50 to 35 km….especially after finishing and having heard other stories. This was not your usual 35 or 50 km race…this was the toughest so far in my racing history. But boy did I ride well, all considering. One of the few to remain on the bike during the final brutal climb towards a ski-station, passing technical passages thanks to control and strong legs and helping out others standing aside their bikes with cramped legs. Had I not taken pictures or helped out or even talked to others just for the fun of it, my time would surely have been 20 minutes better, but who cares. The competitor in me stood up for sure, but the tourist as well as the nature lover was stronger.

The Belgium mountain bike connection

It has been a fascinating and exhausting two weeks. More and more I'm convinced that I want to pass my exams one way or the other in order to bring into practice my knowledge, experience and, most of all, passion. Last week the job brought me to Malmedy, in the Belgium Ardennes, for a test weekend organized by a Belgium mountain bike magazine. Magazine subscribers could test ride bikes of number of brands and the maximum number of 300 had enlisted. Two colleagues and I, all three relatively new to the company were sent out to help, advise and measure the bikes.

We worked our butts off, unable to take a lunch break and working round the clock to help all the Specialized enthusiasts get on a bike, personalizing the suspensions and making sure all comments were heard and questions answered. With over a 100 tests on Saturday and slightly under a 100 on Sunday, we were happy with the performance of our small team and the bikes. Hard work, but very worthwhile. Off to work on Monday morning though, and it was not easy to be as present and kind on the phone as usual…..tired.

After a day off on Koninginnedag, off I went again to Belgium on the Friday, but to Houffalize this time. Houffalize is the spot for World Cups and one of the most technical and exciting tracks of the WC circuit…..Because of the Specialized Factory team with Christophe Sauser and Lene Byberg I was interested in taking a look…but would I be able to get close….and did I really wanna go? Perhaps I should have kept quiet when someone in the office asked who was going to Houffalize, but I raised my hand and had already asked the team manager by email whether I could meet the team. When our suspension guru said that I could bring some parts to the team, there was no way out. I felt obligated to go, and dragged my tired body to Houffalize.

So I arrived on Saturday 2^nd May in Houffalize and dropped off the spare parts. I hung around and was shown around. I could take a close look at the bikes, the newest technology to be tested this weekend and the machinery of the bees surrounding the athletes. With all due respect, I didn't want to get into the way of anybody and most of all, of the athletes. I shook hands with them, but the dazed look on their faces told me that they had no idea who I was of where I came from….They are experts in closing themselves off. Where the mechanics and 'trainer' (nutrition and soigneuse) were happy to answer all my questions and chatter away, the riders would not start talking to me themselves. I respect that and was not surprised, nor offended….I guess it is part of their daily routine. Although it was a short and very interesting day, I decided to take off in the evening, to my precious little home in Amsterdam to get some rest. That means that I wouldn't be there for the big race, but I'll watch it on TV.

It was a rewarding day; I met Thomas Lapeyrie, who is riding for the Scott team and whom I know personally. He's a fine lad and an excellent rider and it was great to talk to him and his parents for a short while. I handed over the relay to my colleague Axel who I saw Saturday evening, for the day of Sunday and stepped into my little green monster to head home. There is also the French Cup race to take a look at, because of a few friends that compete….Too much ; )