Kermess

Yesterday I got a taste of one of real kermess racing. For those of you who dont know kermesses are typically 100-170km of a 5-15km loops that rides around and finishes in a local city street. This kermess was 115km on a 8km circuit. The race started on cobbles then kicked up a 1km hill that got steeper as the climb went on the max grade was like 12% then it is a hard left and, i think i forgot to mention that yesterday was really windy... talking about a steady 30kmph wind with gusts up to 60kmph!!. so after that left turn we were hit dead on from right by the crosswind, the course weaves a bit then there is a two tricky turns in another small town then a left out of town and a straight shot back into the start/finish town (dont remember the name, it was close to Kemmel and Iper though). The race was characterized by the hill and the crosswinds which as our DS said only 10 or so guys will finish this race which is scary considering there were over a 100 starters. Now I will give you the play by play of the race yesterday by lap:
3:03 - Race has started
3:14 - one lap down, 13 to go
3:28 - wohoo it slowed down!
3: 30 - 3 guys from the same team (the best team in belgium: Beveren 2000) attacks, i bridge to them on the hill
3:31 - my legs hurt really bad, now for the hard left
3:31 - immediately regret my decision to bridge to the leaders as they put me in the gutter
3: -- - losing track of time, vision narrowing, holding on for dear life
3: 43 - where am I?
3: 44 - vision repaired, can think now, i am in the 2nd group, 11 laps to go
3: 46 - thoughts run through my head *stop attacking please*
3: 47 - haha it is the hills and you cant attack here
3: 49 - but the Belgians can attack in the crosswind :(
4: 00 - 4 laps done, 10 to go,
4: 01 - running low on fuel, need water, systems crashing, mayday mayday!
4: 02 - see our DS holding water, target locked on
4: 02 - this is David Talbott to base, requesting flyby,
4: 02 - water recieved :),
4: 05 - water is nearly finished
4: 17 - 5 laps done, 9 to go
4: 18 - lead group is just in front, dont have enough energy to bridge :(
4: 18 - my group explodes in the crosswind, i make the front split
4: 34 - done with crosswind section, survived, 6 laps done, 8 to go
4: 49 - 7 laps done, 7 to go,
4: 50 - a British guy talks to me then attacks! i chase him down and tell him to work with the group steady, everybody ignores me, so i attack on the hill.
4: 49 - back in the group in the crosswind
4: 52 - i hate kermesses
5: 05 - 8 laps done, 6 to go
5: 08 - hello mr. crosswind! dont mind me... i am the tiniest guy in the race... i just want to finish please dont hurt me!
5: 21 - 9 laps done, 5 to go
5: -- - too busy eating to look at time. David is hungry
5: 36 - see guy waving yellow flag, what does this mean? the people in my group are sprinting. que? realize that it is the end for our group. we were pulled with 4 to go
5:38 - take # off and rode 2 more laps

The race finished and 12 guys actually completed all 14 laps. I finished somewhere around 50th and the only "finisher" for our team. Carter Jones had stomach cramps, Chris Montelone flatted. Fun race freaking one of the hardest races I have done (granted I havent done that much). Rode 45km back to the house including two bergs in the Tour of Flanders, one paved that hit 15% and the other the Kemmelberg both the descent and the ascent on cobbles. Scary! Cant imagine racing up let alone down the hill.

Roubaix countdown begins today: 7 days

David