For the folks at home in Peterborough, check out the Green EXPO on April 29 in the Evinrude Center. The website is www.greenexpo.ca .

Today was a nice day over here in Belgium, so I took advantage and went for a long ride.  Yes, yesterday was a race… Yes I’m crazy.  Not as crazy as the psychos who designed the Tour of Flanders course.  I rode part of the course today, from Kluisberg, where the hills start, to the town of Oodenarde.  I think that’s a little over a quarter of the hilly portion of the race.  Most of the climbs I did were on cobbles, were really steep and they come one right after another.  One of the less famous climbs, the Paterberg, has a narrow, winding downhill leading up to it.  Then, you slam on the brakes, make a sharp right turn and you’re on the hill.  There’s also a sharp turn at the bottom of the Koppenberg, another super steep cobbled climb.  If you look at the race photos, the Koppenberg is the one where riders are walking.  For those who are wondering, the Koppenberg is not so bad that the riders can’t ride up it.  They’re walking because of the congestion on the climb.  All the riders are trying to be as close to the front as possible, for the crosswind section after the top.  All it takes its one rider to crack.  He slows down, then other riders bang into him, then people are stopped and on foot.  In case you’re also wondering…I rode up it.

To say that the Tour of Flanders is hard doesn’t quite sound right.  Cruel and unusual punishment - that sounds more accurate.  Whoever designed that course is probably not a bike racer.  I’m tired after my 200 km in 6 hours 30 minutes, just training.  Try 250 km in 7 hours, racing over four times as many hills and cobbles.  Come to think of it…that’s my kind of race!

Yesterday was Tour of Cologne, in Germany.  200km on a rolling course - perfect for me.  I don’t think that the German’s really understand the whole concept of a “neutral zone”.  50-55 km/h in the “neutral zone” doesn’t seem too “neutral” to me.  So then the race starts… A break got away in the first 10 or 15 km but there were a few of the strongest teams, including Milram, looking ready to bring it back - It never came back.  So I, along with Zabel, Pettachi, O’Grady all missed the boat.  To add to a wonderful day, it was raining all day and I nearly froze my ass off, getting so cold, I had troubles keeping my bike going in a straight line, but it doesn’t end there.  After the main bunch gave up chasing and started riding easy, after we were told that our group was going to pulled from the race, I discovered that something was broken on my bike and I needed to change bikes.  When I stopped for the bike change, the last vehicle in the caravan went pass me.  As I was riding back up to the group there was a motor cycle, that I sat behind for about 50 meters - just playing around.  Who cares right?  We’re going to pulled from the race any way.  As I was riding through the caravan, back up to the bunch, the commisaire comes up to me and tells me that I’m out of the race.  I was behind the last caravan vehicle, so I’m out - plus I was behind that motor bike, so no discussion, I’m out and I’m not allowed to go back to the bunch.  What kind of idiot disqualifies a rider that is going to be pulled from the race any way?  Apparently, one that has a grudge against our director.  Wow!

Sorry for the lack of updates for awhile. It’s that time of year again. Taxes! Fortunately I have a personal accountant (my wife Robyn), but I still have lots of work to do, to figure out my expenses. Well, that’s done now (at least for me), so I can focus on things that don’t suck.

I’m settled in, over in Belgium. On Saturday, we went up to Holland for Ronde van Drenthe, a 190km flat race with lots of cobbles. Before the start, the rain was falling at a 45 degree angle and I froze my ass off 5 seconds after getting out of the car. Despite being in Europe for only two days, I felt pretty good. The race wittled down to a front group of about thirty riders. With 30 km to go I attacked with one other guy and bridged across to the two others who were about thirty seconds up the road. We were caught by the group after aproximately 10 km. Once I was back in the group, the jet lag started kicking in and I couldn’t recover from the breakaway. I got dropped in the crosswind section and was pulled from the race, since the broom wagon was behind the front group. About 30 riders finished the race. Despite not finishing, I rode stronger than I expected, so I was pretty happy with the race.

Two days ago we did Scheldeprijs. The weather was fine, but there were strong crosswinds. Quick Step, who were probably eager to make up for a somewhat disappointing Paris-Roubaix, went to front and drilled it early in the race, splitting the field in to bits. In the end 22 riders finished. The group I was in (2nd group), was pulled from the race. At first I was pretty disappointed in my ride, but after seeing that there were only 22 riders up the road I felt better.

Next up is Rund um Koln on Monday. Today I’m planning six hours on the bike, yesterday I did five, the next two days before Koln will be easy.

If there was any doubt that the sport of cycling is dangerous, that was set to rest this week.  Two friends sent to the hospital with serious injuries within a few days is a powerful wake-up call.

In Tour of Flanders Michael Barry broke 3 vertebrea.  Fortunately the injuries were not too serious, he was released from the hospital on Tuesday afternoon and is recovering in the loving company of his wife and son.  I wish him a speedy recovery and I’m just glad he’s OK
Yesterday, Saul Raisin crashed in Circuit de la Sarthe and sustained serious head injuries.  His condition is stable, but he’s in a coma and his future is uncertain.  The brain is a mysterious organ and it’s possible that he will wake and be totally fine.  I hope that happens.  Saul is a great guy and doesn’t deserve this trauma.

Having just arrived in Belgium this morning, all this reminds of the dangers of cycling and it makes me a bit nervous.  We know the risks and we accept them; however we all have families at home that also feel the pain of such injuries.  My wife is now frightened of me racing over here, so I try to do my best to reassure her that I’ll be OK.

Good luck guys.  Get well soon.

After two and a half weeks in California, I’m finally home, but only for a week before I head to Europe. I have a pretty heavy schedual on the other side of the pond, beginning with Ronde Van Drenthe, a 220km race in Northern Holleand with about 40km of cobbles. After that we go back to Belgium for Scheldeprijs-Vlanderen, then Germany for Rund um Koln and Rheinpfalz-Rundfaht, a 5 day stage race near Frankfurt. For a little extra punishment we’re planning to do Henniger-Turm the day after Rheinpfalz.

I’m looking forward to the races in Germany. I trained hard when I was in California and felt stronger every week-end. Hopefully I can continue this trend and kick some ass in Germany.

Thanks to Missingsaddle for the cool site!

Hey everybody.  Curtis is trying to help me learn how to use my webpage.  Thanks man!