Het Nieuwsblad, officially the start of the European circuit, well for the women at least! I have ridden this race for the past three years and it usually follows the same pattern. However, where this is usually my first race of the year I had already raced in Qatar and already gone through the first race of the year motions! That meant I could focus fully on this race having already got use to the feeling of being back in the bunch.
It often makes me laugh when the season gets going again. We tend to ride like we have never riden in a bunch before. People bouncing off each other, the heaviness of peoples braking which ultimately means riders end up taking a lie on the floor. But, for many in the bunch on a very wet and cold morning, I think this is an understatment, this was there first race of the 2011 season, making the bunch a twitching and nervous wreck.
The weather made for an epic day, a day which would be spoke about for a while. It was typical Flanderan weather. Wind, rain, mud, cobble stones, something dreams are made of! Well only once the race has finished anyway.
The calm before the storm, is how the first part of the race could be described. Flat, boring, keeping yourself and team mates out of trouble and ultimately freezing cold. This race never really gets going until the first climb of the day, the Kluisberg. Finally, a chance to warm up! OK, so nothing happened on this climb, and eventually the winning move went over the next climb, Cote de Trieu, but it was certainly a welcome break from the constant flat roads.
My job for the day was to protect my three leaders, look after them and basically do whatever they asked. On such a misserable day there was no chance that I would be standing on the start line in order to start at the front. I was going to get cold and wet enough without starting this process twenty minutes early! So, this meant one of my first jobs of the day was to actually make it to the front. In a bunch of between 170-180 girls this can sometimes be difficult but I found it pretty easy and within a few kilometres of the race proper starting I was in position and prepared for the race ahead.
In fairness, this was not one of the most exciting races. We rode to the first climb, more or less as a complete peloton, the winning move went on the second real climb of the day and then you basically found the group you would ride with too the finish. All sounds very easy, but making sure your leaders are there, along with the fight for the bottom of the climbs makes for a stressfull couple of kilometers.
So, how was it for Nederland Bloeit? With three riders in the top ten it was a successful day at the office. We had a couple of crashes, a mechanical but ended with Loes finishing with a 4th place. For me, I was happy with the way I rode. I did my bit for the team and ultimately had a strong race. I am learning more and more everytime I race and ride my bike. That is ultimately what I need to do but at the same time I am feeling good on the bike and the form is coming, so here is to the next races!
