Brad Hall – Race 6, Dienze 115km’s

By Brad Hall Another perfect Summers day, 27c, clear with a slight wind blowing through the course greeted the 150+ competitors for this our final race of the Belgium Campaign. Probably the best field had assembled since Ive been racing here with the likes of Katusha development Team, An-Post, Lotto Bodysol, and several other registered teams lining up on the start line. The race was predominantly flat with several technical sections, cross winds etc. From the start the race just whittled down into smaller groups: both Chris Beeck and I were surprised at how quickly this happened, perhaps having something to do with the heat when racing. I found myself again in the second group as around 15riders rode clear off the front. Previous experience has taught me when racing here it is difficult to get a group to work collectively as everyone wants to get across individually. I hitout into a head wind section and managed to get clear as several other riders bridged to my cause. Eventually several other riders again bridged to our small group and together we were away. It took around 10km?s to close a 30second gap, such was the pace set up front. Once the groups merged around 35 riders were present in the front selection with the peloton all but desintergrated. With such a large group still present the race was still being fought and won as I tried on several occasions to force a smaller split. The Katusha team were very proactive, at every turn they had a rider storming up the road. I rode clear with one for a period of around 5km?s which was an unpleasant experience to say the least. These guys are strong. Finally the groups pulled apart and then rejoined toward the finishing straight: a 1km cobbled section with a chicane 250m from the finish (again all over cobbles). I had a goal previously set for myself for this finish, as we had ridden around 15 laps of this finishing circuit: sprint into the chicane and try and hold the sprint to the finish. About 2km?s from home a rider pulled clear of the now 50strong field as a group of 10riders bridged to our front group, Chris Beeck included. Several went off after him as I followed the wheels onto the Cobbled section. From here I went early and hard, hard as though I was sprinting for the Chicane not 250m past it. Into the Chicane I braked causing a mass bottleneck behind me, then kicking hard out of the corner and coming to within 5m?s of the eventual winner who had bravely risked everything going solo 2km?s prior. Such is racing, one must often risk everything to gain the spoils of victory. Immediately after the finish I had a Belgium rider commence instruction on how to get through corners without braking, to which I informed him that I was actually trying to lay everyone off my wheel, much to his surprise. Additionally I had one enthusiastic local inform me how he had almost won $200 as he put a bet on me to win at the ?bookies? where I was paying $14/$1. In fact he wouldnt shut up about it and proceeded to introduce me to his extended family and friends, such was my luck and his. A better race perhaps more reflective of some of the form ive built through the last two weeks. Unfortunately for Iain he was dislodged after around 7km?s of racing, which was a real disappointment considering his great progress through the two weeks racing. Still it is great to see someone who works fulltime, studies at uni and rides a bike come here and give his all to a sport worthy of such interest. Cycling is an elitist venture. Those that can do the kilometers often have access to rewards reflective of their efforts whilst the others are left to lean heavily on their own physiology and finite training time in the hope of being given a window of opportunity in finishing even one of these brutal races. Physiology alone will not get you to the finish of one of these races, hard work and training hours will. To this end, Iain has mixed it with some of the continents better riders, despite his own work and study commitments, this is a victory in itself and one I hope to be able to share with other riders over the coming years as we again return to Belgium next year allowing some of the HALL athletes an opportunity to experience this Belgium racing calendar. Thanks again for reading, Brad. Strava data file for Dienze Dienze Results