Team Cyclingnews.com - 2005

Team Journal Entry - September 27, 2005, by Cam Jennings

Where have all the riders gone?

Hi,

Well it's pretty quiet here at the moment. Everybody has left the Booischot house apart from myself and Jeremy and he is only here for another day before he heads back to Middle-Earth with all the Hobbits, Orcs and sheep. I'm still here for a bit more and have a few more races to come. Had just completed a big block of racing last time I wrote, so how have things gone since?

Koolscamp Championship of Vlaanderen, 1.1

First race up was at Koolscamp, the Championship of Vlaandered. Koolscamp is a little town over in West-Flanders where they breed the riders extra tough. And going by the weather conditions of the day anybody wishing to win would have to be made of extra tough stuff. It was absolutely blowing its bollocks off on this day and would be crucial to stay at or near the front and also try not to get caught up in the lack of motivation by many of the other riders.

We started, and after two kilometres we hit the lap's cobbled section. Got over that ok and negotiated the course's dangerous sections of cross wind and managed to move up a little by the time the first lap had ended. Then we hit the cobbles again and as we came off them felt my back tyre going down. Put my hand up and looked around expecting to see team cars, but there were none to be seen. You see, unbeknownst to me, the pace on the first lap sent 50-60 riders out the back and the team cars were still stuck behind them. So, got a change from the neutral car and was left to chase and try and get back on. Chased flat out for a lap and by this stage some of the team cars had passed me. I got to the team cars and was working my way up only to see they were not behind the bunch but behind another group of 10 that had been dropped. Chased for another lap, but the bunch was nowhere to be seen and the Jury pulled us out. Three laps for me...I love that race. Meanwhile in the race, Glen was away in a group and riding strong as per. Hamish and Jeremy were also riding well, catching Glen with a strong group and only a few laps to go. Hamish ended 11th on the day and Jeremy 25th or so.

Omloop de Houtland - Lichtervelde, 1.2

Few days recovery before our next race and Kane Oakley left to go home, so the house lost a few laughs (FAB). Our next race was Lichtervelde, a town only 10km from Koolscamp (fantastic). Fortunately it wasn't blowing a gale and the sun was out. A day to behold for the people of West Flanders. Although the racing conditions were great it was a pretty tricky, dangerous course consisting of loop after loop of narrow roads where we crossed the finish line on 15 occasions.

The first two hours of the race were pretty standard as we covered 100km. We returned to the finish again and then it was into eight local laps of 10km. Two local laps covered and a break was up the road but was being brought back by Mr.Bookmaker-Palmans. Hamish was looking good and we were expecting him to go any moment and get up the road. The break returned but then another went straight away and still no Hamish. Hamish had pulled out due to a bad stomach so it was up to Jeremy and myself to get a decent result for the team. With three laps to go we jumped across to a group of 10 and chased for the reamining laps. We got to within 30 seconds of the front but then we started to watch each other and the break continued to ride on. Decided to have a go in the sprint for our group but I got boxed in and stuffed it up. Finished 32nd or something at the back of our group and was pretty dark with myself for not having a go a kilometre or so out but was not too confident in succeeding so I sat back. Gave myself an upper-cut and will be more aggressive next time. It was a fast race covering almost 190km in four hours.

So a few days have passed and I feel I've recovered well. Racing today in Tienen and then on Tuesday, our final big race of the year. Glen and I have a mate coming over from England on Monday and will be staying at the house so that will keep me company for a week or so otherwise I might have gone mad here in Booischot.

Till next time we meet,
Cameron