Team Cyclingnews.com - 2005

Team Journal Entry - May 5, 2005, by Hamish Haynes

Frenchmen and heat at Hoboken

Hamish Haynes
Photo ©: Chris Fry

It was the first hot day of the year - in fact, record temperatures for May 1 were set in Antwerpen and the Kempen, the home of this race. Accordingly, Gilbert advised the team that it would catch many riders by surprise and drinking enough would be vital. I think the heat dulled many riders' senses, as after 30km a sizeable group seemed to escape fairly easily. Personally, I was trying to ride my knee into the race; in fact, I suspected it may have become too painful to finish. However, after 50kms it seemed to settle, and it was possible to race rather than just ride round.

Importantly we had a man in the group of 15 or so - Henry was doing his bit. This gave the rest of us a bit of breathing space and put pressure on unrepresented teams; coupled with the heat this made for tired legs and minds. After 80km, as we approached the finish laps, it was time to be in the front. The gap was about one and a half minutes, a couple of attacks saw me clear with three others approaching the feed, which deterred the bunch from pursuing us, and within 15km we were almost across. It wasn´t easy, as one of my group declined to work because he had four teammates in front!

As we closed the final 200 metres I could see that a bit of a split had occurred, so we went straight past the rear group. Within 10km a group of ten had formed and all looked rosy except for the fact that there were four teams with at least two riders, and they kept looking at each other rather than pedalling. Consequently the gap to the bunch decreased pretty rapidly. Actually, this made it more fun, not just for me but for the massive crowd packed into the streets of Hoboken, all wondering if we would be caught whilst sipping beer in the sun.

The podium
Photo ©: Chris Fry

Once the gap was 40 seconds fingers started to be pulled out and a bit of work was done by all. The delay had allowed another five into the group, but I wasn't concerned because everyone looked more tired than I felt. Or were they? Michele, our soigneur, was giving out plenty of drink at the feed and he resourceful too - the last bottle I took felt heavy, and on closer inspection there was a First Class (our nutrition supplier) finish bottle taped to it, looking like a stick of dynamite, which gave me good edge.

Two laps to go; time to make a smaller group. I attacked hard over the bridge and one VC Roubaix rider was with me - I would have preferred one or two more, but pressure had to be applied regardless. We stayed clear for a lap (7km), before being caught by six or seven. I knew the other VC Roubaix rider would be there and that he would have had a free ride during the chase. He would attack immediately, and did. Knowing it would happen helped, and I let him have 50 metres before I jumped across. We opened a gap quite quickly as by now we had done 165km, he would expect me to be tired and I didn´t pretend otherwise. He was a big guy and I wondered if he was fast but I was confident of my sprint. So was he it seemed, as he didn´t attack me.

Then the final twist.

Hamish Haynes (Cyclingnews.Com)
Photo ©: Chris Fry

With one kilometre to go we sat up and rode side by side, slowing to 20kph. I kept one eye on him constantly; it looked like a two up sprint, but with 700m to go I looked behind and saw a rider rapidly approaching past the cars - he was going 25kph faster and would pass us with 400 metres to go. I watched him closing and didn´t take my eye off the rider by my side. I never saw him look behind and suspected he hadn´t seen the approaching rider. As he was about to pass I jumped; it was early for a sprint and perhaps it surprised and pleased the big guy. I got quickly onto the wheel of our attacker and he took me to about 220 metres to go before beginning to slow on the drag - then it was case of going all out for the line and hoping I was faster than the Frenchman. Luckily I was.

Hamish