Luxembourg National Cycling Championships

Thursday’s contre-la-montre (Time Trial), 18km:

I was very excited to be part of the Cycling Championships in Luxembourg this year, even though it was during my racing break, I was still looking forward to a good performance to show the cyclists that I am a good rider. I knew the race course and I had my training partner and friend Paul Westwood behind me in the follow car; Alicia was there as well and she filmed the whole thing!

Check out the YouTube video above! Crazy, I know–thanks to Paul for pushing me all the way!

So I finished 3rd in my category ”pro without contract”–but would have even finished 3rd in the category “pro with contract”. I was just a minute and 25 seconds behind the winner, Kim Kirchen from Pro Team Highroad. I was pretty happy with that and enjoyed the different race scenery.

Three days later, I raced again at the Road Cycling Champs on Sunday–a full 167km.

My preparation was terrible as I got my road bike only days before and I actually sat on it the evening before the race for the first time ever. Several changes had to be made and I was happy to have my buddy Tom @ Cycling.lu spend his off day to fix my bike–just 3 hours before the race. Time was obviously pretty tight when I got there and with no warm up I started the ride. After 2km the first attacks started and too bad… I missed the group that made it and I was in the back just riding along. The last 70km was very hilly, so I was hoping to keep the wheels of the other guys. I struggled with the 2km uphill (17%) which we had to climb 6 times including 5 times down on the other side and up as well. Our group got smaller and smaller and we were just 3 guys left at the very end. One guy out of our big group went by himself the last 10km and was first from the group to reach the finish. I attacked after the last hill and (I vomited and ended up topping my highest ever heart rate by 6 beats)! Finally I made it solo into 5th place (pro without contract) and 10th overall- including the Schlecks , Kirchen and all of them.

So I was very happy with that effort and pretty messed up afterwards as well. LOL!

What a cool experience with the team car behind me, the radio in my ear- people helping out with water bottles and all that. Wow, I wish I would have this kind of support at my triathlon races- pretty drastic difference as we have to do everything on our own.

The very next day, we left to drive to the South of France for my training camp near Perpignan.

There I will spend 2 weeks training on my own and from Perpignan I will go to Font Romeu, one of the most well known altitude training centres in Europe. After 3 weeks, in altitude I will head straight down to ITU Long Distance European Champs in Prague and will give it my very best to get a medal – which will not be an easy job! Liz May from Luxland just won her first silver medal at ITU Short Distance European Champs in Holten, which was pretty impressive. So I have a big job if I want to top that result… haha.

Alicia is in Leipzig at HHL right now to get her PhD going, so I am a lonely worrier down here. It’s great to have my Dad and Hae Seon with me for a change- great family times!

One of my good friends Barrett Brandon from USA is also coming to Font Romeu to join me for the last 2 weeks of my stay and we will have great quality training up there!

More later on.

Yours,
Dirk