My day @Tour of Flanders 2016

My day @Tour of Flanders 2016

At race days we need to get up early, so I pack my “Race-Trolley ” the night before. And because we check the weather in advance, it’s just filled with things we need for the day. Before a race I don’t like to be stressed in morning, therefore I always go to breakfast before my roommate, Sibi, gets up. He is a late riser.  Often we have guests, sponsors and their invited guests, eating with us – so even if you’re not a morning person, we need to be nice and friendly, but that’s not to hard. With around 1,500 calories the breakfast is very extensive. A good base for the day, I would say.

After breakfast, I return to my room to make a short call to the family and then head off to the team bus. On the way there, a few pictures can be made with the VIPs.  At the Tour of Flandern we stayed close to Bruges, so the bus ride to the start area is very quick, around 20 min. The final preparations are purely routine – get dressed, have a drink and a bite to eat, set the Team Radio in my ear, grab the bike, and head to the starting line. The way to the starting area at the Tour of Flandern is unique. It is one km through Bruges, fences left and right, with the fans roaring on both sites. This can be really loud – goosebumps are guaranteed. I try to give as many autographs as I can,  but I still end up disappointing a few. Then follows the sign-on at the stage and finally i get down to the starting line.

From km 0 I must be very attentive and focus on the race tactic.  At important passages I have to fight for the best positions, sometimes elbows to elbows. Therefore it’s necessary to know the race profile. At the end of the race, no matter who comes in which group, each one is broken but happy. Last Sunday I had cramps in my feet and problems showering because I couldn’t stand up straight. Then I went home where my family was waiting with dinner. And after one beer I was already asleep