The Season So Far...

It is hard to believe but the Yorkshire Points competition is more than two thirds over. Round seven was last Sunday at the 'old school' Brighouse course. Also hard to believe is that Brighouse is the first points race this season where it actually wasn't dry/sunny for the vets race! Anyway having failed to post regular race reports its time to recap and take stock on a non-racing weekend!

Round One Northallerton 2/9/12

Steve giving me a 'funny look' ;-)

Well it wasn't the usual Oakbank opening round but it was the Northallerton 'grass crit', no need to dismount at any point and very fast. Bone dry and sunny, a rude awakening for the racing legs. I felt pretty good for the first race of the season but lacked a little in pace. Met up with Jon (cheers for the stickers!) for the first time since last season and best of all we recruited a new lady, Laura, with genuine Belgian pedigree! @Hanglebads photos
Rich Allen 15/88, Nick Waggett 54/88, Jon Allen 62/88, Laura Jolly 83/88 (5th W)

Round Two Oakbank 9/9/12

The usual season opener had to take second place this year but still managed to pack in the usual variety in a (relatively) small venue. Lovely sunny weather again to begin with and though most of the course was dry some areas held the rain. These areas started to cut up adding a bit of challenge. Funniest moment was having to sprint to and from the car to fetch a spare front wheel for Mark (J. D. Cycles) during the seniors race as he ran a lap to the pits with a flat. I hope he appreciated getting the first ride on one of my FMB Superprestige tubs! Jo was poorly so no photos.
Rich Allen 18/103, Nick Waggett 45/103, Laura Jolly 90/103 (5th W), John Parkinson 97/103

Round Three Tong 16/9/12

An good course with a mix of open fields, technical woody descents and a steep climb. Dry and sunny again and really not that wet under the wheels either. I felt pretty good but missed a trick by not using a log hop short cut every lap which was probably worth a place or two by the end - must get more confident/take the risk on some of the technical stuff. Things I learned or remembered - technical skills save energy and places! Jo was still poorly so no photos.
Rich Allen 19/99, Nick Waggett 51/99, Laura Jolly 77/99 (4th W)

Round Four Thornes Park 23/9/12

Hurdle!

Another fast course with just the one hurdle and it was yet again dry! Usually this race is run close to Christmas and can feature icy sections but not this year. Strangely despite having a right battle with my friend and adversary Wayne and feeling like I pushed it really hard it was my worst result of the season. Not sure why, the start was a bit crowded and I didn't get away that well but not that badly either - who knows? @Hanglebads photos
Rich Allen 23/118, Nick Waggett 43/118, Laura Jolly 93/118 (3rd W), John Parkinson 98/118

Three Peaks 30/9/12

I've already covered this in 50th Anniversary Three Peaks suffice to say it was a memorable send off for John

Round Five Temple Newsam 7/10/12

Our newest and youngest 'Belgian. 

The mud tubs (Rhinos) came out in expectation of wet conditions - so far I'd done every race on Griffos. On the day it was dry and sunny - again but there was at last some proper mud - yippee! A great course as always with a mix of technical woodland with some good muddy sections alongside the more open field sections including a 'nice' off camber 'P' turn. I had a good start - not as good as Paul though who set off at 500m pursuit pace! Things I learned or remembered - make sure you know where it is quicker to run than ride. @Hanglebads photos
Rich Allen 13/111, Nick Waggett 60/111, Paul Goulden 64/111, John Parkinson 94/111, Laura Jolly 98/111 (7th W)

Newsome High School (Huddersfield) 14/10/12

Team mates

A non points race high up above Huddersfield at Newsome High School. A mainly fast grass course but with a sand pit and some tricky off camber banking and a touch of woodland for interest. I had a great start and was actually up to 6th at one point - mainly because two riders slid out on a slippery grass corner. It was a fast course that rewarded smooth riding but punished errors - by the end a few stutters and slips and I'd slipped down to 9th but probably only 15-20 second off 7th. It was good to Things I learned or remembered - tyre/tub pressure is so important, I seemed to have it just right in the Griffos finding the slippery corners noticeably less problematic than some. @Hanglebads photos
Rich Allen 9/80, Nick Waggett 47/80, Adam Cooper 53/80, Laura Jolly 74/80 (4th W)

Rapha Supercross Broughton 20/10/12

Vets team raring to go - with Nicole. 

The whole Rapha Supercross phenomenon has stepped up a gear this year perhaps not so much in terms of the racing field, though I think there were more discreet categories this time round, but certainly in spectators and trade tents, catering etc. We arrived nice and early but by the time the vets had finished there were spectators everywhere and 'overflow parking was running short. The course itself was a compromise - heavy rain had meant that permission to use the more technical areas had been withdrawn for fear of severe damage. As a result it was an exhaustingly 'heavy' grass circuit which should have suited me but I didn't seem to be firing on all cylinders whether this was physical or just psychological given the slow going I'm not sure - though my recovery on Sunday suggests it was all in the head. Things I learned or remembered - tyre/tub pressure is so important, again! @Hanglebads photos
Rich Allen 14/91, Carl Nelson 24/91, Nick Wagget 37/91, Jon Allen 45/91, Mark Bradley 70/91, John Parkinson 75/91

Round Six New College (Huddersfield) 21/10/12

Jon in freshly laundered kit!

After the Supercross on Saturday it was a surprise to line up at Huddersfield New College actually feeling a lot fresher - perhaps yesterdays efforts had 'unblocked' the legs or more likely it was a faster course so everything just felt better! A goodish start and the good sense just to hold back a little on the 2nd corner saw me comfortably placed and avoiding the pile up. Not really any technical challenges and just two dismounts per lap (need to work on power as one of them was rideable by better/stronger riders). Actually felt that I could really power on the flats but couldn't catch Phil who had finished just ahead last week as well at Newsome. Things I learned or remembered - the turbo and rollers really do help. @Hanglebads photos
Rich Allen 11/113, Nick Waggett 37/113, Jon Allen 71/113, Laura Jolly 94/113 (5th W)

Round Seven Brighouse 28/10/12

Quicker to run than ride!

Finally we come to Brighouse an 'old school' course that includes a couple of big climbs and a couple of steep/fast/technical downhills - especially in the mud. Good to see the Lancashire raiders in the form of 'smiling' Dave Haygarth over for some Yorkshire action. At long last there was some proper mud and it was actually wet - almost anyway but nothing like the heavy rain forecast. Thanks to the points 'call up' I had a great start position and a flying start managing to stay (very much) on the back of the lead group for the first half lap. Reality soon asserted itself and a little group of us slipped back battled away for the next few laps until Mark (Hopefactory) pulled away and things fragmented. A few silly mistakes skills/strategy wise cost me a couple of places but I really didn't have the hutzpah or legs to make it count today. However it was such an enjoyable and tough course the race flew by. Things I should have remembered - know where it is quicker to run than ride even downhill and it is surprisingly easy to run a team mate over without consequence to oneself (sorry Nick!) @Hanglebads photos

Nick enjoying the flat before being run down...

Rich Allen 16/84, Nick Waggett 55/84, Mark Bradley 76/84, Laura Jolly 82/84 (2nd W)

Gentlemen...

... Start your engines.

The wheels of the 2011 cyclocross season are starting to turn both here, in the U.S. and eventually over in mainland Europe* And with this momentum, our latest kit order brought with it a few new names that will be sporting our colours within a couple of weeks as the fresh produce drops through their letter boxes.

So say a big hello to:

Mark Solomon
Darren Holloway
Ian Parkinson
Paul Goulden
Steve Cooper
Tom Hill
Kenny Christie
Nigel Winsper
Matt Kendall
Greg May

Some of these guys write, ride and run and some of the others I don't know anything about. So in an attempt at a fair approach it'll be up to them to introduce themselves should they so wish.



*whilst the seasons finished in the southern hemisphere which is a bizarre concept.

Tod Cross

Nick, Rich, Mark FM, Alan (Crossjunkie) and Mark Turner chew the fat after a tough Tod race.

They were aided and abetted in various forms by Dave and Phil Haygarth, Andrew McHugh, Steve Cavell, Carl Nelson, Jason Miles, Richard Seipp (see here), Simon Fox and Sunny doing his taptiming thing. Oh and soon to be Belgian and visitor from Dublin, Greg May and his partner Pauline.

Duncan did the artwork for the posters and cunningly didn't ride, and Jo Allen took photos with her spangly new camera.

All in all, I suggest that is a pretty good turn out at a single race, for an outfit that 18 months ago had 2 members. Pat yourself on the back Dunc - it was you that dunnit.

The Cobbles of Doom didn't disappoint and Dave H had a good crack at winning the magnum of Blue Chimay in the Vets. Alan and Rich's end of season celebrity deathmatch was a bit of damp squib as Rich had a technical early on the first lap and dropped significant time to Al who wasted no time in disappearing off. Inconclusive result there - to be revisited at Hit the North?





http://www.flickr.com/photos/hanglebads/sets/72157625738880276/

Race reports and vids here

Happy New Year to all and may 2011 be as Belgian as you wish for.

Christmas Presence...

The eagle eyed, regular returners among you will have noticed a minor facelift to the blog over the last few days. Partly instigated by my need to meddle with the aesthetics of anything (if I change the link colour one more time somebody shoot me) and partly due to the ever growing team list, that on the previous layout took an eternity to scroll to the bottom of.

Yep, that's right, a growing team list. So here's some more names to become familiar with:

Andrew McHugh: Founder member of Hit the North taking time out to avoid getting fired and/or divorced. Keen but not very accomplished MTB and occasionally CX racer (still getting to grips with the dark art of the rapid remount). Forum loud mouth under the pseudonym of Harry The Spider.

Carl Keen: Races cross in the Central League and a bit of road with the LVRC and a smidgen of XC. When not racing, he's riding the lanes of the Chilterns in search of Belgian toothpaste.

Carl Nelson: A North West Cyclocross stalwart and Crossjunkie interval session sparring partner.

Cheryl King: Loves cycling, loves photography and love the fact she gets to combine both. We love the fact Cheryl manages to capture some of our better moments on film (well CCD actually).

Dave Haygarth: A nearly has-been proper cyclocross specialist as nearly was a proper cyclocross specialist. Veteran of the 3 peaks since 1995 and a dedicated Wheelbase rider who was once forced (fairly willingly) to share a bed in a Premier Inn with Rob Jebb.

John Elkin: Rides (usually singlespeed) cross through the winter and sportives during the summer. Usually nips across for Flanders, Roubaix, Amstel Gold and LBL, good riding and great racing.

Phil Haygarth: Ronde? tick. 3 peaks? tick. Museeuw dispatching Tchmil in 1995 on the Muur? tick. Here Come the Belgians approved? Big tick.

Rachel Calvert: Possibly the Enigma's financial controller. Rachel sends money, I send kit to Yorkshire. I think I have the basis for a spy thriller (or a kick in the nuts for mindless ramble).

Steffan Chandler: Actually won his first cross race, as a junior 23 yrs ago and then won the Yorkshire champs in his 2nd race the week after... Unfortunately wins are hard to come by nowadays and the best he can muster was 5th overall in the NW league last year (don't let the undersell fool you Steff races hard and fast, laughs alot and heckles even better).

There, intros done. Have a great Christmas, enjoy the racing over the festive period and I'll probably catch up with a few of you trackside...mine's a mulled wine and mince pie.

...or a beer

...or a baileys

...and don't forget the pork pie with egg.

Newness...

Another kit order has come and gone and I'm proud to announce some additions to our ever expanding juggernaut of cross and cobble. So without further a do, here goes a welcome to:

Mark Leyland: A Former north west rider now living in the midlands which expands our midenglandshire membership by 100%...which means there's now 2.

Suneil "Sunny" Curwen: Sunny is of Tap Timing fame which is making a decent fist of keeping track of the Yorkshire Cyclocross league amongst others. Owning a team kit now gives Sunny carte Blanche to overindulge in cross, cobble and belgian beer... his own admission, you read it here first.

Richard Seipp: Of qwertyphoto fame. Richard is a pro freelance photographer based in the Peak District. He's both rider, racer and photographer... I just wonder if he can do it all at once?.. while juggling fire*.

Ken Bloomer: Ken is another addition to our European contingent. Ken owns and runs Crema Cycles in Germany. He rides, races and writes, but then again, why am I bothering to tell you, here's Ken himself...



*I shouldn't make glib comments like this. He probably can do all this and more.

Relentless 24

120 miles into the 300-odd mile journey to Fort William, I had an 'OHSHITOHSHITOHSHIT' moment.

Having meticulously packed everything I needed for a 24 hour race in the last few days, like I always do, then carefully placing everything in the van a few hours earlier, I was immediately shocked into a state of confusion and panic when I realised that I’D LEFT ALL OF MY SODDING CLOTHES IN A BAG ON THE BED AT HOME.

Eventually I gained enough composure to ring Dave who confirmed that he had two team jerseys with him and that if I was short of anything else (which I was), he had 3 of everything else. I was heading up to Scotland in October with nothing to wear apart from the shorts and t shirt I was sat in. Fantastic. What a great start.

Eventually arriving at the race campsite (which was a car park at the Fort William gondola station) at 10pm-ish, I ate some more food and got my head down for what turned out to be a brilliant night’s sleep in my floral-print pop-up tent. Luckily for Dave I was able to buy a new pair of bib shorts at a stall the next

morning. A quick visit to the lovely 2Pure folks at the Niterider stand for another 24 hour race-worth cardboard box of CLIF

energy fuel, then new shorts and borrowed jersey donned, I got ready for the start.

The run at the start of the race was thankfully very short but unfortunately didn’t have either the length or the Hit the North-style hilarity to properly break up the field so immediately a queue developed as everyone tried to ride through the first constriction (a tunnel!). It’s a long race. It won’t matter. The course had lots of climbing and a fair share of technical, rocky, slow speed bits to keep things fun early in the race and to also keep things dangerous later on when everyone’s knackered.

The course really was su

perb. I was tapping out laps with a kind of rhythm that I’ve not had for a long time…since perhaps CLIC24 a while back in fact. Until I got a puncture. I knew that I was in 3rd or 4th place at this point and I wasn’t too keen on dropping back 6 hours into the race but The Incident Pit started to open and I couldn’t get the tyre back on the rim. Eventually Dave arrived and dug out a tyre lever to replace the one I’d just snapped…then a marshal who was riding a trails motorbike turned up and handed me a foot-long metal tyre lever. My Stans rim won’t like it but here goes….

35 minutes of buggering about later and I’m on my way again, now chasing the places I’d lost.

I got back into the beat of the race again and rode into the night still feeling good. Still gaining time on those in front. A bit of big-ring action on a downhill here…pass a group of riders on a climb there…keep your eyes open for the bloke in 3rd cos you’re gaining on him, that’s a fact. It’s true, Angela said so.

Angela, Dave’s girlfriend, was here to support us and had been awake for the entire race. Using two alarm clocks so that she could keep track of mine and Dave’s approximate lap times, there wasn’t a single lap where I didn’t see her next to our pit, arms full of energy drink bottles, food, gels and would immediately run and get whatever I needed as soon as I’d mumbled my ‘order’. In between looking after 2 needy soloists she’d be examining the leaderboard, writing down names, positions and lap times so that we’d know when we were doing ok and when we’d need to pull our fingers out. You just can’t ‘race’ a 24 hour race without support like that.

Eventually my tempo dropped and I started to hit the wall. This doesn’t happen to me that often; waves of nausea washed over me and I felt very. very cold. No matter how hard I rode, I was shivering. I wasn’t shivering due to cold though, I was starting to switch off – my effort not being matched by either my preparation in the weeks before the race or my consumption of food during it. Sat on The Chair Of Hurt for 20 minutes with a blanket around me, I contemplated ending the 24 hour race season like this- broken and shivering. As I shivered a second cup of tea all over my legs I decided that this wasn’t how we were going to end this race. I’d driven for 6 hours to get here. I’ve recovered from bigger setbacks than this in races in the past. It’s been a long, hard season with almost continual endurance racing but surely this would have made me stronger? Yes? YES?

I got up and rode away. Almost immediately I fell off, got back on and hit the steep climb out of the main arena….

5am. I passed the guy in 3rd place. He didn’t attack, but I’d have ridden away from anyone right then in any case. I kept going. Tapping out the laps. bang. bang. bang. bang. Sunrise, a second wind, lap times tell me I’m dropping 4th place…

The finish. 26 laps later, 3rd place overall. The overall winner is a vet, which means that I’m in second place in the ‘Senior Mens Solo’ – Dave’s finished in 1st place in the seniors. We’ve owned that podium again ;0)

…and due to my forgetfulness on the clothing front, there were no clean jerseys to wear on the podium. So we accepted our trophies still wearing the stinking, filthy threads we’d raced in for the last day. Living the dream…

(pics courtesy of Mike Hulme)

Dusk Till Dawn 12 hour

Hello. My first post on the Belgians blog so I'll start as I mean to go on...I'll be writing some guff during the 'cross season providing my 'cross season is slightly less disastrous than the last one however I'll mainly waffle on about rather long races and rather long rides...oh, and occasional news about Hit the North.

For my second of Three Races In Three Weeks adventure I headed down to Thetford for Dusk Till Dawn, the ace 12 hour endurance race in the ace Thetford Forest that started at 8pm Saturday and ended at 8am the morning after....that was the ideal. The reality however was a bit different...

Riding a mountain bike quickly at night, in driving rain on a trail that twists and turns through a dense forest whilst only being able to see out of one eye is not an experience I want to repeat. Ever.

The start of Dusk Till Dawn went well, I’d got myself into a reasonably good position during the rolling start, well out of trouble (there was plenty of sketchy riding going on all around me at the start) and whilst I sat behind some traffic during that first lap it was ok. Not blisteringly fast, but not slow either. Making full use of the fireroads to stretch my legs and overtake large groups of other riders I was feeling good, just as I was last year.

The second lap was a bit wetter. At some point soon after the start of the race the rain also started and the levels of grip that I’d enjoyed in that first lap had pretty much gone now. I needed to get back to the solo tent where I expected Michael to have the spare bike (with mud tyres) ready to go.

It was still raining and now a large blob of mud had scored a direct hit on my right eye, despite me wearing glasses. I’ve also lost the use of my rear brake, oh and the rear mech seems to have developed its own free will. This is starting to get interesting much earlier than I was expecting it to….

Back to the solo tent, there’s Michael stood in the rain with the bike. He’s a good lad, my lad. A quick ‘my eye’s hurting and this bike seems to be broken’ whinge and I’m off again, this time apparently with a level of grip and an ability to manoeuvre around the twisting and turning singletrack the like of which the rest of the riders out there could only dream of. The biggest challenge at times was avoiding crashing cyclists.

One lap and a pair of brake pads appeared to have been worn out. I think I actually braked just twice during that lap too. Back to the tent, eye hurting, grab another bottle, eat a gel, carry on.

Ignore the pain. No idea what my position was but I was pretty sure I was doing ok.

As well as brake pads, my right eye was now definitely being worn away. The grit that was obviously still in there was causing me a great deal of pain by now – I was having to stop more and more frequently to try to remove it with my filthy, cold, wet fingers and not surprisingly I was making the problem worse.

I was getting angry with myself now as I should have just gone to get help and have the eye washed at the end of the second lap. I was going to have to stop after this lap and find the first aid tent…

Then my rear mech packed in – bizarrely the grit seems to have destroyed the lower jockey wheel so that’s now seized. The chain is continuing to roll over the jockey wheel but it was vibrating and making a noise like a moped.

I’d better get back to the solo tent to fix it then.

But I can’t see out of my right eye now without it feeling like someone has built a small fire in it. Sod the bike, first aid is what you need.

The medic shone his light into my eye and after washing out most of the dirt with (I think) a water pistol, he told me that I’d put a large scratch on the eyeball. No amount of cleaning was going to reduce the pain so he put a dressing on it, shared an anecdote about scratched eyeballs and chainsaws, told me to expect a couple of days of pain and then sent me on my way.

And that was the end of that. My race had ended after just four hours.

Other riders went on to soldier on through the worst weather ever seen at this race – 50 minute lap times eventually became over 2 hour slogs. Even the wide fireroads deteriorated to a point where they were mostly unrideable but despite this, many riders made it through to the end.

Suppose we were long overdue a proper wet race. Who knows what would have happened if I’d not got injured..I know loads dropped out, each one either having their own troubles or just talking themselves out of carrying on. Onwards and upwards…Relentless 24 next, after some bike repairs and a few days of Optrex.

Temple Newsam Cross - Yorkshire League

Action from over the East side of the Pennines - classic cross venue Temple Newsam Park in Leeds. The Yorkshire chapter of the Belgians got stuck into some bibilically wet conditions and Jo Hanglebads took the pics - riders were Rich Allen, Mark Bradley and Ben. As in Paperthin. Not sure how they got on yet, but they all looked stylish.

Full photo set here

3 Peaks - we came, we rode, we were photographed

The 2010 3 Peaks race is well documented on honourary Belgian Dave Haygarth's (seen below) seminal Peaks blog so I won't repeat anything here. My own take on the whole rocky affair can be found here too.



Suffice to say there were lots of photographers and spectators out on Sunday, and lots of shots aimed at, shouts shouted toward and general love for, the Belgians. Dunc would have been proud to hear it all.....

So here is my own little selection of piccies of me (Alan), Rich Allen, G, Richard Knowles and Simon Fox - missing in the thick of it are Winkie who shunned a Belgian strip for some reason (tut tut) and Simon Nurse who rode in green but rocked the team windjacket after. We were aided and abetted by Mark Turner, Jo Hanglebads and Mark Bradley and Gemma Nurse. And probably others whom I didnt get to see on the day. A massive thank you to all the helpers as it really makes all the difference on a logistically complex event like this.

Going back to the images, superb shots in particular can be found from the Belgian friendly Cheryl King and Richard Seipp both of whom are represented below.

As he did in the race, winner Rob Jebb (1st shot below) leads us up the impossibly steep first climb and into the fun:

3 Peaks Cyclocross Preview - 26 September

In case you hadn't noticed, at the heart of 'Belgian' identity is the winter discipline of cyclocross. If, as a new Belgian you aren't already riding cross, then you will be soon, by osmosis, peer pressure or sheer curiousity down to the fact that the rest of us bang on about it so much. As an old hand, then you know what you are in for already.

However, masquerading less as the Cinderella, and more the Ugly Sister of the cyclocross world is the 3 Peaks Cyclocross, a unique annual event occupying a very Northern (as in England) niche and representing a very different part of the cross world. It is staged in the Yorkshire Dales National Park every year at the end of September and so they say, is the toughest and biggest Cyclo-Cross event in the UK. I wouldn't argue with that as such.

Here are the stats:
Total distance: 61kms (38 miles)
Road: 28kms (45mins - 1hr 5mins)
Unsurfaced: 33kms (2hrs 15mins - 4hrs 40mins)
Unrideable: 6kms - 8kms (dependent on individual ability & prevailing conditions)
Total climbing: 1524m (5000ft)

Hidden in there is some scary and rocky terrain, an allegedly neutralised bunch start of 500 riders on narrow roads behind a car, and a whole world of pain. Oh and 3 bloody great mountains, not Peaks - Ingleborough, Whernside Penyghent.

Yes it is that steep! (Pic:Wig Worland)

There is of course a merry, nay select, band of Belgians competing this year - Alan (Crossjunkie), Winkie Thin, Richard Knowles, Richard Allen and Simon Fox. Jez Hastings is also riding as his Team Wiggle alter ego but we all know he is Belgian through and through.... Most have ridden before, none I suspect are undertaking it lightly. Spare a thought too for their pit crews who face a GB rally style driving experience hotfooting from rendezvous to rendezvous with spare bikes, wheels and bottles. This is a cross race after all......

Rich descending Penyghent, the big dark lump in the background (pic: Wig Worland)



Alan in original black kit ascending Simon Fell/Ingleborough (pic:Wig Worland)


Heightened anticipation, nervousness and obsession are common traits among all Peaks entrants at this time of year, with just a week and a half to go till what is usually for most the biggest race of the year. And probably the hardest too. Most do Peaks specific training which often involves variations on a theme of carrying a bike up rough 45 degree slopes for endless periods of time.

Friend and honorary Belgian, Dave Haygarth runs a great 3 Peaks blog with all things Peak related contained within. Check it out for more insights into this unique race even if you have no intention of riding, just marvelling at the stupidity of riding up and down mountains on cross bikes. Better still, come along on that last Sunday in September and support your intrepid band of Belgians at Ribblehead or even better, half way up Penyghent when a friendly shout or bottle of water won't go amiss. That said, by that point we will probably all be looking for a wandering Vetinary with a bolt gun to end our suffering........

New Signings...

So it's the silly season in the Pro ranks with various riders transferring, dopers being unwelcomed back into the fold (come on be fair, being ginger doesn't deserve that abuse) and the rumour mill working overtime. With that in mind following the recent successful kit order (thanks everyone for making it possible), I've some new names to introduce.

Andy Anderson - "Oh no, now I'll have to race cross"...oh yes, now you'll have to race cross. Having made that statement Andy quite easily justified it in my eyes by using cross as a way of burning off the Belgian beers... or giving him room to consume more, I can't remember which.

Andrew McPherson - Gravitating to HCtB via the virtuous route of Velocake and a very good cakey route it is. Does anyone else have misty eye nostalgic memories of coffee flavoured swiss roll? I digress.

Damon Largent - Bought a shirt, snagged a nice cross bike, all ready to race... apart from needing to fix two punctures on his first foray. Goes without saying he's feeling pumped about the whole team thing.

Gavin Long - Second year Cross campaigner. It's like your favourite band, can he surpass that breakthrough first album, will he be wearing KISS style facepaint to go with the spandex?...(spandex? sorry I meant Lycra and was getting all carried away).

Jason Miles - endurance racer who's probably ridden more in one race than some of us have ridden all year. Racing 8, 12, 24 (and more) it's all there... hours that is... I'll repeat that HOURS! He's a wrong un, well, maybe a right un as we might be able to learn something from him that's for sure. Fair play, Chapeau!

Jonathan Day - If you need a set of wheels consider giving Jonathan's site a perusal. Jon's getting his business, STRADA WHEELS, up and running and his handbuilt wheels look worthy of our interest. Welcome to the gang.

Mark Bradley - An Enigma. Can I buy a shirt? Yes. Here's your money. Thanks.

Murat Tasan - I'll admit it. Initially we were inspired by HUP United's style and antics...and now we converge. Murat, HUP rider and Boston, USA (soon to be Toronto, CA) resident joins the team. He made reference to Ex girlfriends, log distance classic riding and style in his emails so sounds like a strong candidate for the VDB character on the team. If the white oversocks and cut off cap comes out to play we know we need to employ a head doctor.

He's giving D2R2 a shot this year. I'm quietly jealous.

Nick Jardine - Another enigma. Greetings to the little isle from the big island... How's it? I feel like we're on Dog the bountyhunter. Actually we aren't and Nick's on the Isle of Wight. So there.

Richard Knowles - A strong rider with the air of just turning up and riding, without the sufferance of training miles...only to leave you behind. I know, I got left behind.

Russell Robson - Off to ride some Flandrians bergs, or so I've been told... make sure you tell us some more.

Steven Treanor - Is single speed cross a good idea?... Any cross is a good idea in our books. Welcome on board.

So there we have it, I need a sit down and a tea with 2 sugars. Blimey.

Belgian Continental...

I'm proud to announce another addition to our continental cycling family, one Michael Frank, who skillfully answered the questions posed by our mainland Europe recruitment officer (that's Wolfram to me and you).

Do You ride a bike or more? Too many.

Do You drink belgian beer? Too many

Do You eat Belgian chocolade? Too many.

Do You like this Jersey? (I was wearing the 2009) Too much.

There....done. He's a team member, we're a happy team.

Team Kit - Autumn/Winter 2010

Here we go, winter kit with a more dirt friendly colour scheme. Expect to see this colour way tearing through the mud this winter.

PRICES:

Shortsleeve shirt: £38.50

Longsleeve shirt: £45.00

TechFleece Jersey: £62.00

ThermoShield/TechFleece Jacket: £76.00

ThermoShield Jacket: £87.50

Gilet: £37.00

Wind Jacket: £47.00

Bibshort: £50.00

3/4 Bib Knicker: £60.00

3/4 Fleece Bib Knicker: £67.50

Fleece Bibtight (no pad): £71.00

Skinsuit short sleeve: £73.50

Skinsuit Long sleeve: £78.50

Skinsuit Cylocross (fleece): £95.00

Euro style race cap: £8.50

Order book closes Wednesday 11th August 5.00 pm prompt - Be late, lose out.

New Team infomercial........... from crossjunkie

3 is a magic number...

Onward and Upward, Team Here Come the Belgians continues to expand at a rate of knots, a pure tidal wave of black & white, crushing all before it after the whistle goes.

First of all introducing Andy Parker. Cross and Kassein connoisseur from the East UK Region. Keep an eye out for forays into France and Belgium to rid the bumpy stuff, drink and eat Frites. Oh, how we expect words and pictures!

Our next two team members consolidate our truly international appeal. Here Come the Belgians welcome Maury Long, Californian native to the fold. We can only display our envy of your weather and scenery, but rain can't kill you* and it will only make us stronger.

Wolfram Kollig becomes our first representative in Germany. A first hand knowledge of Gent and it's delights mean he's well at home in the black & white.

Here's hoping we see some international photo journalism.

Let's go riding!

*ok,ok, riding naked in rain with subzero temperatures may result in hypothermia which may result in an early demise.

Growing...

Here Come the Belgians keeps growing, like a small prawn inadvertently overcome by thermonuclear radiation growing to vast proportions to eventually battle Godzilla for supremacy of the high sea.

Well something like that.

I'd like to welcome Adam Leadbetter to the team of the Running Belgian which is apt as he knows a thing or too about running, which is good for us all as the rain hasn't stopped falling and all future training sessions will unboubtedly be conducted on foot, with a little bicycle riding thrown in.

Welcome aboard cap'n (I also perceive he's a nautical man - which is also handy with all this water about).

Penblwydd hapus i chi*

Another extended welcome to new team member Simon Nurse. Currently tearing up the Cyclocross courses in South Wales whilst also being a dab hand on the race organising front...

Keep an eye out for his forays into Yorkshire around the new year (although I may have my wires crossed).

*Happy Birthday to you - it's the only bit of Welsh I know and it seemed appropriate :)

Welcome onboard!..

Just a quick note to welcome Steven Cavell, West Yorkshire native, Yorkshire cyclocross league racer and lover of all things cross and cobble to the Here Come the Belgians family.

Ride hard, have fun and write us a story (or post some pics).

belgians of smaller stature

There were 3 Belgians racing last Saturday - all under 9. We might not have sorted out a small enough team strip (yet) but they were under starters orders and off, crossing it with the best of them.


Mark's Matthew, and my Jack and Ella all raced hard, sweated up a storm and earned their goodie bags from British Cycling Go-Ride. Jack even won some cold hard cash, coming 3rd in the under 10s from a somewhat lowly grid position - it's difficult to strike that balance between pushy parent and seasoned old-timer passing on advice. No, we'll settle for pushy parent.....go on son, muscle your way in to that starting grid. Go on! And yes, old armwarmers make great legwarmers for a 9 yr old.


Ella did particularly well, being half the size of most of the other kids and missing pedals on her push-along Puky bike.


Matthew took it all nonchalently in his stride, posing on the grid there like an old timer who has seen and done it all before.

Mini-Belgians - it's the future you know.

Welcome!!

Over the past few weeks we have have welcomed some new folks to the Belgian fold.........

Jez - Islay, Scotland
Adam - Warrington, England
Jason - Seattle, USA
Maury - California, USA
Steve - Yorkshire, England

Let us know what you are up to and how you are wearing your Belgian shirts.......