The '05 season started off in good fashion on a cool and mostly dry day, except for the last 1/3(?) of the race when a very light rain fell and dampened the roads. Our 3's were pretty well represented with Aaron H, Justin, Ryan and myself. Justin was a workhorse, probably too much of one, and pulled the pack along much of the time. After the initial sorting out process Aaron, Ryan and myself tucked ourselves in toward the front pretty well and covered a few attacks while doing a little work up front.
I found it to be a very controlled race with us, Gateway and Maplewood pretty well controlling everything. The solo riders gave some good efforts but they were out-manned. Surprisingly, the turn onto the outer road didn't produce the usual serious attack. The cross wind there could have caused some difficulties but everyone was either unwilling or unable to make much happen.
Coming down the homestretch on Hwy Z, Justin was in his customary spot up front and we began to pick off a few of the dropped riders from 1/2/3 race. We had a tailwind and the pace was rather high. With about a mile to go we came upon some two of the dropped riders. The pace slowed slightly and the pack eased to the left to avoid the slower riders. It was the perfect opening and made a move. I felt the chances were slim of holding on the whole way but I gave it a good go, knowing that Aaron and Ryan were in reserve. I felt very strong and should have gone harder and with more intent making the others suffer but I settled into a good pace. The pack swallowed me up in a few hundred meters but it was fun. From there I settled in toward the back and picked off some riders as they faded down the finish.
I'm curious whether the officials DQ'd anyone. There were a good 10 riders sprinting over the yellow line. Fools. In some ways it probably made for a safer sprint but you need to follow the rules guys.
Positives: Felt strong. Had good position for most of the race.
Negatives: Could use a little improvement in the hills. Should have gone harder, longer during my late attack.
News Item of the Day: As can often happen in the Belgian opening weekend, Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne was won by one of the big teams who had missed out in Het Volk. Today saw the first ever victory for the Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team as George Hincapie comfortably beat the young Kevin Van Impe (Chocolade Jacques) in a two man sprint. The pair had attacked with 6 km to go at the end of a tough, wind-blasted 190 km, with no-one in the remaining peloton having an answer. And despite having eight men (the whole team) in the front group of 32, Davitamon-Lotto missed the boat again and had to settle for third with Bert Roesems.
Hincapie became the first American to win Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne, adding to his 2001 win in Gent-Wevelgem and 2004 win in the Driedaagse van De Panne. "It was a super hard race in nasty, cold and windy conditions," Hincapie said. "It was a battle all day. At the end, every was so completely dead from the wind and all the attacks that there was no control at the front."
"I didn't know much about him," Hincapie said of Van Impe. "Dirk said he was good and I still had enough left. I didn't feel great following yesterday. I felt great yesterday (finishing 30th at Het Volk) and was there on the last climb but we still had 65 km to the finish. Today I was feeling that effort but still had enough to finish it off."
"For sure, George likes to race in this area, even in the cold conditions," said Discovery Channel director Dirk Demol, who is from this area of Belgium. "Wevelgem is only around 10 kilometres from here and de Panne is another 50 or so kilometres, so this seems to be one of his favourite areas.
"We were trying to make the race hard," said Demol. "Like yesterday (at Het Volk), although the final result wasn't great, the performance of the team was strong. Today, we seemed to always have someone in a good position, which helped for the final. I ordered the boys to try and spread the peloton and it worked well, putting us in a good situation at the end."
Towards the finish, Demol said he told Hincapie and Devolder to save their energy for the final. Devolder then attacked five or six times in the last 15 km: "He killed (Quick Step's Tom) Boonen alone," said Demol and Roulston covered another acceleration just before Van Impe attacked and Hincapie joined him in the winning move.
"It's a nice win for us," said Demol. "From what I saw, almost everyone is on a very good level. This weekend was our first big test and winning today was great."
Viewpoint: I'm glad to see George get Discovery's first victory. A classy rider at home on the cobbles and an invaluable and much improved rider in the Tour de France. A rider deserving of whatever wins he accumulates. Now if he can just get that Paris-Roubaix that he's come close to capturing before.
I found it to be a very controlled race with us, Gateway and Maplewood pretty well controlling everything. The solo riders gave some good efforts but they were out-manned. Surprisingly, the turn onto the outer road didn't produce the usual serious attack. The cross wind there could have caused some difficulties but everyone was either unwilling or unable to make much happen.
Coming down the homestretch on Hwy Z, Justin was in his customary spot up front and we began to pick off a few of the dropped riders from 1/2/3 race. We had a tailwind and the pace was rather high. With about a mile to go we came upon some two of the dropped riders. The pace slowed slightly and the pack eased to the left to avoid the slower riders. It was the perfect opening and made a move. I felt the chances were slim of holding on the whole way but I gave it a good go, knowing that Aaron and Ryan were in reserve. I felt very strong and should have gone harder and with more intent making the others suffer but I settled into a good pace. The pack swallowed me up in a few hundred meters but it was fun. From there I settled in toward the back and picked off some riders as they faded down the finish.
I'm curious whether the officials DQ'd anyone. There were a good 10 riders sprinting over the yellow line. Fools. In some ways it probably made for a safer sprint but you need to follow the rules guys.
Positives: Felt strong. Had good position for most of the race.
Negatives: Could use a little improvement in the hills. Should have gone harder, longer during my late attack.
News Item of the Day: As can often happen in the Belgian opening weekend, Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne was won by one of the big teams who had missed out in Het Volk. Today saw the first ever victory for the Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team as George Hincapie comfortably beat the young Kevin Van Impe (Chocolade Jacques) in a two man sprint. The pair had attacked with 6 km to go at the end of a tough, wind-blasted 190 km, with no-one in the remaining peloton having an answer. And despite having eight men (the whole team) in the front group of 32, Davitamon-Lotto missed the boat again and had to settle for third with Bert Roesems.
Hincapie became the first American to win Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne, adding to his 2001 win in Gent-Wevelgem and 2004 win in the Driedaagse van De Panne. "It was a super hard race in nasty, cold and windy conditions," Hincapie said. "It was a battle all day. At the end, every was so completely dead from the wind and all the attacks that there was no control at the front."
"I didn't know much about him," Hincapie said of Van Impe. "Dirk said he was good and I still had enough left. I didn't feel great following yesterday. I felt great yesterday (finishing 30th at Het Volk) and was there on the last climb but we still had 65 km to the finish. Today I was feeling that effort but still had enough to finish it off."
"For sure, George likes to race in this area, even in the cold conditions," said Discovery Channel director Dirk Demol, who is from this area of Belgium. "Wevelgem is only around 10 kilometres from here and de Panne is another 50 or so kilometres, so this seems to be one of his favourite areas.
"We were trying to make the race hard," said Demol. "Like yesterday (at Het Volk), although the final result wasn't great, the performance of the team was strong. Today, we seemed to always have someone in a good position, which helped for the final. I ordered the boys to try and spread the peloton and it worked well, putting us in a good situation at the end."
Towards the finish, Demol said he told Hincapie and Devolder to save their energy for the final. Devolder then attacked five or six times in the last 15 km: "He killed (Quick Step's Tom) Boonen alone," said Demol and Roulston covered another acceleration just before Van Impe attacked and Hincapie joined him in the winning move.
"It's a nice win for us," said Demol. "From what I saw, almost everyone is on a very good level. This weekend was our first big test and winning today was great."
Viewpoint: I'm glad to see George get Discovery's first victory. A classy rider at home on the cobbles and an invaluable and much improved rider in the Tour de France. A rider deserving of whatever wins he accumulates. Now if he can just get that Paris-Roubaix that he's come close to capturing before.
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