Two quite satisfying races this weekend in Belgium.

Saturday in Belsele there were 82 women on the start with some professional riders from AA drink, Vlaandern, Lotto-Bellisol and the new Belgium Champion Ilse Geldof. Right from the beginning the attacks started and I tried to do my best to get into a break, but unfortunately I missed the only one that went through. I hesitated a fews seconds too long and off they were. The arrival was after a 90° turn on cobbles and I managed to take that turn in a good position and finished 3th in the sprint of the bunch for the 5th place right behind Lensy Debout and Ilse Geldof.

Sunday, another race toke place in Prosperpolder, a place in the middle of nowhere near Antwerp, where 62 racers started. I didn’t like the circuit that made breaks very hard. Wearing the national champs jersey, I didn’t get a free card and easy ride, but a group of 8 riders went away after the first third of the race. There was no organized pursuit by the bunch and still it was very hard to get away. I tried several times, but the breaks never lasted more than half a lap (6km). Still, this time I didn’t want to to wait for the sprint, a far less difficult option, and I finally went away in the last lap, finishing in 12th place, 54’’ behind the front group and 19’’ before the bunch.

Just before start in the middle of nowhere .... Prosperpolder

It could’ve been better, as it always could when you don’t win...but all in all, not bad at all!

Sprint for the 11th place (oh...., that was very short)

See you next

Suzie