Geluwe

Today Brandon McKeever, Chris Stockburger, John Murphy Ulric Deyounge, and I did a race called Geluwe. It was a 162.5k UCI 1.12 race. It took place on a 12.5k circuit that we were supposed to do 13 times. There was a lot of wind today, and there was a 200 meter false flat cobbled section about five k into the course. We knew the race was going to blow to shreds early on and it would be important to be at the front. We got to the start line on about the third or fourth row. It was flat out from the gun. I began to move toward the front of the group. I was going decently, but after the cobble section got towards the back of the group. After that section I kept losing contact with the back of the group. I got the feeling that I had at the Rock Hill Crit earlier this year. I couldn’t breathe, and it felt like I was tasting blood. It was no use for me to try to stay with the group because it would just get worse. John Murphy was sitting in the top five but crashed in a turn during the first lap. He got bruises on both hips and separated his shoulder, but he should be fine. Chris still felt sick, and he and Ulric pulled out on the third lap. The race split on the second lap and Brandon made the second group that was pulled with three laps to go. Today was a pretty rough day, but the next race should go better.