I live in asia, one of the top U23 amatuers here recently went to belgium for a few months to train and race. He said there was literally a race every week. the club rides/group rides were being ridden at a level he felt was more in line with racing. and he was actually shouted at for being a 'poor bike handler'. was a real eye opener and a bump down to earth for him.
belbium racing is not only spectacular and well supported, its also bloody hard. would explain why they have the hardest of hard men and the hardest races!
Uh...Belgium?
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davidalone wrote:I live in asia, one of the top U23 amatuers here recently went to belgium for a few months to train and race. He said there was literally a race every week. the club rides/group rides were being ridden at a level he felt was more in line with racing. and he was actually shouted at for being a 'poor bike handler'. was a real eye opener and a bump down to earth for him.
belbium racing is not only spectacular and well supported, its also bloody hard. would explain why they have the hardest of hard men and the hardest races!
I think there might be more than one race a week for amateurs in Belgium.
Not sure your hardest of hard men claim stands up (or hardest races for that matter). Tom Boonen MSR anyone? The point being I don't see anything to convince me their riders are harder.
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davidalone wrote:I live in asia, one of the top U23 amatuers here recently went to belgium for a few months to train and race. He said there was literally a race every week. the club rides/group rides were being ridden at a level he felt was more in line with racing. and he was actually shouted at for being a 'poor bike handler'. was a real eye opener and a bump down to earth for him.
belbium racing is not only spectacular and well supported, its also bloody hard. would explain why they have the hardest of hard men and the hardest races!
I think thats closer to every day
Good man fdegrove – cut to the chase. I have a special place in my heart for Flanders and try to get over (preferably with the bike!!) at least once a year. For me it is the centre of the bike/racing universe. Period.
In addition, and perhaps more importantly for me, is the fact that my grandfather served with the 6th Battalion Connaught Rangers (16th Irish Division) during WWI and from the time he arrived in the theatre of war (18th Dec 1915) until the end of the conflict he slogged his way through every bloody killing ground across Flanders fields (Ieper, Mesen (Messines), Passchendaele etc). As fdegrove says these harsh events have defined modern Flandrians and should never be forgotten.
In addition, and perhaps more importantly for me, is the fact that my grandfather served with the 6th Battalion Connaught Rangers (16th Irish Division) during WWI and from the time he arrived in the theatre of war (18th Dec 1915) until the end of the conflict he slogged his way through every bloody killing ground across Flanders fields (Ieper, Mesen (Messines), Passchendaele etc). As fdegrove says these harsh events have defined modern Flandrians and should never be forgotten.
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"Sometimes you don't need a plan. You just need big balls." Tom Boonen
"Sometimes you don't need a plan. You just need big balls." Tom Boonen
