the cradle
Christmas Quiz: What do the following four recent anecdotes have in common?
1. Talked to my old friend Erly Beeuwsaert the other day. He stopped by the House on a ride. He runs cycling clinics for West Flanders youth riders and we worked together with junior US riders when I was here two summers ago. Really good coach and friend. He was excited to tell me about the huge popularity of his weekend cyclocross clinics this fall. Each Belgian province has the same program for road, cross, track. In this case, essentially Cyclocross Little League. Here are the stats: every two weeks; 8-11 years olds and then 12-14 year olds (aspirants); skills and technique; 1.5 hours each weekend day; free of charge as the instruction comes from the 75 euro Belgian license fee and Erly is paid by the government; roughly 30-40 kids each weekend in this province alone; assisted by Eric Van Lanker (an old Panasonic road pro); because they are not allowed to have an official race during the clinics, they have them ride “free tempo” at the end of the clinic. Erly says the track (as in velodrome) is dipping, but that cyclocross, with 30 races are live on Belgian tv, is blooming.
2. Caught up by phone with Erwin (as in 3-time World CX Champ Vervecken) last night. He told me he’d be in Zolder this morning for special private Belgian National Team training on the Zolder WC circuit. No other teams get the same benefit. Granted, it’s the same when a WC is in Czech or France or wherever. The home country gets special, unfettered time in on the circuit.
3. Another comment from Erwin. With Lars Boom’s recent smack about “playing with the other riders” on his way to victory in Nommay last Sunday, Erwin said two things: first, that such talk tends to unite the Belgian juggernaut more than usual and, second, that already the war of nerve spin has begun and will climax at worlds in Holland (Boom’s turf) in just over a month’s time.
4. Took the guys for a nice diversionary trip today, driving the car up a few of the classic Tour of Flanders climbs and then hiking up the granddaddy–the Koppenberg. After that hors d’oeuvre, we headed to the Tour of Flanders Museum in Oudenaarde. After the motivating 20 minute overview film, as we were passing into the next part of the museum, U-23 rider Will Dugan said “Well, I guess the Tour of Flanders is is the only race I have to win because it’s the only race that matters in Belgium.” A museum dedicated to one bike race. Hmm.
Answer: Support.
The many facets of support.
When you come from the sport’s cradle.
Vrolijke Kerstmis,
Geoff