Day 2 of the Euro ‘cross stage race was much better and less discombobulated which was probably what made the difference. I dunno ’bout you but I know after time away from racing it is a cluster the first day back. Yes it was only 3 weeks off but coming to Europe is a different beast in itself. It’s different and intimidating… But I love it.

What I’m trying to say is that I had my shit a bit more together today. The course was essentially a hill climb, some paved, some thick mud, some country path. And at the top of the climb we went down, down a single track slick luge track with a couple tricky corners. Then we entered the woods into a sticky single track before the pit and a couple s-turns before shooting back onto the hill climb. It was like doing intervals up the climb then trying to recover on the descent while holding on for dear life with muddified mitts on greasy bars.

Still off to a slow start but by the end of the long drag climb was able to work my way toward the front end of the bike race.  World Champ Vos took off with a vengeance and I was surprised to find myself with former World Champ Hanka as we entered the first single track section. I kept her within grasp for 2 laps, sitting in 4th position. A tricky section on the 2nd part of course, with a narrow wheel grabbing line up a sharp incline got the best of me and that’s when my forward movement turned into damage control.

I wheeled back and forth with 2 girls on APB but they had more in their tanks. Unfortunately on the final lap I entirely lost my head and flailed along the descent like a drunk driving a bumper boat. I faded to 8th, but was happy with the first few laps. It is important to find the positives of every race you start and finish and I am happy with the improvement and I plan to improve on that improvement tomorrow as we drive back to Westmeerbeek tonight and prepare for the 3rd day of racing in cyclocross’ motherland- Tervuren, Belgium.