Catching Up

One of the films I saw at the Bicycle Film Festival last month was Road to Roubaix, a feature film about the 2007 Paris-Roubaix race. But, as any film about this iconic race must, it also features footage of classic editions and plenty of people talking about the emotions and passion the race evokes.

The story of my Big Belgian Adventure - a trip to Belgium and France for Spring Classics week 2008 that I began recounting on this blog nearly eight months ago - concludes with my watching Tom Boonen blast past Fabian Cancellara and Alessandro Ballan on his way to that famous finish line in the Roubaix velodrome.



But the end of that story actually begins much earlier...


One day back in June, 2007, I began the work day as usual by scanning the appointments diary.

"Erm," I had to ask, "is this eSoles appointment this afternoon the Roger Hammond or just a Roger Hammond?" "I don't know," Phil said, "he just called up to make an appointment and said his name was Roger Hammond."

Whether he knew and was teasing me or not, I don't know, but I did my best to act cool all day until the moment when I answered the front door and, "Hello!", the Roger Hammond wheeled his T-Mobile team issue case into the shop and I made him a cup of tea.

In the weeks following his visit, I had reason to speak to him on a couple of occasions. It was quite an exciting time: he'd been short-listed for the Tour squad and was waiting for the final selection. When the squad was announced and Mark Cavendish was there but he wasn't, I offered my commiserations. He explained that the team would be working for Michael Rogers on GC and looking to Mark for a stage win. I practically batted my eyelashes down the telephone line and said, "Well, he won't get it without you there to lead him out!" Rog protested that there were plenty of riders on the team capable of looking after young Mark but I felt vindicated - sad, but vindicated - when Cavendish crashed in the first stage, squandering his best chance for a stage win, and ended up leaving the Tour empty-handed. I’m sure Mr. Hammond would've kept him out of the gutter, out of harm's way.

Nine months later, at Gent-Wevelgem on the Wednesday of my 2008 Spring Classics Week trip, I watched Cavendish ride comfortably up the Kemmelberg from where I'd staked out a viewing spot, prepared for the inbetween-laps boredom with a handbag full of Duvel. Watching the race live, I had no idea what happened after the race passed for the 2nd time. Knowing that many people had tipped Cav for the win, I was surprised to discover afterwards that he'd finished in 17th while Roger had made it into the top 10. Surely all Cav had to do was stick to Roger's wheel...



Later that evening, after the friendly bartender at our hotel taught me how to order Duvel across a crowded bar (hold your hands next to your temples with your index fingers extended like Devil's horns), I decided it would be nice to send a congratulatory text to Roger and to let him know that I'd be out riding parts of the Paris-Roubaix course on Thursday and Friday. If there were any chance of meeting up on the road, I’d be thrilled to ride a couple of miles with him. He replied to let me know when High Road would be riding out from Arenberg on Friday and said he hoped to see me there.




Unfortunately, they were setting out much later than the group I was with were planning to be through the forest, so I missed him. I sent him a message on Friday to say, "Sorry I missed you, I'll try to get your attention at the team presentation tomorrow to say hi," and he replied that I hadn't missed anything anyway - it turns out that the High Road squad set out late and ended up driving over a lot of the pave sectors instead of riding them - and said he'd look out for me in Compiegne.

In Compiegne the next day, when the High Road vehicle - I hesitate to call it a team bus as it was so much more modest than any other team's! - arrived, I waited patiently for all the riders to disembark and was grateful when most of the crowd moved away to follow George Hincapie (who isn't fit to smear Roger Hammond's chamois cream, in my opinion). Finally, Rog, who likes to be last off the bus, appeared and I waved hello. He stopped for a pat on the back and a quick kiss on both cheeks and then we chatted as he made his way towards the team presentation stage. All the while, there was a TV cameraman walking backwards in front of us and an unrelenting stream of fans pushing things into his hands for an autograph or stopping to have their pictures taken with him. When we got to the stage, he practically apologised for having to step away, and a quarter of an hour later, we picked up again and did the whole thing in reverse. It was mad enough with Roger; Tommeke! Tommeke! Tommeke! was completely mobbed.



While waiting for the teams to arrive for the start in Compiegne on Sunday, we stopped in a cafe for small, strong coffees. The local pros had the same idea: the entire Francaise des Jeux squad took up the tables next to us. "Who do you think will win today?", one of us asked. "Bah," came the reply with a Gallic shrug, "it won't be one of us! Maybe Boonen if it stays dry, but if it rains he's no good." I should've put a bet on then and there.

The actual day of the race proceeded much like my experience of the Tour of Flanders - watch the start then dash to the coach to get to the next viewing point, and repeat until you arrive at the velodrome in Roubaix.



It was heart-rending seeing Roger Hammond exit the Arenberg Forest with blood dripping down his face and then watching him work so hard, for 100 kms, to fight back to the front of the race. He entered the velodrome in 23rd place, just over 7 minutes behind the winning trio.

I remember reading an article once where Roger described how, after finishing the race he liked to spend some time in the track centre, just relaxing and soaking up the atmosphere before heading into the showers. This year, he headed out immediately to get a suspected broken finger attended to. My hero.

Leftovers

While I've nothing to do besides get out for a ride then come back for lunch of leftover turkey and stuffing, I have plenty of time to write up scintillating blog posts.

But I'm using that time to watch rubbish on telly instead, so I'll reproduce for you to a bit I wrote about the Ghent Six-Days for londoncyclesport.com: Big Names at the Ghent Six.


Or to give it it's proper name, de Zesdaagse Vlaanderen Gent.

Since discovering that my birthday will always fall during the Ghent Six-Days week, I'm making it an annual pilgrimage. So last week I hopped on the Eurostar with my friend Peta for my second annual trip to the Ghent Six, to celebrate my second thirty-ninth birthday.

So many Brits (and I guess I even consider myself a Brit now!) travel to Ghent for this event that it's even referred to as the British Six-Days, the reason for which is a mystery to Six-Day connoisseurs. Ghent does not have the most exciting programme of either racing or entertainment, yet it is always a sell-out and on the weekend at least, you can't swing a pintje in the track centre without hitting a Brit.

Last year, Bradley Wiggins and Mark Cavendish paired-up to provide a big-name draw for English-speaking supporters, and GB U23 riders Peter Kennaugh and Adam Blythe took the lead on the first day of the Toekomst Zesdaagse - a programme of daily races for under-25s forming part of the UIV Talents Cup. The second day, they succumbed to pressure from a canny Belgian pair, but rode consistently well and, on the second day, moved back into a lead that they would not surrender.

Bradley Wiggins & Mark Cavendish sign on in 2007

Not having spent much time training together on the track, Wiggins and Cavendish found themselves well off the pace at the start and ended the first night already 10 laps down. Although their form and tactics improved during the week, they finished a disappointing 10th, 46 laps and 230 points behind winners Iljo Keisse and Robert Bartko.

Six-Days God Bruno Risi

This year, Six-Days God Bruno Risi found himself in a similar position, paired with Alexander Aeschbach instead of his usual partner Franco Marvulli who was out of action due to illness. They had some shocking hand-overs and Risi couldn't always hide his frustration. When Aeschbach turned up with mirror-lensed sunglasses on the seond day, I did wonder whether Bruno hadn't had a word with his fist! But by the third day they'd found their rhythm and looked like definite podium contenders. In the end, they had to settle for 4th, behind the ambitious pairing of Kenny de Kettele and Andreas Beikirch.

The Belgian press has often reported on Kenny de Kettele's frustration at the Six-Days organisers' refusals to let him pair-up with his usual Belgian national team mate on the grounds that he's not a good- or strong-enough partner for Iljo Keisse. I like K de K a lot and he and Beikirch rode very well, but still felt sorry that Risi and Aeschbach had to bear the brunt of his vindication.

GB's only representatives in Ghent this year were Olympic Development Programme juniors Luke Rowe and Andy Fenn riding in the Six-Days for Future Stars. Like Wiggins and Cavendish in 2007, Rowe and Fenn had had little chance to train together for the event and finished the first night in 9th place. Luke was originally due to ride with Mark Christian, but during their Madison ride at the World Track Cup round in Manchester at the beginning of the month, Mark came down hard not long into the race and although he soldiered-on to the finish, ended-up with a broken collarbone. Rowe and Fenn steadily improved throughout the week to finish joint-fifth and, most importantly, they managed to stay out of trouble in an event that is frequently marred by crashes.

Luke Rowe & Andy Fenn - Riding the U23 event

At 166m, the Kuipke velodrome in Ghent is one of the shortest on the Six-Days circuit and with up to 24 riders hurtling around its steep, tight banking it is also the most technically-demanding. It seems at least one of the Six-Days Future Stars comes down every night, and neither is the pro race without incident. In 2006, Spanish rider Isaac Galvez tragically died in a crash here. This year, Danish rider Mark Hester was injured in a crash on the Friday, leaving his Aussie partner Luke Roberts to ride alone in the individual events, and occasionally (although I couldn't make out why) with Nicky Cocquyt while Cocquyt's usual partner, Ingemaar De Poortere sat out. The final standings, in fact, list Roberts/Cocquyt finishing in 10th, with De Poortere/Hester DNF. But that's typical for a Six-Day where it seems the objective is to take a simple thing like racing bikes around a track and make the rules as impenetrable as possible.

"Do you want a picture of me?" - Erik Zabel

Although there were no big-name British riders, Erik Zabel was there, making his first appearance at the Ghent Six the last race of his career, drawing many fans. Even a certain Mr. Merckx turned up.

Eddy Merckx taking in the action

While chatting with Zabel's soigneur, waiting for an autograph, we overheard one of the TV crews complain that Erik would only do paid interviews. Locals reckoned Zabel would already have been paid tens of thousands of euros to appear at Ghent. Maybe he had his career's savings in an Icelandic bank and needs a little nest egg for his retirement!

Unlike Erik Zabel, Andy Fenn was willing to chat about his experience at Ghent for nothing, and while still red and sweaty after the night's racing, spoke enthusiastically about what a good experience it was to be there on such a demanding track, with such strong competition. It's completely different from his normal preparation for the road, but a good way to inject some variety (and fun) into the team's training and racing programme.

Having won the 2008 Junior Paris-Roubaix, Andy Fenn already garners respect from the crowd of savvy Belgian cycling fans gathered here. If he realises his ambitions as a professional on the road, maybe one day he'll be back in Ghent as the big-name draw!

Overall, in the main event, Zabel and Lampater finished 2nd while local golden boy Iljo Keisse and his German powerhouse partner Robert Bartko were the overwhelming favourites and massively popular winners for the second year in a row. And when I say Iljo Keisse is local, I mean his father owns a pub within 500m of the velodrome; and when I say golden, I mean blond-haired, blue-eyed, tall, tanned and charming; and when I say boy, I mean he's only 25 years old. And of Bartko, when I say powerhouse I mean, well, just look at those thighs!

Iljo Keisse & Robert Bartko top the podium