Race report from kremis

The team had a good race this last Friday. The Belgians were up front and ready for whatever they could hit us with. Since our kit is the stars and stripes we all have a big target on our backs every time we show up to a race.
The race was going pretty smooth for the first couple of laps then a good break formed up the road about two and a half laps in. Since my title sponsor Taunya was at the race I was really trying to ride my smartest race. While the break was establishing up the road I found myself on the wheel of a couple guys taking off to bridge to the break. It was a harder effort than what all three of us were planning on though. I was the only one who actually made it on to the tail of the break. I got on and tryed to recover but the Belgians soon noticed an American flag was with them and they ramped it up some more. I hung with them for about a lap. We had a fairly large break and I don't think the big guys liked that. Quite a few guys started getting spit out the back and after that one lap of being with them I was one of those to get spit out. I was surprised at how long it took the main field to come up. Once back in the field I sat in and recovered as best I could but the peloton was finally in chase mode and I was thinking I was going to get worked over again. Luckily I got in a sweet pocket out of the wind and I was fine. The rest of the race for us was a lot of surging and small groups of guys trying to make it up to the break. I went with a couple of them feeling that the pack was slowing too much. If nothing else I figured I could help up the pace enough that the peloton could stay within close range of the break. All in all I guess it worked out. I didn't get anything special as far as placing goes but I sure worked hard for what I got. I got 38th. Heck I was even still in the money. I won a whopping 10 euro. Still beats the pay out back home though. A kremis only costs 8 euro and you even get 5 of that back when you turn your number in after the race. Much better deal than the $30 on up for a crit back home. Have to really hand it to the Belgians on the organization of their races.
I would like to thank my coach JR Smith for all of his help to make all this happen. JR is one heck of a guy and an even better coach. Thanks!
Robert Lofgran