July 26, 2009 – I do not want to come across as some great director or a guy that has done everything but after 20+ years involved in cycling it takes a lot to get me excited about doing races in the same way I used to. Today was no exception until I arrived with the team for the start. It was another big race like Beauce, Abitibi, Georgia, Nationals or World Cups on the track or even the World Road Championships, but racing in Belgium on a classic course with 198 junior men ignited my perhaps melancholy attitude towards racing. There were teams from South Africa, Great Britain, Denmark, Holland, and for the first time in the history of the event, Canada.

It was Het Volk for Juniors – 122km with five classic climbs and seven cobbled sections including the famed Oude Kwaremont with 12% average and 2,200m, 1,500m of which were cobbled and I mean goat path width, round baby head, bad guttered, screaming drunk Belgians on the side of the road bad. We were five Cycling BC riders strong at the start. We had some good and bad from the get go. I drew #3 of 40 teams for the caravan but Ben [Cowburn] flatted 3km into race and we got him going but the front tire of the team car was flat at same time. Two flats repaired and 10 minutes later at 140-160kph driving on the road, bike paths and sidewalks and we were back on track in our rightful spot in the caravan of 50+ vehicles.

Ben unfortunately punctured again while we were changing our car flat and did not get assistance and rode to the finish town, his day over far to early. At 27km we hit the first cobbles. No issues. At 36km we hit the Kanariberg – 2km at 18% grade. This is no lie as the group shattered. Craig flatted at top and with a quick change and some motor pacing he got on just as we hit the 9% grade, 1km cobbled Kruisberg climb in Ronse. Craig made good headway and with a turbo feed was back on the back of the group about two minutes before we hit the Oude Kwaremont.

This is a nasty 2.2km climb at 12% average and 16% max grade but 1,500m of really bad cobbles. The kind you have you have only read about or seen pictures if you are a young cyclist from Canada. Craig made it over the top with the back end of the group but another climb was his undoing and he rolled along with his group. There were now three Cycling BC riders left in the main group with three riders dangling off the front at 45 seconds. Kevin was the next to succumb to the splits that were now happening as we closed in on the five 5.5km finishing circuits. Jake and Boris were still in main chase peloton of about 70 riders now at just over a minute with 14 riders in small groups off the front.

After the final climb the final selection before the circuits had been made and now the 14 were up the road with 1:30 on the rest. On the fast and flat but technical circuits the leaders gained time but dropped riders. In the end a Dutch rider soloed to victory and the remnants of the break settled out the top 15 with the main bunch of 60 or so sprinting for top 20. Jake and Boris were in the final bunch and Kevin made it onto the circuits and finished two laps early. Craig and Ben rolled in later.

I cannot commend these young guys enough and hope to make everyone understand how this sport is a religion over in Europe. Saying it is like hockey in Canada does not even do it justice. For those of you at home it is far beyond that. There is so much passion even at the Junior level.

As I said at the start I have been to about 10 World Championships and more World Cups, and the Tour of Georgia, Vuelta El Salvador and Philly and San Fran GP and other big races but the passion here is incredible. Our guys can hold their heads high. With a little more time and experience they can be on podium. They belong for sure. There is no doubt in my mind. All the people that have supported this project cannot imagine the impact it has made on these riders. Thanks for the support. It changes the way these young riders look at cycling.