I raced today the Omloop van de Grensstreek - Wervik and to be honest wasn’t expecting to do to well with the race from Sunday in my legs and only one Recovery day, but the team wanted me so I had too race. It was 175km on (for west vlaanderan) a rather hilly circuit including climbs like the kemmel berg (2km long, last 500m at 18% and cobbled) and a few other climbs from around that area.

I knew the race from last year and where I need to be positioned in the peloton coming into some of the climbs, but fortunately I didn’t need this knowledge as 500m after the start an attack went. I wasn’t to keen to chase all day again so I jumped across. There were some better than average riders there, so it justified the move. We rode as 6 for 10-15km and during that time I was thinking it was going to be a very long day.

Shortly after we were joined by 12 others to make 18 and we were off. Soon after we were out to 2 mins 40 secs. On the second of 2 times over the Kemmel berg the break became 10 riders making the work load more with still 60km to go. Coming back into Wervik for our three 12km finish loops we had a 1min 30sec buffer so it was looking like we would stay away.

On the last lap the attacks started but me and my team mate Arthur soon took control of that when we started one two-ing the 8 riders that were left. We never managed to get away as the riders left we still too strong. Arthur was looking like the most likely candidate for getting away as they would let him go a bit before bringing him back. They would just shut me down straight away. Coming into the sprint I had a good position but unfortunately was caught out with 300m to go when the sprint began with a rider from Beveran 2000 beginning the sprint with a lot more speed then we had. I blew it by waiting till 150m to go to launch out of the train but it was too long! I made it up to the beveran rider but not over top of him. I finished 2nd which I am very happy about but I had the legs to win, I just made a tactical error and it cost me.