Firstly I went down the side of the hotel to check out the team van for the United Healthcare team. The mechanics were setting up the bikes for the race tomorrow.... Now this is real sprocket talk ! Very nice guys and lots of interesting chat (including a debate with the riders about whether to use 23mm or 25mm tiers for the race )... Realizing I had to replace my seat post before roubaix (I had to stop to fix it in Flanders and it moved again on my roubaix test ride) I popped into the local bike store and picked up a new FSA one... Then back to the team area to clean my bike and replace the seat post. The guys helped me out with some tools i needed and gave me some carbon grip paste to put on the post.. Saves you having to do the clamp up too tight... Cool !
While changing the seat post i noticed the damage to my saddle bag strap from the cobbles.. Crikey... A new one needed for sure !
After fixing up my machine.. I headed into Antwerp to watch the end of the scheldeprijs. It finished with 3 laps of a 15k circuit..so i excepted some good action. What i got was a full on tour de france worthy setup with the crowd to match.... Crazy ! These Belgians sure take their cycling seriously !!
Walking back to my car I found another bike shop... Grabbed myself a new saddle bag.. All good !!
Inside the team van.. Was the Milram time trial van !
Check out the damage to the strap from the cobbles !
The kids finished their ride before the pros got in... Very cute ! (also there was an amateur race before...very serious stuff though !)
Robbie trying explain to Mrs McEwen why he called the kid (in front of him) Ewen.
Now I get the point of winning ! (who'd have thought Cav could pull it off he's been missing in action all year.!!)
Cute list of names on the side of the Leopard-trek bus
Zipp fantasy for the falc !
These pro-teams think if everything !
Cafe Ruben next to Ruben's house (yes i found it my accident... But so ..sadly.. They didn't have a Ruben sandwich !) and yes I did have a beer !!
I almost feel like I'm there, and I know that I wish i was. I loved Belguim before I got into cycling but with 3 races in the region (i know PR is in France) it looks like a great place to be.
ReplyDeleteDo you think Leopard Trek wouldd notice if you half inched a pair of 404s for me please.
So Serena makes chef buddies when she goes traveling and now you are making bike mechanic buddies.
I think Robbie shold have retired at the end of last year for a couple of reasons.
I want more k's from you tomorrow - you've got a race at the weakend... chrs il falco
Can we get a washing machine for the RX8???
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