Sven really kicked my can all over Hofstade last Wednesday. For some reason, I can’t get a good result in Hofstade. This year I thought I had the right tires, 34 dugast slicks, didn’t help. Last year I ran the whole month before the race, got killed. thought I had the wrong tires. This yr. I had both of those things, and while it was my best result in Hofstade, 33rd, I still got lapped right at the end of the last lap! Yeah, Sven and Bart won by two minutes I know. So, I’ll take my 33rd and walk away with it under my hat. We also raced in Loenhout, I was 23rd I think,Loenhout is a race that typically suits me pretty well, and I wouldn’t say I raced bad, but I wanted better. At the start it was crazy. Normal crazy though everyone here is so aggressive and wants that whole shot off the pavement, we hit this one section about 2minutes into the race, it was ‘Belgian classic’ 1 foot deep peanut butter. It was about 40 seconds off the bike, give or take 10 seconds, anyways, I sucked in that part, got dropped every lap but was able to get back on the group on the other sections, luckily! The big group of chasers detonated and I ended up sprinting it out with two Belgies and some German guy. The Belgies were talking to each other about how they were going to tag team us in the kick, they both spanned across the course, chatting, like I wasn’t going to sprint them. I hate that, unless I’m doing it of course. Problem was, the German guy was able to get back on after being popped in the last section. I rode hard and beat the Belgians, But the German guy got a free ride and passed me. Oh well. After Loenhout I came down with a nasty 48hr flu. I had a fever and chills etc. Really crappy and I’ve been on the bench ever since, all the racing had to take a break, I don’t want to push it, get to world champs looking like a piece of burnt toast. So, I’ve been sleeping a lot, trying my best to not eat 100 pastries a day and ride my bike as much as my brain can handle. Lyne (my teammate,second mom and personal chef ) was great and did my laundry the other day, I was being me, left my ipod in the pocket, went through wash and dry cycle and worked better then it did before! On to some exclusives. We’re trying to start a new UCI race in Connecticut, in my home town. My dad was recently here with me and Belgium and we’ve outlined some good ideas, courses and sponsors. There will be more information and opportunities for help, participation etc. It’s all a small dream right now, I’m hoping with some luck it happens, I think a night cross’ during the week needs to happen in the United States, just picking a date when everyone comes out shouldn’t be that hard to do, right? We’ll see, 11 months to pull it off, I think it’s attainable. Speaking of Mikey P. He’s on his way back home after spending Christmas and New Years here, he’s back in the states now, we had an awesome time and he helped in all the races with pit bikes etc. I think we really raised his level 10 fold over the two wks he was here, he learned a lot more about racing and even more about workin’ the pits. Chatted with Lars Boom a couple days ago, he was telling my dad and I that he’s going to be coming to Cross’ Vegas probably for Rabobank. Rabo now has some banks in the states and is looking for their man Boom to make some impressions. We’ll see if that comes to fruit or not. More news… (semi exclusive) I’m starting a peanut butter review. Thats right, here on my website now, your going to be able to shift into the jpows peanut butter review portal. I’ve ate peanut butter (all nut butters for that matter) from all over the world and I may be one of the most knowledgeable nut butter eaters out there.

I’m out, to go back to sleep, to ride a little and do some laundry myself this time!

Thanks to Mario for all the pictures!