News for April 8, 1997

Rolf's Ronde van Vlaanderen Diary

Dienze 5 April 97 I wonder whether our team will have to go to the blood control tomorrow morning. Until now we still have never been tested, it's about time. I'm all for these controls of us racers, though I find it odd that the haematocrit levels for us can't exceed 50, yet for "normal people" the normal level lies between 40 and 53! But agreed, something must be undertaken against the use of the "wonder drug" EPO.

The Ronde

Here in the marketplace in St. Niklaas I feel like a local. I have almost as many fans here in Belgium as in Switzerland. It's fairly cold but the sky is blue - because of that it won't be a real Tour of Flanders, so the Flemish say. The rain is missing, so instead there's a lot of wind. The start pistol goes off, and surprisingly, no one attacks. Where are all the riders from the small Belgian teams? And already they're here, a hundred metres in front of the peleton which pulls itself immediately into a long line. Bum-bum, bum-bum, the concrete roads seem to go on forever in this land.

One attack follows another until, I'm astonished, I find myself in a 20 man strong group that has a 20 second lead over the field. From my team [Casino] only Lauri Aus, who's riding super for me, is still here. I don't take too many pulls. By km 40 we've been reeled in, but it remains fast. Until now we've averaged 48.5 km/h. Very good, I'll definitely be able to catch my plane tonight. But my legs feel odd, no pain but also no power, but without the slightest problem I'm able to hang in. At km 71 the first pave section, nothing bad and also nothing decided. I ride in the middle of the peleton, and know that just 40 cm to the left there's asphalt. Of course I don't take this shaking voluntarily and so I ride left. The feed zone arrives, from now it will be quite a punch up.

Bum-bum, bum-bum, that's gone on the whole day. I move to the front during the first pave section pretty well - now the next 40 km are no problem, as there's no need to move up. The cobbles of Mater are 3 km long, lightly ascending and damn hard. At the end of this section we're only 6 riders, the rest are 200 m behind us. I'm astonished, plus Alex Zuelle is here. We'll be recaptured, but my morale climbs. Molenberg, what's with my legs? I can't win any position but they hurt very badly. Not a good sign. Ahead are 10 riders, with Museeuw and Bartoli. Because I know that the next 30 km contain no difficulties, I remain quiet.

We're approximately still 100 riders, there are more attacks and the pace is very high. I can always stay in the first 20 but the legs hurt more and more, and there's still 120 km to go. Right before the Kluisberg I find myself taking refuge in a ten man group, I'm finished. By the hill prize we've been recaptured, if I can only stay ahead to the next Bergs! The Knokkerberg, luckily they're riding nice and slow up the 2 m wide road. So I'm somewhat with the group. Now the wide Autostrasse in the direction Oude Kwaremont, where the race normally begins. I don't know how I've done it, but I can take the decisive turn in 25 position, bravo. Though I'm totally knackered.

These cobbles, trrrrr trrrrr at the end still trr trr. Ahead of me there's a gap, I can't close it anymore. We're three riders behind a circa 20 man strong lead group. 200 m but they mean the world. On the Patersberg I find myself again with 2 Mapei and Telecom riders. We ride well together, perhaps we'll rejoin the lead group? I've recovered and feel really good again. But it's nothing since others have bridged to us and before the Muur van Geraardsbergen we're again 60 riders, the leaders well over 3 minutes in front of us. I grit my teeth and suffer up the Muur and afterwards the Bosberg. We're still circa 15 riders, and ride the last 10 km full out. It's about World Cup points. Ahead are approximately 15-20 riders and the first 25 receive points. In the sprint I really mess it up and take around tenth in our group. No World Cup points but a lot of pain.

Now begins the race to the airport I catch the plane without showering. I stink a little, totally blown but a little content.

Rominger and that Hour

The decision lies between Bordeaux in France, where Rominger tested on Saturday, and Manchester, the British track where his record fell to Englishman Chris Boardman last September.

``The Manchester track is easier and therefore a little faster for me because it is not so steep as Bordeaux on the bends. I will decide which it is to be in the next two weeks,'' said Rominger after six hours of testing at Manchester's 250-metre velodrome on Monday.

``It will be very difficult to beat Boardman's figures (56.375 kms). After the world road championships in October I will make more tests to see if I am at the level to do it.

``I have to get back to my 1994 shape. Only when I am confident about that will I consider attacking the record.''

Bordeaux has seen five world hour records since 1993. Boardman set the pace, followed by Scotsman Graeme Obree and Miguel Indurain of Spain. Then in 1994 Rominger improved it twice in two weeks.

Boardman's one-hour ride at Manchester, however, added more than a kilometre to Rominger's distance

Brentjen's decides against New Zealand

And a trifle from the Ronde

Rolf Sorensen.....