Spent the day in Hasselt for the latest installment of the GVA Trofee race series. It was a bit of a haul from Brugge so we left early. In the parking lot we met a half a dozen superfans (the Flemish like to wish Jon, "Much success!") who asked for Jon's trading card and some even wanted an autograph. We also met Reeve, a dude from Seattle, who flew out to Belgium just to watch cyclocross for a few weeks. We really are at the nougaty center of the sport here.
After our course preview and Jon's warm-up we met back at the van for pre-race prep. Jon asked me to change out the pedals on his "C" bike (3rd of 3). Honored. I hop out of the van and grab the new pedals, pedal wrench, and large hex wrench. The moment I place the wrench on the pedal several Belgian men walk up behind me, cross their arms, and begin to converse animately in Flemish. Oh geez. I try to think back to my lessons from Peavey at Chico Cyclesport. There's some trick to how you angle the pedals. I look up at Jon, who is sitting in the car, kitting up for the race. "I see you have an audience," he says. Ha. Somehow I manage to the extricate the old pedals and install the new ones without major incident, whew. I give them stickers. They'll forever remember Jon Baker as the guy that lets his wife wrench the bikes.
Jon's race went well (29th) and his performances are improving. The small fish in a big pond analogy is probably worn out, but I have to give Jon so much credit for going out here every weekend and getting his butt kicked. It would be much more of an ego-stroke to be winning races in Boulder... he's a true lover of the sport.
After our course preview and Jon's warm-up we met back at the van for pre-race prep. Jon asked me to change out the pedals on his "C" bike (3rd of 3). Honored. I hop out of the van and grab the new pedals, pedal wrench, and large hex wrench. The moment I place the wrench on the pedal several Belgian men walk up behind me, cross their arms, and begin to converse animately in Flemish. Oh geez. I try to think back to my lessons from Peavey at Chico Cyclesport. There's some trick to how you angle the pedals. I look up at Jon, who is sitting in the car, kitting up for the race. "I see you have an audience," he says. Ha. Somehow I manage to the extricate the old pedals and install the new ones without major incident, whew. I give them stickers. They'll forever remember Jon Baker as the guy that lets his wife wrench the bikes.
Jon's race went well (29th) and his performances are improving. The small fish in a big pond analogy is probably worn out, but I have to give Jon so much credit for going out here every weekend and getting his butt kicked. It would be much more of an ego-stroke to be winning races in Boulder... he's a true lover of the sport.
Comments
My wife and I have just arrived in Gent where we'll be staying for the next week. We'll definitely be out to see the World Cup race in Koksijde...we're staying in a B&B Friday night about a 5 minute walk from the course. We'll look for your van and say hello.
Oh, by the way, in the "it's a small world" files...Reeve is my brother-in-law and will be meeting us shorty in Gent.
Peter
See you at Koksijde, have fun at the 6 days of Gent.