Somewhat damaged

That is how I feel at the moment, having done the Schellebelle kermis this afternoon. It was almost exactly the same as last year, except there were more starters (87), I finished just outside the top 30, and it rained for the first six laps. Average speed was the same though - 43 clicks.

I've decided I've had enough of the carbon saddle and will replace it with my Fizik Aliante today. My back is bloody sore from hammering out of n corners to 53 km/h all the time. It was worse early on, because we were going so slow into the corners because of the rain, then would have to wind it up to warp speed again. Repeat many times. The bike was good though, even though braking on carbon wheels in the wet is almost a complete waste of time.

It goes without saying that I was down the back. It would have been easier in the first 20, but I stuck to my pre-race plan, which was to stay right out of trouble until about 4 laps to go. It worked out OK, because by that stage there were 17 off the front so the pressure was slightly off. I tried to get in a few moves but didn't quite the legs to go with our very own Hamish Haynes (CN.com team) and a couple of others on the fourth last lap.

Pretty much all the other moves came back anyway, and it was a fairly small bunch sprint to sort out 21st place. I know I was close to 10th, but I missed out on top 30. No matter. There were massive arguments in the results room anyway, and I hung around for far too long to give my number back. At least the sun was out.

On the way back, I decided I wanted to avoid the dirt road between Schellebelle and Wetteren which I took on the way out (it was the main road, of course). So I went on one side of it, but I got dumped back on it just before the dirt road. Then I doubled back, ended up on a bit of the parcours, not far from the bloody start! I crossed the railway, didn't like the direction that the road was going, so I tried to follow the railway. I ended up on another dirt road. I followed it because I was fed up and wanted to get home. Eventually did. 157 km.

All in all, it was a better experience than last week at Lovendegem, because I finished the damn race this time.