This was my first ever race in Belgium and I couldn't wait to get to it. The course was awesome! It had several turns, flyovers, whoops, and staircases. The day of the race it was wet and windy. The tempature around 45-50 degrees. The race was at 1:15 so at 1:00 sharp the call ups started. I was 4th called up in a field of 60 juniors.. Great! Nobody was expecting an American to be at the race. The race was started by a "green light" the officials said within 30 seconds it can turn green whenever. It began. I was having an amazing start, 3rd position when all the sudden I missed a shift, although It was a quick fix, there were still around 15 guys that passed me. The thing I love most about racing over here is how much contact you make. I bumped a kid off the course and after he was like "that's just racing man!" It's sweet. The first lap you couldn't pass to much, it was really just stay with the group because it was so fast. The 2nd lap I past a couple people moving up to around 18th. I ended up catching a group with 7 guys all fighting for the top 10 I was with them until 2 to go when the group just split apart. I stayed in 14th and finished the race strong. Was happy with my first result in Belgium. Josey ended up 19th.
B post KoppenbergCross-
Koppenberg was probably the hardest course I have ever raced on. When talking to Niels about it he said sarcastically "ohh it's not hard, half up and half down". Which is true. You start at the bottom of the cobble climb (koppenberg), go 1/3 of the way up on cobbles, go back down, then go all the way back up in a grass field. After the grass climb I'm pretty sure you have 0 oxygen in you're brain, then you go onto a crazy decent with several 180 degree corners that are off camber. You're supposed to "recover" on this decent... Whatever. Then you are at the bottom again, ready to start another lap!
I had a bad hole shot considering the front row call up. After the first corner I was maybe 20th, but after the first mud section I was top 8. Right were I wanted to be. We got onto the koppenberg. I passed maybe 2 people going up the climb sticking right on Yanick Peters wheel. When we made the corner off the climb some guy flew by me. Seconds later he slid out, I hit him and flipped. When I got back up my bike was attached to his and he was dragging it away.. I chased my bike down and got back on. The leaders were gone. I just fought the rest of the race finishing 19th and out of breath. Josey had some problems too and ended up 27th,
Superprestige Zonhoven-
To describe this course all I'm going to do is give you a picture. I have never been scared to ride anything in my life until this day. Truth be told.
I pulled up to that sand downhill and stopped. Just stared and took a deep breathe. I've learned with things like this you can't think to much, if you do you're probably in trouble. I turned around and just went into it as fast as I could. It was awesome.
I had an amazing start today, was 5th in the hole shot then passed two guys in the first corner. 
After the 2nd corner... I looked up and I was in the pits. The rule is if you're in the pits you have to get off and take 2 steps. After that, once again I was 25 spots back. So instead of going into the sand downhill top 5 i was now 25 spots back. I found out half a lap later that my legs sucked as well. Josey flew by me the second lap and just destroyed me. I went back to 34th and stayed there until 2 to go when my legs actually started to feel normal. I made my way to 27th the last lap and finished there. I will be honest and say that i was disappointed with my race. I learned a lot though and that is important. I'm ready to go out and kill it Sunday at Hamme Zogge.
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