Saturday - GP Hassalt.
I had watched this course before and new it would be very fast because it was so flat. The course had several 180 degree corners, 2 logs, sand pits, a ditch almost a bike length long that people ran/hopped, and a set of logs with a muddy section after, making the logs near impossible to hop. Near impossible ;) I pre-rode the course and felt very confident with what I could do. The first lap I was back in the high 20s because the race didn't use UCI points so I was at the back of the staging grid. I picked my way through riders and made it to a group of 3 battling for 13th. I stayed there, kept attacking and attacking. Top 10 was just 15 seconds up the road. Going into the last lap I felt fresh and knew I could get the group sprint if that was what it came down to.
I have never been more in shock like I was moments later. While riding up a slight climb my left pedal ripped off. I looked down and couldnt believe it happened. I was thinking "please be an allusion... A dream... COME ON!" I ran to the pits because the threads on the pedal were stripped, I couldn't screw it back into the crank arm. Just like that I found myself in 30th. A very emotional day for me because I was having my best race all trip and to have such a freak mechanical like that... was crushing. I finished the last lap and decided I would be a crowd pleaser. Remember when I said the logs were "near" impossibleto hop haha. Well the last lap I hopped them, I just had to live up to my twitter name "@Hoppin_Haley"
That ditch I was talking about...
Last race in Belgium - Asper Gaverè
I had the chance to pre-ride this course a couple days before with a local friend. He showed me helpful lines, where I should be at the start and such. He knew what he was talking about because I used everything in the race. The funny thing about the these courses is how hard they are. All trip I kept telling myself... "Ok, that was the hardest" one race later... "Ok, now that has to be the hardest it gets". I can now say, this was the most brutal course I have ever ridden. Mud that would rip your shoes off, make your bike 30 pounds, and flip you over the bars if you got out of line by an inch. The course had a lot of running, climbing, and descending. There was one decent that was famous on the course. It was off camber, steep, and turns all the way down. In fact, years back at this race Niels Albert put himself in the hospital for 2 weeks from a crash here. My good friend Tom gave me some advise for the decent. He said "just close your eyes.. It will be over soon" haha that's about what I did. This was yet another feature that has made me scared. 
I was 2nd row at the start. I found myself in the mix right off the bat. In top 20. Belgian and European champion Yanick Peters didn't have the best start so I sat on his wheel. He deserves the jersey he has. The man child ripped my legs off. I went into the long climb in 20th and got to the top in 12th. After the first lap I was 10 seconds back from the lead group with 7 guys. Yanick had slipped away from me and I was alone with 4 guys right in front of me. I have never been this close to the lead of a big European race. Down the pavement stretch I latched onto the battle for 8th but wasn't going to let the lead group get away that quick. I passed the 4 man group on the first mud section. I told you about how think this mud was, that was no lie. I took the wrong line for a second and found myself face first in mud. I got up quick but the 4 guys were already around 10 seconds up. A big difference about racing here is you can't make mistakes. I feel like in America you have time to recover, but here in an instant you can lose 10 spots. I was back in 16th on the second lap and stayed there for another lap. After my first wreck I couldn't seem to have a clean race, I kept making stupid choices and it bit me in the butt. I finished 21st. Although the placing wasn't what I wanted this race was mentally, very strong for me. I saw the lead of a Belgian race and I know what I need to do to make it there. 
I have training on and off the bike to do if I want my goals to be a reality. Honored to go back In a month for EuroCrossCamp XI. Excited to do more European racing soon, and see that top 10!
Stay classy
-Gavin
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