Navigating The Belgian Sidewalks

The racing in Belgium is unlike anywhere else in the world. In order to race here not only must you be an incredible bike racer with almost what most would consider super human strength but you must also must know a good amount of Flemish and have tactics like a chess Master, For the Belgians this is simple if you brought up playing chess from the time you can walk it will come easy to you later on in life. As I work my way up the latter in Belgium I have notice new skills that I have been acquiring in order to succeed in the race even just to survive one. With the recent Bann of race radios in Belgium you have to really be on your toes to know if a break goes and what is coming ahead of you. Since you are never on a road for more the 3-5 km at a time you have to be able to read the road signs to know if there is a turn, Roundabout, or Construction ahead. In the good old days we warned about it over the radio so we can be careful through it. But now it is like playing a nice game of Russian and Roulette.

So after that being said now let’s get back to the title of this blog navigating the Belgian sidewalks. A Belgian side walk can consist on many different Surfaces Bricks, Cobbles, Dirt, and some type of whacky prefab Belgian road deal. In most cases the only for sure way to move up to the front so you can go with a move is to use the sidewalks but there are allot of risks you must be ready for. For example any were from poles being in the middle on the side walk or if you stay on them too long you can risk a line of cars people and grass separating you from the peloton and any other unforeseen obstacle. So needless to say it is a risky gamble the sidewalks can make your race but they can also end your race even quicker. Some may say well why don’t you move up when it is strung out. Well in Belgian they race too smart for that when you are single file at 50kph with a strong head cross wind and you are in the gutter in a 200 man peloton. It is a bit difficult to advance so you must look for every other possible way to get to the front because if you are at the back you might as well drop out there is no point in racing to race at the back. Because at the end of the day were do you get with that a 20percent chance of finishing?

Once you are at the front you have to be willing to fight for the position it is unlike anything I have done back home. You always have to be attacking whether you are recovered or not you have to be ready for the next 100+ miles to be on the attack at all times. I will be honest it is amazing how it is physically possible to do. Another untold tactic to master is when you are one of the only Americans riding in the breaks or at the front you must understand what the Flemish and Dutch speaking riders are saying in order to recognize if there will be an attack or anything else coming up. Once you can recognize this you are golden it is like having Psychic powers. It is a very unique skill to ride at the front that allot of people do not have, so at times it can be very lonely with no team mates up there. To the point you are unsure if you have team mates left in the race. Anyways I hope everyone enjoyed this blog and for everyone back home I will be home shortly so dust off the bikes and get ready to do some riding.

Ciao,

Santiago (A.K.A. Sandman)

I think I have Procrastinated long enough

Well every one it has been awhile I know and some of you by now probably have given up on me but I back for a brief blog. For the most part I have not been super motivated to post something since that races have been going well but in my mind not well enough to post something worthy enough. Anyways life has not changed much for me lately I have had a seriously lack of motivation in the races which is a shame because my legs have been more than good but my results have not been measuring up to what my legs can do. I think it is time for me to go on break reset my batteries and come back for the second part of the season stronger and better than ever. I have often find my self sitting looking outside at the crappy weather wondering what the hell I am doing here and how much I miss everyone back home. Then I line up to a race line and get rolling and realize exactly what I am doing here I am living most peoples dream doing some thing that less the one percent of the worlds population can do. Not only am I becoming very good at racing my bike but I am also close to being fluent in Flemish. Het is grappig hoe na het horen van de taal zo dat veel ik nu slechts het kan spreken(it is funny how after hearing a language so much you can start speaking it so easy). As far as the racing goes there isn’t much to report besides I am working well for the team but still looking for that great result to write home about a top 30 top 20 doesn’t do it for me I a looking for the top 10 then you will hear more from me. Being over here I am so disconnected from the world back home so please email me it is so good to hear from every back home other wise I sit lonely and depressed because of how detached I am from everyone back home. I will not sugar coat it here it is a hard sport a hard way of life but I would not trade it for anything else in the world. Below you will find a few recent pictures I hope everyone is doing great back home and I am off to Praha(Prague) next week for a much needed Vacation I will be sure to take pictures.

Ciao,
Santiago Rosell
A.K.A Sandy, Sandman, CollegeBoy

Email: SandmanSR04@yahoo.com



Me taking a turn at the front.


Me in a small break going no were but notice the drug control truck in the background!

First Weeks Back in Europe

Hello everyone I AM BACK after a brief hiatus due to my computer having a freak accident, I have finally got it and I am back up and running. As some of you may or may not know I am Back in Belgium racing for the Johan Bruyneel Cycling Academy. My first several races have shown me that I am stronger and a way better rider then in the recent years and this could very well be a great year for me so be sure to stay tuned to my channel. I arrived here March 12th to very nice weather at first glance I had thought we landed in the wrong country how ever the days following showed me that I am in fact back in Belgium. The weather has been some of the worst I have ever seen cold, rainy, windy, and just brutal. However I some how seem to put it in the back of my mind and get out there and get my job done. My first race Paris-Troyee UCI 1.2 was a great race covering some of the best terrain around Paris. Unfortunately I had a crash in the beginning of the race and once I got back up to the front group I had to immediately give my team leader a wheel change. After that my race was done I was still able to have an ok finish but not some thing I would brag about. Since then I have been back to the Kermes circuit something that I know all to well. I have realized that I have established a fan club on the kermes circuit that show up and take photos and video of me and support me big time. I have notice this year that I have been able to do more in the races then I have ever been able to do before and I am a serious contender. It is a good feeling to be able to race really race over here and to know that it is only a matter of time before you start to dominate. Other than the racing, life back in Belgium has been good, being back at the academy made me feel like I was back at home I realized that I spend more time here that any were else. It is also a good to see all of the friendly faces and to have a real sense of happiness to be exactly and doing exactly what I like to do. I would to thank all of you who have stayed loyal readers to my daily experiences and please hang in there I will continue to shock and awe. Also I urge you check out my Website at www.SantiagoRosell.com and please check out the sponsor’s page at http://santiagorosell.com/SandmansSponsors.htm to give them there credit due. Thank you and please check out my website.

Thanks,
Santiago
(A.K.A Sandy)

It feels good to be back

Training Camp 2008

Hello every one sorry for the delay I have finally found a break in the chaos to sit down and write in my blog. Camp was a complete success the training was to die for especially when you are getting to ride with some of the greatest cyclist in the world. Out here in NM I realized that this is the first time I felt at home some were else besides Orlando. I love it here everything about it appeals to me and not only from a cyclist point of view but just as a person. Allot of things happen during camp that I am unsure of how to react to it is all good things of course. What do you say when you see that dream of yours the one that you have been trying so hard and so long for and then out of no were you see it becoming realized for the first time in my life I am no more talk about it but I am starting to live it. There is still allot of work to be done between now and the big time goal but I do see the end and I will get there with out a doubt. I also unfortunately learned a very valuable lesson at camp and that is with great power comes great sacrifice but some one has to man up. I guess my whole life and I have been training for this moment this is what I was born to do wether I like it or not. So now I have to keep my mouth shut and go with the flow. I am off to Valley of the Sun this weekend in Arizona to race then I should be back in Orlando Fri the 22nd. Then I leave to go back to Belgium March 11. I will try to catch up with everyone before I leave but if I do not please do not hesitate to shoot me and email. Below you will see some pictures of the camp and a link to a You tube video that was done on me PLEASE watch and tell me what you think. Thank you for reading and I will see you soon.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuR465h9xhQ - Santiago One Mountain at a time.

Ciao,
Sandman


Taking photos and doing an interview for Bicycling Magazine





Me and Mr Hauger Before the Astana Presentation

Me with Leah Black, Alain Gallopin, Johann Bruyneel and Viatcheslav Ekimov on stage at the Astana Team Presentation

Days Back at Home

Hello every one I apologize for not blogging lately, not much has been going on. Days back at home our different it is nice to relax and not live so much like a monk. I have been back to work at GloryCycles.com which is good for me because it keeps me up to date in the bike industry and it is a nice job just incase I decide not to ride my bike anymore. I have been with Glory for the last 3 years and I don't see myself no matter how big I get in the cycling world ever quitting glory I could very well be one of the top Pros in the world still working a 9-5 job in the winter. When I got home I almost immediately got on a plane to Vegas for Interbike. Interbike was great allot of very nice cycling related equipment and I got to see many of my friends I have not seen in along time. Not to mention the partying so many parties so little time. In Vegas you do not sleep ever it is crazy you have no concept of time because the casinos do not let any sunlight in. My biggest regret about interbike is that I did not bring my bike to do the Crit out there. Looking back I realized I was suspended in Millar time so I am not sure I would have been able to do it. Other than that Vegas was allot of fun and I look forward to going there next year. I got to meet with allot of sponsors and get some interviews with Cycling TV it was an all around great experience. The month of October I deflated the tires and put the bike in the attic. It was nice to become a normal person and go out with friends, Stay out late meet some women and have a great time. But now that time is over despite me wanting to stay out late and chase women only to get rejected time after time. It is time to get serious and get back on the bike with the combined efforts from the Cycling Center and the select few who I choose to surround my self with my 2008 season will be the best yet. As of right now I am scheduled to travel to Albuquerque New Mexico in January from training camp. Then Europe a few months after that. As things start to develop for me I will be sure to update everyone as much as possible. Allot of people have been asking me who am I riding for next year well I can't say yet but I can say no matter who I will be riding for I will still continue to work with Cycling Center to help not only get me to the next step but assist in the development of new riders to come into the program. The Cycling Center has brought me from a weekend warrior to someone who some may get to know very well some one who has a good chance of becoming a house hold name. But I do not want to get a head of my self. Thank you once again for checking with me and please do not hesitate to email me with any of your questions. SandmanSR04@yahoo.com

Check out the pics below

Later,
Sandman

Back with some old friends


Life is good off the bike(haha)



Vegas! Vegas! Vegas! Me and the boys at the Sinclair party

Tour of Antwerpen

Hello everyone! I recently raced the Tour of Antwerp. This race took place right outside of the famous city of Antwerp, which houses the diamond center of the world. Antwerp is a great city with numerous architectural highlights, most of which date back to the 16th and the 17th century and often referred to as the golden era of Antwerp. Unfortunately, the destruction of suffered during World War II has scarred the fair face of the old city. Still there are enough monuments left, for those who like monument-hopping, to spend a few days admiring them. The past is also represented by the numerous paintings of Peter Paul Rubens who lived in Antwerp in the early 17th century. The Tour covered most of the city and suburbs right outside of Antwerp.

Since this would be my first stage race, I was in my best shape. I was ready for a great learning experience. We woke up that morning at 5:00am to travel to Antwerp. Once there, there was no time to loose. We had to get ready immediately and the cold, pouring rain was not helping.

The first stage was a prologue, which is a very short time trial usually 4-7 km long. The prologue is used so that the fans can get a good look at all of the riders. I was the first from my team to go. So, I was what they refer to as the test subject. The first rider is always the one the directors use to get to learn the course. I went off and immediately things did not go my way. My radio cut out and I was unable to hear my director for the entire 3.8 km, which goes by very quick. My vision was impaired by the rain and it was hard to make out the turns. But, I got through it no problem. It seemed like forever as we sat around in the cold and rain, waiting for the second stage. A few hours later, we finally started the second stage and it continued to rain for the entire 147 km stage. We all finished in the peloton not loosing any time.

The 2nd day included also had two stages. A road race in the morning followed by a team Time Trial in the afternoon. More cold but luckily, it was not raining. We started out the first stage in the morning and managed not to get caught up in any of the crashes. We all finished in the field sprint not loosing any time. Later on in the afternoon, we started the Team Time trial, which none of us have ever done together and again, we got the job done. The time trial was 23km long. Half way through I started to struggle but, I hung on and was able to help the team for one last time with 1 km to go. Day 3 and stage 5 did not go well for me. After working to keep my teammates in the race, I got caught up in one too many crashes and had to call it a day half way through. I just could not go anymore! Very disappointing for me because of how far I have come in this sport and I have not had to call it a day in a long time. I have come so far in my life weighing 300 pounds at one point and now several years later here I am and elite cyclist. Despite my director not being mad and telling me you did everything you could do, we were not expecting miracles. I replied with, you are right but, I was! I feel that being able to get to where I am today in this sport is a Miracle. Everyday I strive for greatness and for miracles to happen. But, like the old saying goes; you have to crawl before you can walk! So, I will keep on trying and when I get there, it will be a great thing.
I would like to thank all of my team mates for sticking by me even though I could not be there at the end. They all finished the race in good form and despite some bad luck they had on day 3, they hung in there until the end. I can only hope to learn from them and be a vital member to the team until the end of the next race. I have been in Belgium since March and I am loving every second of it. We live right outside of the city of Brugge, a very unique medieval city, which is also known as the Venice of the North. So much history and it is great to experience that. I go home in about a month and I will have a lot more stories of races and areas I visit. Thank you for reading.


Santiago Rosell

Making The Break

The last couple of weeks have been a little rough. However, I have learned a lot. A few weeks ago I raced the Schaal Shoeters UCI 1.12, which started out to be a great race. I was up in the front covering moves and getting my job done but despite doing everything as planned, sometimes you cannot control bad luck! My teammate was up the road and I was in the chase group when I crashed because some guy was not thinking about what he was doing. Despite my injuries, I got off the ground and got a spare bike. Because of the fall, I was a little woozy as I got behind the caravan trying to get back in the race. One of the cars in the caravan panic stopped forcing me to bump into it and loose momentum. Moving up through the caravan can be a scary thing and the important thing is to remain calm. There is always the possibility that you can go through the back window of a car but, I remained calm and stayed safe on the rear bumper of the car. After that happened, my front brake came apart which forced me to stop again to get it fixed. Once it was repaired, I realized that we were far behind the caravan and the broom wagon had passed us but, I was not giving up! I got to the caravan and had to pass 30 cars to get back in the race. Once I made it back into the group, we hit the local laps only to get a flat tire. Most people would have called it a day at that point but, I got a new tire, stayed strong and got back in the race again. I did not place where I wanted but, I finished the race. That in itself was a victory for me. Because of the injuries sustained in that race, the next couple of races were not much better. However, I did as instructed by my race director, gritted my teeth and got my job done.
The next race was a Kermese in Deinze, which is a bigger city in Belgium. All the big guns were there and tons of people came to watch. At this stage in the game, I am more focused than ever. I want that good finish and win that perfect race. That day was no different except that the race was being decided before it started. I managed to make the bridge to the winning break, where I was not supposed to be. When everyone saw that there was an American in the break they were shocked and the announcer kept repeating my name with a tone of surprise that I had made it there. A little insight into Kermese races is that they are controlled by what is referred to as the ‘Belgian Mafia.’ These races are decided before they start. Who will make the break and who will win is all arranged before the race. It all comes down to money! They do not take kindly to foreigners getting into the finish and threaten their livelihood. So, it was no surprise to me when they told me, this is for Belgians only and you must leave. I stuck to my guns and told them no! If they want me gone, they were going to have to make me. I got spit on; they bumped me out of the corners and pulled my jersey to shoot me off the back. Even though I made a valiant effort, the combination of the abuse and speed eventually popped me off to the back. The break I was in had more than a minute gap so I did a few laps on my own before the peloton took me in. I was very frustrating because I am no longer satisfied with finishing a race. I need that perfect race where I make the break and place. I have overcome so much in my life and come so far, that I want it more than anyone. I will race sick injured and do no matter what I have to do in order to get there. So far, this has not happened but, I feel that I am close and any day could be my day! My race director said four words to me, which I had heard before but never registered. He said, “WE BELIEVE IN YOU”! He understood how I felt and made me realize how far I had come. This phrase has been repeated to me many times before, but for some reason it was very clear to me this time. It is just comforting to know that some one believes in your ability and knows that you will make it. This makes me stronger and motivates me to continue everyday. I know that once I make it, it will have a huge effect not only on my life but everyone around me. Maybe even my country and possibly the world. So stick with me, I promise to shock and awe if you will just give me some time. While some of the other guys in the house are loosing interest, knowing how hard this sport is, I am giving it 100 percent. I am striving for perfection and to change everything about me to become a great cyclist. My statement is that anyone can make difference in this world. I hope to join the fight in things like obesity, cancer and the going green. Eventually, to help the world in realizing there is a better healthier way of life and it does not mean sacrificing the things you love but simply trading them for better alternatives. Anyway, enough serious talk, there are a lot of good things to come. So, please stick with me.

Later

-Sandman-