Beyond the Service Course: Belgium Day 4: Unblocking the Legs

Just a quick ride up around North Brussels to the Atomium in a park just north of the city. Trying to stretch out from the day before, I was hoping for a flat easy ride along the canal to a minor hill in the park, but less than a kilometer in, we hit a nasty stretch of cobbles that lasted for at least two kilometers. My hands felt better than the day before, but that in no way helped their situation. The park was beautiful, although as an American it always felt weird to cycle on what seemed to be pedestrian paths. We passed the Japanese and Chinese Pavilions for the old Worlds Fair (same reason why the Atomium was built). Hit the same stretch of cobbles on the way back of course. Not much else to report about the ride. Went to Oudenaarde afterward to catch the PROs do a much longer version of what I had done the day before. Tom Boonen won handily, when he did--even during every move he made--the crowd around me erupted in cheers and support. He really is the Flemish golden boy despite his past indiscretions. Walking around the finish village was incredible, the tech on the bikes, the PROs, and the DS's all easily accessible. Managed to see Matt White (DS for GreenEdge, former PRO), Johan Bruyneel, Alain Gallopin (DS's for RadioShack), Roger Theel (basically Cancellara's mechanic, any race Fabu is at, Theel is there as well), Johan Van Summeren, Gregory Rast, Heinrich Haussler, scores of others as well, just can't remember them. Also before the race had finished I went into the Centrum Ronde Van Vlaanderen, basically the museum for the Tour of Flanders, while all in Dutch, had some great exhibits. I personally loved the over-size connect-4 game with Omega-Pharma and Quik-Step (pre-union) as the tokens.