Ronde van Vlaams Brabant - Impressions of day 1 and 2

Got my Nikon D2X and big 300mm F2.8 Nikkor lens out and posted myself at the bottom and later at the top of the GPM of the first stage of the Ronde van Vlaams Brabant. Here are some of the pics I shot. Hope you like them.

Went to the second stage of the Ronde van Vlaams Brabant today, which started and ended in nearby Haasrode. Another opportunity to familiarize myself with the 300mm lens. It was more overcast than yesterday but I still managed to shoot some great pictures along the finish area.

Belgian Cross Country MTB Championships

Yesterday and today I was at the Belgian National Mountainbike Championships, held in Ottignies Louvain-la-Neuve. I saw some great racing on a very selective track, some 6.2K long with 280 heightmeters each lap.
Our National Cyclocross hero Sven Nys took the title with the Elite Men , before Filip Meirhaeghe who fought the entire race to come back in Svens' wheel, but was not strong enough to do so.


Trek teammates Kristien Nelen and Petra Mermans battled it out in a sprint with Kristin taking the jersey in the Womens' Elite class.



Our own Sebastien Carabin took the title with the Junior men. Hans Urkens and Benny Heylen got the title in the Masters 1 and Masters 2 class and Bjorn Brems had a very convincing victory in the -23 Mens class.

I was a signaller on the race track but nevertheless I managed to take a few pictures, which you can check out HERE.

National XC Championships

Yesterday and today I helped my club prepare the Belgian CrossCountry Championships which will take place this weekend in the Bois des Reves at Ottignies Louvain-la-Neuve. The circuit is most demanding and will surely reward the most complete mountainbikers with the National Title. The track is 6.25km long and has 280 heightmeters in it. That means that the Elite riders - who have to do 7 laps - will cover some 43K and a stunning 1960 heightmeters. The height profile of one lap can be found HERE, and THIS is a map of the circuit done with Google Earth. All relevant information can be found HERE. I will be around Saturday and Sunday, as a signaleur at the top of a long climb - called "la Piste de Ski". This place is also ideal for me to be taking some pictures. Hope to see you there.