Tuesday 13 December 2011

Vlaamse Druivencross from Overijse - 11 Dec

My favourite cross of the season - always a tough, hilly, often old skool course. And right in the heart of Flanders, with some great kasseien sections........

6 comments:

barry davies said...

check out the race result from 1974 brits on the podium !!!! could have won the race but would never have left the circuit alive !!!!!!!!!!!!

crossjunkie said...

I can imagine! Great to have you checking in on the blog Barry - did you ride the madison style race in November that year or just the usual edition?

barry davies said...

Was the madison race, Eddy Merckx was supposed to ride with either myself or jeff morris but broke his leg skiing the week before so they put myself and Jeff together although it was supposed to be a roadman/crossman line up...we took the lead halfway through, but the race was live on Belgian tv, so some huge guys from Watneys, Verbeeks sponsor, 'suggested' it would be better for Belgians to win on the TV, so we agreed for a big bag of belgian francs, would have been good to have won though.. keep up the great site cheers barry

http://www.dewielersite.net/db2/wielersite/ritfiche.php?ritid=147777

Dave Haygarth said...

My fave all round course too. Dry this year but so great to see how the pace ebbs and flows / tactics come into play (not quite like Barry's ££tactics !!)

barry said...

Dave, you do not say NO to the Belgian Cross Mafia !!!! Jeff was pulled of his bike when he was in the lead with De Vlaeminck, and even after the deal was done, I was pulled off my bike on the last lap just to make sure it was a Belgian 1-2..
Did genuinely finish 3rd in the West Flanders Cross Champs in 1975 which was just below the Belgian champs in importance at the time

Dave Haygarth said...

Hi Barry

Clearly I've never been in the "win and be killed or come 2nd" dilemma, but I do admit that I'd probably have made your decision too

All the best

D