Monday, September 04, 2006
MATT BRAMMEIER - August
The form is really coming good at the minute, and the results are starting to come also. I had a bit of a disappointment this month with the team selection for the TOB strangely not including me, even with my current form and results I was not picked. Some politics somewhere along the lines I think.
Most of the races ive ridden this month have been UCI ranked 1.1 or 1.2 and have been pretty tough – Below is a description of what happened and how I did in each race –
Kappellen 1.12 01/08/06 10th
This was a shorter kermes or crit at only 60kms, I found out after 5 laps that the race had already been fixed for a local guy to win as I watched a group of 6 ride away and no body but me chase, I was told by one of the riders “its impossible to win today so stop chasing” I tried several times to jump across but the gap got o big and I ended up 10th
Linden 1.12 03/08/06 DNF
Today didn’t go too good, I had great legs, was in the break leading the berg prize completion but got caught behind a crash and couldn’t rejoin the group, got on my bike and rode home, pretty disappointed.
Ronde Van Antwerpen 2.12 10-13/08/07 30th gc
The prologue went ok but again lady luck wasn’t on my side, it threw it down with rain just before i was off, I was fastest out of the riders who went in the rain but only managed 22nd. First stage went bad too, I missed the break of 15 was 3rd in the sprint so 18th. Had a better day on day 2, was in the big break of the day and got the jersey on TV, attacked hard on the last cobles got a small gap but failed to stay away, got swallowed by the group and ran top 30. Stage 3 was a big bunch kick, had to break hard in last 500, and ended up 14th. Stage 4 was pretty similar, group went away came back before the finish, I ran 15th struggling in the sprints with no team help,
Heusden Pro kermes 15/08/06 25th
Legs felt pretty stuffed today with only a day off in between Antwerp, I had a real deep massage too so my legs felt like wood for the 1st hr, rode into it and finished ok, missed the front group with 2 laps to go but was top 10 in the sprint against some good pros.
Hoelden 1.12 17/08/06 6th
This was a bog standard kermes race not far from home, feeling really strong today but missed the break, got in a chasing group and caught the break just before the finish, ended up 6th in the sprint, a bit disappointed as I know I had good legs and could have done better at the end.
G.P Stad Zottegem 1.1 22/08/06 19th
Zottegem was the first big race of the month, a few big pro tour teams there made it pretty tough, I got stuck in at the start but sadly missed the breakaway of 11 riders, this got a gap of 3 mins and was never seen again, it got pretty tough on the hard finish circuit and I managed to be in every split from the peleton, got in a split on the last lap and finished 19th, a great result for myself I think in such a big race, some solid UCI points in the bag with some quality riders behind me!
Overisljel 1.1 23/08/06 top 40
Felt pretty stuffed today from yesterdays race, played a team role, helped Russell Downing all race, keeping him up front and out of trouble, Russ won so a great result for the team.
Havenpijl UCI 1.2 27/08/06 25th
Disappointed with my self today, was really windy at the start and I knew it would split early on, I sat too far back and missed the break of 20, was in 2nd group riding really strong, think I could have got a big result today if I was in the break.
Merksem 1.1 29/08/06 29th
Again really good legs today, a massive race all the big pros here, in front group of 30 with 50ks to go, survived the cross winds, narrow roads, cobbles and all but one crash, got caught up behind and missed the split of 20 to the finish, I finished in 2nd group AGAIN! 29th, which was still a respectable result in such a big race.
Rummen Geebets Classic 31/08/06 2nd
First amateur race for a while now, one of the biggest amateur races of the year at 140ks with a bit prize list and massive crowds, got in the break early on of 20, followed a later attack and was in a group of 7 going into the finish, legs were great today was still floating along after 135ks, but o helplessly had to watch the Belgians doing “the deal” in the break to who would win, I couldn’t understand what was going on, but they obviously didn’t want me to win, one by one they attacked me, I followed 2 but couldn’t go with the 3rd one, he stayed away and won, I attacked hard with 2 k to go, got a gap and ran 2nd, which was a pretty good result but disappointed not to win when I was in such a good position.
So the form has been good this month and ive started to get a few good results. Just need a bit of luck to slide into one of the breaks in the big races and a big result will follow I hope.
Overislel GP 1.12 01/0906 2nd
Decided to race again today, Feeling good again , really hilly race, in group of 20 which split to 6 on finial lap, one guy slipped away with 2k to go, I won group sprint by 5 bike lengths!
Most of the races ive ridden this month have been UCI ranked 1.1 or 1.2 and have been pretty tough – Below is a description of what happened and how I did in each race –
Kappellen 1.12 01/08/06 10th
This was a shorter kermes or crit at only 60kms, I found out after 5 laps that the race had already been fixed for a local guy to win as I watched a group of 6 ride away and no body but me chase, I was told by one of the riders “its impossible to win today so stop chasing” I tried several times to jump across but the gap got o big and I ended up 10th
Linden 1.12 03/08/06 DNF
Today didn’t go too good, I had great legs, was in the break leading the berg prize completion but got caught behind a crash and couldn’t rejoin the group, got on my bike and rode home, pretty disappointed.
Ronde Van Antwerpen 2.12 10-13/08/07 30th gc
The prologue went ok but again lady luck wasn’t on my side, it threw it down with rain just before i was off, I was fastest out of the riders who went in the rain but only managed 22nd. First stage went bad too, I missed the break of 15 was 3rd in the sprint so 18th. Had a better day on day 2, was in the big break of the day and got the jersey on TV, attacked hard on the last cobles got a small gap but failed to stay away, got swallowed by the group and ran top 30. Stage 3 was a big bunch kick, had to break hard in last 500, and ended up 14th. Stage 4 was pretty similar, group went away came back before the finish, I ran 15th struggling in the sprints with no team help,
Heusden Pro kermes 15/08/06 25th
Legs felt pretty stuffed today with only a day off in between Antwerp, I had a real deep massage too so my legs felt like wood for the 1st hr, rode into it and finished ok, missed the front group with 2 laps to go but was top 10 in the sprint against some good pros.
Hoelden 1.12 17/08/06 6th
This was a bog standard kermes race not far from home, feeling really strong today but missed the break, got in a chasing group and caught the break just before the finish, ended up 6th in the sprint, a bit disappointed as I know I had good legs and could have done better at the end.
G.P Stad Zottegem 1.1 22/08/06 19th
Zottegem was the first big race of the month, a few big pro tour teams there made it pretty tough, I got stuck in at the start but sadly missed the breakaway of 11 riders, this got a gap of 3 mins and was never seen again, it got pretty tough on the hard finish circuit and I managed to be in every split from the peleton, got in a split on the last lap and finished 19th, a great result for myself I think in such a big race, some solid UCI points in the bag with some quality riders behind me!
Overisljel 1.1 23/08/06 top 40
Felt pretty stuffed today from yesterdays race, played a team role, helped Russell Downing all race, keeping him up front and out of trouble, Russ won so a great result for the team.
Havenpijl UCI 1.2 27/08/06 25th
Disappointed with my self today, was really windy at the start and I knew it would split early on, I sat too far back and missed the break of 20, was in 2nd group riding really strong, think I could have got a big result today if I was in the break.
Merksem 1.1 29/08/06 29th
Again really good legs today, a massive race all the big pros here, in front group of 30 with 50ks to go, survived the cross winds, narrow roads, cobbles and all but one crash, got caught up behind and missed the split of 20 to the finish, I finished in 2nd group AGAIN! 29th, which was still a respectable result in such a big race.
Rummen Geebets Classic 31/08/06 2nd
First amateur race for a while now, one of the biggest amateur races of the year at 140ks with a bit prize list and massive crowds, got in the break early on of 20, followed a later attack and was in a group of 7 going into the finish, legs were great today was still floating along after 135ks, but o helplessly had to watch the Belgians doing “the deal” in the break to who would win, I couldn’t understand what was going on, but they obviously didn’t want me to win, one by one they attacked me, I followed 2 but couldn’t go with the 3rd one, he stayed away and won, I attacked hard with 2 k to go, got a gap and ran 2nd, which was a pretty good result but disappointed not to win when I was in such a good position.
So the form has been good this month and ive started to get a few good results. Just need a bit of luck to slide into one of the breaks in the big races and a big result will follow I hope.
Overislel GP 1.12 01/0906 2nd
Decided to race again today, Feeling good again , really hilly race, in group of 20 which split to 6 on finial lap, one guy slipped away with 2k to go, I won group sprint by 5 bike lengths!
# posted by cycling news @ Monday, September 04, 2006
