Final Race in Belgium

On saturday, eight USA team riders road out to our final race. The race was a criterium in the town of Ruislede with 1.7km laps. There were seven turns on the course and one really cool funnel where the road went from being a wide two-laned road to a bike path. The field was very small (maybe 40 riders) so the funnel was never really a problem. The entire team was tired going into this race after nationals and three weeks of hard racing, so our goal was to mostly just try and have a good time. Since the race was so short (37km) I decided to try something early and maybe rack up a couple of primes. I attacked on the first back stretch into the wind and got away solo with a 30 second gap. I held it for five laps before the pack caught me so I had already won 50 euros before the real racing even started. I must admit I was a little tired after that effort so I relaxed in the pack and tried to stay towards the front. I was in high spirits until Joel came up next to me and told me that my USA teammate had been at the front reeling me in those first five laps. I was wearing different clothes (I was in AMD and he in USA), but I still thought that we would be working as one team. AJ Meyer went up the road a couple of laps later and I jumped onto the wheel of a rider trying to bridge. A.J. had really helped me in my win last week so I wanted to help him out. I went to the front and hammered to try and open up a big enough gap for him to stay away. The course was twisty enough that if a break got 45 seconds, they would be out of sight and out of mind. We worked hard for two laps or so and then I looked back to see the same teammate who chased me down on the front bringing the entire race up to AJ and I. After the race we talked about it and he said he was trying to bridge but accidentally brought the field with him too. Maybe that was the case, but it happened not once, but twice. I was fried after those two efforts in front of the pack and there were still eight or so laps left. The peloton split into two and I was in the second half so that was even more energy to get back up to the front pack. With four laps to go I could see Cody out front, but little did I know that Jacob was even farther up the road with a lock on the top step of the podium. I thought I would just try and lead out or sprinters for fourth place, but some crazy instinct in me urged me to attack so I did and built up a lead with four other riders. With two laps to go I was dying and the riders I was with wouldn't pull through and just attacked me so I went to the front and set tempo just to try and stop the attacks. I thought I was crazy for pulling for so long but going into the last corner I was found the third wheel and was in perfect position for the sprint. I was pipped at the line as one rider swerved into me with 50 meters to go and ended up 5th on the day. Jake won and Cody was 2nd so it was yet another successful day for the USA. Supposedly the Belgians were getting sick of our domination so I think we left at just the right time. It was an amazing trip and hopefully something I will be able to repeat in the future.