THROUGH THE CHAOS TO THE COBBLES: RIDING HOLY WEEK WITH LAURENCE PITHIE

After a big weekend of racing at E3 on Friday and Wevelgem on Sunday, I gave our man Laurence Pithie a call for another catch up to find out how his races went, and how he’s feeling about the big one this coming Sunday; The Tour of Flanders. 

First up, E3 Saxo Classic. Basically, a mini Tour of Flanders. Heaps of climbs including the Kwaremont, the Paterberg, and - Tom Boonen’s favourite - the Taaienberg. If you do well at this race, you go into Flanders the following weekend as one of the favourites. Laurence’s race didn’t go his way, after suffering from a puncture and not being able to get back in the fight - but that’s classics racing. 

After E3 comes Gent Wevelgem. A flatter race more suited to sprinters, but still featuring some savage cobbled ascents of climbs like the Kemmelberg. This was Pithie’s ‘breakout’ ride last Spring, where he got away with Van Der Poel and Pedersen and put his name on a lot of people’s radar as a real future star in these races. Again, it wasn’t the result Laurence came for, but he’s only 3 races into this classics campaign, and I reckon once he gets his tactical nous dialled back in, he’ll be right up there; he definitely has the legs for it. 

Talking to Laurence, I get the sense he’s a real fighter, and hearing the absolutely crazy numbers he’s putting out just to get up these brutal Flemish climbs without losing the wheel in front, I’m reminded once again just how hard the racing is these days. Despite being so young, he really knows his stuff about these races - he was rattling off the names to the climbs like a real seasoned Belgian. 

The races keep coming thick and fast, and today it’s time for Dwars door Vlaanderen. This is the last hit out before De Ronde, and it’s one of those races that, when I was a rider, I’d see as a chance to bag a little result for myself. It’s a lot shorter than the likes of Flanders or Roubaix at just 185km, and the start list is usually slightly reduced, with the bigger favourites resting up hard for Flanders. I reckon this is Laurence’s chance for a result; he’s got the legs, and he’s had a few races to get his eye back in, so I think he’ll come out swinging. In fact, by the time you listen to this ep, he might have already got his hands in the air! After Dwars door, Laurence and his boys are going to get some recon done for Flanders, then it’s time to rest up before Sunday’s 6 and a half hour battle. 

The thing about the Spring Classics is that it’s kind of like a mini Grand Tour. You’re up in Belgium for about 3 weeks with the same team around you, bouncing between all these races - it definitely has a real grand atmosphere. Towards the end of my chat with Laurence, I got a chance to have a quick chat with his roommate out there in Belgium; ‘The Wombat’ himself, Aussie sprinting legend Sam Welsford. Sam’s dropped into Bora’s classics squad for a few of the races, but also to bring some morale into the team. He’s a really laid back dude, and hearing his positive attitude and relaxed demeanor, I can imagine the positive impact he’ll have on the boys, some of whom have been racing out there for weeks now! 

Lastly, I gave my old mate Heinrich Haussler a call. Heino was a classics star in his own right when he was a pro, and now works as a DS for Red Bull Bora Hansgrohe. He gave me some great insight into how the classics have changed since he and I were riders just a few years ago; the nutrition, the tech, the schedule - it’s all come on leaps and bounds in such a short space of time, and made these races harder than ever. 

Laurence - go well today, buddy. Show them what you’re made of, and we’ll catch up after Flanders!