U23 Nation Cup + Rhodes Tour

Hello, back in Belgium after a 16 days stint in Greece. Had a very special experience with the American team CMI Tours, a group of friends with an UCI licence that love to race and travel.
They asked me if I could be their D.S. for two races on the island Rhodos in Greece. I didn't have to think too long as it was raining and stormy weather in Belgium. So on March 1st I was off to Greece.
Hard to believe that a small island as Rhodos can organise a G.P. and a 3 days stage Tour. If you keep in mind that the island is about 80km by 30km. Which means you race a few times on the same roads every stage.
Anyway the start of the first race, the International Rhodes G.P. was at the beautiful promenade of Rhodos City, only 200 meter away from the Colossus of Rhodes (one of the seven world wonders).
The previous day the boys did a serious recon, so we knew what was gonna happen. Our 7 oldies (youngest rider of the team was 34) were about to race against eleven Conti teams and 3 national selections and a few club teams. Knowing this, most of us realised it would be suffering from the first minute. The best result in the GP was 44th, finishing in the peloton and same time as the winner. That gave Guillaume Duverger (FRA) convidence for the Tour. On the side Ben Hamilton (Zappi Racing Team), one of our young U23 Kiwi's finished also in that group.
With the 44th place for Dudu (everybody has a French nickname in the team) we had something to celebrate. You can imagine the faces of the other teams when 7 riders, a DS and a female mecanic having a Chimay beer to finalise the first race.
And now we had four days to train and..... drink beer before the Tour started. In the mean time I was walking around the town, exploring the coffee shops and after the recon rides enjoying the sun.
So for the Tour we had our seven riders (Dudu, Lilou, Thoma, Sim, LongJohn, Auré and Guigui), our female mecanic / photographer Eva, and Lieve, who arrived the day before the start of the Tour after a 16 hour trip to be in the feedzone. Feed zone?? Why do we need that? Can we get a beer in the feedzone? CMI tours, never works with a feed zone. Ok, I asked Lieve be there anyway, you never know.
At the breakfast table she got herself a new job, she would feed the boys of Ben's team Zappi. And also look after our boys.
Never ever had such a relaxed Tour in my life. The boys rolled out from the hotel to the start, about 20 minutes before the gun. Sign on and lining up as last team. Waving to the crowd in the race, no stress! Not easy for me but I adepted quickly. In the whole Tour we had one puncture.
The guys had fun, but managed to finish stage 1 with again Dudu as best placed man (87th). Stage 2 again Dudu 44th and one OTL (John DeLong - USA) and two DNF (Aurélien Soubiran - FRA and Guillaume Soula - FRA).
The third stage was a very hard one, actually so was the first and the second too, Simeon Green - USA, Thomas Dartet - FRA and our best man Guillame Duverger - FRA all DNF. Dudu stopped dissapointed after an muscle injury.
So we had one more rider in the race and he did alright, Lilian Sanvincente finished 81st overall.
Concidering the amount of beers, souvlaki's, gyros, fun, mountains, jokes, chocolate we had a fantastic week in sunny Greece.
If they ever need a DS again, count me in!

U23 Nation Cup

really happy to anounce that we have a start in both Gent-Wevelgem Kattekoers and Ronde van Vlaanderen U23 races.
We have also a long list of eleven riders selected, of which six can start in each race.  James Fouche (NZ national road champion), Ben Hamilton, James Mitri, Connor Brown, Theo Gilbertson, Ethan Batt, Matias Fitzwater, Paul Wright, Liam Cappel, Aaron Wyllie and Burnie McGrath are the men.
Next thursday (21st) we will announce the selection of 6 that will participate Gent-Wevelgem.
Together with Lieve, Paul, Peter, Darryn and Joris we will look after these six guys in the race. A complete volunteer staff!! Thanks guys.

Some results of our Kiwi's in Belgium

March 3 / International Rhodes G.P. - Ben Hamilton - 85th
March 8 / Rhodes Tour - stage 1 - Ben Hamilton - 59th
March 9 / Rhodes Tour - stage 2 - Ben Hamilton - 83rd
March 9 / Rhodes Tour - stage 3 - Ben Hamilton - 78th
March 9 / Rhodes Tour - GC - Ben Hamilton - 68th
March 10 / Ooike - Elyse Fraser - 11th
March 10 / Ooike - Kate Wightman - DNF
March 17 / Ichtegem - Paul Wright - DNF
March 17 / Budingen - James Krzanich - 25th
March 17 / Stalhille - Elyse Fraser - 43th