The Off Season: The Classics Might Save Me

Omloop Het Nieuwsblad kicked off the classics season today, and it might just be the thing to save my off season. I know I have wrote a lot this winter about habit building and how motivation isn't always the answer, but when you have both motivation and habits, it's a win win.

I've been really busy this week, and riding hasn't been happening like I wanted it to happen. Actually, it hasn't happened at all. But now, life has opened up a little with the ending of our son's hockey season. There's time to ride once again. Omloop couldn't have come at a better time.

Nothing gets me more excited about riding a bike than watching a classics race. The somber weather, the wind, the lousy roads...it's just like what I am looking at outside.

There is just something about watching the best in the world ride in Belgium that gets me fired up. The one day races always bring excitement as it's all on the line. No one is protecting their guy for week three or any of that junk.

It's not that riding in a grand tour isn't impressive, but bigger faster guys on the cobbles is a little more exciting to me than watching emaciated greyhounds fly up a 15% grade at 5 miles an hour.

The breakaways and the accordion effect that happens over the cobbled sections and punchy bergs always creates tension and makes the races good television. It's several hours of just guys going for it again and again and again.

The best classics riders have always been my favorites: Stybar, Gilbert, Terpstra, Sagan, Oss, and before them Cancellara, Boonen, and the recently retired Matt Hayman. This year also sees the arrival of a full season of Wout Van Aert on a real team, Jumbo-Visma. formerly Lotto Jumbo.

I'm excited, and I am sitting here doing the km to miles conversion in my head as I watch and wait to get the kit on and go outside for a ride myself. Omloop Het Nieuwsblad kicked off the classics season today, and it might just be the thing to save my off season.