It’s funny how we humans need these arbitrary milestones like New Years Eve, for example. Normally, I’m all into reflecting to the whole year behind us and looking forward to the next one, but right now I don’t have that feeling at all. The reason for that must be that I’m right in the middle of the cyclo-cross season and today is just another day off between races. I went to cover a race yesterday and I’ll do the same tomorrow. I can’t really go out and drink today because I need to get up 7am tomorrow morning. I think, the year’s end, for me at least, will arrive when the ‘cross season ends in mid-February.

When I started to think about this year’s book, I wanted to make it a bit more interesting – having 28 races in it, one after another, there has to be something that breaks it up a bit, something, that’s different. And I thought that that special thing could be a behind-the-scenes feature on riders, crew, supporters, etc. Bart Wellens has always been one of my favourite riders, so I got in touch with him through the ever so helpful Nancy Van Peer and he agreed for me to follow him for a day. Splendid!

The Heusden-Zolder course is hard, very hard from the photographers’ point of view. It’s very streched out and it takes ages to get from one end to the other. I remembered the layout from two years ago and found it difficult again to be everywhere where I wanted to be.

It’s been a very long day, great race, struggling with the cameras in the dark, I’m off to sleep now, my train leaves back to London early in the morning. I’ll be back to Belgium for all four races during the festive week, more to come soon – and Happy Christmas to every reader. Thanks for keep coming back and reading my blog!